What is Wheat Bran? Is It Gluten Free? 

Wheat bran is definitely not gluten free. The bran is the hard outside layer of a wheat kernel. It’s where the primary source of fiber is located. Since wheat contains gluten, wheat bran (and wheat germ) are off limits to those with Celiac Disease. Therefore, we need an ingredient substitute to make “bran” muffins. 

What Gluten Free Substiute Can I Use for Wheat Bran? 

I admit I’ve never used bran in any recipes I’ve made, even before my Celiac Disease diagnosis. Rice bran could be substituted for wheat bran. However, I don’t see myself using it in other recipes, and am not a fan of “one hit wonders” in my kitchen. Plus, it can be hard to find in stores.

Of the items listed in Substitute Cooking’s 6 Best Subsitutes for Wheat Bran, I chose to use Bob’s Red Mill flax seed. It mentions that oatmeal can also be used as as substitute for wheat bran. However, I (and many other people with Celiac Disease) are sensitive to oats. If you choose to try oats in this recipe, make sure to choose purity protocol oats. 

Can I Use Greek Yogurt Instead of Plain Yogurt? 

This gluten free bran muffin recipe is based on Martha Stewart’s Recipe for Giant Bran and Raisin Muffins. She uses plain yogurt in her recipe, not Greek yogurt. Personally, I only keep Greek yogurt in our house. Greek yogurt can be thinned down with water for this recipe. However, I recommend simply substituting Plain Kefir for the yogurt. Kefir has a thinner consistency than Greek yogurt. (And it’s a great substitute for buttermilk, as well.) 

How Should I Eat These Gluten Free Bran Muffins? 

These gluten free bran muffins are best served warm, practically fresh from the oven. (Let them cool at least 10 minutes so you don’t burn your mouth!) With a smear of softened butter, they are amazing! I will say that the day after I baked them, the spices seemed to fade.  For best flavor, I recommend warming the muffins up in the microwave for 10 seconds. 

This recipe is adapted from one by Martha Stewart. When I made my first test batch, my husband and I agreed it tasted a bit bland. Since this recipe contains molasses, it vaguely reminded me of gingerbread. Therefore, I added the same amount of spices I used in my Gingerbread Cake, in this batch. My husband said they’re delicious!

Other Uses for Prune Juice

This recipe uses prune juice, which I don’t usually keep in my house. I baked this recipe after The Kitchn sent me a free product coupon for Sunsweet Prune Juice. After making these Gluten Free Bran Muffins, I was on a search for other creative uses for prune juice. After scouring the internet, I found some recipes I might try. 

• Nourishing Spiced Hot Chocolate from Go Dairy Free
• Warm Sugar Plum Cocktails from GFree Foodie
• Pumpkin Prune Loaf from Healthy Grocery Girl
• Frozen Caramel Mocha Pops from California Prunes
• Almond Butter Cup Smoothie from Sunsweet

Tools You’ll Need to Make these Muffins

I bought my large muffin pan at a thrift store, which was a stroke of luck. I would recommend these Jumbo Muffin Tins on Amazon, instead. While you’re there, I also recommend these Paperchef Parchment Jumbo Muffin Liners. I also use this 3 tbsp scoop for portioning out batter. You’ll need to use 2 scoops to fill each well.

Other Gluten Free Jumbo Muffin Recipes

Now that I have a jumbo muffin pan, I want to make more! If you’re not already, follow Sisters Sans Gluten. They have a whole series of jumbo gluten free muffin recipes. I’ve made their Giant Apple Streusel Muffins, and they’re delicious. Don’t have a jumbo muffin pan? I have one linked below. (Note – the jumbo muffin tins are one inch smaller than what Amelia uses, so you’ll likely end up with more than 6 muffins.)

Print

Gluten Free “Bran” Muffins

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Additional Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients (large bowl)

• 3 tbsp melted butter
• 1/2 c Sunsweet prune juice
• 1/2 c Lifeway Organic Plain Whole Milk Kefir room temp
• 3 tbsp molasses
• 1 tsp vanillla
• 1 egg room temperature
• Scant 1 cup flax seed meal
• 3/4 c raisins soaked in 1 1/2 c warm water, in separate bowl

Flour, leavening, and spices (small bowl)

• 1 C King Arthur Gluten Free Meausure for Measure Flour Blend
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp clove
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Instructions

• In a small bowl, melt 3 tbsp butter. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In a medium sized bowl, place raisins and 1 1/2 cups warm water. Let soak for 10 minutes while combining the rest of the "wet" ingredients. (when they are done soaking, you will strain the water from the raisins)
• In a large bowl, combine prune juice, Kefir, molasses, vanilla and egg. Whisk to combine. (Note- spray the tbsp with cooking spray first, so the molasses comes free from the spoon, more easily)
• Add milled flax seed to the wet ingredients, and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
• While wet ingredients are soaking, combine flour, baking powder and soda, salt and spices in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly.
• When ten minutes are up, add soaked and drained raisins to the wet ingredients, and stir.
• Next, add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, and stir until all flour is absorbed.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Grease muffin pan or line with paper liners.
• Fill your greased (or lined) wells with batter). When I made this, i baked them in a larger (1/2 c per well) muffin tin. It made 6 muffins. If you choose to use a standard size muffin pan, it will make 12 muffins. I use a 3 tbsp scoop to fill the muffin tin wells. If using a standard size muffin tin, that will be one scoop. If using a large muffin size pan, it will use 2 scoops.
• Place filled muffin tin into 400 degree oven and bake for 5 minutes. We are starting with a higher temperature to create that beautiful domed appearance we love in bakery style muffins.
• After 5 minutes, turn heat down to 350 and bake for 20 more minutes. If using a standard size muffin pan, you may not have to bake them as long. Check muffins (regardless of size) after 15 minutes of baking at 350 degrees.
• When muffins are finished baking, remove from oven. Turn muffns over onto a clean towel, or place on a cooling rack to cool. At least 10 minutes.
• Muffins are best served warm. For some reason, the spices seem to fade with the muffins are cold. Reheating them in the microwave for 10 seconds seems to bring back their strength. I recommend serving them with a smear of softened butter.

