Pumpkin Muffins (gluten-free, dairy-free)

Who doesn’t love Pumpkin Muffins? One of my favorite pumpkin muffin recipes (that I have made or years) uses whole wheat pastry flour and is quite nutritious. However, this year I wanted to experiment and make a grain-free and dairy free version (as I have noticed I feel a ton better eating this way due to my autoimmune thyroid disease). So this week I made an attempt and I’m quite pleased with the result….not to mention my kids love them too! I have found that using some almond butter in the recipe tends to create a different texture than my typical coconut flour muffins (which I also love…but I know some individuals don’t care for the coconut flour texture). These muffins are once again a great balance of healthy fats, carbohydrates and protein which makes them great for breakfast or snacks.

 

Pumpkin Muffins (gluten free, dairy free)

This recipe makes about 12 regular-sized muffins

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup unsweetened organic applesauce
• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup almond butter (I used unsalted)
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup coconut flour, sifted (I love this for the fiber content and the fact that a little goes a long way)
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or local honey
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt (if using salted almond butter then reduce the salt to a scant 1/4 tsp)

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the almond butter, applesauce, pumpkin, eggs, vanilla and maple syrup together in a bowl and mix well.
• Add the coconut flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt to the almond butter mixture and stir until blended (wait for a minute or two and then stir again as the coconut flour will absorb the liquid).
• Use a 1/4 measuring cup to scoop the batter into a muffin tin lined with unbleached parchment muffin liners (The If You Care baking cups are my favorite as they take a lot of work out of the clean up process and you won’t have to worry about eating your muffin off the wrapper).
• Bake for about 22 minutes or until the muffin rims turn a golden color. You can also utilize the toothpick method (put a toothpick in the middle of a muffin and pull it out. If it’s clean then the muffin is done. If the toothpick comes out dirty, with batter on it, the muffins need to cook longer).
• Allow the muffins to cool and then dig in.
• Store leftovers in the fridge.

These would go great with a light cream cheese topping made with organic cream cheese mixed with a drizzle of maple syrup and a bit  of pure vanilla extract. My family likes the flavor of cream cheese so I only use a little maple syrup, therefore, add as much as you need to get your desired flavor/sweetness…..just remember that it is sugar.

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