
Apple Walnut Muffins with Chestnut Flour

I love the fall and all the colors, spices and aromas that go with it. One of my favorite recipes is an apple cake that was given to me by Sue Carnes, one of my first neighbors back in 1990 when we lived in Brentwood Forrest with our newborn Claire. Sue’s cake was delicious and she topped it off with an amazing caramel icing that was to die for. Fast forward 24 years and I’m right in the middle of PaleoLand. I haven’t made that cake in a while, but thought I’d try to recreate it using paleo friendly flours like almond and chestnut flour. I pulled out Sue’s handwritten recipe card and studied her handwriting, as if she had just given it to me. After waxing nostalgic about a much simpler time, I got to work trying to make my paleo version of apple cake. I decided to go with muffins instead of cake because, well, I like muffins. I was impressed with the results.. While these are gluten free, they do have added sugar, so are not appropriate for a strict, Whole30 type of paleo. But if you’re looking for a tasty treat made without wheat flour, this just might be your answer.
If you don’t have chestnut flour, you may have to order it off Amazon because it can be hard to find. (This is the chestnut flour I bought online.) I’m sure there are other places to find it, but I bought 3 bags knowing I was going to be experimenting with it.
Ingredients
2 cups chestnut flour
1/3 cup almond flour
1 T. arrowroot powder
1/3 cup. walnuts
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/4 t. nutmeg
3/4 t. salt
2 t. baking soda
2/3 cup coconut sugar
4 Cups chopped apples (4–5 apples I like Granny Smith or something tart)
1 t. vanilla
1/2 cup coconut oil
3 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup honey
Instructions
Combine dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Add apples, coconut oil, walnuts and eggs and honey. Mix together until well blended. Batter will be very thick. Bake in a muffin pan that has been oiled with coconut oil or use muffin liners. (I prefer my Sur la Table muffin pan that NOTHING sticks to! For details on that pan, see this post.)
Bake at 350 for about 14-17 minutes making sure they are browned but not over baked. Makes about 12 muffins. Store leftovers in an airtight container and they will be even more moist the next day, if there are any left over!