Notes

This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe for Giant Bran and Raisin Muffins.

Do you keep prune juice in stock at home? Do you drink it straight, or do you use it in other ways? Please give me some recommendations in the comments below! 

**The Kitchn & Sunsweet provided me with a free product coupon. I was not otherwise paid or compensated for my time. This post does contain affiliate links. Purchases made through those links help support this blog with no extra expense to you. Thank you for your continued support!**

Originally Published January 2022

The post Gluten Free “Bran” Muffins appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

Gluten Free Breakfast Meal Prep Recipe

My husband is a public school teacher, and during a normal year, we get up at 5 in the morning. I have little time or energy to make anything creative on weekdays. Therefore, a bit of advance meal prep helps make the mornings run smoother. Here are some recipes that will keep your family fueled up.

• Egg Muffin Cups from Fit Mitten Kitchen
• 4″ Gluten Free Waffles from My Gluten-Free Kitchen
• Easiest Gluten Free Breakfast Sandwiches
• Gluten Free Breakfast Casserole for Two
• Mason Jar French Toast
• Gluten Free “Bran” Muffins
• Gluten Free Breakfast Wraps from Cotter Crunch
• Gluten Free Breakfast Burritos from Mommy Hates Cooking
• Make Ahead Breakfast Bowls from Iowa Girl Eats
• Hard Boiled Eggs – (Simply Recipes Instant Pot Instructions)
• Gluten Free Overnight Oats from Meaningful Eats
• Apple Spiced Baked Buckwheat from The First Mess
• Fruit Smoothies from Evolving Table
• Chocolate Hazelnut Date Balls from A Saucy Kitchen

Premade Gluten Free Breakfast Foods To Keep on Hand

A good breakfast is one that incorporates fat, fiber and protein. This helps you feel full, while keeping blood sugar levels even. (I learned that from Mary Ellen of Milk and Honey Nutrition, who is a registered dietitian.) Create your own breakfast box with a few of these items.

• Fresh and Frozen Fruit (Use both in Evolving Table’s Fruit Smoothie recipe.)
• Yogurt Cups
• Nuts & Nut Butters (and Seed Butters)
• String Cheese
• Gluten Free Cereal & Granola
• Gluten Free Bread and Bagels (I prefer Canyon Bakehouse)
• Gluten Free Muffins & Muffin Mixes

Store Bought Gluten Free Protein Breakfast Items

• Veggies Made Great Frittatas and Muffins
• Three Bridges Egg Bites
• Rudi’s Gluten Free Breakfast Sandwich
• Simple Truth “Cloud’Wich” (Kroger)
• Red’s Egg Wich
• Feel Good Foods Breakfast Pockets

Antonina’s Gluten Free Muffins

Let’s be honest. Some mornings we’re looking for something more indulgent than oatmeal or granola. Antonina’s Gluten Free Bakery makes bakery style muffins in your favorite traditional flavors. Their muffin flavors include Lemon Poppyseed, Blueberry, Cinnamon Chip, Chocolate Chip, and Triple Chocolate.

Not only are Antonina’s products gluten free, they’re also free from peanuts and tree nuts. In addition, most of their products are free from soy as well. (The chocolate chips they use contain soy.) All of their products contain dairy and egg.

You can find their muffins at Fresh Thyme stores and other locations. Use their store locator to find them near you. Plus, you can also order directly from their website! (Antonina’s also makes cakes and cupcakes, which can be found at Kroger stores.)

Gluten Free Muffin Breakfast Parfait

Since I can’t tolerate oats, I decided to turn one of the Lemon Poppyseed Muffins into a breakfast parfait. I broke one loaf into three sections. Then I crumbled one third into the bottom of a small mason jar. Next, I placed a few spoonfuls of yogurt on top.

I repeated with another layer of crumbled loaf and yogurt. Finally, I added more crumbled blueberry loaf to the top of the parfait, and a few blueberries. I used lemon yogurt, but you could use any flavor. Plain yogurt would pair great with it too!

Want to use homemade gluten free muffins? Fearless Dining has a fantastic collection of Gluten Free Muffin Recipes on her website. These bakery style Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Muffins from Sweets & Thank You also look fantastic!

Other Gluten Free Breakfast Parfaits

Not into blueberries? Try this recipe for gluten free banana muffin parfaits from My Gluten-Free Kitchen. Looking for a recipe for overnight oats? Try this recipe for Make-Ahead Fruit & Yogurt Breakast Parfaits. I also want to try these Savory Grits Breakfast Parfaits from TheKitchn.

*I was sent free product from Antonina’s Bakery. While I have done sponsored work with them, I was not otherwise paid for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The post Quick Gluten Free Breakfast Ideas appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

No Donut Pan Needed

I created multiple gluten free donut recipes for this site. Mocha Donuts. Donuts topped with peanut butter ganache. Even pumpkin donuts. However, they all require the use of a donut pan. Which I highly recommend to everyone. However, sometimes you want donuts and don’t have that pan!

