Gluten Free – Dairy Free Muffins
By
I think this is the recipe I’m most excited about from all my gluten free recipe experimenting last week!!! Cher left this recipe in the comments section in my Gluten Free Experiment post and since I had all the ingredients on hand, I gave them a try. (Cher, I’d like to give you a BIG hug!!!)
Upon first glance, it seems that there would be too much liquid in these, making for a really runny batter. But nope…it’s just right. I mixed them up, baked them, then held my breath: Would my kids like them? They smelled good…they looked good…but would they taste good?
Oh. My. Muffin.
EVERY boy in my house scarfed these up…my pickiest son exclaiming, “Mom! These taste like CAKE!”
It’s only been a week, but I think I’ve made three batches of these already. We all love them.
Gluten Free - Dairy Free Muffins
6 eggs
4 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
1/2 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Coconut Flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Add-In Ideas:
1/4 cup chocolate chips (we use either these gluten free/soy free/dairy free chocolate chips or we make our own)
1/2 cup fresh berries
1/4 cup chopped, dried fruit
Mix all ingredients together, throw in an add-in if you’d like, then pour batter into a well greased muffin pan. Bake at 350 for 15-17 min. Makes 12 muffins.
By themselves, these muffins are awesome…but with chocolate chips. Oh my!
With both Coconut Oil and Coconut Flour in these, you would think they would have an overpowering coconut flavor. You can taste a bit of coconuty-goodness, but it’s not strong. Read this post explaining about the differences in coconut oils – try expeller pressed coconut oil if you don’t like the taste of coconut!
So where can you get Coconut Flour? I usually get mine from Tropical Traditions, but just saw this great pack of Coconut Flour at Amazon and decided to snatch it up. I think we’ll be making a lot of these muffins in the future…whether we remain gluten free or not. What an EXCELLENT little healthy muffin!!!
And stay tuned, because there just so happens to be a Tropical Traditions giveaway coming up on Thursday that includes a lovely bag of coconut flour!!! :)
Have you ever baked with Coconut Flour? I’m hoping to figure out more Coconut Flour recipes. It’s super good for you! What add-in ideas can you think of for these muffins?
Do these taste like scrambled eggs?
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Laura Reply:
April 8th, 2011 at 1:13 pm
Ha! You would think so, huh, with all those eggs in there! But no…they really do taste like cake!!
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I’m making these now! They sound SO yummy! Thanks for the great recipes!!
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My husband just brought home coconut flour today!! Can’t wait to try these out!
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Our favourite variation is adding an orange. I put the whole orange in the blender and mix all the ingredients in there. Actually, that’s how I usually mix with coconut flour because it’s so runny and pours easily. Probably cut back on the oil (you can use melted butter or cream, too) a bit because of the extra juice in the orange.
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Christy Reply:
June 20th, 2011 at 7:41 am
Oooh, good idea to mix it in the blender! Mine is a bit clumpy, so that might have helped!
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My 18-year-old brother has to be gluten-free, and the poor guy gets so sick of dry rice bread!! I can’t wait to try this recipe for him!
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Yummy – sounds good! Going to try this out tomorrow for breakfast :)
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The boys will love these!!! Thanks
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WOW! I am the biggest skeptic with GF foods. (Too sweet, too gritty, too chewy)
I made these last night (with chocolate chips). And just as in your house, ours DISAPPEARED. I had to hide two (one for a GF friend, one to try later, when it had cooled.)
WOW. SOOO easy, so few ingredients. So healthy (well, sort of.)
One son suggested we have these for his birthday cake :)
THANK YOU!
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I made these for breakfast this morning. Very yummy! Moist, spongey texture, and slightly sweet. I would like to try them with blueberries next time.
fyi: I realized I was out of honey after I started making them, and used a 1/2 cup of maple syrup instead. Worked great!
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Soooo….I can’t get coconut flour or coconut oil here in China. Any suggestions on what I could substitute for that? I have so much trouble coming up with breakfast ideas. I eat oatmeal every.single.day. but my hubby isn’t a fan. I’d love to try the breakfast casserole but don’t have heavy cream here either. Any substitutions for that??
