Among all the flavour pairings in the world, apple and cinnamon stand out as true soulmates. They really shine together in this muffin, and the buckwheat flour, something we don’t often use at the bakery, lends a nuttiness and a really tender crumb. You want to make sure you’re using a firm and tart apple here, like a classic Granny Smith, or something more current, like a Pink Lady or Honeycrisp, otherwise the apple flavour will be weak and the texture mealy. I leave the apples unpeeled to get all the vitamin goodness and healthy fibre of the skin but, of course, you can peel them if you prefer.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup buckwheat flour
- 1¼ cups organic sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free baking powder
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup rice milk
- ½ cup canola oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup cored and chopped apples (¼-inch chunks)
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or spray each muffin cup with canola oil.
- In a large bowl, sift both flours with the sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk thoroughly. In a medium bowl, mix the applesauce, milk, oil, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well using a spatula. Fold in the apples. Let the batter sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups to about two-thirds full. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.