These Vanilla Chai Spice Muffins with a simple glaze have such a delicious mixture of spices that are reminiscent of traditional chai spice. Baked with a simple crumble on top, then drizzled with a vanilla powdered sugar glaze.
Ingredients
For the vanilla chai spice muffin batter:
- All purpose flour: standard baking flour
- Granulated sugar: also known as white sugar
- Baking powder: leavening agent
- Spices: a combination of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg make up a perfect chai flavor.
- Kosher salt: to bring out all the flavors and balance the sweetness.
- Eggs: to bind and give moisture.
- Oil: neutral oil or a mild olive oil is best to not impact the flavor too much.
- Whole milk: add more moisture.
- Vanilla extract: additional depth of flavor. Vanilla bean paste can also be used.
For the crumb topping:
- All purpose flour: standard baking flour.
- Light brown sugar: to sweeten the crumb.
- Cinnamon: round out the warm spice flavors further.
- Butter: to bind the crumb mixture together.
- Kosher salt: to balance out the sweetness.
For the glaze:
- Powdered sugar: also known as icing sugar is the base
- Whole milk: to thin the icing out just enough so you can drizzle it.
- Vanilla extract: to flavor the icing.
How to make vanilla chai spice muffins
1. Combine wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, oil, milk, sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk well.
2. Add dry ingredients. To the bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, and all the spices. Whisk until just combined.
3. Make the crumb topping. In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter and salt. Pinch the ingredients together with your fingers until everything is moistened by the butter and able to stick together.
4. Pour batter into tins. Prepare your muffin tin by spraying it with non stick cooking spray and lining each cup with muffin liners. Pour the muffin batter into each cup about ⅔ of the way full.
5. Top with crumb topping and bake. Top each with a good spoonful of the crumb topping. Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes until cooked through.
6. Make glaze. In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla, whole milk, and salt until you get a smooth consistency.
7. Add the glaze. Once the muffins have cooled slightly, transfer them to a wire rack drizzle the glaze over top of each.
Tips and tricks
- To tell if the muffins are cooked through, insert a cake tester or toothpick into the center of one. If any batter comes out, it’s not ready. If just a few crumbs come out, it’s ready.
- If you can’t find any of the spices needed for chai spice, you can substitute pumpkin spice mix in a pinch.
- Don’t over mix your batter, it can lead to dense and tough muffins.
- Baking with room temperature ingredients is preferred because it helps ensure they mix together fully, but I don’t find that it’s crucial for things like muffins.
- If you want the most accurate result when baking, I recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Keep an oven thermometer in your oven to make sure it's at the temperature it says it is.
Storage
- Store any leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5.
FAQs
Because they need to be mixed with the wet ingredients to properly dissolve and incorporate evenly into the batter.
Chai is a spiced tea that originated in India and is made with black tea, milk, and spices. More information on it here.
Sure! If you do, I’d recommend a light sprinkling of turbinado sugar (raw sugar) on top to give them a little crunch.
I haven’t tried it that way, I more emulate the spice flavor with ground spices. If you want to take it up a notch, you could steep some chai tea in the whole milk. However, I wouldn’t replace or remove the spices.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating and review below and tag me on social!
📖 Recipe
Vanilla Chai Spice Muffins
Ingredients
For the muffin batter:
- 2 cups all purpose flour (240g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder (8g)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (2.5g)
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs room temp
- ¼ cup vegetable or canola oil
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the crumb topping:
- ½ cup all purpose flour (60g)
- ¼ cup light brown sugar (45g)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (56g)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉.
- In a large bowl, combine the eggs, oil, milk, sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk well.
- To the bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, and all the spices. Whisk until just combined.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter and salt. Pinch the ingredients together with your fingers until everything is moistened by the butter and able to stick together.
- Prepare your muffin tin by spraying it with non stick cooking spray and lining each cup with muffin liners. Pour the muffin batter into each cup about ⅔ of the way full.
- Top each with a good spoonful of the crumb topping.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until cooked through and lightly golden.
- In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla, whole milk, and salt until you get a smooth consistency.
- Once the muffins have cooled slightly, transfer them to a wire rack drizzle the glaze over top of each.
Rhoda says
I have been drinking chai tea for more than 20 years. I am always excited to see/eat/bake anything chai. I bought fresh spices because I just knew this muffin was going to be special. I was disappointed (1) in the flavorless muffin and (2) the crumb topping that was too salty.
Haley says
Sorry to hear that, Rhonda. Perhaps you like your chai flavor stronger than I do.