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Paleo Butternut Squash Muffins are also Gluten-free and take just 10 minutes to mix up! You’ll love these moist, plump muffins, their perfect texture and just how satisfying they are. Also nut-free.
Don’t you love big muffins: plump, tall, moist and splitting at their seams? Break off a chunk, both crusty and tender.
Muffins are my favorite baked good.
After almost five years on the GAPS Diet, our family is phasing off. There have been times in that five years that I didn’t expect ever to be able to say that. But it’s happening, and it’s going great — due, in part, to cassava flour.
Cassava flour in Paleo Butternut Squash Muffins
As you may know, cassava is a great white flour that’s grain-free, cultivated from a tuber that’s similar to a potato. Like potato flour, cassava flour contains resistant starch.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF CASSAVA FLOUR AND RESISTANT STARCH
Foods that contain resistant starch are excellent for one’s gut and colon healthy because they provide food for good gut flora. Another way of saying that is: Resistant starch foods contain prebiotics which feed probiotics.
If you have struggled with constipation, I hope you’ll give cassava flour a try. It’s got just enough resistant starch to set your colon into action, without causing gas or too much of a good thing.
Cassava flour, the main player in these muffins, allows us to have our cake and eat it too. 🙂
These muffins don’t have a ton of winter squash in them, just enough to impart moistness and a subtle flavor. This makes them a versatile muffin for everyday.
Variations and tips
I love Paleo Butternut Squash Muffins plain and with add-ins.
You can try some fun variations: sprouted nuts, dates, chocolate chips … if you want them to be chunky. See Variations in the Recipe Notes if you’d like a few more ideas.
They’re also great topped with butter, butter and honey, or chèvre and honey.
TIP 1: Don’t over-bake them, because that will dry them out.
TIP 2: Only use Otto’s or Bob’s cassava flours in this recipe. If you use another brand, the muffins may not turn out, because other brands are too starchy.
Butternut Squash Muffins
Equipment
- muffin tin
- oven
Ingredients
- 1 cup cassava flour Otto's preferred
- ⅔ cup flax seed meal golden preferred
- 4 eggs
- ⅓ cup butternut squash cooked, smashed to measure, leftover squash works great (can also use canned pumpkin)
- ⅓ cup avocado oil or preferred traditional fat, melted
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup or honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon baking soda , sifted
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Prepare muffin tin or extra-large muffin tin by lining cups with parchment cut or torn into 6" by 6" squares. Or use muffin liners. (See favorite liners in Recipe notes below.) Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a medium size mixing bowl combine the following dry ingredients: cassava flour, flax seed meal, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and sea salt.
- Place the following wet ingredients in a high-powered blender: eggs, winter squash, oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Puree until thoroughly mixed, about 15 seconds.
- Pour wet pureée into dry ingredients and fold together completely without over-mixing.
- Fill prepared muffin cups with batter. Bake extra-large muffins for about 25 minutes. Bake medium/"normal" size muffins about 15 minutes. Muffins are done when toothpick or sharp knife inserted into center comes out clean.
Notes
Variations
- Use canned pumpkin, for convenience, in place of butternut squash.
- Fold in 1 cup chocolate chips, before baking.
- Substitute smashed banana or very ripe (black) plantain for the squash.
Nutrition
Why I use Otto’s cassava flour
Read here about what makes Otto’s the superior cassava flour. The main reasons I buy Otto’s are:
- It’s non-GMO and in the process of organic certification.
- They take special precautions to avoid the growth of mold after the yucca are harvested.
- Otto’s harvests their roots young, which is really important for the texture of the flour; waiting longer means bigger roots that are too starchy (which really affects the outcome of baked goods).
You can buy Otto’s here with free shipping and in bulk, if you wish.
Renee Kohley says
Wow those look amazing! I have not tried cassava flour yet but that looks just like real bread! Yum!
Megan Stevens says
Thanks, Renee! I’m not sure I would have known the difference years ago, before I started eating grain-free.
Emily @ Recipes to Nourish says
I am so excited about this recipe! Love everything about it! Pinned and sharing.
Megan Stevens says
Thank you, Emily! So appreciated! 🙂
Anna @GreenTalk says
I was so interested in this recipe since I love yucca. I know it is a resistant starch but how do it play out with someone who has diabetes 2? Isn’t still a carb?
