This chai-spiced gluten-free apple bread recipe and photo comes from Kim, of Cook IT Allergy Free.
It is a beautiful combination of flavors that make your house heavy with all the smells of winter baking. Aromas of ground cloves, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and apples all come together to create a heady scent. Almond flour and Quinoa flour make up the base of this recipe, while the sweetness is imparted from the grated apples and organic coconut palm sugar. But the true magic comes from the combination of the Chai spices. The streusel topping is also infused with these spices, in addition to the ground chia seeds (which are full of plant-based Omega 3’s) and the rich complex taste of the coconut palm sugar.
Special Diet Notes: Chai-Spiced Gluten-Free Apple Bread
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, gluten-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegetarian. Optionally nut-free and vegan / plant-based.
- 1 cup almond flour, such as Honeyville or Digestive Wellness (For nut-free: replace with 1 cup of certified gluten free oat flour OR 1 cup of quinoa flour)
- ⅔ cup quinoa flour (you can also use certified gluten free oat flour OR more almond flour here)
- ⅓ cup potato starch
- 1 cup organic coconut palm sugar (or Brown Sugar)
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, fine
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 large eggs (for egg free: Mix 2 tablespoons ground chia seeds with 6 tablespoons HOT water. Let sit until gelled)
- 1 cup coconut milk mixed with 1 Tablespoon fresh Lemon Juice, left to sit for 5 minutes to sour
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- 1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large apple, grated – drained well by squeezing liquid out
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- ¼ cup organic coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 tablespoon ground chia seeds
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/16 teaspoon each: ground ginger, ground cloves, cardamom
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease sides and bottom of a medium loaf pan (9 inch x 5 inch) and place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of your pan (cut to the exact size of the bottom of your pan without letting it go up the sides).
- In medium bowl, combine almond flour, quinoa flour, potato starch, sugar, xanthan gum, sea salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices.
- In mixing bowl, beat eggs until very foamy and fluffy (will help prevent a flat loaf) then add in buttermilk, oil, and vanilla.
- Slowly add dry ingredients into wet ingredients and continue mixing on low until ingredients are just incorporated. Gently fold in well-drained grated apples.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
- Prepare streusel topping: Mix together coconut oil, sugar, ground chia seeds, and spices.
- Sprinkle streusel mixture over the top of the batter. Run a sharp knife down the center of batter one time. Place into oven and bake for 53 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and temperature of center of loaf is 208 degrees.
- Let bread cool for a few minutes, then run knife around edges of pan and remove bread. Place on rack and let cool completely before slicing.
