Gluten-Free Sourdough Muffins with Halloumi Cheese

Enjoy the comforting taste of these gluten-free sourdough muffins. Soft, fluffy, cheesy, and delightfully flavorful, they are a wonderful alternative to regular bread.

Prepared with a mix of gluten-free flours, these muffins are gently sweetened with sweet potato puree and made irresistibly savory with halloumi cheese and a touch of oregano. Perfect for a special brunch or as a treat on a relaxed Sunday, they offer a unique twist on traditional bread and pastry.

If you’re just starting your journey into gluten-free and lectin-free sourdough baking, we strongly suggest exploring our Beginner’s Guide to Baking Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread. It provides a thorough introduction to our baking method, ensuring you have all the knowledge needed to embark on this delicious adventure.

The Inspiration

One day, scrolling through Instagram, I stumbled upon a post by one of my favorite sourdough bakers, Eva from @evabakesbread. She showcased some irresistible ‘bready muffins’ that instantly captured my attention.

Eva runs a micro bakery in Cyprus, known for her authentic sourdough bread. Intrigued by her creation, I reached out for the recipe, and she graciously shared it with me.

Though gluten-free sourdough bread is its own unique challenge, having her recipe as a starting point was invaluable. Inspired, I grabbed a pen and began adapting her method to fit my gluten-free sourdough approach. The end result was surprisingly delightful.

Now, I’m excited to share this recipe with you, hoping it inspires your own baking adventures. This experience reaffirms my love for the sourdough baking community – it’s a space where we continuously learn from and inspire each other.

What to expect from this sourdough muffin recipe

Before diving into the recipe, let’s set the right expectations.

In my quest for gluten-free sourdough muffins, I often encountered the typical muffin recipes with their customary cake-like texture. However, my inspiration was rooted in Eva’s creation, resembling mini bread loaves rather than traditional muffins.

These muffins have a bread-like texture and taste, setting them apart as a unique bread alternative. The sweet potato puree imparts a subtle sweetness and an earthy undertone. The texture is soft and moist and satisfyingly bread-like without being doughy or sticky.

They are better enjoyed when fresh and warm. Freeze the leftovers and reheat in the oven as explained in the recipe below.

My Gluten-Free and Lectin-Free Sourdough Method

All my sourdough recipes are made with my gluten-free and lectin-free sourdough starter. At the end of this post, you will find links to some of my other sourdough recipes using this method.

You can give my starter and method a try, or you can adapt this recipe to suit your own starter and method.

Ingredients for Gluten-Free Sourdough Muffins

For the Preferment (prepare the night before):

• 20g active starter
• 60g water (spring, filtered, or non-chlorinated)
• 70g flour mix (35g sorghum + 35g millet)

The Wet Mix:

• 17g psyllium husk flakes (not powder)
• 15g organic, raw honey (local, if possible)
• 360g water (divided into 340g and 20g)
• 150g preferment (from above)
• 100g sweet potato puree (prepare in advance)

The Dry Mix:

• 230g flour (115g sorghum + 115g millet)
• 70g tapioca flour
• 6g fine, non-iodized salt

Additional Ingredients:

• 20g extra virgin olive oil
• 180g halloumi cheese, cut into small cubes
• 2 teaspoons dry oregano
• Toppings: sesame, hemp, and poppy seeds

Instructions to Make Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread Muffins

Prepare the Preferment (the night before baking):

• In a clean jar large enough for the mixture to double in size, combine the active starter, 60g of water, and the flour mix.
• Mix until you achieve a well-hydrated paste, adding a few extra grams of water if needed.
  Cover the jar with a lid, ensuring it’s not airtight. Let it sit overnight.

Prepare the Dough (in the morning):

• In a glass bowl, combine the psyllium husk, honey, and 340g of water. Allow it to sit until it forms a jelly-like consistency (about 5-10 minutes).
• Add the sweet potato puree and preferment to the jelly. Utilize the remaining 20g of water to rinse the preferment jar and add it to the mixture. Stir thoroughly.
• In a larger bowl, whisk together the sorghum, millet, tapioca flour, and salt.
• Pour the wet mix over the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly, initially with a wooden spoon and then by hand.
• Drizzle in the olive oil and integrate it into the dough.
• Use a silicone or plastic dough scraper to fold the dough from the sides of the bowl to the center, rotating and repeating for about 30 seconds.

Fermentation and Shaping:

• Cover and let rest at room temperature for 60 minutes, adjusting the time based on the room’s temperature (I work at about 70-72F).
• On a sorghum-floured surface, gently knead the cubed halloumi and oregano into the dough, evenly. Refrain from using too much flour and from working the dough too aggressively. The dough is slightly soft and sticky, but it’s easy to work with.
• Divide the dough into 8 portions and shape each into a roll, dusting lightly with flour. If you prefer to make smaller muffins, you can divide the dough into 10 portions instead.
• Place the rolls in a muffin tin lined with paper cups, wrap in a plastic bag, and let them rise for approximately 1 hour at room temperature.

Note: For best results, use parchment tulip liners. I make them at home, you can find tutorials online.

Baking:

• Preheat the oven to 480°F (250°C) 40 minutes prior to baking.
• Mist the muffins with water and sprinkle with sesame, hemp, and poppy seeds. Spray some water in the empty muffin molds (for some extra steam in the oven).
• Place in the preheated oven, reduce the temperature to 465°F (240°C), and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 205-210°F (96-98°C).

Serving These Gluten-Free Sourdough Muffins

As I mentioned in the introduction, these savory muffins have a bread-like texture and taste. For this reason, I like to call them ‘gluten-free sourdough bread muffins‘.

They are perfect to replace traditional bread for a festive table, or a brunch. If you want to prepare them in advance for a festive table, bake them in advance and freeze.

To recap:

• Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
• They can be served after they’ve been resting for about 20 minutes.
• It is best to eat within a few hours of baking, preferably while still warm. Freeze the leftovers.

Best way to thaw/warm these muffins from frozen:

One day I accidentally discovered the best way to thaw these muffins. Here it is:

• Place the frozen muffins in the cold oven, then set the temperature to 400°F (200°C).
• After the oven comes to the set temperature, wait for about 5 minutes, then turn the heat off (don’t open the door).
• Allow the muffins to thaw in the hot oven for 30 minutes. They’ll become warm and soft, exactly like when you baked them.

More Gluten-Free Sourdough Recipes:

• Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread Recipe With Sorghum and Millet (Lectin-Free)
• Guten-Free Sourdough Focaccia (Lectin-Free)
• Rustic Sourdough Rolls With Teff, Millet, and Sorghum (Lectin-Free)
• Sourdough Flatbread with Sorghum Flour
• Sourdough Pizza Crust with Millet and Sorghum
• Hemp Sourdough Bread with Walnuts
• Walnut Cranberry Sourdough Bread
• Teff Sourdough Bread With Cardamom
• Soft and Cheesy Sourdough Breadsticks
• Gluten-Free Sourdough Croissants

*This post contains affiliated links, which means I get a small commission if you choose to purchase something via one of my links, at no extra cost to you.

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