Chai Muffins

I found this recipe this morning while looking for new muffin ideas to satisfy my never ending muffin craving. These are from the GF blogger, Jules, and are remarkably delicious! I don't use her flour (it's quite expensive), I instead used Hodgson Mills all purpose baking flour (which DOES contain xanthum gum). The recipe doesn't call for xanthum gum, but I think it could stand to have a 1/2 tsp or so added. They were a bit crumbly, (though my husband ranted about how perfect and divine they were....really, he did!) Add the extra xanthum gum IF IF IF you are doing these GF (obviously you don't use it if you are using regular glutenous flour) and ONLY if you are using an all purpose flour that DOES already includes xanthum gum. If you are using a flour mix that does NOT have xanthum gum, then use the whole amount listed in the recipe below. Sorry, I know that may get confusing.
1/3 cup granulated cane sugar
4 Tbs. butter or margarine
2 eggs
3 Tbs. agave nectar or 4 Tbs. honey
½ cup apple butter or applesauce (no sugar added applesauce)
1 cup all purpose flour (GF or regular, depending on your diet)
1 1/2 tsp xanthum gum (ONLY if NOT using a GF flour mix that already contains xanthum gum!!!)
1/2 tsp xanthum gum (ONLY if using a GF all purpose flour that DOES already contain xanthum gum)
½ cup almond meal (if you don't have almond meal just grind up some almonds in a coffee grinder or food processor)
2 Tbs. flax seed meal (optional)
2 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa (optional - I added it and it was delicious, but I think the muffins would taste more true Chai without this)
½ cup gluten-free oats
2 tsp. gluten-free baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ cup chai tea latte concentrate (I used "Mystic Chai" powder, but I think she used the liquid "Oregon" Chai)


Directions:

Coat 15 muffin tins or 24 mini muffin tins with cooking oil.
Preheat oven to 325 F convection or 350 static.

Whip sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs and stir. Mix in agave nectar and apple butter until combined. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mix while slowly pouring in the chai tea. Mix until smooth.

Fill the muffin tins 2/3 full and bake until they are light brown: approximately 11-12 minutes for mini muffins or 20 minutes for regular muffins.

Yield: Approximately 15 muffins or 24 mini-muffins.
I crammed all the batter in to 12 muffin cups and as a result the muffins sank in the middle. They baked through and were delicious none-the-less, but a tad less appealing to look at. I think the batter would make a true 15 muffins if you have the patience to wait and bake 3 more muffins once the others are out of the oven.

Oh yeah! And we think they would be AMAZING with some butter cream frosting - as a cupcake of course! :)