I love my spices especially ginger, I will use it in all cakes and cookies if I could. Here’s a beautifully flavoured gingerbread muffin that would be perfect for any morning or afternoon tea with coffee or teamed up with my chocolate chai latte! Great for the kids school lunch boxes too.

Gingerbread Mini Muffins

makes 12

1.5 cups SR gluten free flour (or use 2 favourite flours (like brown rice, millet, amaranth, almond) plus potato or tapioca starch with 1 tsp xantham gum and 1 tsp baking powder)

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp cloves (or 1/4 tsp for a little extra clove kick)

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

3 Tbsp rice malt syrup (or maple syrup, this will add to the sugar content)

1/4 cup coconut oil (or dairy free spread like nuttelex) (or butter or nuttelex dairy free spread)

3 Tbsp milk

1 egg

Preheat oven to 160 degrees (my oven is fan forced). Spray a 12 hole mini muffin tin with coconut oil spray or use butter or dairy free spread In a bowl add coconut oil and syrup and beat for 2 minutes in a mixer, hand held or by hand, making sure the coconut oil isnt lumpy, add in egg and vanilla and beat to combine. In a seperate bowl sift flour(s) and spices and mix to thoroughly incorporate especially if using flour combinations. Add the dry mix to the wet and mix together with a wooden spoon until just combined. Spoon into muffin trays about 3/4 full and bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes until cooked. (insert knife if unsure, if comes out clean its done).

Gluten Free Cheese and Chive Muffins

makes 12

300 grams gluten free plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp xantham gum (plain flour does have gum in it but thought I’d add this anyway see if it helped, next time will try without but its how i did this recipe so will keep it in, if you used another flour like millet then I’d definately keep it in)

2 Tbl brown sugar

1 cup grated cheese (has to be from block cheese as its suitable for those on lactose free diet, my daughter and I are lactose free and are ok with this cheese)

3 Tbl fresh finely chopped chives

1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other lactose free milk)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

4 Tbl rice bran oil

preheat oven to 180 degrees. Line a 12 hole muffin tray with cupcake wrappers. Mix all dry ingredients, make a well in the centre and add in wet ingredients and stir to combine. Fill muffins evening among 12 (I could fill each one just about to the top and you will see by my image how much they rose without spill over. Bake for approx 20 minutes.