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Randi @ www.ExpressionsOfPerceptions.com Reply:
April 13th, 2011 at 7:26 pm
Did you try buying coconut flour online at Amazon.com? They ship to China.
Also, milk or even water could be substituted for the cream.
And as for breakfast recipes, we do smoothies in the blender every single morning and my picky kids have yet to tire of them. I just throw some fruit, yogurt, green tea, and ice cubes in the blender.
Hope that helps!
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Diane Reply:
April 17th, 2011 at 4:50 pm
Good heavens they ship to China but not Alaska! lol
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Diane Reply:
April 17th, 2011 at 4:52 pm
I should clarify, they will not ship food to Alaska. :-)
Can I use this recipe with regular flour or whole wheat? It sounds yummy and I dont have access to coconut flour.
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Randi @ www.ExpressionsOfPerceptions.com Reply:
April 13th, 2011 at 7:29 pm
Coconut flour is EXTREMELY dry. That’s why so many eggs are needed. There would be way too much liquid for a grain-based flour. Have you tried Amazon.com for coconut flour? I know they have it there and will ship to practically anywhere. Shipping is free and you get a 15% discount if you use the subscribe n save option.
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OK…just finished making a batch. How do you keep the chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom? The muffins are still FANTASTIC! And I know my husband will be so excited to get a respite from eggs for breakfast :)
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Laura Reply:
April 21st, 2011 at 9:31 am
To solve that problem, you an scoop the batter into the muffin pan, then sprinkle chocolate chips on top of each muffin (before baking). While they bake, they’ll melt down into the muffin a little bit, but won’t go all the way to the bottom.
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Joelyn Reply:
February 27th, 2012 at 5:31 pm
Adding a little extra baking powder might help to keep the chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom. According to this article on quick breads: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/tips/quick-bread-primer.html. Basically it is recommended to add and extra 1/2 tsp baking powder per cup of flour if you are using add ins like chocolate chips. Coconut flour is different than regular flour though so it may take some experimentation.
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Mindy W. Reply:
November 12th, 2012 at 3:06 pm
I use mini chocolate chips and they don’t sink :)
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I had just bought some coconut flour and was so excited to try these! However, they came out awful. They took way longer to bake than the 15-17 minutes, and they tasted very egg-y. The chocolate chips all sank to the bottom too. Any thoughts on what went so wrong for me? I don’t want to be negative, and really would like to try these again. I thought they seemed very wet; maybe I need to add more flour?
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Laura Reply:
April 25th, 2011 at 2:06 pm
I’m sorry these didn’t turn out well for you. :( I’m surprised they tasted so egg-y for you…ours usually taste pretty sweet because of the honey. You could try adding more flour, but not too much because it is such a dry flour.
To avoid the chocolate chip issue, I now sprinkle them on top of each muffin after I’ve scooped the dough into muffin tins. That seems to help keep them from going all the way down.
Hope they turn out better next time!
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Lynda Sander Reply:
May 22nd, 2011 at 11:43 pm
mine turned out horrible too. I was really hoping for it to be good. The tops turned out really yummy, but the body of the muffin felt like fried egg. It was really rubbery, almost like the eggs fried before the mix had a chance to cook. I think the quality of my muffin tin is to blame. The flavor was good, just the texture was all wrong. I had to sub butter for the coconut oil, so maybe that had a part in it also. I’m gonna keep playing with this though!
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Bri Reply:
May 23rd, 2011 at 9:33 am
One of the easiest ways I’ve found to mix this batter is to do it in the blender. My first batch I did by hand and had trouble getting all the coconut flour mixed in. Maybe that would help with your texture issue? Also, I have had WONDERFUL results using Le Creuset silicone baking cups…they have replaced my old muffin tin completely :)
My big problem still with these muffins is that the tops end up kind of gooey (?)…like they seem very wet and sticky…not sure the problem, but they still disappear quickly in our house :)
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Wow!!! Way better than I expected! They are SOOOO good! Thank you so much for sharing the recipie!!
