Morning loves! I’ve been holding onto this recipe a bit…tweaking until it was just right. Most of the chamomile muffins out there have chunks of chamomile tea in them…which neither my kids nor I liked. At all. And if you try to soften the chamomile before adding it to the batter it will tinge the batterΒ a drab color. Not into it.Β At the same time I was futzing with this recipe I was working on another one using pink peppercorns. Same problem…nobody wants a big, hard bite of pink peppercorn. The solution? Throw the chamomile + sugar in a high-speed blender and blitz until fine. It gently scents the batter without the unwieldy chunks of chamomile.
These muffins are perfect for brunch…a quick breakfast…something elegant…or just a breakfast with nice people. Nothing wrong with that. Basically, anytime you want to celebrate citrus. Perhaps paired with a lemon-vodka number? Then you definitely want to call itΒ brunch so you can drink before noon.
Before We Get Started:
- Make sure your blender is absolutely dry before grinding the sugar + tea or it is an absolute pain in the arseΒ to get out of there. Also, the blender will blitzΒ the granulated sugar into a powdered sugar-like consistency. Don’t fret. You’re doing itΒ right.
- If you can’t be bothered with Meyer lemons, just sub in regular lemons. NBD.
- I absolutely love Mighty Leaf Chamomile Citrus Tea…this isn’t sponsored…it’s just my fav and in my house at all times. This is the tea I used for these muffins.
- For the photos, I decorated the muffins post-glaze with a sprinkle of tea. This looks really cute…but in reality, it doesn’t taste that great…in my humble opinion. When making them for us, I would not use the chamomile on top. If I was serving these for an elegant brunch, I would.
Let’s make some muffin magic, shall we?
Meyer Lemon Chamomile Muffins
Makes 14 Regular-Sized Lemon Chamomile Muffins
INGREDIENTS
For the Muffins
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons loose chamomile tea
- 1/2Β cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1/4Β cup whole milk, room temperature
- ΒΌ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 cup all-purposeΒ flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- ΒΎ teaspoon cinnamon
- ΒΌ teaspoon cardamom
- ΒΌ teaspoon nutmeg
Optional: Squeeze fresh lemon and sprinkle a pinch sugar onΒ the tops of the lemon chamomile muffins prior to baking. It gives an extra pop of lemon flavor + it makes a slightly crunchy crown, which I love.
For the Glaze
- 1 Β½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 chamomile tea bags (optional for the tops)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place a rack in the top third of the oven. Line a muffin tin with muffin liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the sugar + 2 teaspoons of chamomile tea in a high-speed blender and grind until the chamomile is reduced to small flecks.
- In a large bowl whisk together your granulated sugar (with the chamomile in it), vegetable oil, eggs, sour cream, milk, lemon juice and zestΒ until well blended.
- In a medium bowl whiskΒ together the all-purposeΒ flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg.Β Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until barely blended.
- Scoop the batter into the muffin liners and filling until just barely ΒΎ full. Squeeze some lemon over the top and sprinkle with sugar + cinnamon if you’re feeling it. Let the muffins sit for 15 minutes before putting in the ovenβ¦this will help them get a nice crown.Β Bake for 15 minutes in the top third of the oven or until a toothpick comes out clean. You want the tops to be puffed up and slightly golden. For best results, bake one tin at a time and rotate midway through baking
- Let cool in the muffin tin for about 10ish minutes, then use a butter knife to help get them out to finish cooling on a rack. While cooling, in a small bowl whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice and milk. Drizzle glaze over the lemon chamomile muffins. If you’d like, sprinkleΒ chamomile teaΒ over theΒ tops. Note, the tea looks pretty…but I’m not jazzed on biting into the tea bits as noted above. Store airtight at room temperatureβ¦theyβll keep for a couple of days.
- Be sure to tag me @displacedhousewife #displacedhousewife so I can see your lemon chamomile muffins!!
On My Mind
- It’s hella raining in California and it’s amazing. Lakes are getting full…rivers are running…my skin looks dewy. All is good in the world.
