Cinnamon Tea Cranberry Muffins

A big thank you to the good folks at Pique Tea for today’s awesome seasonal recipe. They’ve got a nice holiday deal going for the tea lover in your life (or yourself). Purchase one of their curated bundles and get a free box of their Jasmine Tea + free shipping. (Trust me, it’s good.) Enjoy, folks, and I hope you’re enjoying the holiday weekend!

These cinnamon spiced muffins are a Paleo-friendly way to curb a sweet craving morning or night. They’re finished with a crunchy candied pecan topping using coconut sugar and are full of tangy fresh cranberries for balanced flavor.

Against the Grain

Almond flour stands in effortlessly for wheat flour in Paleo recipes for a gluten-free muffin that with a fluffy texture. Blanched almond flour is made from almonds that have the skin removed, resulting in a lighter texture. Almond flour can also be used in pie crust, cake, brownies and even bread in place of all-purpose flour. The fat content in this flour keeps baked goods moist with a subtle nutty flavor. Almond flour is also high in protein, helping to keep you feeling full.

Spice Things Up

Adding to the flavor profile of these muffins is an unexpected yet welcome ingredient; cinnamon fasting tea. This tea is is earthy with a noticeable aroma and flavor of cinnamon. Hints of bergamot and citrus notes. All of these flavors pair well with the cranberries, vanilla and ground cinnamon in the muffins and also add an extra element of depth that separates this recipe from other muffins.

To top off the muffins, a buttery, coconut sugar and pecan crumble is sprinkled on top of the muffin batter. As the muffins bake, the pecans toast and intensify their flavor and crunchy nature for a not-too-sweet candied coating on each muffin.

Every great muffin needs a warm cup of tea to wash it down. Cinnamon fasting tea combined with raw honey is both refreshing and soothing alongside the hearty muffins.

Just a few benefits of this cinnamon-infused muffin and tea combination include…

• May help support healthy blood sugar levels
• Cranberry may help support proper kidney function
• Cinnamon may help increase satiety and promote a sense of calm
• Almond consumption may help support healthy weight.

Cinnamon Cranberry Muffins

Total Time: 42 minutes (10 for prep, 32 for baking)

Servings: 8

Ingredients: 

For Muffins:

• 2 cups blanched almond flour
• 2 large pasture raised eggs
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 2 sachets Pique Cinnamon Herbal Fasting Tea
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/3 cup melted unsalted grass fed butter
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup fresh cranberries

For Pecan Crumble Topping (optional):

• 1/2 cup chopped raw pecans
• 2 tbsp blanched almond flour
• 2 tbsp melted unsalted grass fed butter
• 1 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF and line 8 muffin tins with paper liners. In a small mixing bowl, stir together almond flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, Pique cinnamon fasting tea, baking powder and sea salt, breakup up and clumps. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, almond milk, and vanilla extract. Add melted butter and stir to incorporate. Gradually stir dry ingredients into wet until just combined. Fold in cranberries.

In a small bowl, mix together ingredients for pecan topping.

Scoop batter into muffin tins. Evenly scatter pecan topping over each muffin. Bake for 30-32 minutes or until muffins are set and toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. Cool muffins in pan at room temperature for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cook an additional 15 minutes.

For Cinnamon-Honey Fasting Tea

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups boiling water
• 1 sachet Pique Cinnamon Herbal Fasting Tea
• 1 tbsp raw honey (optional)

Instructions:

Dissolve tea in boiling water in a large mug. Stir in raw honey. Sip and enjoy!

Thanks again to our friends at Pique Tea for the recipes today. Check out their fun gift guide and grab your free carton of their best-selling Jasmine Tea with the purchase of any bundle (including the cinnamon tea used in the recipes) now through 12/20/19. 

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