When we came upon some pretty fresh chamomile at the store, we saw it as a sure sign of spring. We also saw it as a sign that we needed to find a comfort food that will get us through these next few gray and blustery weeks of March. Enter the chamomile muffin – an easy way to bring both spring and comfort into your morning routine. (And it’s gluten-free and vegan! You know how much we love our gluten-free comfort food on a cold day!)
Chamomile is an herb that looks like a daisy and smells like, well, the tea that you already know and love. Its flowers and leaves are edible, although you’ll want to take precautions before eating them. Wash it thoroughly, don’t eat it if it’s been sprayed with pesticides, and refrain from eating it if you’re sensitive to ragweed. With that said, most people consume it in its dried form (i.e. as tea, or perhaps dried chamomile flowers added to granola).
For this recipe, we used dried chamomile from teabags. We served the muffins on a platter garnished with fresh chamomile so that they would absorb that beautifully calming aroma.
Chamomile Muffins (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
A quick and easy muffin made with chamomile tea and glazed with a lemon glaze for a sweet treat.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tea bag chamomile tea
- 2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp flax meal
- 6 tbsp water
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup sunflower oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Lemon Glaze
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp agave nectar
- 2 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
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Empty the chamomile tea from the teabag and place the chamomile and the granulated sugar in a food processor. Pulse for several minutes until the mixture is evenly powdery.
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Measure the flour, baking powder, and salt into a mixing bowl, and stir to combine. Add the granulated sugar-chamomile mixture and the brown sugar and stir carefully to make sure that no lumps remain.
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Make the flax eggs: Whisk the flax meal together with the water and set aside for five minutes. (The mixture should thicken and take on an egg-like consistency.)
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Meanwhile, combine the almond milk, sunflower oil, and vanilla extract. Add the flax eggs and stir to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir to combine. Scoop rounded tablespoonfuls of batter into muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
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For the glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and agave nectar. Drizzle over the muffins. Serve the muffins on a platter with fresh chamomile herbs.
Bonus: After you’re done, you can take all of those beautiful herbs and brew yourself some fresh chamomile tea.
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These chamomile muffins have an incredibly soothing aroma – and are #vegan and #glutenfree
Hi! I'm Jeanne Fratello - a writer, reporter, and food enthusiast who is on a mission to write great stories about food and where your food comes from.
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