Therefore, I played around with my basic gluten free donut recipe, and tried the batter in a muffin tin. Automatic success! The great thing about this recipe is that it is “small batch.” It makes 6 regular sized donuts, and 14 mini donuts. Perfect for a treat, but without a lot of extra left around.

What Kind of Coating is On These Donut Muffins?

I coat these gluten free donut muffins in a blend of cinnamon and sugar. You could, however, coat it in anything you like. Use pumpkin spice instead of cinnamon for a new flavor twist. Or coat them in powdered sugar. I’ve always wanted to learn how to make peanut covered donuts, as my dad loved those.

To keep this recipe free from the top 8 allergens, I used melted coconut oil for dipping. If you can tolerate dairy, you can use melted butter. (For that matter, if you can tolerate dairy, you can use regular milk in the batter, as well.) I don’t recommend canola oil, as I find melted coconut oil acts more like melted butter in recipes.

How Many Mini Muffins Does This Recipe Make?

This recipe makes only 14 mini gluten free donut muffins. I love that, because it’s just enough for my husband and I to share. Plus a few to stash in the freezer for a later date. Speaking of freezing, they do reheat well. I place them on a plate, and microwave them for 8-10 SECONDS. They taste just like they came out of the oven!

What Pan Do You Use to Make These Mini Muffins?

I previously stated you need no special pan for these gluten free donut muffins. However, I’d highly recommend a mini muffin pan if you can find one. I used it to make these Gluten Free Cranberry Bites, as well. Outside of baking, you can use them to make your own peanut butter (or Sunbutter) chocolate cups.

Can I Make These in a Regular Muffin Tin?

Yes! Actually, the first time I made this, I prepared them in a regular muffin tin. I baked them in silicone liners. Once cooled, I coated them with cinnamon and sugar. I took a picture, next to the standard donut recipe. I wanted you to be able to visually see the comparison.

Can I Use Eggs and Dairy in This Recipe?

Yes, you can use eggs and cow’s milk in this recipe. I personally prefer the recipe using applesauce, but you do you. 🙂 You can use any kind of milk you like in this recipe.

Other Gluten Free Donut Recipes

Looking for other donut recipes? Need to avoid grains? Try these Paleo Cinnamon Donut Muffins from the Southern In Law blog. If you’re a fan of cassava flour, these Cassava Flour Donuts with Apple Cider Glaze from Otto’s sound fantastic. Of course, if you want to try yeasted, fried donuts, try these Incredible Gluten Free Yeast Donuts from Let Them Eat Gluten Free Cake.

Print

Gluten Free Donut Muffins : Top 8 Free

Equipment

• King Arthur, Measure for Measure Flour 3 Pounds
• Nutiva Organic Steam-Refined Coconut Oil, Neutral Flavor
• Wilton mini muffin pan

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp coconut oil or butter
• 1 tbsp oil I used canola.
• 1/4 c sugar
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3 tbsp applesauce or 1 egg or 2 tbsp aquafaba
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1 1/4 c flour I used King Arthur Flour Measure for Measure, 155 grams
• 1/2 c rice milk or your milk of preference

For the topping

• 2-3 tbsp melted coconut oil or butter
• 1/2 c white sugar
• 1-1.5 tsp cinnamon or other spice

Instructions

• In a small bowl, melt coconut oil in microwave for 30 seconds. Meanwhile, measure milk in a 1/2 measuring cup and also allow to come to room temperature.  
• While those are coming to room temperature, combine baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and flour in a small bowl. I personally prefer weighing my flour instead of using a measuring cup, and I sift my flour prior to adding it to the other ingredients. Set bowl of dry ingredients aside. 
• Place melted coconut oil and canola oil in bowl of stand mixer. To that, add the white and brown sugars, and vanilla. Cream ingredients together for 3 minutes. 
• Add applesauce and whip for up to 1 minute. 
• Alternately add bowl of dry ingredients and milk, adding half of each until incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to make sure all flour is dissolved into the batter. 
• Allow batter to rest for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• ightly spray muffin pan with cooking oil (like Pam) and dust with gluten free flour. Fill the wells with batter. For mini muffins, I like to use a small scoop, which holds approx. 1.5 tbsp. If using a larger muffin pan, use two scoops per well. 
• Bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes for mini muffins, 16-18 minutes for standard size muffins. Allow to cool in donut pan for 5 minutes, then remove and place on cooling rack.
• While donut muffins are cooling, combine sugar and cinnamon in a small glass bowl. 
• In a separate shallow bowl, melt 2-3 tbsp coconut oil. (I use my microwave to do this.)  
• Dip donut muffins in coconut oil, then roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. I find it easiest to dip and coat the bottoms of all the donut muffins. After the bottoms are coated, then i go back and dip the tops in coconut oil, and cover in cinnamon and sugar. I find it's easier to handle the donut muffins this way, and creates less mess. 
• Enjoy fresh. They can also be frozen and reheated in microwave for 8-10 SECONDS.

Notes

To turn these into apple cider donut holes, boil one cup apple cider, until it reduces down to 1/2 cup, and use this in place of the milk. I also ground Bare baked apple chips i my blender, and subbed a 1/4 ground apple chips for 1/4 gluten free flour.

