Allergen Friendly Strawberry Vanilla Muffins are a classic flavour combo that is a crowd pleaser. Easy to make and great for a grab and go breakfast or snack that is gluten and dairy free, vegan and top 9 allergens free.
Jump to:
- The Quick Lowdown:
- Why We Like This Recipe
- Ingredients
- The Ingredient Low Down
- Tip
- Instructions/ Directions and Tips
- Substitutions, Variations, & Adaptations
- Like This Recipe? Sign up to our Newsletter so you never miss a recipe.
- Equipment
- Storage and Reheating Instructions for Allergen Friendly Strawberry Vanilla Muffins
- Storage
- Top Tip
- What To Serve With
- Have You Made Our Allergy Friendly Vanilla Strawberry Muffins? Please Leave a Comment Below.
- Rate our Recipe. We Love To Hear From You!
- Other Recipes You May Enjoy
- 📖 Recipe
- Food Safety
- Allergy Resources
- 💬 Comments
The Quick Lowdown:
Flavour/Taste: A Sweet and Vanill-y muffin. They do pack a punch of sweetness.
Texture: It is light and spongy despite being gluten free.
Speed: A super quick muffin recipe to use up the any berries lying around.
Difficulty: Our kids usually make these as it is THAT easy. They need help with cutting strawberries and using the oven.
Why We Like This Recipe
We love making muffins and this gluten free strawberry muffin recipe is so easy the kids can make most of the recipe themselves. They need a bit of help and supervision with the oven and cutting the strawberries.
Ingredients
- Gluten Free Flour w/ xanthan gum
- Brown Sugar
- Vanilla Sugar
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Dairy Free Plant Based Butter Stick or Spread
- Ground Flax & Water or Egg Replacement
- Dairy Free Plant Based Milk
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Strawberries
See recipe card for quantities.
The Ingredient Low Down
Gluten Free Flour with Xanthan Gum
We prefer to use an all in one or 1-1/cup for cup gluten free flour with the gums in it. If you are using a blend that doesn't have xanthan gum or guar gum in it add a pinch over ½ a teaspoon to the flour we use in the recipe. We usually use Bob's Redmill 1 to 1 GF (some have a may contain warning), or Robin Hood GF Flour.
Brown Sugar
Check that yours is free from dairy products as some may contain milk ingredients from the processing and that all the sugar is certified vegan, if baking for anyone observing a vegan diet.
Vanilla Sugar
First ensure the sugar used is vegan, if baking for anyone who is a vegan. Some sugars in North America are processed with bone char making it not suitable for vegans. Verify with the manufacturer to make sure. To make your own vanilla sugar as we do, put a vanilla pod into 1 pound of granulated sugar. It is best to use a vanilla pod that has had the vanilla seeds/caviar out of it. Let the sugar infuse with the vanilla oils from the pod. Some prefer to dry the pod, grind it finely and mix it with the sugar but it can make the sugar gritty which can be really evident in gluten free baking.
Pro Tip: Using commericially made vanilla sugar can make this recipe REALLY sweet, we have found in testing. Mix one packet into granulated sugar and use ½ Cup of that. DO NOT use ½ cup of the commericially made vanilla sugars.
Plain Granulated Sugar can be used, if preferred.
Baking Soda
Check it for wheat as not all baking soda is gluten, top 8 allergen, and wheat free.
Dairy Free Vegan/Plant Based Butter Stick or Spread
A plant based buttery stick or spread is best for this allergen friendly strawberry vanilla muffin recipe but it can be substituted by pure solid coconut oil. The coconut oil may flavour the muffins. We prefer using Melt Organics buttery sticks or Earth Balance Soy Free Spread or Olive Oil Spread. The latter of which is coconut free at the time of publishing this recipe.
