Sometimes you just want a cinnamon doughnut hit, without the gluten or the guilt. These Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins are a perfect bite size treat. A great way to use up apples, and they are sure to be a hit in school lunch bags. Please note that apples are considered a high FODMAP food.

apple cinnamon muffins

MAKES

about 30 mini muffins

INGREDIENTS

• 350gm apples (whole) – about 3 small apples or 2 large apples (equals about 1 cup once peeled, cored & finely grated)
• 1/4 cup of organic raw sugar
• 125gm organic butter, softened
• 2 free range eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla powder, or vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup tapioca flour
• 1/2 cup white rice flour
• 1/2 cup of maize flour
• 2 tsps gluten free baking powder

For topping:

• 60gm organic butter, melted
• 1/4 cup of organic raw sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

METHOD

1. Pre-heat the oven to moderate (about 180 degrees celsius)
2. Prepare mini muffin trays (using muffin papers, silicone muffin cups or lightly oiling the cups)
3. Peel & core apples
4. Finely grate, using the 2mm grating plate in a food processor (or a stand grater), then set aside
5. In a food processor (or large bowl), blend the butter and sugar together, until creamed and fluffy
6. Add eggs, grated apple, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg, and blend until combined
7. Add the baking powder and flours, and blend until just combined
8. Spoon the batter (it will be reasonably thick) into your prepared mini muffin tray cups or papers, until 3/4 filled.
9. Bake for 15 minutes in moderate oven, until the muffins have risen, and the muffins spring back when lightly touched
10. Allow to cool on a baking rack, until cool enough to handle

TOPPING

1. In the mean time, melt the butter for the topping in a small bowl. Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl
2. Once cool enough to pick up, dip the top of the muffin into the melted butter, allow excess to drip off
3. Then dip the top of the muffin into the cinnamon and sugar mix
4. Store in an airtight container

NOTES

• Makes about 6 to 8 regular sized muffins, baked for about 25 minutes
• You can sprinkle the sugar & cinnamon mix on top of the muffins before baking
• You can find vanilla powder here or here.
• I find white rice flour that you can buy in baking aisles to be gritty, so prefer to use the glutinous rice flour found in the Asian food grocery stores or aisle. No, it does not contain gluten.