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I just got some coconut flour to try these, but was wondering if you had any recommendations for using less eggs. My son is allergic to eggs, but does okay if there is just a bit of cooked egg. He also has a dairy and soy allergy, too. Any change I could half the egg amount and use coconut yogurt or rice milk instead?
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Dineen Reply:
May 15th, 2011 at 8:28 am
Eggs provide most of the “rise” of this recipe (and most baking recipes) with coconut flour because coconut flour lacks the gluten that gives other muffin and quick bread recipes structure. Egg replacer like ground flax and water would not work well for this recipe. You would be better off just giving this recipe a miss and using other gluten-free recipes.
I just picked up an interesting book at the library called SPECIAL DIET SOLUTIONS:Healthy cooking without wheat, gluten, dairy eggs yeast or refined sugar by Carol Fenster, phD. Not all the recipes are are free of all those ingredients, but she has options for eggs and dairy and sugars are much reduced.
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two thumbs up – these were great with the chocolate chips. I only made half a batch because I was skeptical and didn’t want to waste our eggs, but now I wish I had made more. I love that the kids are getting 1/2 egg in each muffin for protein too. The only problem I had was with the chocolate chips. I sprinkled them on top as you suggested, but mine didn’t sink at all. As a result, my daughter just ate the tops off of the muffins. =) Maybe next time I’ll mix some in and put some on top. Thanks for the recipe. We are not GF, but these are easy and healthy.
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Delicious! I just made a batch of these for breakfast and we loved them. I love that we feel like we are eating a muffin, yet we are getting so much protein in them! Thanks for another great recipe!
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I would love to recommend these for a friend but they cannot have eggs either. Do you have any recommendations? I have recommended your site to several friends and they all love it too! Thank you for the great recipes and a few laughs besides. :)
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Laura Reply:
June 22nd, 2011 at 7:56 pm
I’m clueless about egg substitutes. I’d say that if your friend can’t have eggs, there would surely be an easier muffin to make besides these since they take so many eggs. On the other hand, these are so nutritious, it would be nice to find a substitute for the eggs. Maybe someone else will pipe in with an idea!
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C Dazey Reply:
July 20th, 2011 at 8:36 am
I know you can substitute fournd flax seeds for eggs in many recipes. I have tried it with great success in many recipes, but I have never tried to substitute out so m any eggs. I would google it to find out the exact amount of ground flax and water needed to sub. per egg. I hope that it turns out for you!
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Kacie Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:19 pm
I just made this using egg substitutes, since I now have a sensitivity to eggs. I’ve made them in the past with eggs and love them. This time, the flavor is a bit different but it does work!
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Debbie Reply:
November 4th, 2011 at 8:39 pm
Hi Kacie, thank you SO MUCH for posting that you tried as I became vegan a month ago. I never tried them with eggs, so I don’t have anything to compare it to. So, hopefully they will come out fine the first try and taste ok enough to keep. I’ll post back once I give them a whirl.
Priscilla W Reply:
February 4th, 2012 at 5:07 pm
I put 1 T of flaxseed in a coffee grinder, grind it up.
Then add the ground flaxseed to 3 T of water, I mix it up in a coffee cup.
Then let it set 5 minutes, then stir again…the change is amazing.
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Oh, these look so yummy! I HAVE to try using coconut flour now! :)
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These sound so yummy! Thanks for all the great info! I’ll be buying some coconut flour ASAP!
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OMIGOSH… I just bought some coconut flour, tried a horrible recipe from another site, but I paid $10 a pound for it, so I was determined to make it work. I discovered this recipe, and it sounded so good, I went out at 7:00 pm to get some chocolate chips so I could make it right away. (The chocolate chips are for my kids.) You’re right… This is SO YUMMY, and so easy. We’ve got a new breakfast around here. :) Thank you!