Ground Flax or Egg Replacer
In baking mixing ground flax and water can sometimes be called a flax egg as it replaces the purpose of an egg in the recipe. A psyllium husk based egg replacer like the one from Bob's Redmill can be used instead or replace the flax with 1 tablespoon ground chia and mixed with 3 tablespoons of water. Sometimes only 2 tablespoons of water may be used but for this one 3 Tbsps is best or the muffins will be dry and crumbly as the flax draws the liquid from the muffin.
Dairy Free Plant Based Milk
Any safe dairy free plant based milk will work - rice, coconut, hemp, or oat are the usuals. Make sure they are all gluten free, especially the oat milk as many may use oats that have cross contact with wheat and other grains. Watch for soy and nuts in dairy free milks.
Tip
Use unsweetened plant based dairy free milk. Using a sweetened dairy free milk will result in a muffin that is overly sweet. If using a sweetened dairy free milk reduce the amount of granulated sugar used.
Pure Vanilla Extract
We use homemade vanilla extract but we also love Lorann Oils for flavouring extracts. Check with the manufacturer before buying and using them to see they are suitable for your allergies and restrictions.
Strawberries
Fresh berries always work the best in these gluten free strawberry muffins but if using frozen berries thaw them first and dry them, toss them in a bit of the gluten free flour to help keep the liquid in them and the colour from running.
Instructions/ Directions and Tips
1- Preheat the oven to 350°F and wipe muffin tins with neutral oil.
2- Combine plant milk and apple cider in a liquid measuring cup, stir and set aside.
3- Melt vegan butter, set aside.
4- Mix flax or egg replacer powder with water in a bowl, set aside.
5- In a large bowl combine gluten free flour, vanilla sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a spoon.
6- In a medium bowl, combine liquid ingredients, melted vegan butter, flax egg, soured "buttermilk" plant milk, and vanilla.
7- Make a well in the dry ingredients in the large bowl and pour the wet ingredients into the well. Use a spoon to mix. Do not over mix.
8- Fold in Strawberries.
9- Using a medium scoop, spoon the mix into muffin tins.
10- Bake for 20-25 mins. Let cool in the tin for 10 mins then remove from tin and allow to continue to cool on a wire rack.
Hint: I always seem to say that gluten free baking needs pampering. The biggest thing that can help the dairy free strawberry vanilla muffins to not be crumbly is to let them rest in the pan. If using a really rice heavy gluten free flour, letting the batter sit for 5-10 minutes before cooking can reduce the sandy texture from the gluten free flour.
Substitutions, Variations, & Adaptations
- Apple Cider Vinegar - instead of apple cider vinegar any vinegar that is safe for you can be used. Bear in mind that malt vinegar is not always considered gluten free in the UK by Coeliac UK. White Wine, rice, or spirit vinegar work the best after ACV, if they are safe for you.
- Other Berries - Other berries such as blueberries or cranberries can be used instead. Raspberries are also a fantastic choice for this recipe instead of strawberries.
- Vanilla Paste - some prefer to use vanilla paste instead of extract in strongly vanilla flavoured baking. The paste contains the caviar (seeds from inside the vanilla pods) and gives the baking nice vanilla flecks throughout. Vanilla extract can be replaced by the same amount of vanilla paste.
- Add Streusel - check out our recipe for Raspberry Rhubarb muffins for the Streusel ingredients and baking instructions.
- Banana Strawberry Muffins - replace the flax with ½ a mashed ripe banana. The muffins may need longer to bake.
- Oat Muffins - Replace ¾ Cup of Gluten free flour with crushed rolled gluten free oats and bake as normal for Oat n' Strawberry muffins.
Like This Recipe? Sign up to our Newsletter so you never miss a recipe.
Equipment
A Large Bowl, a Medium Bowl, and a Small Bowl with a Mixing Spoon are needed to mix the ingredients.
Medium Scoop will be needed to evenly portion the allergen friendly strawberry vanilla muffins. We use one like this one from Crate and Barrel.
Muffin Tin to bake them. We use one full 12 portion and a half tin of 6 muffin spots for this recipe.
