So, Thanksgiving and Christmas are long past, and we are all officially pumpkin-spiced out, BUT the chilly weather calls for a hot cup of tea and a sweet and spicy muffin.
What’s a girl to do?
Here come Chai Butternut Muffins to the rescue!
Butternut squash replaces the more traditional pumpkin for a mildly sweet and slightly nutty flavor, and the bold chai spice blend replaces the pumpkin spice for a serious kick! You will be so over pumpkin spice muffins after tasting these … well, at least until next October.
Recipe
Total Time: 30 min, Active Time: 10 min
Makes 12 Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup butternut squash, roasted and mashed
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup oil
- 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 3/4 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamon
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Optional garnish: chopped pumpkin seeds or pistachios
If you have not already roasted the butternut squash, complete the following steps.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Poke holes in a full butternut squash and wrap in tin foil (alternatively, you can cut the squash in half, but I find that to be a task of herculean strength).
- Place butternut squash in oven for 1-1.5 hours, or until the squash is soft. Larger squash will take longer to bake.
- After removing squash from the over and letting it cool, cut the squash in half, remove the seeds with a spoon, and mash up the squash meat.
Next, bake the muffins
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a 12 cup muffin tray.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the butternut squash, sugar, oil, almond milk, molasses, and vanilla.
- Slowly incorporate the flour 1/4-1/2 cup at a time. Add the salt, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamon, and pepper and whisk until combined.
- Fill cupcake liners with batter until 3/4 of the way full.
- Optional: Garnish with chopped pumpkin seeds, pistachios, or any nut of choice.
- Place in oven and immediately turn down temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick placed into the muffins comes out clean.
- Let cool and enjoy.
