Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffin Recipe

This recipe is adapted from one of my favorite celebrity chefs, Rachael Ray. I love the simplicity and structure she gives to recipes.

Muffins!  I prefer muffins over loaf bread. They are so versatile and portable. I consider them a nutritious cupcake.

In August, Mac was diagnosed as gluten intolerant. He took a test from Entero Labs, at the recommendation of Dr. Jonathan Wright, in Seattle. If you want to know more about how to take the test, send me an email. Since then, I have been on the hunt for gluten free everything. So far, the best flour is Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten Free Baking Flour.

The Ingredient List 

1  cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, or 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp cloves, 1 tsp allspice, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg.

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla

Optional Add-in Ingredients

1/2 – 1 cup rough chopped walnuts or pecans

1/2  – 1 cup dried fruit such as cranberries or cherries

Sometimes, I toss in 1/3 cup shredded coconut

You may also add 1/2 – 1 cup chocolate chips

Optional Sprinkle Toppings

After the batter is spooned into the muffin cups, you may sprinkle the tops with this mixture: See Top Photo.

3 tablespoons  walnuts or pecans rough chopped

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon  cinnamon

The Preparation Method

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 12-muffin cups.

Use 2 bowls for mixing.

First, in the smaller bowl, add the flour, pumpkin pie spices, turmeric, salt and baking powder. Mix to integrate.

In the larger bowl, or in your stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together about three minutes, till fluffy. Add the pumpkin puree, eggs, and vanilla. Mix to incorporate. Now, add half the flour mixture and mix well. Add the last half and mix well.

If you want to add in things like pecans or cranberries, do it now, and fold in by hand.

I use my hand mixer to make these. My Kitchen Aid stand mixer is too heavy to move around. 

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups. Fill them close to the top. Smooth the tops using the back side of a wet spoon.

Now, you may add the sprinkle mix to the tops, or just add a pecan half or walnut half to each muffin top, if you like.

Bake in a preheated oven, at 350ºF, till domed and golden. The muffins should feel firm yet springy. A wooden pick inserted into the center should come out clean. Bake about 35 minutes. You don’t have to but, I rotate my muffin tin about half way through the bake time

Cool on a wire rack. Remove muffins from the pan after about five minutes.

Phebe Phillips lives in Dallas, Texas. Her artwork is in chalk pastel.

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