Megan Stevens says
Hi Anna, yes, I do think it would need to be eaten with precaution by a diabetic. Good question and good point.
Marjorieann1977 says
I have not yet tried cassava flour, but I’m hearing about it everywhere! These sound so yummy. I love all of the flavors you included in them!
Megan Stevens says
Thanks, Marjorie. You’ll love cassava!
Susie says
5 years on GAPS- wow! I’ve been wanting to try cassava flour. What a fun recipe.
Megan Stevens says
The 5 years have gone by so quickly. And yes, raw cream and cassava waiting to greet us at the end of the tunnel. 😉
Andrea Kessel Fabry says
I love butternut squash. It adds such rich texture to any dessert or muffin recipe. I use Tiger Nut flour along with flax and quinoa flour, but will definitely be trying cassava flour!
Megan Stevens says
We just had tiger nut pancakes this morning; it’s a keeper too! So many lovely gf options.
Carol says
Excited to try Cassava flour and this recipe. I wanted to share, Megan, that I followed the links on the Otto’s site to a Canadian distributor. Just called them. It’s $$ but I did find it.
Will organize a purchase at some point and make these muffins! Yay!
Megan Stevens says
Great to know, Carol; thank you for sharing what you found out. Yes, at some point! 🙂
linda spiker says
Those are beautiful muffins!
Megan Stevens says
Thank you! <3
Jessica from SimplyHealthyHome says
These just look amazing! Another good one!!
Megan Stevens says
Thanks, Jess!
Sylvie Shirazi says
Excellent, I’ve been wanting to try Otto’s cassava flour!
Megan Stevens says
I’m so glad! I hope you get to take advantage of the discount! 🙂
Healthy me says
Good to know that the cassava flour may ease constipation. Some of the people may find it not effective for them. If constipation still bothers you, then take my best reliever of constipation. I have this Digestic from Mimonis which showed its effectiveness by giving back my normal bowel movement.
Megan Stevens says
Thanks for sharing!
thefoodhunter says
These muffins look yummy and it is nice to learn about cassava flour
Megan Stevens says
So glad; thank you!
linda spiker says
Megan have you tried this flour for pasta? I ordered some and would love to try it!
Megan Stevens says
Not yet, but I love that question, because we have commented while eating various trials (recipe experiments) with the ingredient that it would make GREAT pasta! I can’t wait to try what you come up with!
linda spiker says
Lol I can’t either! Day 19 on Whole 30 and I’d kind of like some tortillas…11 more days and even then I want them to be grain free!
Megan Stevens says
Dreaming of them…it sounds like, as you persevere! Good job! 😉
Sarah says
Just had to say these are the best “paleo” muffins I have made, ever! Most are just okay & have a strange texture/taste. These are perfect & have such a great, not-too-sweet, mild flavor. The texture is perfect too. So excited! Thanks!
FYI – here are a couple changes I made just because of what I had available. Instead of avocado oil I used half grass-fed butter & half coconut oil (melted) & Instead of all maple syrup I used half maple syrup & half raw honey.
Megan Stevens says
YAY! So glad! Thanks for writing to let us know. I have a muffin passion, and I’m not a big fan of all the almond flour used these days. Those variations are ones I’d make any day of the week, too. 🙂 Hurray and thanks again for sharing your results!
Tina Coyle says
Is Cassava flour the same thing as tapioca flour?
Megan Stevens says
Hi Tina, no it’s the starch that’s taken from the manioc root. Cassava is the whole root. They are different and don’t perform the same way in recipes.
Sarah Howerton Knee says
I just finished making these and I’m very pleased with how they turned out! Thank you! For anyone who is curious, here are the changes I made: I tripled the recipe, (18 servings/12 eggs,) and I subbed ghee for avocado oil, sweet potato for butternut, and I after tasting the batter, I added lots more salt, vanilla, and some stevia. (And left out the ginger.) I cooked them in normal-sized muffin tins with silicone liners for 18 min at 325. After tasting the final product, I think they could have used even more salt and sweetener though…haha, but my family likes a lot of salt! I will definitely add these to our muffin rotation! They would be incredible with chopped apples (but we are allergic,) or chopped pecans, or shredded coconut fyi. Thanks! I’m going to try your cassava sandwich bread next!
