Vegan Gluten Free Sweet Potato Muffins with Vanilla Icing

By Amanda Paa – Updated May 8, 2023
5 from 5 votes
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Sweet Potato Vegan Gluten Free Muffins with Vanilla Icing

I was always under the impression that muffins were just a way of eating cake for breakfast, not that I have a problem with that. And then there are the muffin recipes I’ve tried that were coined “wholesome/heart healthy/free of this and that” — ya, I haven’t found one that I’d feel good about delivering to neighbors, which is one of my guiding judgements. Often, they’re overwhelming banana flavored, and turn out too dense or soggy in the middle.

These soft and tender sweet potato muffins are the opposite of all those things. Warmly spiced, scraggly tops, delicate crumb, and a drippy vanilla glaze to tempt.

And yes, healthy. I’m so confident anyone would love them, that I’d happily deliver a dozen to the toughest critics, and doubt anyone would guess they’re vegan gluten free muffins.

Deliciously Healthy Sweet Potato Muffins with Vanilla Icing -- vegan and gluten free, made with teff flour
Deliciously Healthy Sweet Potato Muffins with Vanilla Icing -- vegan and gluten free, made with teff flour
Deliciously Healthy Sweet Potato Muffins with Vanilla Icing -- vegan and gluten free, no bananas, made with teff flour

Most of you know that I’m not vegan, or vegetarian for that matter, but I love alternative ways of cooking, a challenge, and providing recipes for the diversity of people who visit this blog. I sought to make these healthy sweet potato muffins without dairy of eggs, and after several tries, the recipe came together perfectly. I used Silk’s new almond-based yogurt mixed with ground flax seeds to replace the eggs (turns thick and sticky after absorbing), and olive oil, maple syrup, and sweet potato for the rest of the wet ingredients. The dry ingredients consisted of oats, teff flour (my favorite gluten-free baking staple), and almond flour. Being a combination of grains and nuts keeps them light and tender.

Of course the glaze is optional, but in my opinion, it makes these muffins extra special without much effort at all.

Bakery shop worthy, I like to think. It’s simply powdered sugar thinned out with any plant-based milk and spooned on top.

Sweet Potato Vegan Gluten Free Muffins with Vanilla Icing
Deliciously Healthy Sweet Potato Muffins with Vanilla Icing -- vegan and gluten free, no bananas, made with teff flour
Deliciously Healthy Sweet Potato Muffins with Vanilla Icing -- vegan and gluten free, no bananas, made with teff flour

Healthy enough to eat for breakfast, satisfying enough to call a treat. The kind of snack you can proudly deliver, unless of course, they’re gone before that can happen.

xo, Amanda

If you make these Sweet Potato Vegan Gluten Free Muffins, be sure to tag me on Instagram with hashtag #heartbeetkitchen or @heartbeetkitchen!

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Deliciously Healthy Sweet Potato Muffins with Vanilla Icing -- vegan and gluten free, made with teff flour

Vegan Gluten Free Sweet Potato Muffins with Vanilla Icing

Healthy sweet potato muffins made with dairy-free yogurt to keep them soft, and warm spices!
5 from 5 votes
Prep Time :15 minutes
Cook Time :28 minutes
Total Time :43 minutes
Yield: 8 muffins
Author: Amanda Paa

SCALE:

Ingredients

Muffins

  • 2 tablespoons ground flax seed
  • 1/3 cup Silk plain non-dairy almond yogurt
  • 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats 1 1/2 cups, divided
  • 1/3 cup + 1 heaping tablespoon teff flour 50 grams
  • 1/2 cup blanched almond flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup + 1 tablespoon sweet potato puree 268 grams
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Vanilla Icing

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 3-4 tablespoons non-dairy milk

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together ground flax and yogurt and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes to thicken.
  • Place 3/4 cup of the oats into a spice grinder or food processor and grind until you get coarse flour. Place in a medium mixing bowl and add remaining ¾ cup oats, teff flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to combine and set aside.
  • Add sweet potato puree, olive oil, maple syrup, vanilla, vinegar. Whisk to combine and pour into dry mixture, stir until just combined. 
  • Grease 12 cup muffin tin with olive oil, and spoon batter into muffins. I usually get 8 full size muffins when I fill them to the top. Bake for 28-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes outs clean. 
  • Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, and use a knife to remove them by circling around the inside edges. 
  • When muffins are fully cool, whisk icing ingredients together and lightly frost. The mixture might seem thick, but it changes from thick to runny quickly according to how much milk you add. Adjust as needed.

