Protein Peach Muffins (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
When we lived in California we had multiple peach trees. We were always so excited to have them finally ripen. But then, a week in, we had more peaches than we could eat – which I didn’t think was possible as a family of 5 boys! True story.
So these muffins are a way to use up peaches OR just enjoy a few bites of summer in a muffin. I already make a blueberry protein muffin on repeat around here, and this August I just started swapping. Peach puree in place of the yogurt. Diced peaches instead of blueberries. A cinnamon crumb on top because if I’m turning on the oven in July, it had better be worth it.
What I ended up with is basically peach cobbler you can hold in one hand. The peach flavor runs all the way through the crumb, there’s juicy fruit in every bite, and the topping clumps up and crisps like a real cobbler top. And because there’s collagen in the batter, each one lands around 12 grams of protein, so it actually holds my kids over instead of leaving them hungry twenty minutes later.
They’re gluten-free and dairy-free (with a Paleo option) without tasting like it. That’s the whole point around here.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Gluten-free and dairy-free with no weird aftertaste, made with almond flour and a peach puree that replaces the yogurt. Plus, a Paleo option if you swap the brown sugar for coconut sugar.
- About 12 grams of protein per muffin from collagen, so they actually keep kids (and you) full.
- Real cobbler energy. The cinnamon–brown sugar crumb clumps and crisps on top instead of turning to sand.
- Peach flavor all the way through, not just a few chunks — the puree in the batter does that.
- Makes 12 big muffins and freezes beautifully, so breakfast and lunchboxes are handled for the week.
- Flexible. Skip the glaze for an everyday snack, add it when you want them to feel like dessert.
Ingredients
Here’s what goes into these and why. Full amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Almond flour — The base of the muffin and the crumb. It gives that tender, sturdy texture grain-free baking needs. I prefer “super-fine” almond flour to get the best texture. I like this one from Blue Diamond I can get at Sam’s Club or Amazon. If you’d rather use a 1:1 gluten-free blend see the note in the recipe card — the swap is easy.
- Tapioca flour — Does double duty. A little in the batter for structure, plus you reserve a tablespoon to toss the diced peaches. That starch coating keeps the fruit suspended and locks the juice in so it doesn’t bleed into the crumb. Here is the brand I usually buy from Amazon. Using arrowroot or potato starch will result in more crumbly muffins. Learn more about Paleo flours and how to use them here.
- Collagen powder — Where the protein comes from. Use unflavored so it disappears into the peach and vanilla. Want more? An extra quarter cup pushes each muffin to about 13 grams without changing the texture. There are a lot of collagen brands out there. Use what is most accessible to you. I usually get Vital Proteins unflavored collagen when it is on sale at Costco. Yes, you can use another unflavored or vanilla protein powder of your choice in these as well.
- Baking powder and salt — Lift and balance.
- Maple syrup — The main sweetener in the batter. Whole-food and just enough, I use 100% pure maple syrup for less refined sugar.
- Light-tasting olive oil — Keeps them moist and dairy-free. Use a mild one so it doesn’t taste like olives, lol.
- Eggs — Three of them, on purpose. In a grain-free muffin, there’s no gluten to hold the fruit, so the extra egg binds everything and keeps the crumb from breaking apart. I do not currently have an egg-free option for this recipe. If you find one that works well for you, please share in the comments below for others who need it!
- Peach puree — Blended raw peach, no cooking. It’s what carries peach flavor through the whole muffin, standing in for the yogurt without adding a bunch of extra moisture. I do not peel the peaches before pureeing them to keep those nutrients and save time.
- Vanilla and almond extract — The almond extract is optional, but a little makes the whole thing taste more peachy. That’s not a typo — it really does. I LOVE almond extract and highly recommend it!
- Fresh peaches — Ripe but firm for the diced fruit, so they hold their shape and don’t flood the batter. Very soft peaches release too much juice. Again, I don’t peel them first, just chop, to save time and nutrients.
- Brown sugar, cinnamon, and cold vegan butter — The crumb. Brown sugar is doing real work here: the molasses gives caramel depth, helps the topping clump instead of going sandy, and keeps it soft rather than hard-crunchy. Paleo option: Use an equal amount of coconut sugar instead of brown sugar.
- Pecans (optional) — For crunch in the crumb, if your crew likes nuts.
For the optional peach glaze: powdered sugar, a little more peach puree, a splash of dairy-free heavy cream (Silk or Country Crock Plant Cream both work) or coconut milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
How to Make It
The full step-by-step is in the recipe card, but here are the parts that actually matter.
Make the crumb first. Rub the cold vegan butter into the dry crumb ingredients with your fingertips until you get pea-sized clumps, then stick it in the fridge while you build the batter. Keeping that butter cold is what gives you clusters that crisp instead of a slick that melts flat. If your kitchen runs warm, don’t skip the chill.
Puree one peach, dice the rest. You’ll blend about one medium peach for the batter (raw, peel or no peel, your call), and dice about two more into small quarter-inch pieces. Toss those diced peaches with the reserved tablespoon of tapioca before folding them in — that coating is the trick that keeps them from sinking and bleeding.
Mix wet into dry, and stop early. Stir just until no dry streaks remain. The batter will be thick, and that’s exactly right for almond flour — don’t add liquid to loosen it.
Bake hot, then drop the heat. Start at 375°F for 10 minutes to set the tops, then reduce to 350°F for another 13 to 15 without opening the door. The puree adds moisture, so check at the longer end with a toothpick.
Let them cool all the way. This is the step people rush and regret. Almond-flour muffins are fragile while warm and firm up as they cool. Give them 5 minutes in the pan, then move them to a rack and leave them alone. Glaze only once they’re completely cool, or it’ll slide right off.
