Apple Spice Muffins
☙ ❧

Posted in Recipes • November 14, 2023

This was one of the first recipes I ever invented, way back when I was in my late teens and was first learning to cook and bake for myself. As you can probably guess, I had my fair share of dud recipes at the time. With this one, however, I managed to hit upon something wonderful. I've been making these muffins regularly for the past decade and change, and they've consistently been a hit with everyone I've shared them with. One of my proudest culinary moments was when I brought these muffins to a potluck in college, and one of my friends told me that they were what he'd always wished apple pie tasted like.

Not only is this recipe delicious, but it's vegan and free of all the most common food allergens, so it's accessible for people with a wide range of dietary needs. Additionally, it's remarkably forgiving — while baking has a (not undeserved) reputation for requiring strict precision, this recipe seems to turn out good no matter how I mess with it. I've experimented with different types of gluten-free flour; I've varied the amount of apples; I've added various other fruits; I've replaced the water with apple cider for extra apple flavor — and somehow, it's worked every time. I don't know how I got so lucky with this recipe, but I'm very grateful that I did, and I'm delighted to share it with you.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups brown rice flour
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 5 medium-sized apples
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup safflower oil (or other neutral-tasting oil)
• 1/2 cup chopped dates
• 3/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger, or 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
• Enough water that batter is pourable but not too runny.

Procedure:

Core apples and cut into small chunks. Puree about half of these chunks, and leave the rest as is. Combine all ingredients and pour into muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until a knife inserted comes out clean (about 25 to 30 minutes).