Moist Buckwheat Apple Muffins

These delicious gluten-free buckwheat apple muffins are soft, moist, easy to make, and are ready within 30 minutes! It is a 1-bowl recipe perfect for the Fall season and as a back-to-school snack.

I love experimenting with light buckwheat flour and at first, I thought you could only make savory bakes with it like buckwheat sandwich bread, buckwheat sourdough, flatbread with buckwheat, and buckwheat flour wraps.

But recently I've been discovering that desserts can be elevated by the nutty and earthy flavor of this pseudocereal as well. So, I've been baking oatmeal cookies with buckwheat, buckwheat shortbread, and even a decadent moist buckwheat chocolate cake with delicious frosting!

This recipe is PERFECT for August-September when apples in your backyard are ripening. While in May I love making this gluten-free cherry crisp, in the Fall my go-tos are buckwheat apple cake and these apple muffins.

Ingredients

• Light buckwheat flour - I recommend using light buckwheat flour vs. dark because it has a finer texture and a milder flavor. I haven't tested this recipe with any other flour types.
• Apples - any apples will work! You can use tart apples like Granny Smith or sweeter types like Pink Lady, Fuji, and Honeycrisp. I used our apples from the garden!
• Applesauce - use unsweetened applesauce. Both store-bought and homemade apple sauce will work!
• Yogurt - I used unsweetened Greek yogurt for this recipe. Yogurt tenderizes the crumb and keeps the muffins moist!
• Eggs - use medium or large eggs. They can be cold or at room temperature!
• Xanthan gum is optional because buckwheat flour has some natural elasticity that helps keep muffins together. However, I recommend adding the gum for a better texture!
• Baking powder and baking soda are leavening agents that help raise the muffins during baking. Baking soda is activated by acids found in yogurt while baking powder activates on its own.
• Oil - I used sunflower oil but any other seed or vegetable oil will work. It tenderizes the crumb, adds richness to the flavor, and contributes to a lighter texture whereas butter would make the muffins denser.
• Milk - I used 3.5% milk but any other type will work.
• Sugar - I used granulated sugar for a sweeter flavor.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Substitutions

• Yogurt - you can use milk instead. In that case, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the batter to activate baking soda.
• Eggs - use chia/flaxseed eggs or ½ cup applesauce instead.
• Milk - use plant-based milk.
• Sugar - use brown sugar, honey, or a granulated sweetener instead.
• Xanthan gum is optional but recommended. Guar gum can be used instead.

Variations

Buckwheat pumpkin muffins are similar, only they are made with pumpkin puree instead of apples.

You can also add crushed walnuts and pecans or seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, poppy, chia, etc.) to the dough.

Instructions

Start preheating the oven to 370F/190C.

Chop the apples into ½in/1cm cubes or smaller (you don't need to peel them). Set aside.

Add the buckwheat flour, sugar, xanthan gum (if using), baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon to a large mixing bowl and whisk to incorporate.

Then add eggs, oil, yogurt, milk, and vanilla to the bowl with dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Mix until all flour is incorporated into the batter.

You can use an electric mixer but I find that a whisk works just fine!

Line two muffin tins with paper liners (the recipe makes about 17 muffins) and start filling them with the batter.

Fill the muffin cups ¼ full and add ½ tablespoon of apple sauce to each cup. Then fill the muffin wells with the rest of the batter all the way to the top.

You can top the muffins with chopped apples for presentation!

Bake at 370F/190C for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a plate or a cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Storage

Store these muffins at room temperature for up to 2 days in a sealed bag or container. Since the muffins contain dairy and eggs, they should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer for any longer than 2 days.

These buckwheat apple muffins will keep for up to 5-7 days in the refrigerator if stored properly.

To freeze, arrange the muffins on a piece of parchment paper on a freezer shelf and let them sit for about an hour. Then transfer the muffins into an air-tight freezer-friendly bag or container. Keep for up to 3 months!

To defrost:

• Let the muffins thaw overnight in the fridge or
• Warm them up in a microwave for a couple minutes.

Troubleshooting & Tips

1. Don't open the oven during baking or the muffins will deflate.
2. Make sure your oven temperature is accurate (use an oven thermometer).
3. Weigh your ingredients if at all possible! Volume measurements aren't always reliable AND they differ from US to UK to Australia!
4. I recommend lining or greasing your muffin cups even if you are using silicone pans to prevent sticking and breaking.

FAQ