Have you ever had a mulberry? I hadn’t even heard of these golden gems until the wonderful people at Navitas Naturals sent me a package. These dried berries looked a bit like mini blackberries but with a dulled yellow hue. But, what I thought was most cool about them was how sweet they were on their own! Most berries tend to be a bit sour, and the dried versions are often sweetened, but these mulberries didn’t require a speck of sugar.
Being that I like almost all things sweet and I love fruit, the sweet blueberry-esque flavor of the mulberries worked for me. My friend and her two-year old son weren’t so sure. He made a funny face, but still ate them, and she said “not bad, but different.”
Mullberry Muffins that are Naturally Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free
Knowing that my husband may be resistant to another new product, I decided to bake these into his breakfast. I made mulberry muffins! I rehydrated them a bit in warm water before tossing them into the batter, which worked well. Against the backdrop of the muffin, the tender bits of sweet mulberry really shined. You can’t see the mulberries, because they are pretty much the same color as the muffins, but trust me, there are loads of them in there.
Mulberries aren’t cheap, but according to Navitas, this is why they are worth a splurge (beyond that yummy taste of course!) …
More than just a sweet treat, Mulberries are a true superfood. They are one of the few fruits to be considered a protein source — boasting a respectable 3 grams of protein per ounce – and are an excellent source of iron, calcium, vitamin C, and fiber.
Mulberries also contain a high concentration of Resveratrol, an antioxidant compound that combats free-radical damage. Recent studies have shown that regular consumption of this special antioxidant helps promote a healthy heart and longevity.
So, if you are in the market for a superfood, I would consider mulberries. Both my husband and I enjoyed them much, much more than those shriveled little goji berries. And they are delicious in these dairy-free mulberry muffins.
Special Diet Notes: Mulberry Muffins
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, and vegetarian.
I haven’t tested this recipe egg-free, but you can use our egg substitute guide for suggestions. For vegan, you might also want to substitute agave nectar for the honey.
- 1 cup oat flour (certified gluten-free, if needed)
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed or chia seed (optional)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup unsweetened dairy-free milk beverage
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 egg, lightly beaten (see post above for egg-free and vegan options)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ cup chopped dried mulberries (optionally soaked in warm water for 10 minutes and drained)
- Preheat your oven to 425°F and grease 6 muffin cups.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oat flour, ground seed, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk beverage, honey, egg, and oil. Add the flour mixture and stir to combine. Fold in the mulberries.
- Divide the batter between your prepared muffins cups (they should be about ½ full).
- Bake the muffins for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
2 Comments
Great recipe! I used fresh mulberries and added a tad more oat flour (my batter was a little runny at first), but followed everything else exactly. Definitely going to save this recipe.
Glad you enjoyed Jill! I do use fresh ground oat flour (just ground in my spice grinder), which tends to absorb more liquid than store bought – not sure which you used. But I’m so happy to hear your modifications worked well!