While the temperature in Houston may disagree, the calendar says it’s autumn. I love this time of year when the morning and evening start getting that crispy cool feeling (eventually)! Apple cider appears in the grocery store and I start thinking about fall baking. I love the smell of fresh breads in the oven making the house smell like pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves…

I have a couple of recipes that I’ve passed on the a few clients. The recipes have gotten great reviews so I thought I’d post them this month to give you a jump on holiday baking. Even if you don’t have to eat gluten-free products, you’ll love these 2 recipes. Unlike a lot of gluten-free products, these breads are incredibly moist. And you would never guess they are made with sorghum and brown rice flour!

Gluten-Free Banana Bread

1 C boiling water
½ C chopped dates
4 large eggs
2 C mashed, very ripe bananas (about 4)
¾ C granulated sugar
½ C unsweetened applesauce
1 t vanilla extract
1 ½ C brown rice flour
½ C sorghum flour
1 t baking soda
½ t salt
¼ t ground nutmeg
1/3 C butter, melted
½ C chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350. Pour 1 cup boiling water over dates in small bowl. Let stand 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

2. Lightly beat eggs with a whisk in a large bowl. Whisk in bananas and next 3 ingredients until blended.

3. Stir together brown rice flour and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Gently stir flour mixture into egg mixture, stirring just until blended. Gently stir in melted butter, walnuts and dates. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 9 X 5 inch loaf pan.

4. Bake at 350 for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack and cool completely (about 1 hour).

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

3/4 C butter, softened
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 C granulated sugar
1 C firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 C brown rice flour
1 C sorghum flour
1 t pumpkin pie spice
½ t baking powder
½ t baking soda
½ t table salt
1 ½ C canned pumpkin
½ C toasted chopped pecans
½ C sweetened dried cranberries
½ t vanilla extract
Pumpkin Pie Streusel (recipe follows)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugars, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

2. Stir together flours and next 4 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed. Stir in pumpkin and next 3 ingredients.

3. Spoon batter into 2 lightly greased (12 cup) muffin pans, filling 2/3 full. Sprinkle with Pumpkin Pie Streusel.

4. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks and cool 20 minutes.

Pumpkin Pie Streusel

½ C chopped pecans
½ C firmly packed light brown sugar
1 T brown rice flour
1 T butter, melted
¼ t pumpkin pie spice

Stir together pecans, brown sugar, flour, melted butter and pumpkin pie spice.

I hope you all enjoy these treats!

Kim