Megan Stevens says
Great! Thanks for the feedback! 🙂
Tracy Potter says
In your article re: “Which Seeds Should be Soaked” you say: “Simply add 1/4 cup of probiotic food/beverage, and allow the batter to sit out for 4 hours. Then refrigerate overnight or for a couple of days, before scooping it into your muffin tin and baking!”
Questions:
1) Would this be true even if I’ve used “Flax eggs” in the batter or would this only work if using real eggs? (I am sensitive to eggs).
2) Will ACV work in lieu of the dairy products (kefir, yogurt)?
Thank you
Megan says
Hi Tracy, great questions. Unfortunately, this muffin recipe isn’t a good candidate for also using flax eggs. The reason is: If baked goods with eggs have 3 or more eggs, they don’t replace well. 1 or 2 egg recipes work well with flax eggs. Re your second question, I’m so glad you asked that: Yes! ACV will work in batters to ferment the seeds! 🙂
Carmen Maybee says
Megan, thank you for your effort to educate us, and help us serve our families better.
Could I not use the ground flax seeds?
Could I replace them with somehing else?
Thank you.
Megan says
Hi Carmen, my pleasure. Thank you! Yes, you can use ground flax seeds, perfect. If you want an alternative, you could also try subbing the flax seeds for tiger nut flour, and increasing the fat to 1/2 cup. I haven’t tried this sub, but I think it will work. I’m traveling this week, but when I get home I think I’ll try it too! 🙂
Deborah says
I made these yesterday for my family. We all loved them with butter! Yum! I love the taste of the ginger and cinnamon. Thank you for this recipe! Plus, RS benefits which I’m trying to add into my diet.
Deborah says
I forgot to ask: Is the nutritional value for 1 extra large muffin or 1 regular size? (We made regular size). Thank you
Megan says
Hi Deborah, sorry for the delayed response, and thank you for your feedback! I’m so glad you all enjoyed the recipe! The nutritional information is for the extra large muffins. 🙂
Michele says
I’m confused about how to swap in the soaked/fermented flax with so little liquid in this recipe….exactly what quantity of flex/yogurt would replace something listed, or do we just use the amount of flax suggested that’s in the yogurt base? Thank you!
Megan says
Hi Michelle, I can think of a couple of ways to try this, although I haven’t done it myself with this recipe. I’d either remove a small amount of the winter squash from the 1/3 cup (about 1 Tablespoon) and replace it with apple cider vinegar OR add a small amount of good quality probiotic to the batter. Then I’d let the batter sit in a warm place for 4 hours, cover in fridge overnight, then bake in the morning. Does that help?
Dorothy says
I’m thinking about trying this with a butternut squash that’s been on my counter (possibly for a year or more) and needs to be used. I avoid flax seed and products made from it, but I may have enough tiger nut flour to sub. I have some actual tiger nuts that have been around quite a while too, and may try to grind them to make flour. Thanks for the recipe!
Megan says
You’re welcome, and I hope it works! I’ve never used a squash that’s one year old, kuddos! You must keep your house cool?
Dorothy says
Thanks! It’s not all that cool in the warmer months, and being in the kitchen, it does get the heat. But we may give it a try to see if it’s edible, lol.
Megan says
Too funny, yes, these are worth it, Dorothy! Blessings!
Dorothy says
I meant the squash being edible, lol. 🙂
Megan says
LOL, that makes more sense! 😉 I knew it could only be the best intent coming from you! xx
judy says
I just found your site and am learning so much! I need to have a low oxalate diet and can’t find the oxalate content of tiger nut flour. Can you direct me? Seems like cassava flour is moderate..? I’m looking forward to making these muffins with the soaked flax and adding ACV. Thanks so much!
Megan says
Hi Judy, I am so glad the site is helpful, thank you! Here’s a post you might find helpful, a Low & Medium Oxalate Food List: https://eatbeautiful.net/low-oxalate-food-list-free-printable-pdf/ Tiger nut flour is medium oxalate for 1/4 cup or 20 “nuts”. 1/4 cup cassava flour contains about 10 to 15 mg of oxalate, so Medium. It might be too high for you on a low oxalate diet, but portion size could be helpful. Best wishes! 🙂