Storage and Reheating Instructions for Allergen Friendly Strawberry Vanilla Muffins
Storage
-Room Temperature
The gluten free strawberry muffins will store for 2 days on the counter in an uncovered container. If stored in a sealed container place a couple of paper towels in with them to absorb extra moisture. Extra moisture will make the muffins grainy in texture due to the gluten free flour.
-Freezer
In a sealed container, like an extra large ziploc bag, the vegan strawberry vanilla muffins will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Place a paper towel inside under the base of the muffins so it won't stick to the muffins but will absorb the extra moisture as it freezes and thaws. Let the muffins cool completely before freezing.
Reheating
-Microwave
If you prefer your muffins warm they only need 15-20 seconds on a microwave safe plate. Let them cool inside by cutting open the muffins as the insides may be hot, be careful.
Top Tip
Make and freeze these allergen friendly strawberry vanilla muffins so you have a great easy breakfast. Pull them out the night before and let thaw for a fast breakfast on the go.
What To Serve With
Strawberry and Vanilla muffins are the perfect breakfast, brunch, or snack food. These muffins are perfect on a buffet with other brunch items like Soy Free Carrot Lox and Chickpea Scrambled Not "Eggs". They are great as is or with a bit of plant buttery spread and a cup of tea.
Have You Made Our Allergy Friendly Vanilla Strawberry Muffins? Please Leave a Comment Below.
Rate our Recipe. We Love To Hear From You!
Other Recipes You May Enjoy
📖 Recipe
Allergen Friendly Strawberry Vanilla Muffins - GF/DF, Vegan, Top 8 Free
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Add to Collection Add to Shopping ListEquipment
- Large Bowl
- Medium Bowl
- Mixing Spoon
- Medium Scoop
- Muffin Tin
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ Cup Gluten Free Flour w/xanthan gum (see notes)
- 1 Cup Brown Sugar packed
- ½ Cup Vanilla Sugar (see notes)
- 1 ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda gluten free
- ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
- ½ Cup Dairy Free Butter Stick melted
- 1 Tablespoon Ground Flax plus 3 Tbsps Water. mixed together or one egg worth of egg replacer, see notes
- 1 Cup Dairy Free Plant Based Milk unsweetened (see notes)
- 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar (see notes)
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 3 Cup Strawberries chopped into small/medium pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and wipe muffin tins with neutral oil.
- Combine dairy free plant based milk and apple cider vinegar in a liquid measuring cup, stir and set aside.1 Cup Dairy Free Plant Based Milk, 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- Melt dairy free butter, set aside.½ Cup Dairy Free Butter Stick
- Mix flax or egg replacer powder with water in a bowl, set aside.1 Tablespoon Ground Flax plus 3 Tbsps Water. mixed together
- In a large bowl combine gluten free flour, Vanilla sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a spoon.2 ¾ Cup Gluten Free Flour w/xanthan gum, 1 Cup Brown Sugar, ½ Cup Vanilla Sugar, 1 ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda, ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
- In a medium bowl, combine liquid ingredients, melted vegan butter (from step 3), flax egg (from step 4), soured "buttermilk" plant milk (from step 2), and vanilla.1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- Make a well in the dry ingredients in the large bowl and pour the wet ingredients into the well. Use a spoon to mix. Do not over mix.
- Fold in Strawberries.3 Cup Strawberries
- Using a medium scoop, spoon the mix into muffin tins.
- Bake for 20-25 mins. Check to see if they are done by inserting a skewer into the middle of one and removing it. If the skewer comes out clean they are done, if not they need another 2-3 minutes and to be re-checked.
- Let cool in the tin for 10 mins then remove from tin and allow to continue to cool on a wire rack.
Notes
Allergy Note 1
Always check that each ingredient is safe for you. Reading all the ingredients and labelling as well as checking with the manufacturer should always be done before buying any product. Each person's allergies are different and only you and your medical team can determine what is best for you. Checking with the manufacturer is best practice to see if shared lines, or facilities are used when making any of the suggested products. Just because a product is right for us does not mean it is safe for anyone else. You must do your own research on each product.
