Description

These tender, aromatic Earl Grey Crumble Muffins feature a heightened tea flavour and a crisp, buttery crumb topping. I developed this homemade Earl Grey streusel muffins recipe for a truly bold bergamot flavour and a moist crumb, all ready in under an hour.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Crumb Topping

1/4 cup (55g) brown sugar, packed
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter, cold, diced
3/4 cup (95g) all-purpose flour

Muffins

2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tea bags (4g) Earl Grey tea leaves, finely ground
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temp
1/4 cup (55g) brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temp
1/2 cup (120g) sour cream, room temperature (or plain yogurt)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120ml) strong brewed Earl Grey tea, cooled, 4-5 tea bags steeped for 5 minutes

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a 12-count muffin pan with paper liners; I like to sprinkle a few uncooked rice grains in each well before adding liners for easier release.
Brew 4-5 Earl Grey teabags in 1/2 cup of boiling water, let them steep for 5 minutes, then remove the bags and allow the tea to cool completely.
For the crumb topping, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour in a small bowl. Add the cold, diced butter and use your fingers or a fork to mix until pea-sized crumbles form. Place this in the fridge to keep it cold.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and the finely ground Earl Grey tea leaves. Set this dry mixture aside.
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until the mixture is light and creamy.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix in the sour cream and vanilla extract until just combined.
Pour the cooled, strong brewed Earl Grey tea into the wet ingredients and mix briefly.
Add half of the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just barely combined. Add the remaining dry mixture and mix until no dry streaks remain; be careful not to overmix.
Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each one almost to the top.
Retrieve the chilled crumb topping and sprinkle it generously over each muffin, about 1 tablespoon per muffin.
Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F (220°C), then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For the finest ground tea, I like to snip open the tea bags and use a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle. It helps distribute the flavour evenly and avoids any gritty texture.

These muffins keep well at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If you want to store them longer, I recommend freezing them for up to 3 months; just thaw them in the fridge or at room temperature.

If you don’t have sour cream, plain full-fat yogurt works beautifully as a substitute. Just make sure it’s at room temperature for smooth incorporation into the batter.

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 27 mins
Category: Muffins
Method: Baking