Gluten-free and dairy-free diets are becoming increasingly popular for people with food sensitivities or who want to avoid certain ingredients. For those following a gluten-free, dairy-free diet, figuring out which products and mixes are safe can be tricky.
One popular gluten-free baking mix brand, King Arthur, offers several gluten-free mixes, including a gluten-free muffin mix. For people wishing to bake gluten-free and dairy-free muffins, an important question arises: Is the King Arthur gluten-free muffin mix dairy-free?
Overview of Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Diets
A gluten-free diet avoids grains that contain the protein gluten, like wheat, barley, and rye. A dairy-free diet avoids dairy products and foods containing milk-derived ingredients.
People choose to follow gluten-free or dairy-free diets for several reasons:
- They have an allergy or sensitivity to gluten or dairy.
- They have a health condition like celiac disease or lactose intolerance.
- They want to avoid inflammation or digestive issues caused by gluten or dairy.
- They feel better physically or mentally without gluten or dairy.
When looking for gluten-free and dairy-free products, it’s important to read labels carefully to check for any hidden gluten or dairy-derived ingredients. Some people choose to entirely avoid products that have any chance of cross-contamination with gluten or dairy during processing.
About King Arthur’s Gluten-Free Muffin Mix
King Arthur Baking Company is a popular brand known for high-quality baking mixes and ingredients. Based in Vermont, King Arthur emphasizes using natural, non-GMO ingredients in their products.
King Arthur has several different gluten-free mixes and flours, including their Gluten-Free Muffin Mix. This convenient mix allows home bakers to whip up muffins using common pantry ingredients.
According to the package, King Arthur Gluten-Free Muffin Mix contains:
- Gluten-free flour blend (rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, whole grain millet flour)
- Sugar
- Leavening (baking soda, baking powder)
- Xanthan gum
- Salt
The mix is verified gluten-free, certified by the GFCO (Gluten-Free Certification Organization). This certification means the mix contains less than 10 parts per million of gluten.
Evaluating Dairy-Free Status
While the King Arthur Gluten-Free Muffin Mix is clearly labeled gluten-free, the packaging makes no claims about being dairy-free. To determine if a product is dairy-free, we need to thoroughly inspect the ingredient list and production details.
Scanning the mix’s ingredients, there are no obvious milk-derived ingredients like milk powder, whey, casein, lactose, or butter. The ingredients appear to be whole-food flours, starches, leavening agents, and xanthan gum (a plant-derived thickener).
Looking deeper into processing, King Arthur’s website states their gluten-free mixes are made in a dedicated gluten-free facility on shared equipment. The facility processes tree nuts, eggs, and dairy.
While dairy is present in the facility, the equipment is thoroughly cleaned between production runs and each gluten-free mix undergoes testing to verify gluten levels fall under 10 ppm.
Risk of Cross-Contamination
Even though the muffin mix itself does not contain dairy ingredients, the dairy present in the facility means trace amounts could potentially get into the mix during production.
For people with severe dairy allergies, this small risk of cross-contamination may mean the mixes aren’t 100% dairy-free and safe for their needs. Individuals with less severe dairy intolerances or sensitivities can likely tolerate potential trace amounts.
Those wishing to eliminate any chance of dairy exposure may want to contact King Arthur directly to inquire about production details and run the risk analysis for their own health needs.
Recipe Adjustments
The King Arthur Gluten-Free Muffin Mix allows you to bake dairy-free muffins by choosing dairy substitutes for the wet ingredients you add at home.
Their recipe calls for:
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup melted butter or oil
- 1 cup milk
You can adjust the recipe to be dairy-free by swapping in:
- 1 flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 Tbsp water)
- 1/4 cup dairy-free oil like avocado, sunflower, or olive oil
- 1 cup dairy-free milk like almond, oat, soy, or coconut milk
Making these simple substitutions allows you to bake delicious dairy-free, gluten-free muffins using the King Arthur mix.
Contacting King Arthur
To get definitive answers on dairy exposure risks and dairy-free production options, the best route is to contact King Arthur Baking Company directly.
You can reach their customer service by:
- Calling 1-855-371-BAKE (2253)
- Emailing [email protected]
- Using their online contact form at www.kingarthurbaking.com/contact
The King Arthur Baking staff is quite knowledgeable and responsive about their production procedures and allergen protocols. They should be able to advise you regarding dairy-free options and answer any questions you may have.
Other Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Muffin Options
Besides adjusting the King Arthur mix, you can also bake completely dairy-free muffins from scratch using your own gluten-free, dairy-free ingredients.
Here are a few recipes to try:
Pumpkin Spice Muffins
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gluten-free flour | 1 1/4 cups |
| Rolled oats | 1/2 cup |
| Baking powder | 1 tsp |
| Baking soda | 1/2 tsp |
| Pumpkin puree | 1 cup |
| Maple syrup | 1/4 cup |
| Vegetable oil | 1/4 cup |
| Pumpkin pie spice | 2 tsp |
1. Whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and vegetable oil.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
4. Scoop the batter into a greased or lined muffin tin.
5. Bake at 375°F for 17-20 minutes.
Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gluten-free flour | 1 1/2 cups |
| Sugar | 1/3 cup |
| Baking powder | 1 1/2 tsp |
| Salt | 1/4 tsp |
| Lemon zest | 1 Tbsp |
| Poppy seeds | 1 Tbsp |
| Vegetable oil | 1/3 cup |
| Almond milk | 1 cup |
| Blueberries | 1 cup |
1. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, lemon zest and poppy seeds.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the vegetable oil and almond milk.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
4. Gently fold in the blueberries.
5. Scoop the batter into a greased or lined muffin tin.
6. Bake at 400°F for 18-22 minutes.
The Bottom Line
While King Arthur’s gluten-free muffin mix itself does not contain dairy, the risk of trace amounts getting into the mix during production means it’s not guaranteed 100% dairy-free. By adjusting the added wet ingredients to dairy-free alternatives, you can bake dairy-free muffins using the mix. For maximum assurance, look for muffin mixes verified gluten-free and dairy-free or bake muffins from scratch. Be sure to contact King Arthur’s customer service to get your specific questions answered by their team.
