My Favorite Muffins In The World

Introducing: Gluten Free Low FODMAP Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffins!

After many requests, I’ve decided to share a few of my favorite recipes, and this is the first one! This is my absolute favorite muffin recipe in the world (seriously!) and it actually was born out of a time that was really challenging for me.

In 2019 when I was backpacking Europe with my husband, I struggled with my gut health. I dealt with slight problems with my stomach and digestion for years but it all came to a peak while I was on the road and simultaneously grieving the loss of my mother. I experienced extreme bloating (my stomach often was the size of a bowling ball) and debilitating pain. I tried various things but my gut health became one of the core reasons we returned to the states when we did.

Upon arriving home I started seeing a naturopath that I adored and I went on a low-FODMAP diet to reduce inflammation while we figured out a more permanent healing solution. Though following a low-FODMAP diet instantly relieved some of my symptoms, I struggled to find foods that I could get excited about. All my favorite things — apples, kombucha, even beets — were out, so I was left feeling rather uninspired.

One day I was at a local place that sells smoothies, salads, and juices. I ordered a (heavily modified!) smoothie and noticed a covered plate of “gluten free muffins” by the checkout register. Without another thought, I popped the muffin on my order. These became my new weekly treat! I would call ahead and see what kind of flavor they made that day and, if I liked it, I would stop in and buy a muffin. There was even a time that we went in to buy muffins, they were sold out, but the manager offered to make a fresh batch if we hung around town for 15 minutes.

Needless to say, I loved my new muffin routine, but I knew for the sake of my budget and DIY values, I’d have to try them at home! This recipe has gone through much testing & tasting and I’m very excited to present it to you. If you change up the ingredients or try new flavor profiles, please let me know! Happy muffin making!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 2 eggs or egg substitute (I often use a flax seed and water mix)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups gluten free 1-to-1 all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup favorite milk (hemp, almond, oat, etc)
• 1 cup strawberries, sliced up small
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 2 tsp cinnamon, or to your liking optional sprinkle of nutmeg, pumpkin spice, cardamom

Steps

• Preheat oven to 375 F.
• Whisk melted oil and maple syrup together until fully combined.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating for a few minutes until yellow is slightly lighter in color, then whisk in vanilla.
• In a separate bowl — whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
• Slowly mix dry ingredients into wet mixture, alternating with the milk.
• Fold in strawberries and chocolate chips. Make sure that they are evenly combined through the mix, as you can easily get tricked into thinking they’re evenly combined, only to notice inconsistencies once you start pouring the mix into the muffin baking tins!
• Use a paper towel or rag to smear coconut oil in the muffin tins. Or line with muffin wrappers if you’re into that.
• Fill batter into muffin tins so that the batter mounds just over or to the line of the top of the muffin tin depression
• Bake 20-25 minutes, until the top is only starting to become golden brown, and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

This recipe was originally published on the travel blog I started with my husband (sheandjim.com) but it’s become such a hit among friends and family, so I’m sharing it with you here.