Chai Spiced Blackberry Muffins with Pecan Oat Streusel

You are going to LOVE the way the chai spices pairs with the tart blackberries in this healthy muffin recipe! Oh, and the pecan oat streusel – YA NEED IT.

It hasn’t been that long since I’ve made muffins, but it has been quite some time since I’ve made muffins with streusel… And it got me thinking, I really ought to always add some kind of streusel because hot dayum are these blackberry muffins delicious!

The pecan oat streusel topping adds a little extra sweetness and you get the crunchy textured muffin top you know and love – just like at your favorite coffee shop bakery joint <– you know what I mean, right?

I actually visited California Giant's blackberry farm for the first time this past June and WOW – what an awesome experience. (More on that trip HERE.) Hearing from the grower, John Navarro, firsthand and learning more about blackberries (and other berries too!) was so interesting.

Watch the Navarro Brother’s here! And check out other growers’ stories here.

SOME QUICK NOTES ABOUT BLACKBERRIES

• 1 serving of blackberries has 8 grams of fiber. That’s legit!
• They’re a versatile fruit and wonderful with all kinds of dishes. From chicken (check out this recipe!), harissa pork, salads, cobbler and of course these healthy muffins!
• Blackberries are best kept refrigerated and enjoyed within 1-3 days at home. So make sure you use them or freeze for later!
• When selecting berries at your local grocery store, look for firm berries with a deep, even color and glossy sheen.

Ingredients to make blackberry muffins with pecan streusel

• whole wheat pastry flour – I like using this whole grain flour for muffins because it keeps the texture soft but you still get the benefit of whole grains. If you don’t have this type of flour, use half all-purpose / half whole wheat. OR use all whole wheat white flour (you’ll get a slightly more dense muffin this way, but you can try omitting 2 TBSP flour which may help.)
• baking powder and baking soda –  use both leaveners for the right amount of lift with this muffin recipe.
• salt – flavor enhancer. Don’t omit it!
• chai spices – made up of cinnamon, cardamom (that’s the key one), nutmeg, ginger, cloves and all-spice. Or buy a blend here.
• non-dairy milk + vinegar – AKA homemade buttermilk. You can make a dairy-free “buttermilk” by combining your choice of dairy-free milk with a little apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.
• oil – keeps these muffins nice and soft and adds moisture
• maple syrup – a refined sugar-free sweetener option. But the maple syrup also adds to the liquid ratio so you can’t omit it without compensation for another liquid or oil.
• egg – helps bind the ingredients together. I imagine a flaxseed egg would work great here, as I’ve tried that with many of my other muffin recipes.
• vanilla extract – flavor!
• fresh blackberries – make sure to cut the berries in half or even thirds, depending on how large they are. I used about 1 1/2 pints of berries, plus a few more for topping.

For the pecan oat streusel it’s a simple mixture of oats, flour, chopped pecans, and oil or butter. I used a non-dairy butter here for optimal flavor and texture but I’ve made an oat streusel like this with coconut oil as well.

How to make Blackberry Muffins

STEP 1

Mix together the non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar and set aside.

STEP 2

Start mixing together the dry ingredients, as well as the ingredients for the pecan streusel. Set those both aside while you start with the wet ingredients.

STEP 3

Begin mixing together the wet ingredients (maple syrup, oil, egg and vanilla). Add about half of the milk mixture. Begin to slowly add the flour mixture, about half of it, and stir. Then add in the rest of the milk, remaining flour, stir a little then fold in the chopped blackberries until no dry flour appears.

TIP: Don’t over-mix here. The more you stir the batter after it’s already been combined fully, the tougher the texture of the muffins will turn out.

STEP 4

Evenly distribute the batter into a 12-cup muffin pan. You’ll end up filling about 2/3 of the way (use a medium cookie scoop!) and then I like to add in one more halved blackberry to the top of the batter before adding in the pecan oat streusel topping.

STEP 5

Bake the muffins at 425ºF for the first 5 minutes. This creates a better rise in the muffin. Then drop the oven temperature down to 375ºF and continuing baking about about another 10-12 minutes. Mine were done at 11 minutes. Check with an inserted toothpick – if the toothpick comes out clean with no wet batter, you’re good.

Then cool and eat. I hope you love these blackberry muffins as much as I do!

If you make this recipe, don’t forget to comment and leave a review below! I love hearing from you and it helps others learn more about the recipe too! XX Ashley

COUPON SAVINGS

P.S. Be sure to take advantage of California Giant’s coupon offer they have on their site so you can save on your next berry purchase! Click here.

For the full ingredients list and recipe inspiration, check out Fit Mitten Kitchen!