When we planted our first peach tree some years ago, we didn’t realize quite how many peaches we would gather. Now our mini yard orchard boasts six peach trees and this year’s harvest has been a bit overwhelming– we’re inundated with peaches. At first we were gobbling them up right off the tree, peach juice dripping down the chin. Friends came over to gather, little ones came to pick for the first time. After some weeks of this peach wave we had to start getting creative. Envision: lots of freezing, canning, peach cobbler, peach crisp, peach chutney & finally, these hearty peach muffins. Cut in half, grilled stove top in a little butter—yummy with some blueberries & yogurt for breakfast or for a snack any time.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose gluten flour blend (check to confirm that yours contains xantham gum, if not, add 1 teaspoon)
• 1/2 cup sugar or ¾ cup maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 generous tablespoons ground flax seed
• 1 cup milk of any kind – I use soy
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted OR 3 TBSP butter + 3 TBSP applesauce
• 1 cup fresh peaches, chopped into small chunks. I used ours just picked from the tree!
• Optional: 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

In a mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and cinnamon, ground flax.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine milk, eggs, vanilla, and butter and maple syrup if not using sugar.

Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

Fold in peaches & nuts.

Spoon batter into greased muffin tins. Use paper wrappers if you want, spray with oil either the tins OR the papers.

Bake 25 minutes.

Enjoy!