**This post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through those links help support this blog with no extra expense to you. Thank you for your continued support!**

The post Gluten Free Donut Muffins : Top 8 Free appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

Improvise

I lost my quarter cup measuring cup. Not just one, but three of them. No joke. I own three sets of measuring cups, and the quarter cup is missing from each set. I searched high and low, and now I officially give up. Thank goodness I know that 4 tbsp equals a 1/4 cup. Mad props to my middle school home economics teacher who taught me that.

I’m sure you’re thinking, “Why are you telling me this?” Well, first, that’s why my recipe for gluten free cheeseburger muffin cups calls for 1/3 c of shredded cheese. Second, living a gluten free lifestlye requires adjustment. Change. Letting go of what we want and learning to improvise. Thinking outside of the box, or cup as it may be.

Reinvent

Someone recently told me they really miss White Castle. Maybe it’s the cute little sliders? These are not gluten free cheeseburger sliders. The name “cheeseburger muffins” fails to fit it accurately, either. I decided on gluten free cheeseburger muffin cups. You form the Chebe dough into a cup shape, so it seemed logical to me.

This recipe is a reinvention of the muffin tin cheeseburgers I saw on the Twisted website. They used hamburger buns. However I chose to use Chebe dough. Grain free, gluten free and free from the top allergens, this versatile mix becomes just about anything you can imagine. Just like my enchilada cups, use the dough instead of actual buns.

Create

Just like any other burger,  top these gluten free cheeseburger muffin cups anyway you choose. Similar recipes suggested using bacon, but we don’t eat pork in our house. So I kept the filling simple with ground beef, some minced onions, and some spices. Love pickles? Pile them on. Not a fan of mustard? Leave it off.

Now, while I call these “cheese” burger muffin cups, if you can leave off the cheese. Or, use a dairy free version. I particularly enjoy Follow Your Heart vegan smoked gouda. For these, I used regular thin sliced Cheddar slices, cut them into four smaller squares, and topped each hot muffin cup with two small squares of cheese.

Enjoy

Ready to eat? Because I know I am. These gluten free cheeseburger muffin cups fit perfectly fit in a lunch box, as well as freeze for later. Have a sports party? These delicious cups make a great snack for March Madness, as well as football and soccer viewing parties.

Looking for other finger foods? Check out these Deep Fried Onion Rings from MinneCeliac, or this Gluten Free Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Bites from Healthy GF Family. My gluten free mini apple cheesecakes make for a great dessert, or even these gluten free apple fritters from Serious Eats. Both use Chebe mix. Isn’t gluten free delicious?

Overcome Restrictions

GRAIN FREE? Already taken care of.
DAIRY FREE? You can leave the cheese off the top. In addition, you can leave out the shredded cheese in the dough. However, I recommend Follow Your Heart vegan cheese.
NUT OR SOY FREE? Chebe produces all mixes in a nut and soy free facility.
EGG FREE? Check this link for a recipe for Chebe without eggs.
VEGETARIAN? Use your favorite gluten free crumbles or chop up a Hilary’s Eat Well patty.

Print

Gluten Free Cheeseburger Muffin Cups

Ingredients

For the Dough

• 1 box Chebe All Purpose Mix
• 1/3 c shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp water

For the Filling

• 1 lb ground sirloin
• 1/4 cup finely minced onion
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp seasoning salt
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

For Toppings

• Small squares of your favorite cheese
• I used thin sliced cheese, cut in quarters, and two per muffin cup.
• Lettuce
• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Pickles

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add Chebe mix and 1/3 cup of shredded cheddar cheese to food processor. Pulse 5-6 times to further break down the shreds of cheese and incorporate into the mix. 
• Next, add the 2 tbsp of oil, and pulse until fully blended. Add eggs and repeat. 
• Lastly, stream the 3 tsbp of water into the dough while the food processor is on. It should come together in a small ball of dough. There will likely be residual mix in the bottom of the food processor bowl. 
• Dump the dough out onto a flat surface, and sprinkle any remaining powder mix on top and incorporate into dough. Knead until a soft but firm ball of dough is reached. Set aside and cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying out. 
• Meawhile, prepare the filling. Dice onions into small pieces, and cook in a hot skillet with the ground beef. (I use ground sirloin.) 
• Season meat with spices and gluten free Worcestershire sauce. (In the United States, Lea and Perrins contains no gluten.) Set aside. (Some other recipes add ketchup to the mix, the create a sauce. I have not done so, but you can try it if you like!) 
• Grab the ball of dough and portion it into 12 equal pieces. (I used my scale and they weighed approx. 35 grams each.) I used a tortilla press, lined with plastic (parchment works too) to press the dough balls into uniform circles. I then sprinkled mine with a bit of sesame seeds (completely optional).(Depending on the non-stick nature of your muffin tin, you may want to spray the wells with a bit of vegetable oil.) 
• Then I pressed the circle of dough, seeds down, into the muffin tin. Use fingers to firmly press the dough evenly into the muffin well. 
• Fill each muffin cup with cooked beef. Feel free to overfill and press down, as the beef will settle while cooking. Bake in oven for 25 minutes. 
• After 25 minutes, remove from oven, and top each cheeseburger muffin cup with two thin sliced squares of cheese. Return to oven for 2-3 minutes to melt cheese. 
• Remove from oven and top with desired condiments, such as ketchup and mustard, lettuce or pickles. Best served hot. Should they cool, they can be rewarmed in the microwave. 

**This post was sponsored by Chebe. They compensated me for my time and energy. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own. This post also includes Amazon Affiliate Links for products you may find helpful in making this recipe.

