Buckwheat Flour Power: Walnut Date Muffins

During the Great Flour Shortage of 2020, I went through a period where I could only find spelt flour. I was initially really bummed about this but once I started baking with it, it kind of grew on me. Which got me thinking: what other flours am I missing out on? In my mission to buy more locally-grown and milled grains, I came across buckwheat flour. It seemed like one of the more approachable ancient grains, so I decided to give it a try. These date and walnut muffins were a perfect first foray into buckwheat baking.

What is buckwheat, anyway?

I learned that buckwheat is actually a fruit that is closely related to wild rhubarb. No wonder I was drawn to it – I love rhubarb! It’s gluten-free and rich in fiber and magnesium. This got me really excited because I get horrible migraines which I suspect are linked to a magnesium deficiency.

Buckwheat flour is fairly easy to find, which is a trend I’ve noticed for a lot of alternative flours as folks are eating less gluten. Bob’s Red Mill and Arrowhead both produce buckwheat flour. These brands tend to be available at larger grocery stores or specialty stores. But I wanted buckwheat flour that was produced here in Michigan. I ordered some from Zingerman’s Bakehouse (what doesn’t Zingerman’s sell?) and picked it up curbside. 

Buckwheat Muffins

Muffins seemed like a good starting point for my buckwheat journey. These date and walnut muffins did not disappoint. Buckwheat flour does not have the same gluten content as traditional all-purpose or wheat flour, so it can’t fully replace that flour in a recipe. I opted for a cup of AP flour paired with a half cup of buckwheat flour. Walnuts complement the buckwheat’s nutty earthiness, and the dates give it some added sweetness. Plus, I just love walnuts and dates together. 

Watch these closely while they bake. Buckwheat flour is a bit darker than all-purpose so it’s hard to tell by sight when these are done. Start at 15 minutes and poke a toothpick through the center. If they’re not done, add time in one-minute increments. These will burn before you know it. 

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Walnut and Date Buckwheat Muffins

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 17 minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes

These walnut and date muffins use buckwheat and all-purpose flour for an earthy, delicious breakfast or dessert.

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Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• ⅔ cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup coconut oil, melted slightly (the goal is not to get it hot, just pliable so that it’s easy to mix with your other ingredients - about 40 seconds in the microwave)
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup buckwheat flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
• ½ cup dates, pits removed and roughly chopped

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and grease or line 12 muffin cups. 

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and brown sugar until well-combined. Whisk in coconut oil and buttermilk until everything is completely combined and any large pieces of the coconut oil have been dissolved. 

In a smaller bowl, whisk together all-purpose and buckwheat flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually pour the dry ingredients into the wet ones and mix until just barely combined, then stir in the walnuts and dates. The batter will be thick. 

Divide into 12 greased or lined muffin tins and bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Be careful with these! The buckwheat is naturally darker so it’s hard to tell by sight when these are done. Start checking for doneness after 15 minutes and keep a close eye on them. 

Serve warm with butter and a drizzle of honey, or just on their own.