Did you make this?

tag @heartbeetkitchen on instagram and hashtag it #heartbeetkitchen

May 25, 2017

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19 comments

  1. Alexandra

    5 stars
    Would any plain non-dairy or dairy yogurt work here? These are on board for tomorrow’s breakfast!

    • Amanda Paa

      Yes, definitely!

  2. Gigi

    5 stars
    I’m returning to share that I used raw coconut butter and added a slow stream of warm water to it until it reached the consistency of a powdered sugar frosting. It was incredible! No extra sweetener really is needed, as the coconut has a natural sweetness that shines through. I’m sure a non dairy milk would work just as well. I drizzled a muffin with it this morning and was in my glory. For any follower looking for an incredible sub, this is it! Amanda, these muffins are truly delicious!!

    • Amanda Paa

      Fabulous, so glad they turned out well with your substitutions!

  3. Eugenie

    5 stars
    Sadly, I can’t do refined sugar at all- any sub or suggestion for the powdered sugar frosting? Perhaps a maple syrup glaze or sprinkling of powdered coconut milk instead…? Sweet potato anything! So good!!

  4. Gigi

    5 stars
    These are insanely delicious and deliver mad energy to fuel an athletic morning. Had to have more before bedtime so thinking that these will fuel my dreams then as well. Please, as many recipes as possible free of refined sugar, dairy, and gluten- your blog is absolutely the best! Every one of your recipes is incredibly delicious and simply wonderful!!

    • Amanda Paa

      so glad you enjoyed these sweet potato muffins!

  5. Ashley

    These are delicious! The texture is perfect and I love the sweet potato with the spices. Can’t wait to have one for breakfast drizzle with coconut butter – yum!

    • amandapaa

      so glad you liked the recipe! xo

  6. Haley | Brewing Happiness

    Man, your recipes are inspiring me to try working with teff flour! These just look too good not to try. xoxo

    • amandapaa

      Do it! It’s by far my favorite alternative flour. Works wonders, in both taste and texture. Absolutely no grittiness. xo

  7. Meredith | Earth & Oven

    I love how moist yet fluffy yogurt makes muffins. The ingredient list for these has me thinking they would be the idea afternoon snack (high fibre, low sugar, yet TASTY AF)

  8. Emily

    My kids actually have come to prefer homemade healthy-ish muffins over the overly sweet bakery shop types. We would all love these, I’m sure. The way you captured them in photos and descrived them in words- totally irresistible. Such charming scraggly tops and just enough icing to tempt. Pinned. :)

    • amandapaa

      I have fallen so hard for these! They’re just sweet enough and all the textures make me happy. :) Sometimes I add more cardamom too. xo

  9. abby @ Heart of a Baker

    I’m always and forever caught between the ‘healthy muffin’ and ‘bakery muffin’, but why can’t a recipe be both?! This one looks like it hit the nail right on the head, so I’m going to need you to deliver me a dozen and I’ll bring the coffee..deal? :) xo

  10. Ruby

    I know exactly what you mean about many of those “healthy muffin” recipes. I have no problem eating mushy banana muffins if the flavor is good, but like you said, probably wouldn’t share them with anyone else, and then what’s the fun? These sound so perfect! Can’t wait to give them a try :) xx

    • amandapaa

      I guess my next project should be making a good banana muffin? Sounds like a good challenge. :) xo

  11. Izzy Bruning

    These look amazing – as a vegan I love that you are finding alternative ways to cook!!
    Izzy | Pinch of delight