Gluten-Free Rhubarb Muffins (Paleo)

These easy Gluten-Free Rhubarb Muffin are a wholesome, tasty treat! Light and fluffy almond flour muffins are packed with juicy, tart rhubarb, orange zest, cardamom and just enough honey to make sure they’re not too sweet.

And they’re also dairy-free, refined sugar-free and Paleo friendly.

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Why this recipe works

I like muffins and I like rhubarb, which is why I already have a recipe for gluten-free strawberry rhubarb muffins. But I wanted a muffin that had only rhubarb in it. This way, a) I can get more rhubarb flavor and b) I can use up more rhubarb when it’s in season.

Unfortunately, most rhubarb muffin recipes are made with flour, butter and other ingredients some of us don’t tolerate or try to avoid. So I created these rhubarb gluten-free muffins so that almost everyone – gluten-free or not – can enjoy them.

So out goes the flour and instead we’re using almond flour. (Be sure to get the superfine blanched kind and do not use almond meal.) Almond flour retains all the protein, healthy fats and fiber of almonds. But that means those fats can make baked goods kind of oily. So, after baking with almond flour for over 10 years now, I’ve learned you have to add something like arrowroot flour/starch to achieve a light, fluffy, muffin-y texture.

And even better, it means we don’t have to use butter or even a dairy-free butter substitute. Eggs and honey add just enough moisture and sweetness on their own.

As much as I like rhubarb, I want a little extra flour in these muffins. So I add orange zest, orange juice and ground cardamom, which has a subtly floral muskiness that pairs really well with rhubarb and orange.

And that’s how easy it is to make rhubarb muffins gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free!

What you need

Ingredients:

• 3 cups superfine blanched almond flour – Use the “scoop and level” method for measuring almond flour. Do not use almond meal.
• ⅓ cup arrowroot flour/starch – This prevents the almond flour from making the muffins too oily.
• 2 teaspoons ground cardamom – This pairs beautifully with rhubarb and orange.
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda – This will react with the orange juice to help the muffins rise.
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt – Even sweet treats need a bit of salt to bring out all the flavors.
• 3 large eggs, room temperature – If your eggs are cold from the fridge, submerge them in very warm water for 5 minutes.
• ½ cup honey – This is just enough honey to sweeten the muffins without making them too sweet.
• The zest of 1 orange – Zest the orange before cutting it in half for the juice.
• 1½ teaspoons orange juice – This will react with the baking soda to help the muffins rise.
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract – This helps round out the flavor.
• 1½ cups (about 7.5 oz.) trimmed, diced rhubarb – Be sure to wash and dry your rhubarb stalks to remove any dirt and grit.

Equipment:

• a cutting board
• a chef’s knife
• a large mixing bowl
• a medium mixing bowl
• measuring spoons (<– these are my favorite because they actually fit into spice jars)
• measuring cups
• a measuring glass
• a microplane – for zesting the orange
• a whisk
• a spatula (the kind for stirring, not flipping)
• a 12-cup muffin pan
• muffin cups
• a 1/4 cup ice cream/cookie scoop or ¼ cup measuring cup
• a cooling rack (optional)

How to make Gluten-Free Rhubarb Muffins

Step 1: Heat the oven to 350° F.

Step 2: Line the muffin pan with the muffin cups.

Step 3: In a large bowl, whisk the almond flour, arrowroot, cardamom, baking soda and salt.

Step 4: In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, honey, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla extract until well blended.

Step 5: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until well blended.

Step 6: Stir in almost all of the diced rhubarb.

Step 7: Scoop heaping ¼-cup scoops into the muffin cups. Distribute any reserved rhubarb on the top of any muffins that look like they need more rhubarb.

Step 8: Bake for 22-25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the muffins are golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into one comes with out with a few crumbs attached but no raw batter (it might get stained from the rhubarb, which is fine).

Step 9: Let cool completely (on a cooling rack, if using), then enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

You may also like:

• Gluten-Free Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins
• Easy Rhubarb Sauce
• Gluten-Free Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
• Gluten-Free Blackberry Muffins
• Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

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