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I just tried these for the first time…..YUMMY
I’m making them for a church meeting and of course I had to try one out ;) They really were more like a cake than a muffin. I have one question though, I had a hard time mixing the coconut oil in. It was soft but not completely melted so the batter was lumpy. Should I melt it before I put it in, or are lumps normal?
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Laura Reply:
July 9th, 2011 at 8:11 pm
I usually do melt it before adding it.
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Kristine Reply:
October 22nd, 2011 at 7:29 am
I melt the coconut oil first. Just run the container of coconut oil under hot water in a bowl in the sink. I read that you never want to microwave coconut oil.
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Made these yesterday and thought I would tell you how awesome they were! My family didn’t even notice they were coconut anything! I do use the expeller pressed coconut oil, as it has no coconut flavor, BUT decided to add a tsp. of vanilla just incase they could detect any coconut in the batter…
Yeah! They loved them, me too! Thanks so much!
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Do you measure coconut oil when it is in a solid state, or do I need to melt it first and then measure it for recipes, or does it matter? In other words – When it is on my pantry shelf, it is in a solid-semi-solid state. Can I measure it out just like that or should it be melted to a liquid first? Thank you!
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Laura Reply:
July 9th, 2011 at 8:12 pm
I measure it in solid state, then melt it down. But you can do it whichever way is easiest for you!
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Amazing! I also blended it in my blender, because of the lumps. I have had some crumbs and I can’t wait to have one tonight after dinner with the fudge frosting! I love your website and my family does too! Thanks!
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For allergy sufferers try this site for alternative products in your batters. They have an egg replacement, worth a try! http://www.ener-g.com/
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I just tried these tonight. I’ve been wheat- and dairy-free for 7 months now, but this recipe was my first attempt at gluten-free baking. I think they were pretty yummy. I added chocolate chips (Trader Joe’s are dairy-free) and neither of my non-sensitive boys thought they tasted different. We will definitely be having these again!
Thank You!
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I usually make these the day before for breakfast the next morning. Do these need to be refrigerated?
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Laura Reply:
August 13th, 2011 at 4:44 pm
Not necessarily – I usually leave them out overnight, then store the leftovers in the fridge if there are any leftovers!
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Tasty! I put the mini chocolate chips on top & that is where they stayed. I think next time I will put a little batter over the chips. Maybe it will make a chocolate surprise muffin? :)
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I tried making these and ended up with an eggy tasting bottom half and a muffin texture top half. Followed the recipe exactly…someone else mentioned the quality of her baking pans. While mine are old, everything else I cook in them come out just fine? Any suggestions….I really want this recipe to work, as I’m always looking for good coconut flour recipes!
Thank you!
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Laura Reply:
September 20th, 2011 at 9:33 am
I’m really not sure – mine have never separated like that. Hmmm…
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These are GAPS friendly! Loved them!
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I will have to try these again. Made them once and they turned out really bad. They didn’t bake into anything muffin or cake like, they just sat in the pan in the exact shape that I had spooned them in. Took much longer to cook, and were still gooey and wet inside. Wonder what I did wrong?
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Thanks for this recipe- I have made them many times for my son, and my girls love them too!
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Thanks so much for this recipe. My 3 year old loved them! And so did I! Soooo good and they took only a few minutes to put together. I will definitely be making these again.
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Made them. Loved them.
But we’re not much of muffin people around here (muffins are fine, but I am not a fan of cleaning out the muffin tins – it’s just too much work). Has anyone tried making it in a loaf pan to be more of a quick bread??
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Jackie Reply:
November 21st, 2011 at 8:52 am
Julie, I haven’t tried making them as a loaf but here are some more coconut flour recipes, including bread http://www.tiana-coconut.com/coconut_flour_recipes.htm
Or, you could use muffin papers or silicone muffin cups. I use the silicone and I don’t wash them after every use. I find that they are pretty clean after coconut flour muffins, anyway.
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LindseyforLaura@HHM Reply:
December 7th, 2011 at 8:10 pm
I haven’t done that with this recipe, although I have with others. I think
it would work out great!
