Buckwheat, Apple and Ginger Muffins

The unfinished recipe for these muffins has been sitting in my "drafts" folder for about 8 months now. I was hesitant to post it for so long because there were a few minor changes I wanted to make in order to perfect these muffins that I had never gotten around to doing last summer. Being home for easter for a couple of days, I decided I should finally get around to remaking these.

After cutting the coconut oil in half by replacing some with applesauce as well as adding a little extra ginger, these are now perfect!

These muffins definitely have a unique taste. The buckwheat gives them a nice earthy flavor. The molasses and brown sugar add the slightest bit of sweetness. Plus, of course, the ginger. Oh, the ginger. I love ginger. The chopped crystallized ginger is brilliant in adding a pop of ginger in every couple of bites; plus, the ground ginger gives them a nice ginger flavor throughout the whole muffin.

As always, these are dairy free since they use almond milk and coconut oil. If you don't have these on hand, canola oil or rice milk would also work! Although not completely gluten-free due to the spelt flour, the spelt flour can be replaced with rice flour.

Adapted from My Darling Lemon Thyme
Makes 12-14 muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup almond flour
2 Tbsp ground flax seed
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped crystalized ginger
1 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup spelt flour (or brown rice flour to make it gluten free)
1/4 cup corn starch
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch of sea salt

2 eggs, at room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp molasses
1/4 cup refined coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup almond milk, at room temp
2 medium apples, grated with skin on  (about 1 1/2 cups once grated)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin tins with 14 muffin tine liners nd set aside.
2. Whisk together flours, flax seeds, sugar, ginger and remaining dry ingredients in large bowl. Make a well in the center of the combined ingredients.
3. In a small bowl (actually use a separate bowl for this- no shortcuts), whisk together eggs, vanilla, molasses, oil, and milk. Pour mixture into dry ingredients, then add grated apple, stirring until just combined.
4. Spoon mixture evenly between muffin tins then bake for 17-21 minutes or until risen and cooked through, using a toothpick to test center of muffins.
5. Remove from oven and cool in tins for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack.

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