Gluten-Free Apple Spice Cupcakes - Recipe

for the cupcakes:
1 box gluten-free yellow cake mix
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 tsp. gluten-free vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup apple, peeled and chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Place all ingredients, except for apple, in a large bowl or stand mixer and beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Continue to beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Gently fold in the apple until evenly dispersed. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pans from the oven and cool completely.

for the frosting:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
6 oz. gluten free cream cheese, room temperature
3 1/2 tbsp. pure maple syrup
2 cups icing sugar

2. In a medium bowl, beat together butter, cream cheese, and maple syrup until smooth and creamy. Add icing sugar half a cup at a time and continue beating until all sugar is incorporated. Frost each cupcake with a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip, such as a Wilton 1M. Sprinkle chopped candied walnuts on top, if desired.

Makes approximately 18 cupcakes

Maple Granola Muffins - Recipe

1 cup dried apples, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups dried granola
2 1/4 cups self-rising flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup apple juice
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
3/4 cup maple syrup
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 350F. Mix the apples, granola, flour, and baking powder in a medium bowl with a spoon. Set aside. Beat the orange juice, apple juice, oil, maple syrup and egg in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, and stir until just combined. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the pan and continue to cool completely on a wire rack.

Makes approximately 12 muffins

Maple Pecan Muffins - Recipe

1 cup mixed-grain cereal (like baby cereal)
2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
4 tbsp. Fifty-50 low sugar maple syrup
pinch of salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup safflower oil
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

In a medium bowl, mix the cereal and water. Set aside for 20 minutes for the grains to swell. Preheat the oven to 400F. In a medium bowl, sift the flour and baking powder. In a large bowl, beat the maple syrup, salt, egg and oil with an electric mixer. Slowly add the flour and the cereal to the syrup mixture, add in the pecans  and mix well. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the pan and cool on a wire rack for an additional 25 minutes.

Makes approximately 12 muffins

Peanut Butter & Banana Cupcakes with Maple Syrup & Ginger Frosting - Recipe

For the cupcakes:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup superfine sugar
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup self-rising whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
4 eggs
3 tbsp. ground almonds
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. cinnamon
4 tbsp. peanut butter chips
1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 bananas)

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine butter, sugar, flours, baking powder, eggs, almonds, vanilla and cinnamon in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low-medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the peanut butter chips and mashed bananas with a large spoon or spatula until evenly dispersed. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pans from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the tin and cool on a wire rack for an additional 25 minutes.

For the frosting:
1 cup cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners/icing sugar
4 tbsp. maple syrup1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup mashed banana
3 tbsp. chopped candied ginger


2. Beat the cream cheese, icing sugar and maple syrup in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft and light. Add the lemon juice, vanilla, chopped ginger and mashed bananas. Beat until well combined. Frost each cupcake with a beveled spatula or piping bag. Top with a sprinkling of additional chopped candied ginger, if desired.

Makes approximately 24 cupcakes

Banana, Pecan and Maple Syrup Cupcakes - Recipe

1 3/4 cups mashed bananas (about 4 whole bananas)
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
4 tbsp. margarine, melted
2 cups self-rising flour
1 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large bowl, combine the bananas, sugar, maple syrup and margarine. Beat with an electric mixer on low-medium speed until well combined. Slowly add the flour, baking powder, and salt and continue beating until well blended. Fold in the chopped pecans with a a large spoon or spatula, until evenly dispersed. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 30 minutes.

To turn these muffins into cupcakes...
1 1/4 cups confectioners/icing sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2-4 tbsp. maple syrup

Beat all ingredients with an electric mixer on low-medium speed until texture is smooth and spreadable. Frost each cupcake and top with additional chopped pecans, if desired.

Make approximately 18 cupcakes

Maple Syrup Mini Cheesecakes - Recipe

In case you don't speak french,
the adorable little canisters
behind each cheesecake
say 'maple syrup' on them...
OH CANADA!

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

*(substitute for gluten free cookie crumbs such as Sha Sha cookies or arrowroot animal crackers)
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
*(substitute for vegan margarine for baking)
2 cups ricotta cheese
*(substitute with honey or fig goat cheese)
2 cups cream cheese, softened
*(substitute for tofu cream cheese)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups confectioners/icing sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup maple syrup

additional maple syrup for drizzling, if desired

Preheat the oven to 325F. Put the cracker crumbs into a medium bowl and stir in the butter until well combined. Spoon a heaping tablespoon into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom, to completely cover the bottom of each well. Chill in the fridge for 15-30 minutes (or until set).
In a large bowl, beat the ricotta (or goat) on low-medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the cream cheese, vanilla and icing sugar and maple syrup, continue to beat until smooth. Slowly add the eggs, one at a time, beating between eggs, until smooth. Spoon 1/4 - 1/3 cup of the cheese mixture into each well of the muffin on top of the graham crumbs. Bake for 23-27 minutes. Remove pan from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove mini cheesecakes from pan and cool on a wire rack for an additional 25 minutes. Store in fridge until ready to serve.  Drizzle with maple syrup before serving, if desired.
Mini cheesecakes can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 2 days before consumption.

Makes approximately 12 mini cheesecakes.

***Goat's milk cheese contains a different kind of lactose than standard cow's milk cheese. Because of this different kind of lactose, many people that are intolerant to cow's milk can easily digest goat's milk. Celebrity makes many flavors that will compliment these mini cheesecakes, such as blueberry, honey, fig and cranberry.***

PS I know that figs sound like one of those fruits you only find served in a geriatrics center, but this fruit is actually quite juicy and delicious. Fig goat cheese paired with prosciutto on a sandwich or in a salad...MMM Heaven!