Baking for the Holiday

Well I am still working to make that perfect loaf of gluten free sourdough bread.  In the meantime I have turned my attentions to more immediate tasks at hand.  Nothing says winter and Christmas more than fresh cranberries.  I found a recipe for Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Muffins.  I wanted to make the recipe a little healthier.  While the finished product was good, I do think it could have used additional applesauce or maybe the addition of some cooking oil.  I have up the amount of applesauce to 1/2 cup.  I think it would be successful with 1/4 cup applesauce and 1/4 cup oil.  Here is my adaption of Gluten Free Betty's recipe.


Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Muffins

1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (I used 1/4 cup and it wasn't quite enough.)
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
1 orange, juice and zest
1 1/2 cups Gluten-Free Brown Rice Flour Blend
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons xanthum gum
1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 - 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with 10 to 12 muffin liners.  In a small bowl add  yogurt, applesauce, eggs and extract.  Beat until combined.    

Zest the orange reserving the zest.  Juice orange and measure juice.  Add in additional juice to measure 1/2 cup.  Add orange juice to egg mixture.

In a larger bowl whisk together the flour blend through sugar.  Pour in the wet ingredients and stir just until combined.  Fold in chopped cranberries and walnuts.

Using a large ice cream scoop, scoop batter into prepared muffin tin filling about 3/4 of the way full. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool completely before wrapping.  These freeze well and can be quickly defrosted in the microwave for a quick morning treat.