As “The GAPS™ Chef,” as well as someone who likes to eat healthily, I am always trying Standard American Diet (meaning white flour and white sugar – yikes! – and yes, it is “SAD”) recipes and seeing if I can make them taste great without all that white flour and sugar. Here is one of them, in which I utilize the traditional cooking technique of fermenting the nut flour to make fluffy, light, and easily digested cinnamon “rolls.” The rolls is in quotes, because these are not rolled out and spiraled; they are made in a muffin tin. You may also try this as an 8" x 8" square cinnamon “coffee cake.” Just remember to line the pan with parchment and grease the sides with extra butter or lard before pouring in the batter.

Ingredients for Fermentation

2.5 cups almond flour

½ cup plain, organic, whole milk yogurt, grass-fed best (or whey, milk kefir, or cultured buttermilk)

The Rest of the Ingredients for the “rolls” or cake:

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped (best if the nuts have been soaked or sprouted prior)

½ cup raisins

¼ cup lard from pastured pigs, melted (or coconut oil, unrefined, or grass-fed butter, or a combination)

¼ cup maple syrup, Grade B (or melted honey if GAPS)

2 large eggs from pastured hens

Topping (If you like. See note below in Step Three)

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons lard from pastured pigs, melted (or coconut oil, unrefined, or grass-fed butter, or a combination)

3 tablespoons maple syrup (melted honey if GAPS)

½ cup slivered or sliced almonds or sunflower seeds

Step One: Ferment the Almond Flour

Place the almond flour and yogurt (or other option) in a large mixing bowl and stir well to combine. The dough should resemble “cookie dough” and not be runny or liquid. Add a bit more flour or yogurt to make it the desired consistency. Put a plate over the bowl and leave on your counter, out of the sun, for 24-48 hours. (The longer you ferment the flour, the fluffier the cake.)

Step Two: Make the Batter

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tin or 8" x 8" square pan

Combine sea salt, ground cinnamon, baking soda, walnuts, and raisins in a small bowl. Add to fermented almond flour and mix well with hand mixer (alternatively, put all of these ingredients into the bowl of a standing mixer).

Combine melted lard (or other fat), maple syrup (or melted honey), and eggs in a small bowl. Add to other ingredients and mix well, taking care not to overmix.

Pour batter into lined muffin cups or square pan.

Step Three: Make the Topping – or not*

Combine the ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the batter.

*I find that the topping is too sweet for me. I was trying to mimic a cinnamon roll, so it is a bit sweet. If you find it too sweet too, try this option: decrease the amount of maple syrup, skip it entirely, OR sprinkle with some nuts or seeds that you mix with cinnamon (without the maple syrup/honey and lard). Yummy!

Step Four: Bake

Bake muffins for about 25 minutes, a cake for 25-35 minutes. Check at 20 minutes to be sure they do not burn. A toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin or the cake will come out clean when they are done baking.

Enjoy!