Coffee Cake Chai Muffins
Try these Coffee Cake Chai Muffins for a spiced up breakfast or snack break. These muffins are topped with a cinnamon streusel crumble and a vanilla glaze for the perfect pastry combination.
This post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Please see the full disclosure for further information and thank you for your support!
What is Chai?
According to Wikipedia, chai originated from India and came from the Hindi word “chai”, which was derived from the Chinese word for tea. Traditional masala chai is a spiced beverage brewed with different proportions of warming spices. The spice base is ground ginger and green cardamom pods. Other spices usually added are cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, peppercorn, nutmeg, and cloves.
How to Make Coffee Cake Chai Muffins
Prepare a Muffin Tin and Mix the Streusel Topping
Preheat the oven to 400F and prepare a muffin tin with liners or grease each well with butter and set it aside. This recipe is a small batch and will fill 8-9 muffin sections.
Prepare the streusel topping
In a small mixing bowl place the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon and stir to combine. Cut the cold butter into small cubes and then cut into the mixture with a pastry cutter or fork until you get a nice crumble.
Mix the Dry Ingredients and Cut in the Butter
In a large mixing bowl add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves and stir to combine. Chop the cold butter into cubes and cut into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or a fork.
Combine the Wet Ingredients
In a small bowl add the sour cream, milk, and egg and beat to combine. Add to the dry mixture and stir with a spatula to combine. The batter will be lumpy and thick.
Layer the Batter and Streusel Topping
Spoon some batter into each well of the muffin tin about halfway full. Sprinkle the top with some of the streusel topping then place another spoonful of the batter on top of the streusel. Gently spread out the batter to cover the top and then sprinkle on another layer of streusel on top.
Bake the Chai Coffee Cake Muffins
Bake for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5minutes before removing them and cooling them on a wire rack.
How to Make a Quick Vanilla Glaze for Muffins
If you are adding the vanilla glaze on top, add the glaze ingredients to a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Drizzle on top of the muffins before serving.
Can you Double this Recipe?
Yes, you can easily double this recipe. Because of the layering of these muffins, this recipe only yields 8-9 muffins. So if you would like more muffins, just double the ingredients.
How to Store These Chai Muffins
Store any leftover muffins in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Can you freeze these muffins?
You can freeze these Chai Coffee Cake Muffins. Allow the muffins to completely cool before storing them in an air-tight freezer-safe container. When ready to serve, allow the muffins to defrost in the fridge or on the counter. Do not drizzle with the glaze until you are ready to serve the muffins.
My Favorite Tool for Freshly Ground Nutmeg
I never knew how much I loved freshly ground nutmeg until I bought one of these Nutmeg Grinders. Not only is it just a cute gadget, but there is a top section for storing a nutmeg seed so you always have one at the ready. Trust me, this gadget is worth it and once you own it, you will find all kinds of recipes to put fresh nutmeg on.
More Tools to Make Chai Coffee Cake Muffins
More Breakfast Recipes to Check Out
- Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread
- Sourdough French Toast Casserole
- Bacon Egg and Cheese Biscuit Cups
- Lemon Lavender Bread Recipe
Coffee Cake Chai Muffins
Equipment
- 1 smallmixing bowl
- 1 pastry cutter
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar (light or dark)
- ¼ heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
Chai Muffins
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 1¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅕ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (or ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, cold
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 large egg
Optional Vanilla Glaze
- ½ cup confectioners powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Streusel Topping
- In a small mixing bowl place the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon and stir to combine.
- Cut the cold butter into small cubes and then cut into the mixture with a pastry cutter or fork until you get a nice crumble. Set aside.
Chai Muffins
- Preheat the oven to 400F and prepare a muffin tin with liners or grease each well with butter and set it aside. This recipe is a small batch and will fill 8-9 muffin sections.
- In a large mixing bowl add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves and stir to combine.
- Chop the cold butter into cubes and cut into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or a fork. Similar to the crumble, you will have small pieces of butter throughout and a crumbly texture.
- In a small bowl add the sour cream, milk, and egg and beat to combine. Add to the dry mixture and stir with a spatula to combine. The batter will be lumpy and thick.
- Spoon some batter into each well of the muffin tin about halfway full. Sprinkle the top with some of the streusel topping then place another spoonful of the batter on top of the streusel. Gently spread out the batter to cover the top and then sprinkle on another layer of streusel on top.
- Bake for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5minutes before removing them and cooling them on a wire rack.
Optional Vanilla Glaze
- If you are adding the vanilla glaze on top, add the glaze ingredients to a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Drizzle on top of the muffins before serving. These muffins are delicious when served warm. Store any leftover muffins in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Notes
- You can easily double this recipe. Because of the layering of these muffins, this recipe only yields 8-9 muffins. So if you would like more muffins, just double the ingredients.
- Store any leftover muffins in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- You can freeze these Chai Coffee Cake Muffins. Allow the muffins to completely cool before storing them in an air-tight freezer-safe container. When ready to serve, allow the muffins to defrost in the fridge or on the counter. Do not drizzle with the glaze until you are ready to serve the muffins.
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Did you Make These Coffee Cake Chai Muffins?
Don’t forget to leave a review if you make these Chai Coffee Cake Muffins. And if you snap a photo, tag me on Instagram or Facebook!
Do you love delicious recipes and baking at home? You can get all of my recipes in your inbox when you sign up for my email, it’s only twice a month. And you can follow me on Pinterest so you never miss a recipe!
This Chai muffins are full of flavours and such a delicious threat 🙂
Thanks for trying them, Lucas!
I love coffee cake and I love chai tea – this recipe couldn’t be more perfect for me!
A perfect combination for you!
Cinnamon and brown sugar are wonderful together and the powdered sugar glaze is amazing on top of these muffins.
Thanks, Gina!
wow -i’m obsessed with this recipe. my two favourite things in one portable cake!
Lol, totally! I’m using that from now on…portable cake!
The warm chai spices in these muffins is intoxicating. I absolutely loved the crunchy topping and sweet glaze.
Crunchy topping on a muffin is a weakness of mine, lol! Thanks for giving them a try.
Love the addition of chai masala in these muffins. Thanks for sharing this lovely recipe.
You are so welcome, thanks for checking out the recipe.
Perfect blend of spice and sweetness for an afternoon pick-me-up 🙂
I made these with my daughter and the whole family loved them. Thanks for the great recipe!!
Oh excellent, that always makes me happy to hear.😊
Love love love the flavor in these muffins! The chai comes out so nicely. My kiddo loved them, too!
Thanks, Dana. It was a kid favorite in my house which is always a good thing 😀
The perfect addition to my morning cup of coffee! I’m making more so I have them to wake up to on the weekend!
So smart, these are amazing with coffee!
I’m getting so hungry just looking at these! I love the flavor here. I would have NEVER have thought to use chai in muffins. I can’t wait to make these.
Thanks, Beth. I hope you get a chance to make them soon.
The addition of the chai spices in these muffins is so good! The perfect afternoon treats with a cup of tea.
Thank you, Sharon. I’m so glad you liked them!