These spelt blueberry muffins are classic in their flavours. The ancient whole grain spelt flour is nutritious, light, nutty and subtly sweet. Even better, the milk kefir in the batter makes the muffins so delicious and moist. In addition, this recipe is refined sugar free.
When I first started using spelt flour in pancakes, I immediately fell in love with how tasty it is. Now spelt flour is my preferred baking flour as the wheat alternative. This spelt muffin recipe is a twist on my overnight banana spelt pancakes.
Is Spelt Flour Healthy?
Yes. This ancient grain is a good source of fibre, protein, minerals and B vitamins. What I like about spelt flour is that it has a lighter texture and milder taste than wheat flour, therefore I can easily substitute whole grain spelt flour where I would usually use refined wheat flour in baking. Although spelt has similar nutritional profile as the wheat, whole grain spelt flour is a lot healthier than refined wheat flour. Most spelt flours sold in stores are whole grain spelt flour, but double-check the packaging before you purchase.
Is Spelt Flour Gluten-Free?
Spelt is related to wheat and not gluten-free. If you have gluten sensitivities, you should avoid spelt flours. For a gluten-free, grain-free muffin, my favourite is the Paleo Coconut Kabocha Squash Muffins.
Milk Kefir in Spelt Blueberry Muffins
I love using whole milk kefir in breads and baking recipes, in place of regular milk and yogurt. Milk kefir adds tanginess to recipes compared to milk, and is more watery than yogurt so it works well to bind other ingredients. These spelt blueberry muffins are perfect examples of the above features.
In addition, I often use whole milk kefir as a starter culture to ferment the batter, as in the spelt banana pancakes recipe and the kefir-fermented sourdough cornbread recipe.
Spelt Blueberry Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole grain spelt flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup organic coconut sugar or unrefined cane sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 cup whole milk kefir
- 2 cups fresn or frozen blueberries
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 375℉.
- Meanwhile, mix spelt flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Melt the butter on the stove or in the microwave. Mix the melted butter and sugar together in a large bowl, and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract into the bowl, and whisk to combine. Add the milk kefir into the bowl, and mix again.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring the dry ingredients in without forming lumps, to make a smooth batter. Mix the blueberries into the batter.
- Grease the muffin pan with coconut oil. Scoope the batter into the muffin pan, equally divided into 12 muffin cups. Place the muffin pan on the middle oven rack, and bake for 30 minutes.
Nutrition
Can I make this with yogurt instead of kefir?
Yes, you can!