While “freezer-diving” last weekend I found a box of Odense almond paste hiding behind the fruits and vegetables. I still think about the Almond-Cranberry Scones baked this past Christmas and remember how much we loved each and every one! They were light and fluffy with little bits of grated, frozen almond paste giving the scones a wonderful full-on almond flavor. I thought I would give that same method a try in a muffin.
These muffins are loaded with chopped almonds in the streusel topping, grated-frozen almond paste and a splash of almond extract in the batter. Combined with semi-sweet chocolate chips – these muffins are a distinctly delicious, sweet treat.
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add chocolate chips and stir in grated, frozen almond paste. In a large measuring cup combine buttermilk, granulated sugar, eggs and vegetable oil. Pour all at once into the dry ingredients and fold together until blended. Top with a streusel topping made with flour, sugar, butter, chopped almonds and miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Bake for 20 minutes, remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 more. Remove muffins to a wire rack and allow to cool a bit before serving. These came out of the muffin liners easier after cooled, I know this because I tested a couple, personally, myself … yum. I think they could be easily baked in a well greased muffin pan foregoing muffin liners.
Chocolate and almonds are a great combination anyway but combined with a cake like muffin, if is pure almond love!
Pin for breakfast!
- FOR THE MUFFIN BATTER:
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 3.5 ounces almond paste (frozen, then grated on a large box grater - half a 7-ounce package)
- FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING:
- ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup butter, cold and cut into small pieces
- ½ cup chopped sliced almonds
- ¼ cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Line 15-16 muffin cups with liners. Set aside.
- Prepare the streusel topping. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together ½ cup flour and ½ cup sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in the ⅓ cup of cold butter pieces until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add ½ cup chopped almonds and ¼ cup of chocolate chips. Stir until combined. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl combine 2 cups of flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk until well blended then stir in ½ cup miniature chocolate chips and the grated almond paste. Make a well in the center.
- In a large measuring cup combine the buttermilk, eggs, ½ cup granulated sugar, vegetable oil and almond extract. Whisk until blended.
- Add the egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture and fold together just until moistened. (Batter may be lumpy)
- Spoon ¼ cup of batter into each lined muffin cups. Divide the streusel topping between each muffin cup pressing gently to set.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Do not over bake!
- Remove pan from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins to a wire rack and cool slightly before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container.
You may have a bit of left-over streusel topping.
This recipe would be easily halved for a total of 8 muffins.
Muffin inspired by a Better Homes and Garden Recipe for Orange Muffins
I recently discovered PicMonkey a super easy, fun, and free photo editing program with lots of options for making labels like the torn notebook paper in the first photo. I haven’t done a lot in the program but as time allows I look forward to playing with more graphics and collages like the one below. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to create a collage in Photoshop with no success. I’ve even taken Photoshop courses in college and still keep in touch with my teacher, but still can’t do it! PicMonkey is so much easier and I know there are a thousand editing options to find as I dig deeper. If you’re interested … I do all my “photo” editing in Adobe Lightroom and always shoot in raw. I also recently bought a new 100mm macro lens used in all three photos below. I LOVE the lens and it was a very sweet and thoughtful Valentine’s Day present from my traveling husband. Please let me know if you ever want other equipment reviews or recommendations for tripods, cameras, bags or gear.
We’re having an ice storm at the moment with snow coming close behind. Another cold, dreary winter day in Virginia! I think I’ll go cook something warm 🙂 Have a lovely day and thanks so much for stopping by!
Tricia
I think my wife will love this site. She’s a huge foodie but I doubt she’s heard of BlogHer before, maybe as a foodie she has. Anyway I think your pictures are amazing, makes my mouth watery just by looking at them. Great job on this site Tricia.
Oh! And thanks for the share, we’ve been looking for such a program for quite a while now. To write on images and add different styles and fonts. PicMonkey looks like a take. Thanks
Thanks Vincent – I appreciate you stopping by. Have a great weekend and hope your wife will stop by!
Tricia, these sound amazing! I have a real soft spot for muffins, and putting chocolate and almond together in one is genius. Can’t wait to give these a try!
Thanks Beth – hope you love them as much as we did. Couldn’t stop eating them! Have a wonderful weekend.
These muffins are stunning Tricia. They look like they come from a fancy bakery!
I love PicMonkey, the more you use it, the more fun you’ll have!
We’re bracing for the ice too later this evening. Wish we had some of those muffins to enjoy while keeping cozy in front of the fire!