Allergy Note 2
If making this recipe for anyone with an allergy always check with them for suitable products and ingredients. Each person knows their allergies best and can advise on what is safe for them to eat. Keep in mind that if making for another person they may not be able to eat it with shared prep surfaces, cooking equipment, and kitchens or other safety reasons.
Allergy Note 3
This is not medical advice. Always discuss your allergies, nutrition, and suitable products and recipes with your medical team before using.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
"The Allergen Free Kitchen" is not a registered dietician or nutritionist, does not replace a registered dietician or nutritionist and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend you consult with your medical team to find a registered dietician or nutritionist and for you to calculate the nutritional information. Calories and nutritional values can vary vastly depending on which brands were used and any substitutions used.
Food Safety
- Contact the manufacturer of products, regarding cross contact and ingredients, to ensure they are safe for you
- Always check ingredients for allergens
- Do not use the same utensils on allergen free food, that previously touched allergens
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Allergy Resources
If you are struggling with allergies or which foods are safe for you we encourage you to contact your medical team to help determine what is best for you.
For additional resources please check out the following allergy education and advocacy pages:
In the United States:
- Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT) - Home Page
- Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) - Home Page
- U.S Food & Drug Administration (FDA) - Food Allergies - Home Page
- Recalls, Reporting and Alerts on Food - in The United States of America
- Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA - Recalls
- US Food & Drug Administration, FDA - Recalls
- Celiac Disease Foundation - Home Page
- National Celiac Association (NCA) - Home Page
- Beyond Celiac - Home Page
- Celiac.com - Home Page
In Canada
- Food Allergy Canada - Home Page
- Celiac Canada - Home Page
- The Government of Canada - Health Site- Food Allergies
- The Government of Canada - Food Allergen Labelling, the List of Ingredients and Allergens on Food Labels, and Allergens and Gluten Sources Labelling
Recalls, Reporting and Alerts on Food - in Canada
Wink says
Thank you SO much for developing these recipes; it can't be an easy task let alone with your hands full of kiddo-raising. I couldn't find the addition of the 1/2 cup of vanilla sugar in the directions, so I included it with the dry ingredients before mixing. They came out SWEET. Should I have saved it to sprinkle on top? (And perhaps half or less as much?)
Katherine Evans says
Hi,
Thank you so much for leaving us a comment! We really appreciate your feedback. I am so sorry we did miss where to put in the vanilla sugar, it was with the dry ingredients.
It took us a while to reply as we have been making the recipe again and again to test it.
We have gone in and corrected the recipe and made it clearer by adding the ingredints under the instruction steps. We also re-tested the recipe a number of times with full batches, half batches, granulated sugar, vanilla sugar and commercial vanilla sugar to make sure the amount of sugar was correct.
I am really sorry the muffins came out too sweet for you. We were able to replicate an overly sweet taste, only once - with Dr Oetker's vanilla sugar. What we think it may be is that vanilla sugar can taste really sweet in itself. Some of the commercial Vanilla sugar, like dr oetker are more powdered and not granulated so there ends up being more sugar in the recipe than we intended. Similarily, if vanilla sugar is homemade with castor sugar or berry sugar it may affect the sweetness. Is the dairy free plant based milk sweetened or unsweetened? If the dairy free milk is sweetened it will result in a really sweet muffin.
Can you please let us know the vanilla sugar used as we'd really like to figure out this sweetness issue and change the notes for others.
Katherine
Wink says
These sold out at our kids' event fundraiser. Thanks for a tasty recipe, safe for a crowd!
Katherine Evans says
WOW!!That is amazing. Thank you for making something that many could enjoy. This is a huge compliment. I know you had tried them before and found them really sweet. Were they better this time?
Cheers,
Rob