Inspired by an ever-popular muffin in our King Arthur Café in Norwich, Vermont, this recipe is full of wholesome ingredients found in many vegan pantries. We love the array of flavors it combines, particularly the complexity added by the toasted almond flour. We hope this muffin brings a little bit of our bakery to your day!
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or leave it ungreased). Lightly grease a standard 12-cup muffin pan.
To toast the almond flour: Spread the almond flour on the prepared baking sheet, making a thin, even layer. Place the pan in the oven and toast the flour until it’s fragrant and just starting to turn golden, 7 to 10 minutes; it helps to redistribute the flour around the pan midway through to ensure even toasting. Remove the flour from the oven and set it aside to cool to room temperature.
To prepare the flax "egg”: In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the flax meal and water. Set aside to gel for 10 to 15 minutes; this is your flax egg.
To mix the batter: In a medium bowl, combine all of the batter ingredients in the order listed, adding the almond flour after the all-purpose flour and the flax egg at the end. Stir just until the batter is thoroughly blended.
Cover the batter and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes; this gives the oats time to absorb more moisture, making them softer in the baked muffins.
Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan, dividing it evenly among the wells – the batter will come almost to the rim of each well.
Sprinkle about a teaspoon of finely chopped walnuts on top of each muffin.
To bake the muffins: Bake the muffins until their centers are set and a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, 28 to 32 minutes.
Remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan until you’re comfortable transferring them to a rack to cool completely.
Storage information: Store leftover muffins, well-wrapped, at room temperature for three days; freeze for longer storage.
While we recommend the extra flavor toasting brings to almond flour, feel free to skip this step if you’re short on time.
Because of a chemical reaction between the baking soda and carrots, the carrots may start to turn green within 12 to 24 hours after baking. Don’t worry; they’re still perfectly safe to enjoy.
Substitute an equal amount, by volume, of King Arthur Rolled Oats for the oats in this recipe. They'll add slightly more chew and heartiness (and also more protein!).
