Perfectly spiced gluten-free sweet potato muffins make a flavorful breakfast any time of year. They’re simple to prepare and freeze well for meal prep.
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Gluten Free Sweet Potato Muffins
Here’s a delicious gluten-free sweet potato muffin recipe that’s worth turning on the oven for, even in early summer. These muffins combine the cozy spices of pumpkin muffins with the moist texture of sweet potato quick breads. They’re easy to customize, freeze well, and make a great grab-and-go breakfast.
This recipe works with leftover mashed sweet potato, baked sweet potatoes that you mash, or canned sweet potato purée (similar to canned pumpkin). If you prefer a different texture, you can adapt the method to make sweet potato oatmeal muffins by substituting mashed sweet potato for banana in an oat muffin base.
What You Need To Know About This Gluten-Free Muffin Recipe
I typically use leftover mashed sweet potatoes mixed with a bit of butter and milk, but plain sweet potato purée is fine too. Canned sweet potato purée is usually sold near pumpkin purée and is thicker than baby food. The recipe includes an optional marshmallow glaze inspired by classic sweet potato casserole pairings, but the muffins are excellent without it.
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Key Ingredients for Sweet Potato Muffins
- Mashed sweet potato or canned sweet potato purée (if using baked sweet potato, mash it first).
- Gluten-free flour blend — a balanced blend works best; omit added xanthan gum if your blend already contains it.
- Warm spices such as ground cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Chopped pecans for texture and flavor; substitute walnuts or omit to keep the muffins nut-free.
How to Bake Sweet Potatoes
- Preheat oven to 425°F and line a sheet pan with parchment, foil, or a silicone mat.
- Wash and dry the sweet potatoes, then pierce them several times with a fork.
- Bake for 45–50 minutes or until tender at the thickest part. Smaller potatoes may take ~30 minutes; very large potatoes can take an hour or more.
Optional: rub with olive oil and sprinkle with salt before baking. Cool to room temperature, slice open, and scoop out the flesh to mash with a fork before using in the recipe.
Dairy-Free and Vegan Options
For dairy-free muffins use an unsweetened coconut milk beverage (or another plant milk) in place of regular milk. For egg-free, use flax eggs or another egg substitute suitable for baking. To make the recipe vegan, apply both substitutions.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Mixing bowls and measuring cups
- Mixing spoon and spatula
- Paper liners or non-stick spray for a standard 12-cup muffin tin
- A large scoop helps portion batter evenly
- Cooling rack
How to Make Sweet Potato Muffins
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a standard muffin tin with 12 liners or spray generously with non-stick spray.
Step 2. In a medium bowl whisk together the gluten-free flour, xanthan gum (if needed), baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir in chopped pecans if using and set aside.
Step 3. In a large bowl whisk the brown sugar, eggs (or flax eggs), oil, sweet potato purée, milk, vanilla extract, and vinegar until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
Step 4. Divide batter evenly among the 12 cups and bake at 400°F for 16–18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 5. Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely before glazing.
Step 6 (optional). For the marshmallow glaze, mix 1/4 cup Marshmallow Fluff with 1/4 teaspoon milk or water; add up to another 1/4 teaspoon if needed to reach a drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cooled muffins.
Tips for Success
- Bring eggs and milk to room temperature to help the muffins rise and bake evenly.
- Bake at a higher temperature (400°F) to achieve nicely domed tops.
- Measure flour accurately — too much will make muffins dense. If your flour blend contains xanthan gum, omit the additional xanthan called for in the recipe.
Other Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Recipes to Try
- Baked sweet potato fries with maple mustard dipping sauce
- Sweet potato bread (see gluten-free quick breads)
Follow on Instagram and tag your bakes with #whattheforkfoodblog or tag @whattheforkfoodblog — I love seeing your photos!
Gluten Free Sweet Potato Muffins with Marshmallow Glaze
Ingredients
For the Muffins
- 1 3/4 cups (237g) gluten-free flour
- 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend contains it)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup chopped pecans (omit for nut-free)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar (about 200g)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature (or flax eggs)
- 1/3 cup avocado or neutral oil
- 1 cup sweet potato purée
- 1/3 cup milk (regular or unsweetened coconut milk)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon apple cider or white vinegar
For the Glaze (optional)
- 1/4 cup Marshmallow Fluff or Marshmallow Creme
- 1/4–1/2 teaspoon milk or water to thin
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and prepare a standard 12-cup muffin tin with liners or spray.
- Whisk the dry ingredients: flour, xanthan gum (if using), baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir in pecans if using.
- In a large bowl, whisk brown sugar, eggs (or substitute), oil, sweet potato purée, milk, vanilla, and vinegar. Mix in the dry ingredients until combined.
- Portion batter into the prepared muffin cups and bake 16–18 minutes, until set and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool completely before glazing.
- To make the glaze, combine marshmallow fluff with 1/4 teaspoon milk or water and add a little more if needed to drizzle. Drizzle over cooled muffins.
- Store muffins at room temperature in an airtight container up to 3 days. Freeze without glaze for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature.
Notes
- If your gluten-free flour blend includes xanthan gum, omit the extra xanthan in the ingredient list.
- To freeze: cool muffins fully, skip the glaze, bag them airtight, and freeze up to 3 months. Defrost before serving.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates. Consult a professional for specific dietary needs.
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