Apricot is one of my favorite flavors. It’s not a fad, like acai. It’s tried and true, stays out of the spotlight, but always pleasantly surprises with its sweet golden nectar. 

Muffins are my #1 choice for breakfast. If you ask me where the best muffins can be found, I will gladly tell you the nearest qualifying bakery. My only issue with making muffins at home is that most recipes call for one or two funny little ingredients I rarely happen to have. This gives me no freedom to follow my muffin whims!

What we need, my hungry baking friend, is a muffin recipe composed of long-lasting pantry/fridge ingredients. Enter: jam, applesauce, and ground ginger―satisfying fruity flavor and bold warm spices to tantalize your taste buds.

The ingredient list isn’t too shabby either! Not a long list so your counter won’t be piled high with jars and canisters, and you can whip these together in less than 8 minutes. Badabing. I feel like Michael Scott right now (so excited about something that really stupid phrases keep flying out of my mouth). *Confession* I’m rewatching The Office. 

If you don’t usually buy gluten-free flour, you can use regular all-purpose flour. But in case you’ve had your head in a hole somewhere, people on a gluten-free diet are about as common as seagulls in Florida, so it’s worth it to keep a bag in the back of the pantry for those church functions, school parties, and rather particular family members, *cough* not that I would have any of those.

Personally, I don’t eat strictly gluten free. But since I often need to accommodate people who do, I like to find or create recipes that we will both enjoy.

One more quick note about this recipe. You won’t be chained to your kitchen for an hour while you crank out 3 muffin tins of these (that is the worst). This makes a delightful batch of 6. Just enough to share with the people you really like, and not so many that you have to go finding friends to eat them. They are the perfect impromptu breakfast or afternoon treat―special, but not high-maintenance.  

Print

Apricot Ginger Muffins

VG + GF

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 6 muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
• 2 Tablespoons Ground Flax Seed/Flax Meal
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger*
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup apricot jam
• non-stick spray

For the apricot glaze:

• 1 Tablespoon apricot jam
• 1 teaspoon water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375℉. 

2. In a medium mixing bowl combine dry ingredients with a whisk. 

3. Add almond milk, applesauce and 1/4 cup jam. Whisk again to combine. 

4. Divide equally among a 6-cup muffin tin coated with non-stick spray.

5. Bake at 375℉ for 22-24 minutes. 

6. Meanwhile, make the apricot glaze by combining 1 Tablespoon of jam with 1 teaspoon of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave for 15 seconds. Stir to combine.

7. After 22 minutes, remove muffins from oven and brush the tops of each muffin with apricot glaze.

8. Bake for an additional 3 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.

Recipe Notes

If you enjoy a slightly sweeter muffin, you can use sweetened applesauce, or reduce applesauce to 3 Tablespoons and add 1 Tablespoon of honey.

*If your ginger is old, the flavor will not be as pronounced.