More Gluten Free Vegan Muffins!

I made another version of my Gluten Free Vegan Muffins. I have a few different muffin recipes on here now. I really love the texture of the last one I posted. However, the little one is sensitive to nightshade vegetables, including potatoes, so I've been trying to come up with a version that works without the potato starch. My middle son is sensitive to corn, so no corn starch. I tried tapioca starch and they were HORRIBLE. Ew. But then I tried some of the coconut flour that has been chilling in the fridge awaiting my inspiration. I haven't used much of it because it seems like every coconut flour recipe also calls for a half dozen (or more) eggs. I mean really, I don't mind the occasional egg in my baked goods, but do we actually need half an egg per muffin? But I was feeling brave, so I tried subbing the coconut flour for the starch, as I'd read it has good binding properties. You just have to add extra liquid. It really gave them a great moistness and totally erased any grittiness from the rice flour. It's a winner!

Orange Cranberry Muffins - Gluten Free and Vegan

makes 12

Dry:
1 cup white rice flour
3/4 cup almond meal
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Wet:
1/4 cup coconut flour + 3/4 cup coconut milk beverage 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

1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 to 1 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 375F or 350F if you have convection bake. (I dropped the temp on these because I increased the almond meal, which burns more easily.) 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.

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. In a small bowl, combine coconut flour and coconut milk and mix really well, smashing any lumps. Set aside. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk well to combine. Combine all remaining wet ingredients in a medium bowl, then add flax slurry and coconut mixture. Stir well, making sure you don't have any lumps of coconut flour.  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 20 minutes. Start checking at around 15 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. You want to err on the side of under-baking these as that almond meal will burn if you aren't careful.