Thanks Chris – I’ve always thought your graphics / labels / embellishments are wonderful – now I know!
ive got to try these! only i need to make them gluten free but i can adapt the recipe. i love muffins to no end. great job!
Thanks Kelsey – muffin love here too! Hope the gluten free works great 🙂
You are the best freezer diver I know! I love the idea of using frozen grated almond paste in the streusel, that just sounds unbelievable.
Going for the pantry next – haha! Have a wonderful weekend Sue!
The muffins look wonderful, like I would find at our local bakery!! I showed Debbie and looks like we are going to make these over the weekend!! Can’t wait to give them a try they look delicious!!!
We ended up with only about an inch of sleet from the storm. We were supposed to get 4 to 5 inches today sleet and snow but the front of the storm shifted. Glad we didn’t get it but I sure hope you don’t get a lot. Stay safe and warm!
I measured 6.5 inches on our desk Michael. It felt like more when I shoveled the driveway – glad mine is not as long as yours! Have a lovely weekend.
Oh Tricia – I need no convincing! We are indeed of the same mindset. I was just looking at 2 cans of almond paste I should use soon and thinking of making almond bread next week. I made Italian rainbow cookie cake not long ago (for no reason) and I’ve been making the almond muffin recipe I discovered recently on rotation. Almonds everywhere! Now I see this gorgeousness. I am guessing these, with the almond paste, must be so intense in flavor. Love the whole package from streusel top to the muffins imbedded with all that almond and chocolate ! Yum, yum!
I thought of you when I made these Monica – hope you don’t make the same mistake and forget to halve the recipe – haha – so many muffins to enjoy. Have a lovely weekend!
OH MY TRICIA!!! I/We LOOOOOVE muffins! They sound & look SOOOO GOOD!!!! 😉 Thank you for telling us about PicMonkey too! TOO MUCH FUN! 😉 We JUST HAD the ice & snow… STAY WARM!!! 😉
You are so creative Becky I know PicMonkey will be in good hands when you get a hold of it! Have a great weekend.
Nothing like a batch of amazing muffins to warm of the house during the storm. Although, you’d need a mighty resistance to not eat them all in a day!
You are so right Adrian! Be sure to share with friends. Have a lovely weekend.
I seriously can’t resist anything with streusel. These muffins look awesome, Tricia.
Thanks Angie – they are wayyyy too tasty – can’t stop eating them!
Sure wish I had one of these RIGHT NOW with my cup of coffee!! Oh, they look good!
I STRUGGLE with lightroom…. then just quit trying. Wish you lived next door… I’d be bugging you all the time to help me figure it out. he hee. I see a lot of good things about PicMonkey. Good to know. Your photos are always so beautiful, Tricia! Glad you are enjoying your Valentine’s present… we get to benefit, too. 😉 blessings and hugs ~ tanna
ps – we are very, very blessed with our sweet daughters. =)
Tanna – I don’t mind saying it was very difficult to get started with Lightroom. I wish we were close too – call me and we’ll go over some of the basics! Have a lovely weekend.
Hi Tricia,
It’s funny, I made muffins the other day and finally posted them today! – the winter has been brutal and there’s nothin better than warm cozy muffins like yours !! Great recipe! Have a great weekend and stay warm …xo
We do love a good muffin – heading over to see yours now! Thanks!
Hi Tricia, I love almond paste, such a wonderful flavor. These muffins look very special, love the topping.
Thanks Cheri – streusel topping = so yummy!
I adore that topping. I always forget about the tops of my muffins and they come out rather dull but this is so simple and looks so delicious. I must try it. X
I don’t think anything you bake is dull. Have a wonderful weekend!
These look like a ‘must try’, Tricia! Chocolate, almonds and almond paste? Oh my! And so streusel-y good on top too.
I hope you love them Susan – we are such almond fans. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Oh my, these look so good! I love the streusel on top- I’m afraid I could eat way too many of these. I have a weakness for anything almond, and when there’s also chocolate involved I have no willpower. 🙂
I understand and feel your pain Betty! I’m the same way – so unfortunately I ate a bunch of these! Have a great week
Tricia, my mouth is watering just looking at these beautiful photos! I love, love, love almonds and these muffins have “almond” written all over them. Thanks for sharing, I can’t wait to give them a try, cheers!
Thank you so much Danielle! Almond flavor all over the place – and I adore it. Hope you enjoy 🙂