Applesauce Spice Muffins

These muffins are great to make in the winter when fresh fruit isn't as available or affordable.  They are also great when you haven't been to the store in a while and the only fruit in the house is applesauce.  And finally, they are great because the spices and applesauce make them taste like apple pie in muffin form.

Ingredients:
makes 5 or 6 muffins

• 3 Tbsp. hot water
• 1 Tbsp. flax seed meal
• 1 cup + 2 Tbsp. Bob's Red Mill Gluten-free flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Grease the muffin tin with canola oil.  In a small bowl mix the hot water and flax seed meal, and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.  In the small bowl containing the flax mixture, add the white sugar, brown sugar, canola oil, and cider vinegar.  If the applesauce has been refrigerated, warm it in the microwave and then add to the small bowl.  Stir the liquid ingredients together and then pour them into the bowl with the dry ingredients.  Stir until completely combined. 

Pour the batter into the muffin tin.  Use a level 1/4 cup of batter per muffin for 6 muffins or a level 1/3 cup of batter for 5 muffins.  Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.