Coconut Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe, Gluten Free, Vegan, and Refined Sugar Free Options

I regularly go to a Mommy and Me type get together on Tuesday mornings, where the hostess provides yummy homemade treats for everyone to eat, but more often than not they're gluten filled, which means that my kids can't eat them. It's hard for them to see everyone else getting these baked goods when they can't have them, so I try to have something to bring along for them that is gluten free and ideally not too unhealthy.

The kids woke me up earlier this morning than I usually wake up, and instead of grumping about the lack of sleep, I decided to take advantage of the extra time I had before the class to throw together a quick batch of muffins. I'm currently short on produce (going shopping tomorrow) so I couldn't make my standard muffins. I had coconut so made up this recipe and it was terrific. Since I'm out of coconut sugar and my other standard sweeteners, I used white sugar for this, but next time I make it I'd use coconut sugar.
I made mine gluten free and vegan but this recipe would work just as well with wheat flour and eggs.

These muffins were a big hit also with my kids, and with the other people attending the class. I can't give my personal opinion on the taste because I didn't eat them because I'm trying to be better about sticking to paleo only, so I didn't even have a bite! Yay for self control! But everyone liked them, even gluten eaters, so I'll take that as a mark of success.

Coconut Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe, Gluten Free, Vegan, and Refined Sugar Free Options

Ingredients:
1 cup ground coconut
1 cup brown rice flour AND 1 cup potato or tapioca or corn starch,AND 2 teaspoons xanthan gum OR 2 cups all purpose gluten free flour mix OR 2 cups wheat flour or whole wheat flour or spelt flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds or ground chia seeds and 5 tablespoons hot water OR 2 eggs
1/3 cup oil (I used coconut oil, but any is fine)
1/2-1 cup white sugar, brown sugar or coconut sugar (1 cup of white sugar will make it very sweet so I suggest only 1/2 cup, and up to 1 cup of coconut sugar)
2 cups water
1 pinch ground vanilla or vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 cup dried fruit, like raisins or craisins (optional)

Instructions:
1. Mix your ground flax seeds or ground chia seeds with your boiling water (if using), and if you're using coconut oil, add it as well to soften it. Leave for a few minutes while you're mixing the rest of the ingredients.

2. Mix the coconut, flours, baking powder, salt, sugar/coconut sugar, and vanilla until uniformly mixed.

3. Add the egg or flax/chia egg replacement or eggs, oil, and water to the dry mixture and mix well until there are no clumps.

4. Mix in your chocolate chips or dried fruit.

5. Place into 12 muffin tins.

6. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

7. Let cool off somewhat before serving, at least 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

This really was a fast batter to whip up- start to finish it was less than 40 minutes from when I got the idea to make them until they were out of the oven. And they were very popular.
I'll certainly be making these again!

What type of baked good do you tend to make when you're short on time and somewhat short on ingredients? Does this look like a recipe you'd enjoy?