Gluten Free Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

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These gluten free cinnamon streusel muffins are perfect for a delicious snack. Topped with a thick cinnamon streusel, you will want to not miss a single crumb of these orange muffins.

A gluten free cinnamon streusel muffin on a small white plate.

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Ingredients notes:
Optional ingredients:
Recipe step-by-step directions:
Tips and Recipe FAQ:
More gluten free muffins recipes to try:
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This week is all about blood oranges. Have you seen these oranges? They have a purplish orange mottled skin color on the outside, ranging from dark orange to hot pink and purple. Their flavor is distinct, with an almost honey-like tart raspberry taste blended with the orange.

Blood oranges are primarily available in the winter when citrus is in season. I haven't had much chance to use blood oranges in baking because they usually disappear quickly in our house.

This recipe has a refined sugar-free option; I remade the recipe and photos with coconut sugar. Coconut sugar doesn't make streusel quite like brown sugar, so I give you the option of using either.

I promised my family muffins this week, so I used the one lonely blood orange instead of our usual blueberries. If you are looking for a delicious blueberry muffin recipe, try these gluten free blueberry muffins.

A close up of the gluten free cinnamon streusel muffins in a pan.

These gluten free coffee cake muffins are very quick to make. I highly recommend making a double batch because your family will gobble these up in record time!

One thing I love about these gluten free streusel muffins is that they are fantastic at pleasing a crowd. Whenever we have a party or get-together, I make a batch, and they get devoured. Here are a few ideas:

Breakfast - If you have busy mornings and need a quick meal, these are easy to grab and eat.
Baby Shower - These muffins are not only flavorful but also elegant.
Road Trips - Toss a batch in your travel bag for an easy snack.

If you love muffins as much as we do, you will want to try all of my delicious gluten free muffin recipes.

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This is one of my favorite gluten-free flour blends for cookies, cakes, pie crust, biscuits, and muffins! (Do not use this flour blend for yeast recipes.)

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Ingredients notes:

Gluten free flour blend - I tested this recipe using Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend and King Arthur's Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend. That doesn't mean others will not work; I just have not tested other flours.
Xanthan gum - If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
Coconut sugar - You can also use brown sugar.
Butter - Use vegan butter to make this recipe dairy-free/

Optional ingredients:

If you are like me, sometimes you want to add some extra ingredients to your recipes. These muffins are fabulous on their own, but here are a few ideas to change them a little:

Raisins - The raisins go beautifully with the cinnamon and blood orange!
Walnuts - Adding nuts is a great way to get extra crunch to the recipe.
Craisins - They add an extra sweetness to the muffins that take them to a whole new level of yummy!
Lemon Glaze - The glaze in my Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins recipe is delicious and pairs nicely with the blood oranges.
Chocolate Chips - Seriously, chocolate goes with almost everything. Dark chocolate or white chocolate chips would both be fantastic in these muffins.
Add some fruit like in my Gluten Free Peach Muffins recipe.

Recipe step-by-step directions:

The wet and dry muffin ingredients mixed in a bowl.

Step 1: I cut up the blood oranges into small bite-sized pieces. Don't forget to remove any seeds!

Step 2: Add the dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk to blend.

Step 3: Add the wet ingredients and mix in a smaller bowl. Mix wet and dry ingredients together and toss in the blood orange pieces.

Step 4: Mix up a simple streusel topping. I use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the batter. (*Note: this picture is with brown sugar, not coconut sugar. You can use either!)

Step 5: Pour the gluten free muffin batter into lined muffin cups. I fill the muffin cups to be ¾ filled. These muffins will rise, so you want to make sure they have room to expand.

Streusel topping made with coconut sugar instead of brown sugar.

Step 6: Top each muffin with a tablespoon of streusel topping. Bake at 350º F for 22-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack.

A gluten free cinnamon streusel muffin on a plate with a bite taken out.

Here are my kids' favorite gluten free muffin recipes of all time; most of these recipes are freezable if you want to make extras. Muffins make a fabulous grab-and-go breakfast on those busy school mornings.

Tips and Recipe FAQ:

Muffin Baking Tip: Do not over-mix your gluten free muffin batter. The secret to light and fluffy muffins is mixing the batter until it is barely mixed. This keeps your batter full of air for fluffy muffins.

Can this recipe be made dairy-free?

The muffins can be easily made dairy-free by substituting coconut oil or a vegan butter stick for the butter. I will be honest: I haven't tested a vegan butter stick to make streusel...but in theory, it should also work.

Can I make these muffins ahead of time?

Yes, these muffins are perfect for making ahead of time. Bake them as directed and make sure they are completely cooled. After the muffins are at room temperature, you can store them in an airtight container.

Can I replace the almond milk?

Yes, you can replace the almond milk in these delicious gluten free muffins. You can use regular cow's, soy, coconut, or anything else that fits your needs.

How can I tell when the muffins are done baking?

The easiest way to tell if muffins are cooked is by using a toothpick to test. Simply stick a toothpick in the center of the muffin and pull it out. If you notice it comes out with batter, they aren’t done and need to cook longer. The toothpick should come out clean.

If you wrap them individually in plastic, they can also be placed in the freezer or refrigerator. (Just be careful with the streusel topping!)