I’ve been really into the science of baking with different fruits lately. Strawberries can be a tricky fruit to bake with because of their water content. In my last post about baking strawberry crumble, I mentioned that the balance of ingredients using strawberries in a baked cake could be challenging. In peak season, spring and summer, Strawberries are sweeter than when they are out of season. These muffins have a great balance of sweet, vanilla flavor and also a soft texture that melts in your mouth.
On a road trip last summer, we stopped in Colorado Springs. We spent a few hours exploring the town and grabbing coffee in the morning. My husband and I love to get coffee and walk around the neighborhoods. Having celiac disease can be extremely frustrating when it comes to wanting to do everyday things, like going to restaurants, coffee shops, or generally eating out. At this point, I am very used to bringing my snacks when we go places like coffee shops or even just enjoying a drink at dinner. We went to this coffee shop, and I was in complete shock; they had an entire section of gluten-free and vegan pastries. A dream come true.
For the first time in almost ten years, eating a pastry from a coffee shop felt normal while I enjoyed my coffee. Whenever I bake muffins or another breakfast pastry, I always think back to those memories. I have an attachment to memories with food. In muffins case, fruit muffins always meant coffee shops, like blueberry, raspberry, lemon poppyseed, or even orange sage where chocolate chip or chocolate chip banana muffins muster up memories from eating mini muffins at my best friend’s house in elementary school. I love the connection that food brings, especially something so simple, like a muffin.
Gluten-Free and Vegan Strawberry Muffins
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
- Category: muffins
- Method: baking
Description
The best muffin of summer. Sweet cake with a mild vanilla flavor pairs perfectly with the fresh sweet flavor of the strawberries. The gluten-free and vegan strawberry muffins are a perfect recipe for a summer day.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of vegan butter
- 3/4 cups of granulated sugar
- 1/2 cups of brown sugar
- 1/2 cups of dairy free milk
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 2 1/4 cups of gluten-free flour
- 2 tablespoons of almond flour
- 1 cup of sliced strawberries
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Crumble:
- 2 tablespoons of soft vegan butter
- 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
- pinch of cinnamon
- 3 Tablespoons of gluten-free flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and wash your fresh strawberries
- In a bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer cream the sugars into the butter until soft and smooth
- Next add in the baking powder, almond flour, vanilla and salt, mix until combined
- Add the dairy free milk and gluten free flour alternating, 1/2 of each at a time until the batter is smooth
- Cut the tops off the strawberries and cut into small cubes, and using a rubber spatula gently fold the strawberries into the batter
- In a separate bowl, mix the crumble ingredients together to form a rough crumble – when pinched it stays together but overall loose
- Scoop about 1/3 cups of the batter into a lined muffin tin and combine until each muffin tin is full
- Top with crumble topping and bake for 50-55 minutes until golden brown on the edges
- Enjoy!
Notes
*I would recommend using fresh berries rather than frozen berries, Strawberries can also be substituted for another berry like a raspberry
Keywords: gluten free and vegan strawberry muffins
Let’s talk strawberries
I love strawberries, especially during strawberry season. They are the perfect fruity balance of fantastic crisp texture, bursting sweetness, and refreshing moisture in your mouth. As a kid, strawberries were something I had little to no impulse control over when it came to eating them, and luckily my parents helped me with my strawberry supply. As an adult, it’s up to me to keep my strawberries supplied. I have two things I look for when I pickup strawberries, color, and size. The smaller size strawberries tend to be super sweet, and the darker the strawberry, the more mature they are, aiding in their flavor.
One of the best parts of this recipe is that it’s easy to make! Whether you have company spending the night and want to whip up breakfast in the morning or prepare them for brunch, they take about 15 minutes to prep and 50 minutes to bake. By the time they are done baking, you could shower, mow the lawn, workout, walk the dog, or all of the above! The perfect weekend companion!
Tag me if you make them! @frontpaigebakes
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