I LOVE fresh pineapple- it's so sweet, juicy, and delicious! Except...I really don't like it with any other foods. I think maybe it's so sweet that it affects the flavors of other foods. I also think other foods can affect the flavor of the pineapple. But, pineapple inside a baked good works for me! The cooking mellows the flavor a bit, and it adds tons of sweetness and moisture.

These pineapple muffins are perfect for breakfast or a sweet snack, especially when paired with Greek yogurt. I was inspired by pineapple upside down cake, but I wanted a sweet muffin version with less mess. Plus, the pineapple rings are so cute on top! And, since I wasn't planning on flipping the muffins over to serve, I wanted people to know what they were eating. And sure, the batter will bake up inside of the pineapple hole, but that just gives us the perfect opportunity to cut that piece off and top with a cherry. And, ok- they don't have that caramelized brown sugar, but you could add a little brown sugar/butter mixture to the top. I was going for a healthier, yet still sweetly satisfying, version.

For this recipe, I used canned pineapple. When using canned fruit, I recommend  looking for varieties packed in 100% juice. Fruit is sweet enough! There is absolutely no need to add more sugar. You could also use fresh pineapple...but that would require lots of chopping/grating. If you buy a can of crushed pineapple- simply open, pour, and go. Plus, the canned pineapple rings are smaller, which makes them more ideal with regular-sized muffin cups.

Pineapple rings are cute; however, they will not fit in the bottom of regular-sized muffin cups. Now, if you use a jumbo muffin pan- the pineapple slices should fit nicely on the bottom. You can also cut and decorate with pineapple any where you would like.

Why try this recipe?

I'm so glad you asked! These pineapple muffins are moist and sweet! With a cute, little pineapple hat on top! It makes me think of drinks with umbrellas and lounging poolside on a warm summer day...

• Mix batter in one bowl
• No electric mixer required
• Uses simple pantry ingredients
• Gluten free
• Pineapples are naturally sweet and add moisture
• Freeze well
• Great for breakfast, snack, or dessert!

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Ingredients in Gluten Free Pineapple Right-Side-Up Muffins

• Butter
• Applesauce
• Crushed Pineapple
• Maple Syrup
• Brown Sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla
• Baking Soda
• Baking Powder 
• Salt
• Gluten Free Flour Blend
• Pineapple Slices
• Optional: cherries

History of Pineapple Upside Down Cake

This style of cake was popular for hundreds of years. Back then baking was done in cast iron skillets over open flames. As a sweet treat- it was common to put fruit on the bottom of the pan and batter on top. Then, the pan was flipped over before serving. It wasn't until the early 1900s that pineapple became more readily available. This was made possible by Mr. James Dole, who found a way to can pineapples.

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Pineapple Health Benefits

This sweet tropical fruit is full of healthy nutrients. And, some say it's sweet as candy!

• Vitamin C
• Manganese
• Fiber
• B Vitamins
• Only known food to contain bromelain- which aids in healing of tissue and skin. Bromelain is also known to be anti-inflammatory.

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Pineapple is also delicious grilled!- Grilled Pineapple

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