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Hey, Laura! Just had to chime in here. I’ve been making this recipe for several months and have had them turn out delicious every time! We have tried lots of coconut flour cake recipes for special occasions since being grain-free and they always turn out dense and bland. These are moist and relatively light and just delicious! We love the Enjoy Life Soy-free, dairy-free and Nut free mini chocolate chips in them. I wanted to let you know that I have used this recipe, but added a heaping cup of fresh pumpkin puree, a heaping tablespoon of cinnamon and about a teaspoon of nutmeg and ended up with the most delicious, moist and healthy pumpkin muffins ever! If you love pumpkin, you have got to try this! SOOOO good!
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A quick question – My husband just started a low-carb diet – is coconut flour lower in carbohydrates than wheat flour? and is honey a better carb choice than flour? (we are all really missing bread!)
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Laura Reply:
February 28th, 2012 at 10:29 am
Yes, coconut flour is low in carbs, so a great choice! I would also think that honey would be a good choice since there are good nutrients and enzymes there.
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These were awesome!!! Great taste and texture, I did use a blender and the baking time was perfect. I did half frozen blueberries and half of them chocolate chip but I am going to try and make them savory next time:)
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Laura,
I wanted to happily write to you about this recipe because I was so skeptical about it. You made the muffins sound so delicious that I had to try to bake a batch myself, even though I had so many flops with coconut flour. I just have to say they really are great! I loved baking with wheat but on a low carb diet it brought TOM out earlier so I had to give it up. Then I basically lost a bag of coconut flour through trying various recipes that just didn’t turn out. But I have to say, these muffins taste great and can easily replace morning pancakes for me! This recipe was a godsend as I reverted back to good ole’ white flour which increased my carbs and hunger drive.
Side note: One can also use vanilla extract or coconut extract to reduce egg taste.
Thanks again, Laura!
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These were great!! What are you all greasing your muffin pans with though? I used butter and it browned somewhat on the edges and bottoms. Thanks.
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LindseyforLaura@HHM Reply:
April 10th, 2012 at 9:19 am
Laura uses paper liners. :)
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I’ve been making these for a long time now, but had forgotten about them! Saw them on your menu this week and decided to revive them in our home! Boy was my family happy with me! We LOVE them, and just like in your home they just seem to disappear! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
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I made a batch of these today and they just turned out soak. I had to bake them a lot longer than the recipe called for….about 28 minutes. This is my first time using coconut flour. I thought that the taste was pretty good although the muffins were kind of crumbly and egg-like. Both of my kids tried them and didn’t like them which surprised me because they are good eaters. I’m not sure if I will try to make these again. They looked nothing like your picture. I just moved to a high altitude area though and have had other things not turn out quite right…..so it might be my fault! :)
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Turned out OK….not soak.
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Tried these this morning and they were great! This was my first time using coconut flour. I did use the blender and I cooked them for 17 min. Thanks Laura!
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These look so yummy! I haven’t tried baking since becoming gf but just got coconut flour in so I will be trying them today. Thanks for all the great recipes.
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Hi,my two year old is gluten free and I wanted to make these for his birthday party. If I use gluten free flour instead of coconut flour,how many eggs should I use.
Thanks for your help and for a delicious recipe.
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Laura Reply:
November 29th, 2012 at 7:51 pm
Hmm, not sure this recipe would work very well with regular gf flour. You may do better with a “regular” recipe substituting GF flour for the wheat flour?
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Mgmama Reply:
February 12th, 2013 at 4:07 pm
I know this response is late, but if you are GF flour, you substitute it as you would regular all-purpose flour. Like Laura said, you’d do better using a regular recipe if you plan to use the GF flour.
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i do not have any honey. could i substitute brown sugar?
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LindseyforLaura@HHM Reply:
March 11th, 2013 at 12:44 pm
Yes you can! :)
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I don’t have coconut oil, have you made these using butter instead with success?
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LindseyforLaura@HHM Reply:
March 11th, 2013 at 12:44 pm
That would work great!
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