- I am SOOOOOOO excited to tell you guys that I worked on a feature for Bake From Scratch magazine. It’s coming out Holiday 2017 and includes six recipes: cakes, loafs, madeleines, cookies and scones. I spent all day in LA this past Thursday with the Bake From Scratch team, an amazing photographer + his assistant and they worked magic. The pictures are GORGEOUS. I wish I could show you all now…but tuck thisΒ away for next fall…we have a tonΒ of holiday baking to look forward to!
- Wishing you all a wonderful week!!
xoxo
Some top-shots make me dizzy, like I’m falling into the photo.
I don’t mind now. Gotta bake this tonight!
Looove that you teased out the chamomile issue for us Rebecca! I do not like chunks of peppercorn or tea leaves in my cake/muffins/cookies either! The spices and tea in these little muffins are brilliant and so sweet. I love them. Congratulations on your Bake From Scratch feature come Holiday 2017! That is incredible Rebecca! Yay YOU!!! I can’t wait to see it!
Hi Traci! I can’t stand chunks like that in baked treats…it throws the whole texture off for me. Thank you so much for your kind words — I really appreciate them!!! Sending lots of love to you!! xoxo
These look exactly as you said. Elegant. The things that draw me into these muffins is the way you thought all the flavor elements. Chamomile, meyer lemon, cardamom…even the sour cream. A well thought out recipe that I hope to make next time I host a brunch!
I hope you do too Stacy!!! Thank you for your sweet words!!! xoxo
so pretty and they sound amazing! I’ve never tried baking with chamomile before and omg I can’t wait to see your recipes in baking from scratch that is huge congrats!
Thank you Fatimah!! I’ve missed seeing you around!! xoxo
I looove the sound of a cupcake cocktail party!! And these lemon chamomile versions are so pretty and elegant. Enjoy your rain – here in Australia we’re burning up!
We’ll be there soon enough…summer is BRUTAL in my part of the woods. Yes to muffins + cocktails!! xoxo
My oh my…. what a profound combination of tastes. Thank you so much !
Hope you enjoy!! xo
I like the way you think…..have one of these with a lemon vodka cocktail for brunch :) Sounds good to me! I love all things lemon and these look delicious! I’ve never used chamomile in baking before. These look like a great place to start ;)
Hi Dawn — I had never used chamomile either…these are definitely a great gateway recipe!! ;)
Grindng up the chamomile with the sugar is brilliant. They look so perfect I wish i had one with my afternoon cup o tea right now :)
Thank you!! Wish I could share!! xo
Loving all the flavors going on in these babies! I’m looking forward to having brunch with you and Mary Ann one of these days! That’s my kinda brunch.
Hi Karen! I can’t wait for that day — it sounds amazing!! xoxo
I’ll pair these with the lemon-vodka number and call it brunch Rebecca! They sound delish! Fabulous combination!
Yessss!!! I wish we lived closer Mary Ann. I have a feeling we would do this a lot!!! xoxo
I’ve just read through your blog. Your recipes look fantastic and I plan on trying tons of them.
I was so interested to read that there is a Displaced Housewife book buried deep inside of you. Your style of writing is mesmerizing with lots of smiles thrown in “for flavor”. I so hope that book emerges someday soon!! I know that I will read it from cover to cover without putting it down.
Here’s to finding your writing between 2 hard covers very soon!!!!
Hi Pat — Your comment put the biggest smile on my face!! THANK YOU!! I’m so glad you’re here!! Sending much love! xoxo
I love these photos! So glad I FINALLY got signed up for your emails yesterday. :)
Thanks Kate!!! We have had so much gloomy weather from the rain, it’s been fun to photograph some moody stuff. I’m used to the blazing sun!! ..and YAY!!! I’m so glad I get to land in your inbox. That sounded funny… ;) Much love to you! xo
Sooooo looking forward to your recipes for the Holiday!
Yay!!! Thank you so much!!! xoxoxo
Yes please, these are gorgeous! I need one with my afternoon tea :)
Hi Laura — Thank you!!! And YES, they would be perfect with afternoon tea!! xoxo
Oh my gosh, these look so amazing! I would never have thought to grind up the chamomile with the sugar. Genius!! Definitely making these tonight!
I hope you do!! xox