Matcha Almond Muffins
When the Pandemic started in 2020, I was living in Portland, Oregon (aka. the city for all things craft coffee shops and tea houses). It was not that big of a jump for me to be working from home at the time, but what I didn’t realize is how much I would miss my favorite neighborhood coffee shops.
Beyond the delicious drinks my favorite spots served up, I missed the brisk walks down the street to journey to these spots, the short exchanges of conversation with the baristas, the silent energy between two people who don’t really know each other but cross paths. I missed the smell of baked goods and roasted coffee beans that I didn’t have to prepare for myself. I missed the feel of the textured ceramic mugs, warm against my palms. I missed the small joy that the art of steamed milk can bring. A flower or a heart to mark my experience before I took my first sip of a drink.
A matcha latte from a local Portland shop with a strong sustainability mission and Brazilian family roots, Nossa Familia Coffee.
So, during the pandemic — in response to missing the comfort my favorite cafes brought me — I got creative. That is, I re-created some of the things I loved and missed. I found joy in making myself matcha lattes a few mornings out of the week. It felt “crafty” and special, and it was actually quite easy with the right ingredients.
Scheming on something new to bake, too, one day I looked at what I already had in my pantry and figured why not infuse my breakfast with even more matcha? And so these Matcha Almond Muffins were born. Perfect for any matcha lover, they are a twist on a classic sour cream muffin (instead using Greek Yogurt for a perfectly cakey, moist texture). I was pleased to find the earthy matcha tea was complimented perfectly with a hint of almond in the batter and sweet glaze for a subtle fruity and woody flavor note. These muffins are a perfect breakfast treat to be enjoyed with coffee or a steamy matcha latte for an extra matcha-y morning experience.
THE aforementioned Matcha Almond Muffins.
Matcha Almond Muffins
Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tbs matcha green tea powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted (or sub vegetable oil)
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3-4 tbs almondmilk
Instructions:
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F, and coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray and/or line with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, matcha powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the oil and sugar. Beat on medium high until light and fluffy, for about 2-3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Reduce the speed of the mixer to low and add the eggs one at a time, until each is incorporated.
- Scrape down the bowl and add the yogurt and extracts, and beat on low until just combined.
- Remove the mixing bowl from the stand and slowly fold in the dry ingredient mixture, using a spatula. Scrape down the bottom and the sides of the bowl, mixing only until all ingredients are combined, being careful not to over-mix. Note: batter will be thick.
- Use a large cookie scoop to fill the muffin cups evenly, filling each liner with about 3 heaping tablespoons of batter. Each muffin cup should be about 3/4 full.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 16 to 18 minutes, or until the muffins are lightly browned around the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, or with a few crumbs attached.
- Cool muffins on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before removing from the pan.
- While the muffins cool, prepare the glaze by placing the powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in the and almond milk, one tablespoon at a time to make a smooth, pour-able glaze.
- Once muffins have cooled, drizzle glaze to coat as desired and serve warm or at room temperature.