A weekend trip to New Jersey to visit one of my closest friends left me with several pounds of apples... Jonathan Apples, Honey Crisp, Golden Delicious, and whatever else I could reach and twist off the trees with my hands. The four pounds of apples I brought home added to the bunch I already had from my parents' house. As much as I love applesauce, I needed to come up with some other recipes that both Dr. H and I could enjoy, and this is no small order especially because he is not the world's biggest apple fan.
So with the help of New Jersey's finest...
I decided to make BabyCakes apple cinnamon muffins. I thought, based on their other recipes, that I would have a pretty good tasting little treat on my hands. However I had no idea how yummy and flavorful these muffins would be. The hint of cinnamon mixed with the fresh grated nutmeg enhances the apples. The muffins are not "cakey" in texture, but more moist, and almost reminiscent of a popover (in my mind anyway!) Even Dr. H remarked on the muffins... now considering that they are vegan and gluten free, and his favorite food is bacon, this is a major accomplishment. I made some changes to the original BabyCakes recipes, because I just can't help myself.
This is great for breakfast and snacking - have fun, and enjoy!
Apple Spiced Muffins
(Recipe adapted from BabyCakes)
Serves 12-14
Preheat the oven to 325F
2 lbs apples, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 c lemon juice
2 C Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1tsp xanthan gum (this can be an expensive ingredient, but so worth it for gluten free baking!)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (if possible, use fresh ground, the taste is great!)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C coconut oil (this should be in liquid state, not solid)
1/2 C + 2 tbsp agave nectar
2/3 C almond milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Mix the apples, cinnamon, and lemon juice and spread on a baking sheet. Place in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, and stir the apples after about 10 minutes to ensure even cooking. The apples will be slightly soft. Once finished allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan, nutmeg, salt, and salt together in a large bowl. Add in the oil, agave nectar, almond milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. Gradually add in the apple mixture. Spoon about 1/3 - 1/2 C of the mixture into a regular sized greased muffin tin. If you have any left over, use ramekins or self standing cupcake liners (I found that I had enough batter for 2 more little muffins...).
Bake for about 22-24 minutes, and then remove the muffins from the oven. Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack. I have to admit, I did not wait and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the warm apple spiced muffin!


