Gluten Free and Vegan Orange Cranberry Muffins

The last muffin recipe I posted was really good, but I've been working on a more neutral flavored base. I don't exactly love bananas. I mean sometimes, yes, a banana bread or muffin sounds good, but I don't always want a banana flavor. That was definitely the case for these Orange Cranberry Muffins. Since the banana acts as a binder and helps the texture of the muffin it's not as simple as just omitting the banana. It took a couple of tries, but I was really pleased with this version.

Orange Cranberry Muffins - Gluten Free and Vegan

makes 12

Dry:
1 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Wet:
1/4 cup coconut milk beverage (or other non dairy milk or water)
1/4 cup flax meal + 1/2 cup hot water
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup sunflower oil
1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (one medium orange)
zest from one orange

1 cup fresh cranberries
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 400F or 375F if you have convection bake. Line 12 cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners or parchment. Alternately, you can grease the pan. I've stopped doing that because at altitude everything seems to stick. I've had the best luck greasing with coconut oil (or butter, if you aren't vegan), but the fruit in the muffins always seems to stick to the pan.

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk well to combine. In a large measuring cup or small bowl, add 1/2 cup hot (near boiling) water to 1/4 cup flax meal (ground flaxseed). Set aside. Combine all other wet ingredients in a medium bowl, then add flax slurry, and mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and fold to combine. When nearly combined, fold in cranberries and walnuts.

Spoon into muffin tin, evenly distributing among the 12 cups. Optionally, you can sprinkle the tops with sugar and/or cinnamon.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes. Start checking at around 20 minutes. They should be lightly browned on top, and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Another way to test is to push the tops gently with your finger. When they are done they will spring back, not sink in.

These freeze well. I make a batch every week or so and keep them in a ziplock back in the freezer, for longer storage, wrap each individually with plastic wrap and then place in freezer bag.