Whoever invented muffins was a genius. I mean, they have everything. They’re easy, quick, healthy (ish), and oh so tasty. What more could you want? So let’s dedicate this post to whoever invented muffins, because you’re the real MVP.
So according to the world it’s springtime now. Which let me just say I am NOT happy about. I love the cold and we have gotten zero snow. I am not ready for it to be over. With that being said, it is 65 degrees outside. I figure I should probably just accept that spring is coming.
But that doesn’t mean I will.
I made these muffins because, in my opinion, these are wintery flavors. They taste cozy. On the other hand, I did a slightly more springy photo theme to lure people into thinking this was a spring dessert. Muahahaha! You have fallen into my evil muffin trap. Now you have to make these wintery muffins because they are so freaking good.
Describe These Muffins to me
Taste: These have a nice even almond taste, which comes from almond milk, extract, and almond meal. There is a butteriness from the batter and a bittersweet punch from the pools of chocolate chunks. You also get a slight cinnamon taste from the streusel on top.
Texture: First, you get a crunch from the streusel top, which melts in your mouth as you bite it. Then you’ll get the fluffy muffin with a soft and delicate crumb. Finally, your tastebuds are hugged by the warming pools of gooey bittersweet chocolate. Truly the perfect muffin, with crunchiness and fluffiness working hand in hand.
Ease: These are muffins, so they are super quick and simple. Just whisk all your ingredients together in a big bowl and the muffin batter is done. For the streusel, toss together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Then you can use your hands to mush in some soft butter until you have a delicious crumble. Toss in some almonds real quick for added flavor. Pour the batter into your tins, load them up with that streusel, and toss them in the oven. These would be great to whip up one morning to have with breakfast, they’re delicious warm!
Are these Healthy?
Ok so these muffins would be super healthy if it weren’t for one little thing. And that’s that these have a whole stick and a half of butter. And I know that sounds like a lot, but it’s what gives these a soft and moist crumb. And keep in mind that these also are made with whole wheat flour, almond meal, almond milk, coconut oil, AND they’re naturally sweetened. These are all very wholesome and healthy ingredients. So, simply put: These muffins are not “healthy” per se. But they are certainly not unhealthy. Other than the butter, they have all sorts of things that are great for you. Not to mention almonds. Last time I checked, nuts are good for you sooo…. Anyway, what I’m saying is that every one should make a several big batches of these right now.
The Muffin
This muffin recipe is pretty familiar, but it’s on the slightly healthier side. It uses whole wheat flour, as well as all purpose, and almond flour. It’s naturally sweetened with honey, and flavored with almond extract. Not to mention some other goodies like almond milk, yogurt, coconut oil, and loads of dark chocolate. What gives these muffins their soft and fluffy texture, is the melted butter. We use a whole stick of salted butter to give us the perfect mouth watering crumb.
The Crunch Streusel
I top these off with a big pile of crunchy and buttery streusel. It’s an extra step, but it’s quick and very much worth it. It’s just flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, softened butter, and a handful of slivered almonds. The almonds are optional, but I think they add a great toasty flavor, plus they look super cute. The mixture will be a little bit like wet sand before you bake it, but once baked something magical happens. It becomes a buttery crunchy lil crown on top of these fluffy and soft muffins.
Absolutely to die for.
Why use Three Kinds of Flour?
So you may have noticed while glancing over this recipe, that we are using three kinds of flour. This is a little odd, I know. But trust me, it’s important. We use a cup each of all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and almond flour. The all purpose flour is a great base, creating a sturdy muffin. As well as health benefits, the whole wheat flour makes the muffins a little crumbly. This is a good thing in this case, but we need that all purpose flour to stabilize it. Finally, the almond flour is mostly there for added natural almond flavor, but it also helps to create a delicate and soft crumb. Trust me, don’t substitute one of these flours for more of another. This version creates the best texture.
Why Start Baking at 425?
This is another question you may be asking while glancing at this recipe. We begin baking them at 425 for five minutes and then lower the temperature to the classic 350. Starting at a high temperature gives the muffins a jump start in rising. It allows them to puff up and get some nice tall and round tops. They will immedietly rise at such a high temperature, and when we lower it, the inside will begin to bake fully. One extra step gives us tall muffins, with delightfully crunchy tops.
Chocolate Chunk Almond Crunch Muffins
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a 12 count muffin tin with paper liners, and line 6 of the cups from another muffin tin. This recipe yields about 18 muffins.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, melted coconut oil, honey, yogurt, vanilla, almond extract, and almond milk until smooth and combined. Add the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk until smooth and there are no lumps. Fold in the chocolate chunks. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the softened butter and use your fingers to massage it into the flour mixture. It may take a moment but eventually a crumbly mixture should form. Add the slivered almonds and stir until evenly combined.
- Pour/scoop the muffin batter into the prepared tins, almost all the way full. Sprinkle roughly a tablespoon of the streusel on top.
- Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425°F and then reduce the temperature to 350°F, keeping the muffins in the oven. Bake for an additional 10-12 minutes at 350°F or until the tops are slightly browned and a toothpick inserted will come out clean.
- Allow the muffins to cool in the tins for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely, or eat warm. I highly recommend eating them warm while the chocolate is gooey. Muffins stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.