With one easy recipe--my Vegan Gluten-Free Buckwheat Muffins--you can make countless variations of delicious, hearty muffins. I've added chocolate chips, but fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, spices, and more can be added with equal success. The muffins are oil-free, too!

Oil-Free Buckwheat Flour Muffins

These buckwheat flour muffins solve multiple problems. For example, "What I am going to do with that buckwheat flour that's been in the freezer for a year?" and "How can I eat more chocolate chips for breakfast?"

Without giving it too much additional thought, grab a bowl, combine the buckwheat flour and chocolate chips (and a very short list of other items), and SHAZZAM! Your house smells like a bakery and nine perfect muffins sit on your countertop.

You have also answered the question of what to nibble as you sip your cup of coffee.

Recipe Benefits

These versatile muffins are:

• Oil-free
• Gluten-free
• Vegan (egg-free & dairy-free}
• Rich in antioxidants
• Made with minimal ingredients
• Quick & easy (both to make and bake)
• Made in 1 bowl (minimal dishes, hooray!)
• Only 101 calories each

Ingredients for the Muffins

Here is what you will need:

• Buckwheat flour
• Coconut flour (this makes the muffins light and fluffy)
• Coconut sugar (options available in recipe card)
• Baking soda
• Salt (always optional/adjustable)
• Water
• Apple cider vinegar (or other light-colored vinegar)
• Vanilla extract

Optional Chocolate Chips or Other Stir-Ins

Some of you have likely noticed the absence of chocolate chips on the ingredients list. It's not an omission. Rather, an option.

Add 1/3 cup chocolate chips (regular or miniature) to the batter, or a host of other options. An equal amount of chopped dried fruit (dried cranberries are excellent), coarsely chopped nuts or seeds, or cacao nibs in place of the chocolate chips.

What is Buckwheat Flour?

The small seeds of the buckwheat plant (groats) are ground to make a strongly nutty-flavored flour that is unmistakably delicious and distinctive in all kinds of baking and cooking.

Despite having "wheat" in the name, buckwheat has no relation to wheat whatsoever. It is a naturally gluten-free grain, and the flour is likewise 100% gluten-free. Buckwheat flour is naturally low on the glycemic index and is packed protein, fiber and antioxidants.

Tip: Grind Your Own Buckwheat Flour

If you have a high-speed blender, you can grind your own buckwheat flour from whole buckwheat groats. Buckwheat groats are particularly easy to grind into a fine flour (since they are not true grains).

Place the groats (up to 2 cups at a time, depending on the size of your blender) in the blender and then blend away. Sift the flour through a fine-mesh sieve afterwards to remove any stray bits that are left unblended.

Store any extra flour in an airtight bag or container and freeze (for up to 1 year) until next time.

Why is Coconut Flour Added?

The addition of coconut flour to this muffin recipe is for fluffiness and moisture.

Coconut flour adds lightness and a moist texture to these buckwheat flour muffins. It is something that the recipe needs in the absence of eggs and added fat. Without it, the muffins will be heavy with a dense crumb.

Step by Step Instructions

The muffins take very little time and effort to prepare (i.e., every reason in the world to make a batch asap :)).

Step One: Preheat the Oven & Line a Muffin Tin

Before mixing the muffin batter, preheat your oven to 350F (180C). Line 8 of the cups of a standard size muffin tin with paper or foil liners. Alternatively, liberally spray the cups with nonstick cooking spray (generous greasing with oil will also work).

Step Two: Whisk the Dry Ingredients

Whisk the buckwheat flour, coconut sugar, coconut flour, baking soda and salt in a medium mixing bowl until blended. 

Step Three: Add the Wet Ingredients

Add the water, vinegar and vanilla to the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir until completed combined (no visible dry bits) into a smooth batter.

The batter will look loose upon initial stirring. It will begin to thicken seconds later thanks to the absorbent nature of the coconut flour.

If you wish to add in any lumpy-bumpy stir-ins (e.g., chocolate chips, dried fruit, chopped nuts, chopped seeds, etc.), stir them in here.

Step Four: Portion the Muffin Batter

Evenly portion the muffin batter amongst the prepare muffin cups, smoothing the tops. A large cookie scoop with a spring release mechanism makes this step particularly easy.

The muffin batter will be just shy of the top of the muffin cups.

Step Five: Bake the Muffins

Bake the muffins in the preheated 350F (180C) oven for 22 to 25 minutes until the tops have puffed some, the surface of the muffins appears dry, and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Remove the muffin tin from the oven and let the muffins cool, still in the tin, for five minutes.

Cool the Muffins

Remove the muffins from the muffin tin. Place the muffins on a cooling rack to cool completely.

What is the Texture & Taste?

Texture: The muffins are soft and fluffy, as a good homemade muffin should be. They have just the right amount of moistness, too. The muffins do not taste like they are free of oil and other fats.

Taste: I love the not-too-sweet, whole grain flavor of these muffins--they are definitely good-morning, get-started-on-the-right-foot, kind of muffins (i.e., prepare to feel more than a tiny bit virtuous after eating one ;).

If you are not fan of coconut, fear not: neither the coconut sugar nor coconut flour contribute a noticeable coconut flavor.

Happy baking!

FAQ

Can I use different flours (in place of the buckwheat flour and/or coconut flour)?

I specifically developed the recipe for buckwheat flour, hence I am unsure of how other flours might work as a substitute. However, if you are up for a bit of experimentation, almond flour, oat flour, or chickpea flour are what I would suggest.

There is, however, no substitution for the coconut flour in this recipe.

Does it matter if I use light or dark buckwheat flour?

Any variety of buckwheat flour will work in the recipe.

Not all bags of buckwheat flour indicate whether the contents are light or dark, but it does not matter either way. Darker buckwheat flour can have a more robust taste than light varieties, but both work beautifully in these muffins.

How do I store the muffins?

Store the cooled muffins in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 1 day, the refrigerator for 5 day, or the freezer for up to 6 months.

Similar Vegan Gluten-Free Recipes to Try:

• Buckwheat Flour Carrot Muffins (Vegan, Oil-Free, GF)
• Vegan Buckwheat Banana Bread (gluten-free)
• Vegan Double Chocolate Oat Cookies {gluten-free}
• Gluten-Free Buckwheat Sandwich Bread {vegan, no yeast}
• 4-Ingredient Buckwheat Flax Chia Bread {vegan, GF, oil-free}