While I’ll always love a good blueberry muffin, blackberries deserve the spotlight too. These gluten-free blackberry muffins are packed with juicy berries that make them sweet and tart. Lemon zest gets mixed with the sugar to perfume it, and a lemon glaze after baking makes them even better.
I love easy muffin recipes like this because they’re ready in under 30 minutes. No mixer needed, just two bowls and a whisk. Great for last minute breakfast when you have guests over or when you find yourself with leftover blackberries.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten-Free Flour – I’ve tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 (blue bag), which already contains xanthan gum. I haven’t tested other blends so I can’t guarantee results. For best results, weigh your flour instead of scooping into measuring cups.
- Lemon Zest – Rubbing the lemon zest with the sugar releases the natural oils and perfumes the sugar. It’s my favorite way to add citrus zest to recipes.
- Baking Powder – While 1 tablespoon of baking powder may seem like a lot for a muffin recipe, but gluten baked goods need more leavening to rise properly.
- Baking Soda – A little bit of baking soda goes a long way in these blackberry muffins when combined with the baking powder.
- Milk – I used whole milk in this recipe, but have also tested it with unsweetened almond milk as well if you are in need of a non-dairy option.
- Eggs – Use large eggs, which are approximately 50g each, for this recipe.
- Vegetable oil – Neutral oil keeps the muffins moist without adding flavor, which lets the blackberry and lemon shine through. Canola oil, avocado oil, or grapeseed oil also work.
- Blackberries – I used fresh blackberries for this recipe, but you could also use frozen blackberries if fresh berries are not in season or available to you. If using frozen, do not let them thaw and just add them straight to the batter. For frozen blackberries, I like to toss them in a tablespoon of the gluten-free flour from the dry ingredients first to soak up some of the extra juices.
Cut blackberries for better distribution
Cut blackberries into halves or quarters depending on size. This gives you blackberry flavor in every bite instead of occasional big chunks. Smaller pieces also prevent the berries from weighing down the batter and sinking to the bottom of the muffin during baking.
Recipe FAQs
I’ve only tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 (blue bag), which contains xanthan gum. I can’t guarantee other blends will work.
I don’t recommend it. The muffins aren’t very sweet, and the sugar is important for the structure and texture.
They should be golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
Expert Tips
Storage Instructions
- Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. Best the day they’re made.
- Freezer: Flash freeze muffins in a single layer on a baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze up to 3 months.
- Defrost: Let frozen muffins sit at room temperature about 1 hour to thaw.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these at brunch alongside my gluten-free breakfast casserole with ham and hashbrowns and gluten-free blueberry coffee cake with cinnamon streusel. The blackberry muffins are bright and tart from the lemon, which contrasts nicely with the warm cinnamon in the coffee cake. The savory egg casserole rounds out the menu so guests who prefer a heartier breakfast have options alongside the sweet baked goods. Set up a buffet and let everyone help themselves.
Gluten-Free Blackberry Muffins
Ingredients
For the Muffins:
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 cups (280 g) gluten-free flour blend - I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (in the blue bag)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (120 g) whole milk
- 2 (100 g) large eggs
- ½ cup (113 g) vegetable oil
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- 6 oz (170 g) fresh blackberries - cut into halves or quarters (about 1.5 cups total)
For the Lemon Glaze:
- 1 cup (210 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) fresh lemon juice
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Rub together with your fingers until the sugar feels slightly moist from the lemon oils and smells like lemon.
- Add 2 cups (280 g) gluten-free flour blend, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt to the sugar. Whisk until combined.
- In a large bowl or measuring cup, whisk together ½ cup (120 g) whole milk, 2 (100 g) large eggs, ½ cup (113 g) vegetable oil, and ½ tablespoon vanilla extract until smooth.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Mix until combined and no streaks of flour remain.
- Gently fold in 6 oz (170 g) fresh blackberries. Mix just until distributed, being careful not to overmix or the batter will turn purple from the berry juices.
- Use a portion scoop to fill muffin cups almost to the top (about 60-65g batter per cup).
- Bake at 400℉ for 15-17 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Internal temperature should be 200-205°F.
- Cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Whisk together 1 cup (210 g) powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons (30 g) fresh lemon juice until smooth. If too thin, add more powdered sugar. If too thick, add more lemon juice.
- Drizzle glaze over cooled muffins. Let set before serving.
Notes
- Gluten-Free Flour: I’ve tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 (blue bag) and King Arthur Measure for Measure. Both contain xanthan gum and work great. I haven’t tested other blends so I can’t guarantee results. Weigh your flour (280g) for best results instead of scooping into measuring cups.
- Fill Cups High: Fill muffin cups almost to the top. Gluten-free muffins don’t rise as much as regular ones, so this gives you taller bakery-style muffins.
- Storage: Room temperature in airtight container up to 3 days. Freeze up to 3 months. Flash freeze in single layer, then transfer to freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature about 1 hour.
