Cranberry Pumpkin Corn Muffins

These fabulous and seasonal mini muffins are gluten free, dairy free, egg free and refined sugar free corn muffins. They are easy to make, kid friendly, and very versatile. They are great for breakfast, snacks and lunch boxes, and I use them almost every year as a base to make a savory cornbread stuffing for the holidays. I get very hungry for these at this time of year !

Recipe:
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1/2 cup hot water
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup brown rice flour*
1/4 cup potato starch*
1/4 cup tapioca flour*
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum*
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup canola oil
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 and oil muffin tin.

Grind flax seed in a spice or coffee grinder (or use pre-ground). Mix ground flax seed with 1/2 cup hot water and set aside. The flax mixture will become gooey. This replaces two eggs.

In a medium sized bowl, mix together the cornmeal, brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and sea salt. Set aside.

In a smaller bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, canola or other vegetable oil, maple syrup, and flax mixture.

Add the wet ingredients to the flour and mix quickly. Add 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries and stir to incorporate.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until down.

This recipe makes approximately 12 regular sized muffins or 24 mini muffins.

*These make a basic gluten free flour mix. If you don't have all the flours on hand, or are trying to avoid one of these flours, you can substitute 1 1/2 cups any gluten free flour mix for the brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour and xanthan gum.