Gluten-Free Girl's Raisin-Walnut Muffins

gluten-free muffins

These whole-grain muffins have the healthful aspects of bran muffins, without the wheat. Sorghum and buckwheat flour both have a slightly nutty flavor while being packed with protein and nutrients. The arrowroot flour helps bind the muffins together, resulting in a healthy muffin that’s light in texture.

Not to worry if you can't eat gluten or eggs -- the muffins you see in the photograph were made without eggs (We had run out.)  To replace the eggs, combine 60 grams of flaxseed meal with 60 grams of boiling hot water. When you whisk them together, you end up with a flaxseed gel that will bind the muffins together. And no harm in a little flaxseed.

We bake by weight, for so many reasons. If you do not have a scale, and you want to learn how to bake well, we suggest you buy one. In the meantime, here is a conversion chart for various gluten-free flours.

Gluten-Free Raisin-Walnut Muffins

Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients:
150 grams sorghum flour
150 grams buckwheat flour
50 grams arrowroot flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
180 grams (about 3/4 cup) brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh orange zest (or ¾ teaspoon dried orange peel)
1/2 teaspoon fine-chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs (or the flaxseed gel noted above)
300 grams (about 1 1/4 cups) buttermilk
100 grams (about  1/2 cup) grapeseed oil
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/2 cup golden raisins

Preparing to bake. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a standard-size muffin pan.

Combining the dry ingredients. Whisk together the sorghum flour, buckwheat flour, and arrowroot flour in a large bowl. Add the baking soda, baking powder, brown sugar, and salt. Whisk them all together. Add the orange zest, fresh rosemary, and nutmeg. Whisk together and set aside.

Combining the wet ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the eggs until they are light and frothy. Add the buttermilk and whisk. Slowly, drizzle in the oil, whisking until it is all incorporated, which should take about 1 minute.

Finishing the batter. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and fold them into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula. Before the batter is entirely uniform, add the walnuts and golden raisins. Mix until there is no visible flour remaining.

Baking the muffins. Fill each muffin tin almost to the top. Slide the muffin pan into the oven. Bake until the top of each muffin bounces back when pressed lightly, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Remove the muffin pan from the oven and allow the muffins to cool for 15 minutes. Remove the muffins from the pan and allow them to cool fully on a baking rack.

Shauna James Ahern blogs about living the (gluten-free) sweet life at Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef. Her new cookbook, Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef, is available in bookstores now.

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