Apple Pie Puffins (Gluten Free + Grain Free)

Name: Apple Pie Puffins (Gluten Free + Grain Free Option)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup Maple Sugar; 1/4 cup Otto's Naturals Cassava Flour; 1/4 cup Pecans, finely chopped; 1/4 cup Old Fashioned Oats (GF oats or sub tiger nut flakes for grain free); 2 Tbsp Ghee; 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon; 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg; 1/4 tsp Sea Salt; 1 3/4 cups Otto's Naturals Cassava Flour; 1/2 cup Maple Sugar; 1 tsp Baking Soda; 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon; 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg; 1/4 tsp Sea Salt; 1 cup Buttermilk (can sub dairy-free buttermilk — see Notes); 3 whole Eggs, room temperature; 1/4 cup Ghee, melted and slightly cooled; 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract; 3/4-1 cup Apple Cider Pie Filling (cold, from the refrigerator); 1 cup Powdered Sugar (can sub maple powdered sugar); 1-2 Tbsp Apple Cider

Michelle

2 hours ago

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Why You’ll Love My Apple Pie Puffins

They come together in about 20 minutes of prep and use Otto’s Naturals Non-GMO Cassava Flour as the base — grain free, gluten free, and with a wonderfully neutral flavor that lets the apple and warm spice shine beautifully. The pecan crumble on top adds the most satisfying crunch and the Apple Cider Pie Filling swirled through gives you that gorgeous apple pie flavor in every single square. These are perfect for fall brunches, Thanksgiving morning, holiday entertaining, or honestly just a really good Tuesday. And when isn’t a sheet pan bake that serves 12 the grandest idea?!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s a quick look at what goes into these puffins. Full amounts are in the recipe card below.

The Pecan Oat Crumble

Maple sugar, Otto’s Naturals Cassava Flour, finely chopped pecans, old fashioned oats (use certified GF oats or sub tiger nut flakes for a fully grain free version), ghee, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt. This crumble comes together in one bowl in about 2 minutes and it is so good you’ll want to eat it by the spoonful before it ever hits the batter — just sayin’!

The Puffin Batter

Otto’s Naturals Cassava Flour, maple sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt in the dry bowl. Buttermilk (or a quick homemade dairy-free buttermilk — see the tip below!), three room temperature eggs, melted ghee, and vanilla in the wet bowl. Then three quarters to one cup of my Apple Cider Pie Filling — straight from the refrigerator so it holds those gorgeous dollops as you swirl it through the batter.

The Apple Cider Drizzle

Powdered sugar (or maple powdered sugar for a deeper fall flavor — it changes the color to a beautiful golden too!), a tablespoon or two of fresh apple cider, and a teaspoon of caramel infused sugar. Whisk together and drizzle over the cooled puffin in a back-and-forth motion for that bakery-worthy finish.

How to Make Apple Pie Puffins

Preheat your oven to 385° degrees. Line a quarter sheet pan (13×9 inches) with parchment paper and set aside. Make the crumble topping first by combining all the crumble ingredients in a small bowl and working them together with the back of a spoon or your fingers until you have a nice crumbly mixture. Set it aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cassava flour, maple sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In another medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, melted ghee, and vanilla until the eggs are fully incorporated. Pour the wet into the dry and stir with a rubber spatula until you have a smooth batter. Pour into your prepared sheet pan and spread evenly.

Remove the Apple Cider Pie Filling from the refrigerator and place dollops evenly over the top of the batter. With a knife or small spatula, swirl the filling through the batter to evenly distribute — you want those gorgeous apple swirls visible throughout! Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the top and slide into the oven. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until the top is just golden brown and the center springs back when touched. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Once cooled, whisk together your drizzle ingredients to your preferred consistency and drizzle over the top in a back-and-forth motion. Let the drizzle set, then cut into squares and serve. Fall in a pan — it’s that good!

Tips for the Best Apple Pie Puffins

Make your own dairy-free buttermilk. This is such a useful kitchen trick and it’s a tasty tip worth stealing! Add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to a measuring cup, fill to the 1 cup mark with your milk of choice, let it sit 5 minutes, stir, and use as directed. Easy and so good!

Keep the Apple Cider Pie Filling cold. Pulling it straight from the refrigerator means it holds its shape as you dollop and swirl it through the batter. A warm filling will just sink and disappear into the batter rather than creating those beautiful swirls.

Use tiger nut flakes instead of oats for fully grain free. If you’re keeping this strictly grain free, swap the old fashioned oats in the crumble for tiger nut flakes. They give you a similar texture and a slightly nutty, naturally sweet flavor that is absolutely scrumptious in the crumble.

Try maple powdered sugar in the drizzle. Making powdered maple sugar is as easy as blending 1 cup of maple sugar with 1 tablespoon of tapioca starch in a high speed blender for 30 to 45 seconds. The resulting drizzle has a deeper, more complex sweetness and a gorgeous golden color that makes these puffins look extra special. A grand choice for a holiday brunch spread!