The post Gluten Free Cheeseburger Muffin Cups appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

Everyone Should Learn to Bake

I think everyone should learn to make banana bread. When I was a nanny for my niece and nephew, they learned math and measuring and procedure by making banana bread with me all the time. My niece is now old enough to drive a car. However, I still hear sweet 4-year old voice saying, “Aunt Maggie, do we have the right ‘gredients?

The basis for these gluten free banana cinnamon chip muffins is Carol Fenster’s “No Hassle Banana Bread.” I snagged it off the back of the Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Baking Flour.

Back then, I was brave and made one small change. I cut back on the 1/3 cup of oil her recipe called for, and replaced it with applesauce. (Like in my gluten-free applesauce bundt cake!) I remember the first time I made it for a Celiac Support group picnic. Everyone LOVED it!

Gluten Free Banana Bread – Improved

Now I’ve made a few more adjustments to that original gluten free banana bread recipe. In these Gluten Free Banana Cinnamon Chip Muffins, I used Krusteaz gluten-free all-purpose flour. They generously sent me some of their products. Their flour already has xanthan gum added to it. Therefore, I left if out of Carol’s original recipe.

I also had leftover self-rising flour left from my Gluten-Free Mason Jar cakes, so I used that and left out the baking powder called for in the original recipe. (I’ve included the original guidelines in Carol’s recipe below if you just want to use straight all-purpose gluten-free flour.) Other than that, my gluten free banana cinnamon chip muffins stick pretty close to Carol’s original recipe.

How To Turn Any Quick Bread Into Muffins

However, the most obvious change in the recipe is the size and the additional mix-ins. I am ADDICTED to these Hershey’s Cinnamon Chips. I really appreciate that the bag is specifically labeled gluten-free, and the helpfulness of Hershey’s website on the issue. They are available at Walmart.

As for scaling back the size for these gluten free banana cinnamon chip muffins, I relied heavily on the expertise of King Arthur Flour. They have an excellent post on how to make muffins from a quick bread recipe.

In addition, their article on “Boosting Banana Bread” was helpful as well. Feel free to adjust my gluten free banana cinnamon chip muffins recipe with one of their tips. Let me know if you do and leave me a note in the comments!

More Banana Bread Recipes

Looking for more creative banana bread recipes? Try this Gluten Free Chocolate Banana Bread recipe from My Gluten-Free Kitchen. Get creative and turn bread into breakfast with this vegan recipe for Banana Bread French Toast from Allergylicious. Finally, transform muffins to cupcakes with this recipe for Grain-Free Banana Toffee Cupcakes from Gluten Free Palate!

Print

Gluten Free Banana Cinnamon Chip Muffins

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. applesauce
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp canola oil
• 2/3 c. brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 c. mashed RIPE bananas about 3 bananas
• 1 3/4 c. gluten free all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• * 1 tsp xanthan gum if your gluten-free flour blend doesn’t have it
• 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup Hershey’s Cinnamon Chips If you want to also use nuts, do 1/2 cup of chips and 1/2 cup of nuts.

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, blend wet ingredients. If your three bananas equal slightly less than 1 1/2 cups, make up the difference with applesauce.
• In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, etc.) and baking chips (+nuts if using.) 
• Slowly add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix until just moistened. 
• While the batter rests, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line standard muffin tin with silicone or paper muffin liners. My silicone liners were sturdy enough that I could place them on a cookie sheet.
• Pour batter into muffin liners.I suggest using a 3 tbsp scoop.
• Bake the gluten-free banana cinnamon chip muffins for 23-28 minutes. I believe I baked mine closer to 25 minutes.
• Allow to cool and then devour!

**Although Krusteaz gave me their gluten-free flour for free, I was not otherwise compensated for my post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post does contain Amazon affiliate links. I make a commission through purchases made with those links.  However, it does not impact your cost.**

The post Gluten Free Banana Cinnamon Chip Muffins appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

The Buzz on Honey

I originally created this recipe for gluten free honey sweetened muffins after trying Wedderspoon products, in 2017. Not only are their products great (I LOVE their lozenges), they take great care to protect the bees. The Smithsonian offers ways to protect your local pollinators, including mowing your lawn less!

While bees main role is that of pollinator, we also love them for the honey they produce. Often we use it as a sweetner in tea, or on biscuits or cornbread. While it has some medicinal properties, it’s main purpose is to use as energy, both for bees, and for ourselves.

How To Substitute Honey for Sugar

As honey is sweeter than sugar, one can use less of it in baking than sugar. In addition, honey has a rich flavor that processed sugar does not. The Kitchn has 4 rules for successfully swapping honey for sugar.

1. Replace sugar with 1/2 or 1/3 less honey
2. Use less liquid in your recipe. For every 1 cup of honey used, omit 1/4 cup of other liquids in the recipe.  (Because gluten free flour tends to absorb more liquid, I kept the amount of milk the same.)
3. Add 1/4 tsp of baking soda to you recipe. This balances its natural acidity, allowing your baked goods to rise.
4. Reduce the baking temperature by 25 degrees.

So to test out their guidelines, I decided to make these gluten free honey sweetened muffins for Earth Day. This basic recipe can be enhanced with your own additions. I added (soaked) dried cranberries and chocolate chips. However you can use any mix-ins that you want! I adapted this recipe from Betty Crocker using King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Flour.

Gluten Free Muffin Baking Tips

I used skim milk in my gluten free honey sweetened muffins. However, I’d recommend full fat milk if you have it. Also, you might be tempted to swap out melted butter for the oil in this recipe. However, remember that butter is only 80% fat, with the rest being 20% water. If want want a moister muffin, you want the full fat oil.

