Sugar Free Date Chai Muffins
Date Chai Muffins are soft, delicious, fruity muffins without any refined sugar or artificial sweeteners. Instead, I've used dates, figs, raisins and apricots to add the required sweetness to these wholewheat muffins. Healthy and nutritious, Date Chai Muffins make a good breakfast or tea time treat for both kids and adults.
Ingredients
For The Paste
- 1 cup lightly packed pitted dates
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup dried prunes,apricots or figs
- 1 cup water
For the Muffins
- ¼ cup oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 cup wheat flour atta
- 1 tsp soda bicarbonate baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ cup chopped nuts of your choice
- ½ cup fresh orange juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or orange zest
- 1 tsp Chai Tea Spice Mixture/ Chai Masala
Instructions
Preparation Of The Paste:
- Put pitted dates, raisins, prunes(or any other dried fruit you use) and water in a saucepan.
- Heat it over medium low heat till the mixture becomes a thick paste. Total cooking time was about 5 minutes.
- Let the mixture cool down completely. Transfer the mixture to a big bowl.
Preparation Of The Date Chai Muffins:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Line a muffin tray with cake cups or grease it lightly with butter.
- Sift the flour, chai masala, salt, baking powder and soda bicarbonate together. Mix well.
- Add the eggs to the cooled down date paste. Whisk well.
- Add oil, vanilla extract and orange juice to the date mixture and mix well.
- Add the flour mixture and mix just enough to get the flour wet. Don't over mix.
- Add the chopped nuts and mix them into the batter gently.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tray.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes till the tops are light golden brown. Insert a skewer or toothpick into the middle of one of the muffins. If it comes out clean, the muffins are done.
- Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.
- Serve with some spicy tea, coffee or with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- I make my own tea or chai masala (powder). Ready made chai masala is available in most stores or Indian stores.
- I chopped the apricots and figs into big pieces after measuring them.
- Use sultanas, currants, dried blueberries instead of raisins.
- Make sure your fruits do not have added sugar to make these muffins totally without processed sugar. Most dried cranberries available in the stores have added sugar.
- I used dates that did not have any sugar syrup. They should be dry and not wet when you touch them.