I love muffins. They make for a great breakfast, an easy on-the-go snack, or a wonderful weekend treat alongside coffee. But let's be honest, most bakery muffins are essentially just refined flour, white sugar, and oil; they're delightful on occasion, but not something I want to eat every day.
But these Orange Ginger Blueberry Tahini Muffins will take everything you thought about muffins and turn it on its head. These beauties are vegan, flourless (in the traditional sense), and naturally sweetened, and they get all of their moisture from mashed banana and tahini. They're actually a bit miraculous!
I've been on a quest for a long time for the perfect muffin, and I think I've finally figured it out! They need to be delicious, easy, non-fussy (no way am I going to use four different types of flour), and entirely good for the body. After a lot of experiments, I think I've come up with the perfect combination. I really can't wait for you to try these!
Yes indeed! I actually have numerous tahini baked goodies on this blog and just can't seem to get enough of them. Check out these super nostalgic Funfetti Tahini Chick Pea Blondies, this show-stopping Blueberry Lemon Tahini Oat Flour Bundt Cake, and these adorable Tahini Happy Morning Muffins (which are made with oat flour). I promise that once you start baking with tahini you'll wonder why you ever used oil; it adds wonderful moisture AND great, nutty flavor.
However, there's one very important point to make. Not all tahini is created equal! The quality of your tahini matters for all your recipes, but I think it matters especially in baked goods. Some tahini can be gloppy, grainy, or bitter, none of which you want in your muffins. I recommend Seeds of Collaboration for baking. It has a delightfully delicate, nutty flavor and is wonderfully creamy.
Good news- thanks to my wonderful partners at Seeds of Collaboration, I can now offer you a great discount on this luscious tahini. Just use the code ROGUE at check-out to save 20% on your entire order. Tahini is a staple in my pantry (I actually sort of start to panic when I only have one jar left); search "tahini" on this blog for loads of ideas for how to use it.
Hmm... perhaps. But stick with me here. Chick pea flour is an all-around winner and I'm so excited to be sharing this recipe. Chick pea flour is (1) high in protein, (2) very inexpensive, and (3) a single, whole food. How many other flours can claim all those different attributes? A lot of alternative flours are really pricey, and many require blending a few different types of flours together to get the right texture; some are also very difficult to work with in a vegan recipe. Chick pea flour yields delightful texture, adds so much protein to baked goods, and costs about $2.50 for a reasonably-sized bag.
My one word of caution is that it can taste a little chick-pea-like. That's exactly why these muffins are loaded up with a bunch of wonderful, albeit strong, flavors. I don't suggest trying to make a delicate vanilla cake with chick pea flour... but in this recipe, the orange zest and ginger are the primary flavors and you'll never know there are sneaky beans underneath.
As you can tell from the overly-long name, these muffins are exploding with interesting flavors. These are not your mom's classic blueberry muffins! The mashed banana and blueberries are sweet, while the orange and ginger are both very vibrant and zippy and fresh. The tahini adds great richness and nuttiness, while cinnamon adds warmth. There's a LOT going on in these muffins, which makes them such fun.
All those different flavors mean that these muffins can easily transcend seasons. The blueberries make them feel summer-appropriate, and they're delightful when made with fresh-picked berries. However, the warming ginger and cinnamon make them feel right during the fall and winter too. I'm pretty sure I could make these every week all year long and never get bored with them.
I spent an awfully long time trying to get this recipe right, so I don't suggest trying to use alternative flours or moisture sources. That said, there are a few ways you can vary these muffins. As written, I haven't included any nuts, but if you like some crunch then add in a big handful of chopped walnuts or pecans; both go beautifully with orange. I imagine some chopped fruit would work instead of the blueberries, but please note that I haven't tried it and the moisture content might be different.
The most important thing you might consider altering is the icing. Yes yes, I know I made all sorts of claims above about how nutritious these muffins are, and it's true. But then I went ahead and put a classic icing on them... because I just can't resist a muffin with a little drizzle of decadent icing on top! If you want to avoid refined sugar entirely, feel free to omit the icing; they're still totally great without it. Or, serve them with a dollop of almond butter or a drizzle of tahini on top.
These muffins make for easy, nutritious breakfasts and/or snacks all week long. After you bake them, make sure to cool them completely. Then transfer them to a tightly sealed container and keep them in the fridge for up to five days or in the freezer for a few weeks. When you're ready to eat, just warm one up in the microwave for about 15 seconds, or a bit longer if the muffin was frozen.
Here's what you'll need for this recipe, as well as some thoughts, tips, and possible substitutions. If you make any substitutions, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below.
Are you convinced?? Will you try these chick pea flour muffins? I'm absolutely smitten with them and can't wait to try some other flavor variations. I think this recipe is proof that muffins don't have to be an indulgence; rather, these are loaded with protein, healthy fats, whole oats, some fruit, and not much else. Muffins for everyday, hooray!
Whether you choose to have these muffins for breakfast, as a snack or a post-workout treat, or even for dessert, I hope you enjoy them! I think the flavor combination is so interesting and exciting. I can't wait for you to try them!
It makes me so happy to hear from you and see your creations! Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this recipe. If you post a photo on Instagram, hashtag #TheRogueBrusselSprout and tag me (@TheRogueBrusselSprout) in the post text so that I'm sure to see it.
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Disclosure: Seeds of Collaboration is a long-term partner. I receive free product from Seeds of Collaboration and take a small commission on sales using the discount code. However, all opinions and thoughts are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep The Rogue Brussel Sprout running.
These delightfully surprising muffins are loaded with fragrant orange, zippy ginger, sweet blueberries, and nutty tahini. They're a flavor explosion! But you might love the nourishing ingredients even more, especially the very non-traditional (and protein-rich) baking flour: chick pea!
For the Muffins
For the Icing
Did you make this recipe? Did you make substitutions? How did you serve it? Any helpful tips? Please share your thoughts, since these insights are really useful to both me and to other readers.
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