Speaking of “moist muffins,” Averie Cooks uses sour cream in her Extra Soft and Moist Blueberry Muffins. I have not tried this substitution. However, I might use it when I try these again. In addition, I topped these with a bit of streusel. I followed Baking Mischief’s streusel recipe in her Cinnamon Apple Crumb Muffins. Totally optional.

Also, don’t overbake your muffins. This is key in keeping them moist. No more than 20 minutes.

Other Gluten Free Muffin Recipes

While I used dried cranberries, you can use any fruit you’d like. (Note, make sure to soak dried fruit first before using. Otherwise, they absorb the moisture in your muffin meant for the flour.) I’ve used butterscotch chips and almonds in this recipe before, and my husband said they tasted like French Toast.

Looking for more muffins? You can try my banana muffins or my homemade blueberry muffins. What the Fork compiled a great recipe collection of the best gluten free muffins on her website. Need them to be egg free? Check out the muffin recipes on Sarah Bakes Gluten Free. Need grain free? Try these Paleo Chocolate Chip Muffins from Gluten Free Palate.

Print

Gluten Free Honey Sweetened Muffins

Ingredients

Muffin Batter

• 1 1/2 c. Gluten Free Flour Blend 180 grams
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Pinch nutmeg / cinnamon
• 1/4 c. canola oil
• 1/4 c. honey
• 1/2 c. milk preferably full fat
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp almond extract you can use vanilla extract instead

Mix-ins

• 1/3 c. soaked dried fruit OR fresh berries
• 1/4 c. mini chocolate chips + extra for sprinkling

Streusel from Baking Mischief (optional)

• 1 tbsp melted butter
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp gluten free flour
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

• In a small bowl, whisk milk, oil and honey. My suggestion is to measure oil first. Doing so will allow you to measure the honey and have it easily slide out of the measuring cup. Add egg and vanilla, whisk, and then set aside.
• In a larger bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and spices. Give it a quick whisk to make sure all ingredients get combined equally. 
• Slowly add wet ingredients to wet and whisk to incorporate. Use a spatula or spoon to stir in chocolate chips and fruit, or whatever mix-ins you prefer.
• Allow the batter to rest for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Fill silicone muffin cups 2/3 full. I used a Pampered Chef medium scoop, which is approximately 2 tbsp. I filled it to heaping.
• Top with a few chocolate chips for garnish. Sprinkle additional streusel on top, if desired. Bake for 22-25 minutes. (Check at 20 minutes.) I would suggest rotating the pan halfway through to achieve uniform browning.

What are your favorite muffins to make? Do you like often substitute honey for sugar in baking? Please leave any additional baking tips you have in the comments! 

**Wedderspoon originally provided free product in 2017. I was not otherwise paid or compensated for my time. This post does contain affiliate links. Purchases made through those links help support this blog with no extra expense to you. Thank you for your continued support!**

The post Gluten Free Honey Sweetened Muffins appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

Michigan Blueberries

When it comes to summer months, I love July. Why? Because here in Michigan,  it’s blueberry picking time! Every year, my husband and I drive 20 miles to Montrose Orchards. We often like to invite friends and family to go, especially those with little kids who get to experience it for the first time. It brings them such joy, well portrayed by my niece Kyra.

While we chat with friends, we stay busy picking these sweet berries. Our record is 10 lbs, although this year (July 2018), we managed to pick 7.5 lbs between us. And what does one do with all those beautiful berries? Make gluten free blueberry muffins, of course!

Nerd Alert

One day I wondered “How do different gluten free flours perform in a recipe?” A bit of background – I’m a bit of a nerd. As a kid, I sometimes took things apart just to see how they worked. I have a degree in Mathematics (for Elementary School Teachers) and I always like geometric proofs because it “proved” why something was true.

When I first tried my “experiment, I used  four different  flours. I tried GF Jules, Pamela’s Baking Mix, Krusteaz, and Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose flours. As I update this recipe, I chose four other flours with which to make my gluten free blueberry muffins. flours. My base recipe is the Dessert For Two recipe for Blueberry Muffins. 

Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins Made with Cup 4 Cup

I adore Cup 4 Cup Multipurpose Gluten Free Flour. If I want to make something right out of a “regular cookbook,” I prefer this mix every time. (Like these Resurrection Rolls!) Christina’s recipe uses only one egg white, which I may have mixed a bit too much. These tasted a  bit more like blueberry studded Angel food cake. (Which is still 100% delicious!) One important note. I ran out of Cup 4 Cup and had to use a smidge of another flour to attain the right amount of flour for these gluten free blueberry muffins. I imagine it altered the texture.

Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins Made with Pillsbury Gluten Free Flour

I purchased the Pillsbury gluten free flour for the first time recently. Truth be told, I’m not a huge fan. These gluten free blueberry muffins fell apart and the tops broke off when I removed them from the muffin tin. Now, as mentioned before, Christina’s recipe does not use the whole egg. So this may have been part of the cause. However, a gluten free flour blend that states it can be used as an equal replacement should have done better, in my opinion.

Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins made with Pamela’s Artisan Flour Blend

These. This batch of gluten free blueberry muffins using Pamela’s Artisan blend turned into a pleasant surprise. The package stated that it may need more liquid than other recipes, but I used the same base recipe as the other two. They baked up beautifully, although sunk a bit as they cooled. My husband tried one, and stated these reminded him of muffins you’d get from a bakery. Therefore, I’d call that a win, wouldn’t you? Also try her bread flour to make these delicious gluten free bagels!

Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins made with King Arthur Flour All Purpose Gluten Free Flour + xanthan gum

The three other flour blends included xanthan gum. King Arthur Flour All Purpose Gluten Free Flour does not. Therefore, I added 1/4 tsp of xanthan gum to the gluten free blueberry muffins recipe.

What is xanthan gum and what does it do? I explained it in my gluten free vegan chocolate cake post, so pop over there to read more in depth on it.

Like the other gluten free blueberry muffins, they rose well but flattened out once they reached over the muffin tin. However, they held together much better than the Pillsbury ones. In truth, I would suggest just buying their (AMAZING) gluten free muffin mix than making these from scratch.

In Conclusion

As I stated above, no two “tasters” are alike.  We all like certain products more than others for a reason. And you know what, that’s okay!  It’s great that there is so much safe, gluten free diversity out there. As Celiac Disease and culinary techniques improve, we have a lot of options.

As far as I’m concerned, if there is a product you use that helps you feel like a successful gluten free baker, that’s great! Now pardon me as I go enjoy another one of these gluten free blueberry muffins. Anyone want to come over and help me get rid of these?!

For a simliar review in a chocolate chip cookie recipe, check out this post, “What’s the Best Gluten Free Flour?” from The Gluten Free Austrian.

**I was not paid or compensated in any way by any of the names brands. This post does include Amazon affiliate links. My affiliate link directs a small portion of the sale back to me, while not changing the price you pay in any way. Thanks for helping support my blog!**

The post Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins Made Four Ways appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

There is nothing more satisfying than a soft cinnamon roll, fresh out of the oven, topped with frosting. My high school cafeteria served them for lunch. I purchased them probably more often than I should. I don’t even want to know the number of calories in those things. Now that eat gluten-free for my Celiac Disease, those days are over. Now, I make Chebe cinnamon rolls from the comfort of my own kitchen. I LOVE that they’re yeast-free, because I never have luck with yeasted dough. They’re also grain-free for those following AIP or the paleo diet.

The directions on the back of the Chebe cinnamon rolls package are easy to follow. I add an extra tablespoon of butter to my dough, and two more tablespoons of milk. I do this to make the dough softer, and I refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to help it absorb the additional moisture. You will need to use extra rice flour when rolling the dough for these Chebe cinnamon rolls. (If you’re grain-free, you will need to find a different dough with which to dust your surface.) After you roll out the dough, you brush it with melted butter, and then top with a cinnamon and brown sugar mixture.

It is suggested to roll the dough for these Chebe cinnamon rolls into a 12 x 18 rectangle. This is so you can have eighteen equal portions. However, I’m a rule breaker and cut mine into 9 equal portions. I then placed them into the blue silicone liners I received in my American Gluten Free box and smushed them down a bit to widen the dough balls. Sometimes Chebe products can dry out, so I baked my cinnamon rolls at 350 degrees instead of the 375. (I’d also suggest dabbing them with a dab of butter prior to baking, to help retain moisture.) I also baked them for 18 minutes.

Aren’t these Chebe cinnamon rolls just GORGEOUS? Of course, I added frosting. One simply cannot eat cinnamon rolls without frosting! One of the things I love about working with Chebe products is that they are so easy to make! Like their pizza dough. Did you know you can cook it on the grill? Or that you can use their all-purpose mix to make pie? And their foccacia? Don’t get me started! SO GOOD! All of their mixes come together in a snap using just eggs, oil and water. Doesn’t get much better than that!

So, the next time you have a hankering for a sweet breakfast treat, you can make these simply delicious Chebe Cinnamon Rolls!

So what is your favorite breakfast treat? What’s your go-to recipe for making cinnamon rolls? PLEASE share it with me in the comments below!

The post Chebe Cinnamon Rolls – Grain and Yeast Free! appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

Three Lessons Learned

I learned a few things about gluten free baking Saturday night. Well, not this past Saturday night. It was a fall day in 2013 when I first wrote this post. But regardless of a new recipe and better pictures, the lessons learned still apply.

1) If you’re going on a gluten free baking adventure, put away the clean dishes first. Otherwise, you may end up spilling flour everywhere, coating your newly cleaned dishes in a fine dusting of gluten-free grains. And having to wash them again.

2) Tea balls make a great small sifter for flouring muffin cups. I may never use it to make tea again. (See picture above.)

3) Intentionally baking for others, regardless of the food allergy, is a very real expression of love!

A Lot Has Changed

Back in 2013, I was a relatively new blogger. At that point, I penned less than a year’s worth of posts. Instagram and SnapChat didn’t exist yet, and I had yet to tweet. I didn’t even have a Facebook page for my blog. So four years ago when someone recognized my blog name at the point, it gave me goosebumps. If I’m honest, whenever anyone is excited to meet me, I still feel a bit surprised. So if we meet in person and want to really surprise me, tell me you read this post about a pumpkin muffin recipe.

The story begins with a lunch for visitors. Consultants really. Good people, not like the consultants from Office Space that just want to downsize your business. There were consultants wanting to help a church thrive to meet the needs of our community. Since I like to feed everybody and their brother, our pastor asked if I could help arrange lunch for the group. Sure, no problem. To support a local new business, we chose to order pizza. I thought about asking him if there were any food allergies, but I failed to follow through. Which is weird for me, because I always ask.

