Gluten-free Cinnamon Raisin Bread (Vegan, Nut-free, Refined Sugar-free)

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm filtered water
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (or one packet)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• Wet Ingredients
• 1 cup plant-based milk (room temperature)
• 5 tablespoons golden flaxseed meal (to place in milk for flax egg)
• 3 tablespoons melted refined coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla
• Dry Ingredients
• 1 cup gluten-free oat flour
• 1/2 cup white rice flour
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup tapioca flour/starch
• 1/2 cup arrowroot
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup coconut palm sugar (may be increased by up to three tablespoons if sweeter flavor is desired)
• 2 tablespoons finely ground cinnamon (more can be added if stronger cinnamon flavor desired)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon finely ground sea salt

Instructions

• 1) Pour one cup warm water into small bowl. It should be warmer than skin temperature but not too hot (about 110 degrees Fahreneheit) or it will kill the yeast. Sprinkle yeast on top and add maple syrup then stir gently and set aside (it needs to sit for a mininum of five minutes).
• 2) In a separate bowl combine plant-based milk and golden flaxseed meal. Set aside for at least five minutes until thickened and slightly gelled.
• 3) While yeast and flax mixtures are sitting, combine 11 dry ingredients in large mixing bowl and stir well. I like to use a whisk to ensure that everything is thoroughly combined.
• 4) Add melted coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla to flax mixture and stir until combined. I also like to use a small whisk in this case to ensure they are thoroughly mixed. Then add flax mixture to yeast mixture and stir gently to combine.
• 5) Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir gently with a wooden spoon until combined. The consistency will be more like batter than dough.
• 6) Pour into a greased 8"x 4" or 9"x 5" loaf pan. Set aside in a warm area while preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The amount the loaf rises will depend on many variables in your environment (i.e. room temperature, age of yeast used, etc.) Do not allow the loaf to rise higher than 1/2 inch from the top of the pan or it may overflow when baking (this is normal with gluten-free breads as they lack the structure). I usually place a piece of aluminum foil on the bottom of my oven to catch any potential overflow if I use the smaller pan. The larger pan will yield a slightly shorter loaf.
• Place loaf pan in center of the oven and bake about 45-50 minutes until a toothpick is inserted deep into the center and comes out dry. Cooking times may vary. Remove from oven and place on a baking rack to cool. Once loaf is cool enough to handle with bare hands run a butter knife around the edges and invert to remove. It should fall out with relative ease.
• To store I wrap the loaf in wax paper and place in a air tight container in the refrigerator.