Almond Flour Cupcakes

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These almond flour cupcakes are soft, fluffy and perfectly moist. They come together quickly and are a great gluten-free dessert option for any celebration!

In honor of my birthday (it’s today!!), I wanted to share a healthier cupcake recipe! It’s surprisingly the first cupcake recipe here on EBF, but certainly not the last.

Four almond flour cupcakes wrapped in paper liners on a plate. The cupcakes have been topped with vanilla icing and rainbow sprinkles.

If you know me, you’ll know that my favorite store-bought cake mix is Simple Mills Vanilla Cake & Cupcake Mix, so naturally I took it upon myself to make a homemade version.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • It’s almost as easy as making cupcakes from a box… almost!
  • These cupcakes are gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free and free of refined sugars, but still absolutely delicious!
  • They can easily be made in advance for an upcoming celebration.
  • It’s a great base recipe that can be customized with mix-ins and frostings based on your preference.
An almond flour cupcake that has been unwrapped from the paper liner. It is topped with vanilla icing and rainbow sprinkles.

Benefits of Almond Flour for Baking

I love using almond flour for healthy baking because it’s a simple, one-ingredient flour made from ground almonds. The almonds are blanched to remove the skins before grinding and sifting. This creates a soft and fluffy flour that’s perfect for baking.

There are some awesome health benefits of using almond flour over white flour. For one, it’s gluten-free, grain-free and lower in carbs than traditional flour. In addition, it’s loaded with nutrients including vitamin E and magnesium.

Ingredients measured out to make almond flour cupcakes: almond flour, coconut oil, baking powder, almond milk, sprinkles, salt, coconut flour, arrowroot powder, eggs, coconut sugar and vanilla.

Ingredients Needed

  • almond flour – I recommend using blanched almond flour because the skins have been removed so you’re left with a fine texture, light-colored flour that works perfectly for baked goods.
  • coconut flour just a little to help soak up some of the liquid! The combo of almond + coconut flour results in super fluffy and light cupcakes!
  • arrowroot powder – adds structure to the cupcakes and helps contribute to the light and airy texture. If needed you can use cornstarch in place of the arrowroot powder.
  • baking powder – to help the cupcakes rise.
  • eggs – make sure your eggs are at room temperature before baking these cupcakes, otherwise the coconut oil will harden up when combined. I haven’t tested this recipe with a vegan substitute like flax eggs, so I’m not sure how the cupcakes will turn out. If you decide to try a vegan version let me know in the comments below!
  • coconut sugar – I prefer using coconut sugar instead of white sugar, but white sugar also works if that’s what you have on hand
  • salt – brings all of the flavors together.
  • unsweetened almond milk – I used unsweetened almond milk, but any type of milk will work, including cow’s milk. You can also use water in place of the milk.
  • coconut oil – instead of butter, we’re using coconut oil. You want the oil to be in a liquid state so warm it a bit if necessary. Melted butter, ghee or another neutral oil like avocado oil will work as well.
  • vanilla extract – no cake is complete without a little vanilla extract, in my opinion.
  • sprinkles – optional, but they definitely make these cupcakes more festive! I love supernatural rainbow sprinkles. They’re free of artificial dyes and are gluten-free and vegan.
Collage of 8 photos showing the steps how to make almond flour cupcakes: mixing the batter, stirring in the sprinkled and baking in a cupcake tin.

How to Make Almond Flour Cupcakes

Combine dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, mix the almond flour, coconut flour, arrowroot powder, baking powder and salt until well combined.

Combine wet ingredients: In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the coconut sugar, almond milk, eggs, vanilla and melted coconut oil.

Mix: Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in your sprinkles.

Bake: Pour batter into your lined muffin pan. Bake at 325ºF for 18-23 minutes or until a toothpick entered into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Serve: Once cupcakes have completely cooled, frost, top with sprinkles and serve!

An overhead and closeup view of 4 cupcakes on a plate.

Best Frosting to Use

These cupcakes would be delicious topped with my cream cheese frosting, peanut butter greek yogurt frosting, strawberry buttercream frosting or healthy chocolate frosting. That said, you can’t go wrong with a classic buttermilk vanilla frosting. If going the store-bought route, my favorite healthier store-bought frosting is Simple Mills vanilla frosting.

A cupcake topped with vanilla icing and rainbow sprinkles that has a bite removed from it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are almond flour and almond meal the same thing?

Almond meal is more coarse and darker than almond flour because it hasn’t been blanched.
Oftentimes people call for almond flour or almond meal in a recipe, but I definitely prefer almond flour for baking because it leads to a light, airy texture. That said, almond meal works great in recipes where you don’t need a light and airy texture (like quick bread) and is awesome for replacing breadcrumbs.

How do I prevent my cupcakes from sticking to the cupcake liners?

I highly recommend using silicone muffin liners or parchment baking cups for the best results and to avoid the cupcakes from sticking too much. I also recommend spraying your liners with a little cooking spray. Make sure to let your cupcakes cool completely before trying to remove the liners otherwise they could stick. If you want, you can pop the cupcakes in the fridge to cool for an hour or so before removing the liners.

Is there an egg substitute?

I haven’t tested an egg-free version of these cupcakes, but let me know if you decide to experiment in the comments below!

Can I make these cupcakes as a cake?

I haven’t tried this recipe as a cake yet, but it would probably work in a square 8×8 cake pan. If you’re looking for a gluten-free birthday cake that uses almond flour try my healthy birthday cake.

