Description
These Mini Chai Muffins with Vanilla Bean Glaze are a delightful treat infused with warming chai spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cardamom. Perfectly moist and sweet, topped with a smooth vanilla bean glaze, these bite-sized muffins are great for breakfast, snack time, or entertaining guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon ground ginger
- 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 0.25 teaspoon ground cardamom
Wet Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 0.5 cup buttermilk
- 0.5 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla Bean Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 0.5 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped out (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a mini muffin pan or line it with mini muffin liners to prepare for baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and ground cardamom until well combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, beat together the large egg, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and blended.
- Mix Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the muffins tender; it’s okay if the batter has a few lumps.
- Fill Muffin Pan: Spoon the batter into the prepared mini muffin pan, filling each cup about two-thirds full to allow room for rising.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.
- Prepare Glaze: While the muffins bake, combine powdered sugar, milk, and scraped vanilla bean seeds or vanilla extract in a small saucepan. Whisk over low heat until smooth, then remove from heat and set aside.
- Cool Muffins: Once baked, let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Glaze Muffins: Drizzle the vanilla bean glaze evenly over the cooled muffins, ensuring each bite has a touch of sweetness and vanilla aroma.
- Set Glaze and Serve: Allow the glaze to set for a few minutes before serving to enjoy the perfect texture and flavor combination.
Notes
- Do not overmix the batter; overmixing can lead to tough muffins.
- If you don’t have a vanilla bean, use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract instead for the glaze.
- Make sure to fill muffin cups only about two-thirds full to prevent overflow during baking.
- Allow muffins to cool completely before glazing to ensure the glaze sets properly without melting.
- Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute buttermilk with almond milk mixed with 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Baking, Breakfast, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American with Indian-inspired spices
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini muffin
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1.5g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: chai muffins, mini muffins, vanilla bean glaze, chai spice muffins, breakfast muffins, spiced muffins, easy muffin recipe