FAQ
Can I use canned or frozen peaches? Yes. BUT, for the diced fruit, drain and pat canned peaches dry, or use frozen ones still frozen so they don’t turn to mush. For the puree, thaw frozen peaches first, then blend. Fresh is best in peak summer, but this works year-round.
Do I have to peel the peaches? Nope. For the puree it blends right in, and for the diced fruit the skins soften in the oven. Peel them if you prefer a smoother texture, but it’s not necessary.
My crumb turned sandy instead of clumpy. What happened? Usually the butter got too warm, or the mix was too dry. Rub in cold butter until you get pea-sized clumps, and if it still won’t hold together, add a little more vegan butter (or a spoonful of almond flour if it looks wet). Chill it until you’re ready to top.
How do I get more peach flavor without the muffins falling apart? Don’t just add more fresh fruit — too much water breaks a grain-free crumb. Reach for the almond extract, a little extra puree, or crushed freeze-dried peaches whisked into the dry ingredients. That last one is the biggest flavor hit with zero added moisture.
Can I skip the collagen? You can, but you’ll lose the protein and a little structure. If you leave it out, the muffins will be softer and more delicate. If protein is the point for you, keep it in — unflavored collagen won’t change the taste.
How do I store them? Airtight container with a paper towel in the bottom to catch moisture, and eat within about 3 days, or freeze. Glazed muffins are more perishable, so refrigerate those and eat within a couple days — or glaze just before serving and keep the extras plain.
Other Protein Muffin Recipes You’ll Love
If these hit the spot, here are a few more gluten-free, dairy-free muffins from around here worth adding to your rotation:
- Paleo Protein Blueberry Muffins — the original these peach muffins are built on, and my year-round go-to.
- Paleo Apple Crumb Protein Muffins — same cozy crumb topping, apple-cinnamon version for fall.
- Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll Protein Muffins — all the cinnamon roll feelings, none of the fuss.
- Paleo Banana Protein Muffins — the one for using up the sad bananas on your counter.
- Paleo Pumpkin Protein Muffins — cozy, freezer-friendly, and always the first to disappear in October.
Protein Peach Muffins
Equipment
- 1 12-cup muffin tin I have and love this one: https://amzn.to/4yE3g8N
- 12 muffin liners I love how easy these come off: https://amzn.to/4x00usU
Ingredients
- 3 cups almond flour see notes for nut-free
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon tapioca flour divided
- 1/2 cup unflavored collagen powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup light tasting olive oil
- 3 large eggs
- 3 medium fresh peaches ripe but firm
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract optional but recommended — makes it taste more peachy
Brown Sugar Crumb Topping
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 2 tablespoons tapioca flour
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter cold and firm; can use regular butter if not dairy-free
- 1/4 cup pecans finely chopped; optional for crunch. Omit for nut-free
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or grease well.
- Make peach puree. Blend about 1 medium ripe peach (roughly ⅔ cup chopped), peeled or not, until smooth — a blender, food processor, or immersion blender all work. You need ⅓ cup for the batter (plus 1–2 Tbsp more if you're making the glaze). No cooking required. Frozen peaches work too; thaw first, then blend.
- Make the crumb first (so the vegan butter stays cold). In a small bowl, stir together the almond flour, tapioca flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger/nutmeg, and salt. Add the cold vegan butter and rub/cut it in with your fingertips or a fork until the mixture forms pea-sized clumps; stir in the pecans if using. If it looks wet rather than clumpy, add a spoonful more almond flour. Refrigerate while you make the batter.
- Dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, 1/2 cup tapioca flour, collagen powder, baking powder, and salt.
- Wet ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the maple syrup, olive oil, eggs, peach puree, vanilla, and almond extract (if using) until smooth.
- Combine. Pour the wet into the dry and stir just until no dry streaks remain. The batter will be thick — that's right for almond flour.
- Dice + in the peaches. Finely dice the remaining two peaches into small 1/4" pieces. Toss the diced peaches with the remaining 1 Tbsp tapioca flour (blot them first if very juicy), then gently stir 1 cup of the peaches into the batter. The starch coating keeps them suspended and helps lock in their juice so it doesn't bleed into the crumb.
- Fill and top. Divide the batter among the 12 cups (they'll be full). Scoop about 1 tablespoon chilled crumb into clusters over each muffin. Optional peaches on top: press just 3–5 small pieces lightly into each top, nestled into the batter or crumb — don't heap them, or they'll steam the crumb and weigh the top down.
- Bake. Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes, then — without opening the oven — reduce heat to 350°F and bake another 13–15 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely. Let cool in the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool the rest of the way before handling. Almond-flour muffins are fragile while warm and firm up as they cool — this is key to a crumb that holds together.
- Storage: Cool completely, then keep in an airtight container lined top and bottom with paper towels, in a single layer — the towels prevent sogginess. Counter for day one, then fridge for 4–5 days (almond flour and fresh fruit spoil faster). Freeze up to 3 months, wrapped individually.
Video
Notes
- 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
- 1–2 Tbsp leftover peach puree
- 1–2 tsp vegan heavy whipping cream or full-fat coconut milk
- ¼ tsp vanilla
- ⅛ tsp almond extract
- and a pinch of salt
- Replace the 3 cups almond flour + ½ cup tapioca with 2 cups (≈240 g) of a 1:1 GF blend (skip the tapioca). If not weighing your flour, fluff the flour, then spoon it into a measuring cup and level to prevent using too much.
- Increase the peach puree to 2/3 cup (you will need 4 peaches total)
- Increase the oil to ⅓ cup. The batter will be looser; bake as written.
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