If you landed here first, there's a story behind this recipe. It begins with a nine year old in a skirt that didn't fit, a bike rack, a dental situation that changed the trajectory of a friendship, and inspired muffins so soft you could eat them through headgear.
Prep time: 45 minutes. Includes a little rest.
Total cook time: 17–25 minutes, depending on pan size
Yield:: 6 jumbo muffins or 12 regular muffins
Difficulty: Confident. Pay attention for 6 minutes, then relax.
THE GEAR
Electric hand mixer—or a whisk and some conviction.
Muffin pan—go big (6) or go home (standard 12).
The scoop— jumbo or medium.
Kitchen scale—strongly recommended. Baking likes precision; I don’t make the rules.
A NOTE ON FLOUR
I bake gluten-free, and blend my own flour (happy to share), but any good GF blend will do nicely. Because it behaves differently than wheat, it needs hydration, extra structure, and a little patience.
If swapping for regular AP flour:
Omit the xanthan gum.
Reduce the yogurt slightly (start with 10g less).
THE INGREDIENTS
Dry Ingredients
240 g gluten-free AP flour blend
1 ¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp xanthan gum (see notes)
¼ tsp fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients
150 g sugar (I know this is dry - stay with me)
60 g butter (melted and cooled)
25 g neutral oil (I prefer good quality canola, or light olive oil)
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or extract)
75 g whole milk yogurt
Inclusions
500g fresh peaches, about 3 medium peaches, ripe but still firm, pitted and diced into about ½-inch pieces. This may feel like a lot, but trust me, it’s peach-perfect!
1 tbsp GF flour, taken from the measured 240 g, for tossing peaches
Special Touch
Vanilla sugar (regular sugar is fine) for dusting muffin top pans.
THE TOPPERS
Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Crumble
50 g butter (melted and cooled)
60 g gluten-free flour blend
50 g old-fashion rolled oats
70g light brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
THE STEPS
Prep: Preheat oven to 425°. Spray or oil your muffin pans, including tops and cups—we want a crispy undercarriage, and sprinkle with vanilla sugar (or regular).
Make the Crumble: In a small bowl, mix the GF flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add the melted butter and mix with a fork until clumpy. Place in the refrigerator while you make the batter.
Melt the butter: Slowly melt the butter for the muffins and let it cool—if it’s screaming hot, it’ll scramble your egg. Pop it in the refrigerator for a few minutes if it’s too hot, but not long or you’re starting over. Set aside.
Prep the peaches: Pit and chop the peaches into about ½-inch pieces. Peeling is optional; I leave the skins on unless they are particularly tough. Pat them dry if they are very juicy, then toss with 1 tablespoon of flour taken from the measured flour. Save a few pretty pieces for the tops. Set aside.
Mix Dry: Whisk your flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
Mix Wet: Beat the eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy. Slowly drizzle in the butter and oil. Add the vanilla, yogurt and milk, then mix in until just combined.
Combine: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet until you see no more dry. Do not over mix. It’s completely fine for there to be a few lumps.
Fold in Peaches: Gently fold the peaches into the final mixture, just enough to coat and distribute them. They are juicy little things; do not beat them into submission.
Give It a Rest: Let the batter sit for at least 15 minutes—or roughly long enough to clean up the mess you just made. This gives the gluten-free flour time to hydrate, helps smooth out any grittiness and gives you that lift.
Grab a drink. A cup. A moment. Whatever.
Scoop: Use your ice cream scoop to fill each cavity right to the brim. Ignore the timid advice telling you to stop at half or three-quarters full. We’re making big, beautiful bakery-style muffins here.
Top & Bake: Top & Bake: Top generously with the crumble and a few extra oats. You can also sprinke with some course or sanding sugar, if you want a little extra crunch. Bake for 6 minutes at 425°F. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake 11–18 minutes for jumbo, or 8–13 minutes for regular muffins, checking at the earliest time. They’re done when the edges are dark gold and a toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. For precision, use an instant read thermometer and place in the center, making sure not to touch the bottom of the pan. We aim for an internal temperature of about 202°F.
Pull & Cool: Let the muffins rest in the pan for 5–7 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and pop onto a cooling rack. Give them another 15-30 minutes to set before diving in. Gluten-free muffins like a little extra time, so I personally give them the full 30. You can pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds if you want your muffin warm. That extra set time let’s everything really melt together.
TIPS FROM THE KITCHEN:
I bake. I’m not a “baker”, so use your best judgment. I am sharing what I know works from my experience. These are muffins; they are hard to mess up, and nothing we do here will knock the world off its axis. Remember, baking should be fun!
The Pans: Mini muffins are the point here: more powdered sugar, more jam, more opportunities to pretend you’ll eat only one. A standard muffin pan works too.
Gluten-Free: Give the batter 15 minutes to rest. That is enough time to hydrate the flour, clean up your mess, and give you that lift.
Xanthan Gum: Even if your GF flour blend already includes it, add an extra ¼ teaspoon. Commercial blends are often stingy with the binders, and this small boost provides the structure needed for a proper rise.
Structure: Fill the cavities just past the brim. You want that slight spillover to catch the heat of the pan, creating a wide, golden-crisp edge that snaps when you bite it.
Peaches: Use fresh peaches that are ripe but still firm enough to chop cleanly. Very soft peaches release more juice and can make the crumb around them gummy. Pat especially juicy pieces dry, toss them with flour taken from the recipe, and fold gently. 500 grams makes these properly peach-packed without turning into a cobbler.
Crumble: The oats give this topping a little more structure and crunch. Mix until it clumps when squeezed but still breaks apart easily. Refrigerating it while the batter rests helps it stay craggy instead of melting into the batter. Give it a slight press into the batter so it doesn’t fall off like an old oat roof.
Ovens: Ovens lie; yours is likely no exception. Start checking for doneness at the 14-minute mark to avoid a tragedy.
Make-Ahead: You can chill the batter overnight to improve the texture, but the muffins themselves are best eaten the day they’re baked. They won’t last that long anyway.
Storage: Store in a closed container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freezer-Friendly: These freeze beautifully if you leave them unglazed. Wrap them individually, thaw at room temp when the craving hits, and proceed with your life.
Warming: These are best brought back to life with a little heat. Air-fry at 300°F for 3–4 minutes for crisp edges, or microwave for 10–15 seconds for a softer muffin. Either way, warm, not molten. And, if you want my best advice: top with a little butter—you only live once!
SUBSTITUTIONS
There are substitutions for almost everything. I’ve had great luck with dairy-free options, but the possibilities are endless—milk alternatives alone could take up a whole post. If you’re looking for something specific, a quick search will point you in the right direction.
For the price of a fancy NYC muffin, pull up a stool at my kitchen counter. Whatever this becomes, you'll have a front row seat. Messy, real, and worth every crumb.
And, if you feel like passing this along, I won’t stop you.
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