Can I substitute a different flour?

I don’t recommend changing the flours for this recipe. Try my healthy vanilla cupcakes that use whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour.

An overhead view of 4 cupcakes on a plate. There is a bowl of rainbow sprinkles nearby.

Can You Make These Cupcakes Ahead of Time?

Yes! These cupcakes can be made 1-3 days in advance. To make ahead of time, let the cupcakes cool completely and store them in the fridge, covered until you’re ready to frost and serve. Alternatively, you can frost and decorate the cupcakes and store them covered in the fridge until ready to serve!

How to Store

Store any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container on the counter for 1-2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. For longer storage, you can store these cupcakes in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you’re storing these in the freezer I would recommend storing them unfrosted. The day before you’re ready to serve, let them thaw in the fridge then frost and decorate as desired!

More Healthy Desserts to Try

More Almond Flour Recipes to Try

Be sure to check out all of the popular almond flour recipes as well as the dessert recipes here on EBF!

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4.96 from 22 votes

Almond Flour Cupcakes

These almond flour cupcakes are soft, fluffy and perfectly moist. They come together quickly and are a great gluten-free dessert option for any celebration!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 23 minutes
Total Time: 33 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients  

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper or silicone liners.
  • Combine almond flour, arrowroot powder, coconut flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
    Almond flour, arrowroot powder, coconut flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut oil, water or almond milk, vanilla and coconut sugar.
    Wet and dry ingredients incorporated together with a whisk.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined.
    Cupcake batter in a mixing bowl. A spatula rests in the bowl.
  • Fold in sprinkles.
    Rainbow sprinkles added to the cupcake batter.
  • Pour batter evenly between 12 muffin tins. Bake for 18-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
    A 12-cavity cupcake tin with paper liners. Cupcake batter has been evenly distributed to all cavities.
  • Let cupcakes cool in the tin for about 5 minutes or so, then remove and let cool completely on a wire rack.
    12 baked cupcakes in paper liners in a cupcake tin.
  • Once cupcakes are completely cool, frost, top with sprinkles and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cupcake, no frosting | Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 164mg | Potassium: 23mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Equipment

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: almond flour cupcakes
Did you make this recipe?Mention @eatingbirdfood and tag #eatingbirdfood!

About Brittany

Hey there, I’m Brittany, the creator of Eating Bird Food, cookbook author, health coach and mama of two littles. Here you’ll find quick and easy recipes that make healthy fun and enjoyable for you and your family!

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Recipe Rating




21 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Awesome, even with the subs I made! I used 1/4 cup olive oil for the oil, subbed 1/2 cup OJ for the almond milk, and added orange zest!

    1. Yay, I”m so glad to hear this recipe was a hit, Sanne! Thanks for letting me know what changes you made and how they came out for you. Orange zest sounds delicious!

    1. Hey, Kathy! Cornstarch can be swapped for the arrowroot powder, but coconut flour can be hard to sub as it soaks up much more liquid than other flours. Since we’re only using 1 Tablespoon in this recipe you could try swapping it for 3 Tablespoons of almond flour instead (the ratio is 3:1 almond flour to coconut flour). I also have this healthy birthday cake that uses almond flour + oat flour that you could try making cupcakes out of! Let me know if you try either of these options.

  2. 5 stars
    Awesome recipe,even my husband who doesn’t do gluten/dairy free said “this is what cupcakes should taste like. They went together easily, I substituted cornflour for the arrowroot and used vegan butter for the frosting. They were yummy 😋

    1. Yay! I am so glad these cupcakes worked out for you and that your husband loved them, Maddie! Thanks for making them and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!

  3. 5 stars
    OMG these are amazing! They are the perfect consistency and taste. So fun to make with the kiddos who also loved them!

    1. Yay! I’m so glad this recipe is a hit, Jessica! Thanks for making them with your kiddos and coming back to leave a review, I really appreciate it!

    1. Woo! Glad these were a hit, Debbie. Thanks for coming back to leave a review, I appreciate it so much.

  4. 5 stars
    These turned out awesome! I did make a couple of swaps based on what I had/wanted. I only had duck eggs, which are larger, so I used 2 instead of 3. I used 1/2 of a super ripe banana and just 1 Tbsp of oil. I reduced the sugar to 1/4 cup. I also added 1/2 tsp almond extract.

  5. 5 stars
    Man! I must say I really loved this recipe! I made it into a cake. I do not eat wheat or dairy so this is such a treat for me! Thank you so much for this recipe.

    1. Yay! I’m so glad these worked out for you, Tammy. Thanks for sharing your review, it means so much to me.

    1. 5 stars
      I made this and subbed another tablespoon of arrowroot powder instead of the coconut flour and they turned out great! I also did avocado oil instead of coconut oil. Love this recipe!

      1. Hi Stephanie, so glad you love this recipe! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and review. I so appreciate it!

  6. Tried with Neat Egg, 0 out of 10 recommend. Super grainy because of the almond flour and didn’t every really “cook” through. Simple Mills recommends using Neat Egg with their cake mixes, and those turn out great with it. I’m sure this recipe would be fine with real eggs, but don’t waste your time (or ingredients) trying it with egg substitutes! Maybe flax egg would be better, but I doubt it based on my experience with almond flour baking.

    1. Thank you for sharing. I have never used Neat Egg in this recipe, so I am not sure I would have recommended it. I hope you will give this recipe another try using regular eggs or flax eggs.