From Sumptuous Spoonfuls
The fruits of fall pair incredibly well with spicy tea flavors, and this muffin recipe from Sumptuous Spoonfuls doesn’t disappoint—it’s even good for you, being loaded with whole grains and healthy yogurt. Best of all, you even get a cup of tea to drink while you’re waiting for the muffins to finish baking!
Makes 1 dozen muffins
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons loose-leaf masala chai tea (try Mark T. Wendell Spiced Masala Chai or Winter White Chai by Maya Tea)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup flaxmeal (look in the specialty section of the baking aisle in your store)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 ripe but firm pears, cored and chopped
- 1/2 cup candied walnuts (recipe here) + 12 walnut halves
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or use cupcake liners.
- Heat 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of water together until it barely bubbles; stir in the loose-leaf masala chai and allow to infuse for 5-8 minutes, to create a very strong brew. Strain and discard the leaves.
- Measure out 1/3 cup of the tea to use in baking; add some extra hot water or milk to the rest of the cup so you have something lovely to sip on while you’re cooking!
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and yogurt together until smooth. Add the melted butter in a thin stream while stirring, then stir the brewed tea into the mixture as well.
- Add the dry ingredients and stir just until everything is mixed well.
- Reserve 12 walnut halves (or large pieces) and roughly chop about 1/2 cup of nuts. Fold the pears and nuts into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the muffin cups, filling all the way to the top.
- Bake at 350 F for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of the largest muffin comes out clean.
