Gluten-free baking opens up exciting new horizons of flavor, and these rice flour muffins are delicious proof. Rice flour gives the batter a special lightness and a tender, delicately crumbly texture that pairs wonderfully with juicy grated apple and rich plum butter (povidlo, a thick, smooth plum jam). In just half an hour, you will have a cozy treat with warm notes of cinnamon and a crisp coconut topping. Served alongside your morning coffee or evening tea, these homemade muffins turn an everyday snack into a comforting culinary pleasure.
Tender and fragrant rice flour muffins make a wonderful gluten-free dessert for the whole family.
Ingredients
- 150 g (5.3 oz) plum butter (povidlo, thick smooth plum jam)
- 60 g (2.1 oz) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 sweet-tart apple
- 50 g (1.75 oz / 3.5 tbsp) neutral vegetable oil
- 145 g (5.1 oz) rice flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
How to Make Rice Flour Muffins
Pour the granulated sugar into a deep mixing bowl and add the plum butter (povidlo, a thick, smooth fruit jam). You can also prepare the muffin batter in a food processor or stand mixer—simply add the ingredients to the bowl in order and mix using the paddle attachment.
Start by combining the sugar and thick plum butter. This gives the batter a lovely rich color.
Crack the egg into the bowl and pour in the neutral refined vegetable oil. Canola, sunflower, corn, or mild olive oil all work well here, or you can use melted and slightly cooled butter. Vegetable oil yields moister muffins, while butter gives them a denser crumb—bake them whichever way you prefer.
Add the egg and vegetable oil. Using oil keeps the muffin crumb wonderfully moist.
Coarsely grate a sweet-tart apple. Apples are always wonderful in baking, making these muffins extra moist and fragrant.
Freshly grated apple is the secret to the juiciness and aroma of these muffins.
Whisk the wet ingredients thoroughly. Add the rice flour, baking powder, and ground cinnamon, which pairs beautifully with both apples and plum butter. Be careful not to confuse rice flour with rice starch—they are completely different products!
Add the rice flour, baking powder, and cinnamon. Cinnamon pairs beautifully with apple and plum.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until combined. You will get a fairly thick batter with a consistency similar to full-fat smetana (rich sour cream).
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly until smooth. The batter should be fairly thick.
Let the batter rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
Let the batter rest for 15 minutes so the rice flour can properly absorb the moisture.
Spoon the batter into paper muffin liners, filling each about two-thirds full. To ensure all your muffins bake evenly and look uniform, I recommend weighing the batter portions on a kitchen scale. Place the filled paper liners into a metal muffin tin. This setup guarantees the bottoms won’t burn, which is especially helpful if you are baking in a gas oven.
Fill the liners two-thirds full. Using a kitchen scale helps ensure all your muffins are uniform in size.
Sprinkle the tops with shredded coconut. Place the tin into the hot oven and bake for about 20 minutes.
Shredded coconut creates an appetizing, crispy golden crust as the muffins bake.
Test the muffins for doneness with a wooden skewer—if it comes out clean with no wet batter clinging to it, they are baked through. Alternatively, press the top gently with your finger; if the crumb springs right back, they are ready. The shredded coconut may brown too quickly during baking; if this happens, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Keep in mind that the exact baking time will depend on the size of your muffin cups and your specific oven, so it may vary slightly from the recipe.
Check for doneness with a wooden skewer. If the shredded coconut browns too quickly, tent the pan loosely with foil.
Transfer the muffins to a wire rack and let them cool.
Serve these rice flour muffins while they are still warm, when their spiced aroma is at its peak. For a more elevated presentation, pair them with a dollop of thick Greek yogurt or a light drizzle of floral honey. If you enjoy experimenting, try swapping the plum butter for apricot jam, or fold a handful of chopped walnuts into the batter for extra crunch. To keep your baked goods fresh, place the cooled muffins in an airtight container. Stored this way, rice flour muffins will keep well in the refrigerator for several days without losing their flavor. Before serving, simply warm them in the microwave for 20–30 seconds to restore their freshly baked softness and tender crumb.
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