I was really inspired when I saw this Pistachio-Chai Muffin on the Cooking Light website. I had just bought a box of vanilla chai tea bags and knew that using them in baking would be brilliant, because anything I baked would pair well with a cup of the brewed tea. To make it a bit healthier, I’ve changed it up a bit (of course) and even turned it into a vegan recipe. I love the results and you will too, trust me! Plus, mine clock in at 123 calories per muffin, which may just be the healthiest muffin you’ve had recently.
Vegan Vanilla Chai Muffins
(makes 5 standard muffins)
(inspired by Cooking Light: Pistachio-Chai Muffins)
1 cup spelt flour (or flour of your choice)
¼ cup brown sugar
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
dash of salt
1 chai tea bag (not used/brewed)
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbs. unsweetened applesauce
½ cup unsweetened almond milk
1 Tbs. white vinegar
1 Tbs. flax seed meal
2 Tbs. water
2 Tbs. chopped pistachios
~Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare a muffin tin (5 standard muffin spots will be used) with either nonstick spray, or muffin liners and nonstick spray.
~In one small bowl, combine the almond milk and the vinegar and set aside. In another small bowl, combine the flax and the water and set aside. Let these 2 small bowls sit for at least 5 min, so be mixing the rest of your ingredients while they’re sitting:
~In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Cut open the tea bag and pour the tea spices into the dry ingredients (throw away the empty tea bag). Add the vanilla, applesauce, almond milk + vinegar, and flax + water. Stir until the ingredients are combined, but don’t over-mix. Divide the batter (I use an ice cream scoop) into the 5 muffin tin compartments. Evenly distribute the pistachios on top of the batter. Bake for 15-20 min, checking the muffins with a toothpick, until done.
~Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack, still in the muffin tin. When cool enough to touch, remove the muffins from the tin and let finish cooling on the rack. Enjoy (may I suggest with a cup of vanilla chai tea?)!
Strike up a conversation: Are you a tea drinker? What’s your favorite tea?
Awesome! I’m not a big tea drinker (unless it’s sweet and iced!), but I love working with tea in baked goods. I recently had some Earl Grey Shortbread from our bake sale was AMAZING!
Earl Grey Shortbread sounds amazing!
These were delicious! Thanks! Quick question: how do you store them? This is the first time I made muffins and I only need to store them overnight. I will go for the fridge for now, unless there are better options you could suggest.
So glad you love them! I put muffins in a Tupperware or large ziplock. They can sit on the counter for a couple days but after that, fridge is best!
Have a wonderful week!