Testing Multiple Flour Blends: The Best Gluten Free Muffin Recipe

We all love big fluffy gluten free muffins, but how do you know the flour blend you have on hand will yield the best results? I decided to test four gluten free flour blends in my gluten free muffin base recipe to see how they would perform.

Jump to:

• Why This Test Works:
• The Gluten Free Blends Tested:
• The Results:
• Tips For Success:
• Recipe Step-By-Step Directions:
• Comparison Photos:
• Storage:
• Recipe FAQ:
• More Gluten Free Muffin Recipes:
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

If you are gluten free, you may have noticed that gluten free baking can be trickier without traditional wheat flour. There are lots of gluten free flour blends on the market. But with so many options available at so many different price points, it can be difficult to know which blends are worth your time and money.

I decided to test the four gluten free flour blends I had on hand to see how they compare. I ran this test by baking the exact same muffin recipe using each flour blend, including my custom DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend. I compare each muffin's texture, flavor, and overall quality to help you determine which gluten-free flour blends to use.

So, whether you're a seasoned gluten free baker or just starting out, read on to find out which flour blends make the best gluten free muffins!

If you love muffins as much as we do, check out my incredible Gluten Free Muffins Recipes.

Why This Test Works:

1. I used the exact same recipe with all flour blends with no variations, so I compared apples to apples with every blend. My gluten free muffin base recipe is perfect for this test because you can add any fruit or mix in!
2. Although I created this gluten free muffin test using butter, you can swap dairy-free butter or oil to make this recipe dairy-free.
3. I only used gluten free flour blends readily available at most grocery stores, so you do not have to order a fancy blend.

Read my gluten-free flour blend guide for more information on what gluten-free flours are best for what types of recipes.

The Gluten Free Blends Tested:

As I mention above, it was important to me to use easy to find gluten free flour blends. I didn't want readers to have to try to find and order a blend. These flour blends are available in most grocery stores.

• Bob's Red Mill 1:1
• King Arthur Measure for Measure
• Cup4Cup
• My DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend (A gum-free gluten free flour blend for those who can not eat xanthan or guar gum.)

The Results:

I used the exact same muffin recipe for every blend, regardless of the consistency of the batter.

Each test used the following ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups of the tested gluten free flour blend - I used the same cup measurements and weighed that for gram measurements. I did it this way because the majority of my readers do not own a digital scale.
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 6 tablespoons unsalted
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

All of the flour blends worked well, and the muffins tasted great. The main differences that I found were in the texture of the muffins and the amount of liquid to flour needed for success. This is due to each gluten free flour blend's starch-to-grain ratio differences.

One interesting note with every blend, the muffins rose while baking and fell a little when they were cooling. I see this a lot when I bake muffins.

• Bob's Red Mill 1:1 - Bob's Red Mill 1:1 was good, though the muffins were gummier/chewier than the others. I think this could be due to the batter being runnier than the others. I recommend adding 2-3 tablespoons of additional flour if you use this blend to make this muffin recipe.
• King Arthur Measure for Measure - The King Arthur muffins rose nicely and were one of our favorites. I do not recommend any changes to the recipe. Note they had a slight grittiness which I don't often see when using this blend. Let the batter sit before baking for 10 minutes to fix the grittiness problem so the rice flour can soften more. These muffins rose well and were almost cake-like in fluffiness.
• Cup4Cup - Cup4Cup was also a great blend for this muffin recipe. Note for those who are dairy-free; this blend contains dried milk powder. The Cup4Cup muffins were a little more golden in color due to the dried milk powder in the blend. These muffins rose well and stayed almost cake-like in fluffiness.
• My DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend - My blend performed well and had good taste and texture, but I feel the muffins made with my blend would have turned out even better if an additional 2-3 tablespoons of flour had been added. The batter was a little runny compared to the King Arthur and Cup4Cup batter.

Check out my favorite Muffin Baking Tools and find some new favorites.

Tips For Success:

• Never use a stand mixer or electric mixer to make gluten free muffins. Your muffins will turn out dense.
• For a dome top, bake the muffins for the first 5-6 minutes at 425º F, then turn the oven temperature down to 350º F.
• Use parchment paper muffin liners. Your muffins will not stick to the papers, and you will get to eat more of the muffins! Win-win!

For more muffin baking tips, read my Gluten Free Muffins Troubleshooting Guide.

Recipe Step-By-Step Directions:

Step 1: I made two half batches at a time in running this flour blend recipe testing. The first step is to add the dry ingredients, including the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar, to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to blend the dry ingredients together.

Step 2: In a smaller mixing bowl, add the melted butter, vanilla, egg, and milk or non-dairy milk. Add the blueberries and whisk to blend.

Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix them until they are just barely mixed. It is crucial not to overmix your batter when making gluten-free muffins.

Step 4: Here are photos of the King Arthur (right) and Cup4Cup (left) muffin batter.

Step 5: Line a muffin tin with muffin liners and fill each ¾ full of gluten free muffin batter. Add a few blueberries if you notice any muffins with fewer blueberries.

Step 6: Bake the muffins at 425º F for 5 minutes, then turn down the oven to 350º F. Do not open the oven door while the muffins are baking. Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes additional time.

🔑 Sandi says: Baking time can vary depending on the flour blend you use, the material of the muffin pan, and the size of the muffin pan you use.

I found the Cup4Cup baked a little quicker than the King Arthur in that test round.

Step 7: Remove the muffins from the tin and place them onto a cooling rack.

Comparison Photos:

Here are some fun side-by-side comparison muffin photos so you can see the texture and size of the muffins. As I noted above, the Bob's and my DIY gluten free flour blends could have used a little more flour. Every gluten-free flour blend is different; for some blends, you need more flour than others.

You can see the fluffiness of the muffins and the texture in these side-by-side interior photos of the muffins. The KA and Cup4Cup rose the best and stayed more fluffy than the other two blends, but this could have been affected by the Bob's and DIY having runnier batter.

Storage:

Store leftover muffins in an airtight container so they don't dry out. I like to store mine in the refrigerator, especially during warmer months. If you don't eat them in a couple of days, I recommend storing them in a freezer-safe zipper bag.

If you want to make a muffin in 3 minutes, try this fluffy Gluten Free Mug Muffin recipe.

Recipe FAQ:

You may also love this Gluten Free Peach Muffins Recipe. You can use fresh, frozen, or canned peaches in this recipe.

More Gluten Free Muffin Recipes:

• Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins - The lemon flavor in these muffins is delicious!
• Gluten Free Zucchini Muffins - Even zucchini haters will love this healthier muffin!
• Gluten Free Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins - These are so good; why would you only eat them in the fall?
• Gluten Free Banana Oatmeal Muffins - This muffin makes a great grab-and-go breakfast.

📖 Recipe