Choc Chip Blondie Muffins (Vegan, GF)

Blondies are tricky buggers compared to brownies. The lack of hygroscopic cacao powder to help absorb moisture and fat, combined with moisture-rich coconut sugar, makes a recipe that easily errs on being too wet. In my trials, I’ve tried various versions of blondies – flourless almond butter blondies, coconut flour blondies, and blondies with and without oil. The almond butter blondies without any type of flour came out too much like pure nut butter and nut-heavy. The coconut flour blondies had a slight gritty mouthfeel, something you can’t get away with coconut flour. I prefer my blondies to be smooth and gooey. I found that blondies made with oil were too slick without cacao powder to counter it. In the oil-free blondies, the fat from nut or seed butter is sufficient to provide a desirable gooey mouthfeel.

Finally, I came up with this version that I’m pleased to tuck into. Oat flour contributes a slight chewiness (too much oat flour will cause gummy texture), while the bean-based gluten-free flour blend contributes sturdiness. The nut or seed butter + coconut sugar + vanilla combination gives the characteristic butterscotch (butter + brown sugar) flavour of blondies. Of course, rounding up the blondies is dark chocolate chips, a bitter counterpoint to the caramelised sweetness going on. This blondie muffins bakes to crisp edges that encase a tender, slightly chewy crumb. It’s not too nut-heavy, the perfect tea time treat with a hot drink.

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Choc Chip Blondie Muffins (Vegan, Gluten Free)

Gluten-free vegan blondie muffins with crisp edges and a tender chewy crumb. Made with oat flour for chewiness, Bob's Red Mill bean-based gluten free flour for sturdiness, and coconut sugar + nut butter + vanilla for the classic caramelised butterscotch flavour.

Servings 10 muffins

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 120 g Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour (a blend of chickpea flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, sorghum flour, fava bean flour)
• 80 g oat flour
• 96 g coconut sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• Pinch Himalayan salt

Wet Ingredients

• 1 flax egg (1 tbsp flaxseed powder + 40ml filtered water)
• 200 g almond milk
• 100 g activated nut or seed butter (almond, peanut or tahini recommended)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Fold-In

• 50 g dark chocolate, chopped (I use Sunfood 100% cacao chips)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).

2. First prepare the flax eggs. In a bowl, whisk together the flax meal and water. Set aside for 10 minutes to gel.

3. Meanwhile, sift the dry ingredients (flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt) into a mixing bowl.

4. Add the remaining wet ingredients (almond milk, nut or seed butter, vanilla) to the flax eggs. Mix well.

5. Fold in the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. The batter should be the consistency of heavy cream. Fold in the chopped chocolate.

6. Divide the mixture into 10-12 silicon muffin molds. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the centre of a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs attached.

7. Remove muffins from oven. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the molds, then allow to cool completely to room temperature.

8. Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature between paper towels to absorb moisture for 3-4 days; or freeze them for up to 1 month.