Gluten-free Fig Pecan Muffins

I have always said that our biggest loss from the wildfire that took our home in 2017 was the loss of the 21 mature trees that graced our property. The first time that we saw the lot, after the fire, I walked over to the huge Sycamore tree that had provided shade to our back patio from early spring to late autumn each year. I wrapped my arms around it’s burned trunk and said that we would try to save it. When we returned to the lot a few days later we found the tree cut up into large chunks and left in a pile, in the spot where the tree had provided us years of shade. This was the moment that the enormity of the loss of the fire hit me. I felt anger, sadness and violated. (We later learned that PG&E cut the tree down along with many others in our neighborhood due to proximity to power lines.)

We replanted 21 trees though different than the ones we lost. We chose mostly drought tolerant evergreens and fruit trees. We planted two fig trees, not because we love figs but because I love the shape of the tree, it’s large leaves and because I have memories of a beautiful old fig tree that grew in my grandmother’s backyard. Probably not the best reason to plant two fig trees.

A year and a half later my two little fig trees, willing to survive through summer heatwaves, are producing way more fruit than Brian and I can consume. I have been harvesting several figs per day for weeks. This morning I harvested a dozen and the trees are still full of almost ripe fruit. I am giving figs to my family and neighbors, making fig smoothies, fig and peanut butter sandwiches, fig salads and this morning I made fig muffins.

I have baked many batches of gluten-free, processed sugar-free muffins with different combinations of flours, and sweeteners. None of them were great. This morning I made another effort. The combination of flours, figs, honey, pecans and olive oil provided a moist cake-like texture with a little crunch, the perfect amount of sweetness and definitely share worthy.

I hope you enjoy this fig muffin recipe as much as I do. It can probably be made with other fruits such as berries, peaches or nectarines… I will be trying some of these when I am out of figs. If you like the recipe please rate and comment on it. Thank you!

Gluten-free Fig Pecan Muffins

4 from 4 votes

Recipe by Jackie’s Veggie Kitchen Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack, VegetarianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

23

minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup gluten-free Baking flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill)

• 3/4 cup gluten-free oat flour (I ground oats in my blender)

• 1/2 cup almond flour

• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

• 1 tsp. baking soda

• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

• 1/3 tsp. allspice

• 2 eggs or flax eggs (1 Tbs. Flax meal mixed with 3 Tbs. water)

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• 2/3 cup honey (can use 1/2 cup if you want muffins less sweet)

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 1 cup fresh figs, chopped

• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Line muffin pan cups with parchment cupcake liners.
• Place all dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix with a spoon or spatula.
• Place eggs in a smaller bowl and lightly beat them. Add remainder of wet ingredients, with the exception of the chopped figs. Mix wet ingredients with a spoon or spatula until well blended.
• Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Blend until almost all of the flour is folded in. Do not over mix as the dough will become dense.
• Gently fold figs into mixture. Do not over mix.
• Spoon dough into lined muffin tins. Bake for 23 minutes. Remove muffins from tins immediately after baking.

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