Gluten-Free Hemp Seed-Apple Muffins

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease an 18-cup muffin tin or line cups with paper liners.

2. Combine diced apples and lemon juice in a bowl.

3. Combine sugar and coconut oil in a large bowl and beat using an electric mixer until evenly blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract.

4. Stir sorghum flour, almond flour, rice flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt together in a bowl, making a well in the center. Pour sugar mixture into well and stir just until batter is combined; fold in apples and hemp hearts using a spoon or a spatula.

5. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full.

6. Bake in the preheated oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool muffins in the tin for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cook's Notes:

You can use any combination of ginger, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice, alone or in any combination, as long as you end up with 1 teaspoon spice. Chia seeds can be substituted for the hemp hearts. Either white of brown rice flour can be used.

You can spread the batter out over an entire baking sheet (lined with parchment paper) or spread it out as 3 to 4 long loaves over 2 baking sheets.

Never forget to add the xanthan gum to the dry ingredients when baking gluten free! If you add it to anything wet, it will turn the batter into a thick, snotty, taffy-like substance.

Always line your pans with parchment paper or muffin liners! Just forget about greasing and flouring (rice flour) pans. Gluten-free baked goods will stick!