chocolate chip pumpkin muffins -- gluten free + dairy free

and so my pumpkin quest continues. i swear by this stuff - its simply amazing. i've been able to omit oil and fat by substituting pumpkin puree in lots of recipes.  oh yeah - i've got at least two more pumpkin recipes up my sleeve...are you sick of pumpkin yet?

i was sitting around and was craving pumpkin bread, but didn't want to wait for a full loaf to bake up. and so i ventured to my spiced pumpkin bread recipe that i concocted this past april and have been adapting it over the past couple weeks into chocolate chip pumpkin muffins. i've finally perfected the recipe and am ultra happy with the end result. the pumpkin puree in these dairy free/gluten free muffins keeps them extremely moist and lends them their fall appeal.

i want pumpkin.

i swapped a few things around from my original recipe and really suggest using a gluten free all-purpose flour that doesn't already include guar or xanthan gum. ultimately, the consistency of your muffins depends on the ratio of gum to the flour being used. on my 3rd attempt making these i used an ap blend that already had guar gum and they just didn't turn out well - they were really chewy and didn't cook properly.


okay - before i share my recipe with you - i wanted to share a recent find in denver. mark and i were shopping and decided to grab a bite before heading home. we wound up in highland - a hip section of denver with loads of great restaurants. we ended up at a deli - i ate salad - meh. and mark ate a reuben with cheddar beer soup - i turned green with envy. feeling un-satiated i moped around after we left and protested that i wanted something good to eat. and then i looked up. a HUGE milk canister towered above me - taunting me.

looks can be deceiving.

little man ice cream was scribed upon the gigantic canister. exactly what i needed - to have more dairy deliciousness waved in front of me. to my surprise - i looked at the menu and there was vegan chocolate ice cream! score! i asked about the ingredients and the gal working there told me they tested many recipes and decided on a soy/coconut blend for the best texture/flavor combo. they did good. real good. the gal behind the counter asked what type of cone i wanted - i explained no cone, because i'm gluten free. she wheeled around - not saying anything to me and pulled out a box from the counter below. gluten free waffle cones. i shit you not. seriously. i teared up with joy. i can't tell you the last time i REALLY enjoyed ice cream. i'll be returning - and soon. apparently they have a vegan vanilla as well as a vegan green tea ice cream. can't wait to try both of them out!

long time coming...

chocolate chip pumpkin muffins

• 1.5 c all-purpose gluten free flour (without guar or xanthan gum) - i used king arthurs ap gf flour
• 1/4 c sorghum flour
• 1/4 c brown rice flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1.5 tsp guar gum
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 3/4 c maple syrup
• 1/4 c brown sugar - packed
• 1 16oz can pureed pumpkin (no spices included)
• 1/3 c unsweetened hemp milk or milk alternative
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 c (or more) chocolate chips - i tend to use more ;)

preheat oven to 350 degrees. line a 12 muffin tin with cupcake liners - i've been using tin liners for these muffins - they work very well. to begin combine all dry ingredients - not including the brown sugar in a large mixing bowl and whisk together until well combined. in a separate bowl - combine all wet ingredients - including the brown sugar and whisk until well combined. pour wet ingredients on top of dry  ingredients and gently stir until combined. pour in chocolate chips and gently stir until chips are dispersed in batter. using an ice cream scoop (great investment - makes scooping muffins/cupcakes SOOOO easy) place a heaping scoop into each cupcake liner. i've found that this mix yields around 14-16 muffins depending on the generosity level of your scoops. bake 25-27 minutes - rotating the pan 1/2 way thru the baking time. test for doneness with a toothpick - when inserted it should come out clean. remove muffins from tin and cool completely on a cooling rack.

one note - try and use restraint with these. i've had issues with getting a batch to last more than a day. IE - i eat all of the muffins and then wind up in the gym for hours due to the sheer guilt. hey - at least there's no refined sugar / oil in them - right?!?!?!

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