I’ve always said that eating this way—without gluten, grains, or dairy—can be just as good as the alternative, or… dare I say, better. My good friend, Brittany has really proven that fact in her book, Every Last Crumb, which is a true masterpiece. I wouldn’t have asked to need to eat this way, but ten years ago I found out that I have celiac disease, and I’m seriously glad. Not only am I no longer sick, but when I look at recipes like the ones in this book I realize that there’s nothing I can’t have. NOTHING. The word “deprived” isn’t part of my vocabulary 🙂

A couple nights ago I made Brittany’s Deep Dish Pizza from Every Last Crumb. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. It was unbelievable. You can get that recipe HERE from our friend, Cassy. It will change your life forever. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a picture of the one I made because apparently it gets dark at 5PM now 🙂 So instead I ate half of it with a glass of wine, feeling like a queen, and showing serious self-control that I saved the other half for my husband, who wasn’t home yet.

I did however, get a photo of the gluten-free Monkey Bread “Cupcakes” that we had today. How cute are they?!?! The top got all crunchy, and the middle was soft. Yum! Brittany gives you a caramel topping for these, but I was feeling lazy, so we just dipped ours into the leftover cinnamon sugar coating as we ate them. Next up, I can’t wait to make some of the breads and pretzels!

♥, Kelly

gluten-free Monkey bread “Cupcakes”

ingredients

Dough:
40 grams coconut palm sugar (about 1/4 cup)
288 grams blanched almond flour (about 2 cups)
88 grams potato starch or sweet potato starch (about 1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
112 grams (1/2 cup / 1 stick) semi-chilled salted butter or 88 grams (1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon) room-temperature Spectrum vegetable shortening
2 large eggs

Cinnamon sugar coating:
1/2 cup granulated maple sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons melted salted butter or ghee

Caramel sauce:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) salted butter, ghee, or mild-flavored oil.
1/2 cup granulated maple sugar
2 tablespoons coconut cream (from a can of coconut milk or heavy cream)

Directions

1. Set an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 10 cups of a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, almond flour, potato starch, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
3. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until small pea-sized clumps form.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. Pour the eggs into the flour-butter mixture and mix briefly and gently, just until the dough comes together.
5. Make the coating: In a small bowl or plastic bag, mix together the sugar and cinnamon. You will roll the biscuit dough in this mixture.
6. Take a heaping teaspoon of dough and gently roll it into a ball. Roll the ball in the bowl of cinnamon sugar (or shake it in the plastic bag) until it is fully covered in cinnamon sugar. Place the sugar-coated ball in a lined muffin cup.
7. Continue this process, placing a total of 3 or 4 sugar-coated balls in each cup, until all 10 cups are filled with sugar-coated balls. Press down gently to help assure that the balls stick together.
8. Brush the top of each mound of dough balls with the melted butter.
9. Place the pan on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 27 to 30 minutes, until golden brown.
10. While the monkey bread is baking, make the caramel sauce: Combine the butter, sugar, and cream in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Cook just until the sugar has melted and the sauce has started to gently boil. (The sauce should be thin, this will take only a few minutes.) Remove from the heat and set aside.
11. As soon as the cupcakes come out of the oven, pour the caramel sauce evenly over them, letting it seep into all the nooks and crannies. Remove from the pan when cool enough to handle.
12. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers at room temperature in a sealed bag or container for up to several days.