Chai Tea & Pistachio Muffins

These muffin taste just like you are drinking a cup of chai tea, but better. If you've never had chai tea, let me try to explain it to you -if that's even possible. Chai tea is sweet, spicy (not hot, just lots of spices like cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom), warm and soooo delicious. It's typically served with some sugar or honey and then a splash of cream or milk to give it that bit of richness. The perfect cup of warmth on a chilly fall or winter day. Or really just because. If you've never had it, you are truly missing out. Go buy some and try it!

I found this muffin recipe in one of my Cooking Light magazines. I had it tagged to make for a just over a year, but never got it. Honestly, I totally forgot about it until I saw a photo of the recipe in my phone. Often times I take photos of recipes I want to try and let me just say that you should see how many I have on my phone. It's scary. It's really bad. Nevertheless, it was time to finally make these bad boys. These muffins are super easy to whip up and they are great for breakfast, a snack or even dessert. The muffins are light, full of chai flavor and topped with chopped pistachios and a light and simple sugar glaze for a touch of sweetness. Simply delicious. Oh and don't let me forget tell you the best part. What was I thinking? Clearly I wasn't. Each muffin is less than 200 calories! 192 to be exact. That's pretty darn good for a muffin these days. Even better for a ooberly delicious one.

delicious ingredients

mixing mixing

pouring in the chai tea

adding the dry to the wet

scooped

topped with chopped pistachios

baked

topped with delicious icing.

Chai Tea & Pistachio Muffins (Cooking Light, May 2011)

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 chai blend tea bags, opened (I used Tazo Decaf Chai)
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
1 large egg, lightly beaten 
Cooking spray
1/3 cup shelled dry-roasted pistachios, chopped
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 375°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cut open tea bags; add tea to flour mixture, stirring well. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine buttermilk, butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and egg in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Place 12 muffin-cup liners in muffin cups; coat liners with cooking spray. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle nuts evenly over batter. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack.  Combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, powdered sugar, and 1 tablespoon water, stirring until smooth. Drizzle evenly over muffins.

 

If you are not ready to try a warm cup of this tea, you should try these muffins out. Baby steps people. Although, once you try these you may fall in love with the flavor. Just warning.