This may not make sense to some of you, but I don’t usually like my sweets to be overly sweet. I almost always want a bite or two of dessert after dinner, but I prefer for it to be just slightly sweet.
Like these little Tea Muffins. The whole batch of 18 mini muffins has just two tablespoons of sugar in it. I haven’t figured out the math, but that’s just a “dab” per muffin. To me, they’re just the right amount of sweet.
Personally, I enjoy these best with just a little butter and a cup of creamy coffee. They’re also very good with a tiny bit of preserves.
Strawberry and apricot are my favorites. We’ve enjoyed these with breakfast, for an afternoon snack, and even an after dinner treat. They’re also perfect for a tea party with your favorite little princess.
Tea Muffins - a simple, mildly sweet muffin perfect for tea time, breakfast, or after dinner. Click To Tweet
How To Make Tea Muffins:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray 18 mini-muffin cups with cooking spray and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and sugar.
Measure the oil and milk together in a measuring cup. Much more convenient that measuring one and then the other! They’re both going into the dry ingredients anyway, so why not.
Add the milk and slowly to the dry ingredients, whisking gently to combine.
Beat in the egg and vanilla just until combined. Don’t overmix or you’ll make the batter a bit tough. And speaking of the batter, this one will be thin. About as thin as crepe batter, believe it or not.
Fill the prepared mini muffin tins with the batter. You can fill them pretty full. The batter won’t run out as it bakes.
Bake for 6-7 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Watch carefully as you don’t want to overbake these. They’ll become dry if you do!
Serve with butter and/or preserves.
Makes 18 mini muffins.
Enjoy!
More muffin recipes you might enjoy:
- Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins from Crunchy, Creamy, Sweet
- Sweet Potato Almond Butter Muffins from Minimalist Baker
- Baked French Toast Muffins from Two Peas and Their Pod
- Cinnamon Muffins from Add a Pinch
- Chocolate Chip Muffins from Inspired Taste
Tea Muffins
A very simple, mildly sweet muffin perfect for tea time, breakfast, or after dinner. Enjoy with lots of butter and your favorite preserves.
Ingredients
- 1 cup self-rising flour
- 2 tblsp. sugar
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Spray 18 mini-muffin cups with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and sugar.
- Measure the oil and milk together in a measuring cup. Add slowly to the dry ingredients, whisking gently to combine. Beat in the egg and vanilla just until combined. Don’t overmix. Batter will be thin.
- Fill mini muffin tins with the batter. Bake for 6-7 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Serve with butter and/or preserves.
Notes
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Love those cute little muffins, Lana. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Liz. Enjoy the recipe!
This recipe for Tea Muffins is the exact recipe that I served at Horseshoe Plantation in the 1970’s and I published in my cookbook Bobwhite Quail & Buttermilk Biscuits in 1984. Did you see the recipe in my cookbook? Mine (same recipe) makes 24 little muffins. I didn’t add vanilla and since they’re not sweet, I also served them for lunch with soup. Dianne
Hi Dianne. Yes, this is an old recipe that I’ve had in my files since at least the 70’s. Many of my friends used to make them for showers and parties back then. They are just sweet enough to me to call them a dessert muffin. I wouldn’t think of these as savory at all but some folks might.
They are more of a “bread” type if you leave out the vanilla. That’s how I made them and still do as a little side bread. Since you’ve had your recipe since the 1970’s and we’re from the same area….we probably got it from the same source!!!! I don’t know where I originally got mine either…I just know it really comes in handy when you want a little “bread”. People really love it!!!
I tried to respond to your e-mail about Horseshoe Plantation and my cookbooks but it was rejected and e-mail didn’t go through. Dianne
Those ’70’s recipes were the best, weren’t they! Love your recipes!!!!
This is a basic muffin recipe. I have an almost identical recipe in my 70’s Betty Crocker cookbook. It just calls for a little bit more sugar. They are really good.
Yes, Oma, it is a great basic muffin recipe. So good with coffee or tea and just a bit of soft butter on the muffin!
I plan to try those for my next lazy afternoon. Like, maybe, 2020…. In the meantime, I can dream about them.
Miss P
You need to schedule a lazy afternoon for yourself. For real!
Princess tea time sounds like a lovely idea. These beautifully formed teeny tea muffins would be perfect.
Miss P