Always Ask

You can see where this is heading right? Sure enough, one of the consultants was gluten intolerant. I felt heartbroken. Then when she was super excited because she already followed my blog, I was crushed. After all, I know what it is like to travel and not have gluten free food. A small sense of panic can set in, not to mention the sense of being left out. Usually we learn to travel with food, but she wasn’t traveling solo and staying all weekend in a town she was unfamiliar with.

And I served a fellow person needing to follow a gluten-free diet regular pizza. Major face palm.

Muffins Make Everything Better

So the next morning I hustled to make a pumpkin muffin recipe just for her. I mean, after making her feel left out the night before, it was the least I could do? Right? She graciously accepted and thanked me over and over for trying to make her feel welcome.

Some people may think I’m silly for going to all this trouble, making a last minute pumpkin muffin recipe for a lady I may never see again. However, it truly is an honor. I think back on all of the friends and family who have taken extra care due to my celiac disease. My husband was the first- bringing me gluten free flours (and flowers) while we were dating. Dead serious. He’s been my biggest cheerleader ever since, even eating gluten-free in our home to keep me safe.

Who’s Your Cheerleader?

My friend Becky was one of the first people I knew who purposely stocked gluten free salad dressings and other condiments, on the off chance that we may come over for dinner. I can’t even begin to tell you how loved that made me feel, and I’m not sure I’ve ever told her as much. Or our friends Jen & Ben, who made sure to check all ingredients for their 4-year-old’s birthday party, so we would not feel singled out in any way.

Then there’s my (now former) neighbor brought me a tub of the  gluten free cookie dough for my birthday. Not an expensive present, but it was an intentional act of love, trying to meet my needs. For that reason (and literally hundreds more) we helped them move 800+ miles to a new home. She’s definitely worth a last minute pumpkin muffin.

It’s Okay to Speak Up

So many times, we as celiacs don’t say anything about our dietary needs. We say we don’t want to be a bother. Maybe a meal has failed us and we (literally) don’t want to go through the pain again. However, sometimes when we don’t speak up, we take away the joy from someone else who wants to make us feel loved. We all deserve to feel loved. Respected. Important. So if someone can do it safely, let them do it. In return, if you can go out of your way to make someone else’s day, do it. You won’t regret it.

Back to the Pumpkin Muffin Recipe

When I first wrote this back in 2013, I didn’t save my pumpkin muffin recipe. I think I created it from a Betty Crocker recipe, throwing in random leftover flours I had left. While resourceful, it doesn’t help if  you want to recreate this recipe for yourself.

I mean, there are loads of great pumpkin muffin recipes out there. Some are free of eggs and dairy like these gluten free vegan pumpkin spice muffins from Sarah Bakes Gluten Free. Some are loaded with cream cheese like these Healthy Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins from Veggie Balance.

Why I Love Dessert For Two

I chose to play with a recipe from one of my new favorite (non-gluten-free) blogs, Dessert for Two. I switched out the 3/4 c of flour she calls for in her Pumpkin Nutella Muffins with a blend of banana flour and rice flour. Because I had banana flour left over. Now adays, I substitute King Arthur Flour Measure for Measure in most of her recipes with success.

I also wrote this recipe with a blend of brown sugar and white sugar. You can do straight white sugar if you prefer. Since her recipe only calls for a 1/3 cup of pumpkin, that allows you to make other pumpkin goodies. For example, my egg-free gluten-free pumpkin chai snickerdoodles. Your egg intolerant friends will totally love you for it.

So there you have it. A pumpkin muffin recipe that uses the bits ends of what I have around. Sometimes the bits and pieces we have, however small, are more than enough to make a difference.

Print

Gluten Free Pumpkin Swirl Muffins

Ingredients

• 1/3 c pumpkin puree
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1/4 c white sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 c canola oil Christine uses melted coconut oil
• 3/4 c. gluten free all purpose flour I recommend King Arthur Measure for Measure
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup Nutella or other chocolate spread I like 88 Acres

Instructions

• Grease 6 muffin tin wells with butter and coat lightly with rice flour. I like using a tea ball to do the dusting. It helps control the coverage and helps you get deep into the wells. If you would like to skip this step, you can use cupcake liners. Christine does.  
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, brown sugar, white sugar, egg, and canola oil or melted coconut oil. (I imagine melted butter could work too.) 
• In a small bowl, combine gluten free flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt. Whisk well to make sure all ingredients are mixed together. A sifter may even come in handy for this. 
• Add the ingredients to the dry ones, and blend together until all of the flour mixture is incorporated. Gluten free batters usually benefit from a bit of a resting period. If the batter seems incredibly thick, you can add one tsp of water at a time to achieve usual muffin batter thickness. 
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees while your batter is resting.
• Fill the muffin wells with a small scoop of pumpkin batter. I used a one oz Pampered Chef scoop, and then tamped the batter down by giving my muffin tin a few “gentle” whacks on the counter to level the batter. 
• On top of the batter, add approximately one teaspoon of chocolate spread. Fill muffin wells with remaining batter, and gently tap the muffin tin again to level the batter.  
• Finally add a touch of chocolate spread on top, and swirl into the pumpkin muffin batter. 
• Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool before serving. 

When has someone gone out of their way to meet your food allergy needs? How did it make you feel? When you have taken an intentional step to make sure the needs of others were met? 

**This post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through those links help support this blog with no extra expense to you. Thank you for your continued support!**

The post Gluten Free Nutella Pumpkin Muffins appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.