While researching foods containing anthocyanins (which is a color compound found in dark red/purple/blue fruits and vegetables) I discovered that a favorite tea of mine, hibiscus, is a wonderful natural source of this powerful antioxidant. As a polyphenol with many anti-cancer benefits, it’s anti-inflammatory, and can have a calming effect. In my book, that’s a win, win, win!
I love the bright tartness of hibiscus, and wanted to make a anthocyanin packed muffin with it. Of course I am using my favorite anti-cancer nut, walnuts here as well for their benefits, added protein, and moistness. I’ll make a nut-free version soon, and update the post for those of you who are nut-free.
Since hibiscus tea has a fruity tartness I thought it would pair nicely with my beloved boob berries (blueberries). The two more tart flavors blended with the more caramel flavor of dates rounds out the flavor and provides balance. My designer color sensitive brain is also happy to have a cool pallet with the magenta, purple, and blue together in one little muffin.
Speaking of color, something super fun about making these muffins is the science magic that happens while making the batter. The pretty pink hibiscus batter immediately turns a spooky charcoal grey as soon as you mix in the baking soda.
Watching this happen made my Halloween loving self smile and thought how perfect this would be for Wednesday Addams! You certainly don’t need to wait for Halloween to make these. Once they bake the batter browns nicely making them one of my favorite muffins to look at and eat.
Equipment Needed
High Powered Blender or Food Processor — The dates will be soaked in warm water first, so they will be easier to blend but you’ll need some power to blend them up with the nuts and liquid ingredients.
Hibiscus Blueberry Muffins Vegan + Gluten Free
- Total Time: 65 mins
- Yield: 12 standard muffins
Ingredients
- 6–7 pitted organic medjool dates
- 1 1/4 cup warm water, divided into 1 cup and 1/4 cup
- 1 1/4 cup frozen organic blueberries, divided into 1 cup and 1/4 cup
- 1/2 cup organic dried hibiscus leaves, divided into 1/4 cup and 1/4 cup
- 1/2 cup organic whole walnuts
- 1 tsp organic vanilla extract, non-alcoholic
- 1 tsp organic lemon juice
- 1 tsp baking soda
- pinch of sea salt
- 1/4 cup arrowroot starch
- 1 1/4 cups organic almond flour
- 3/4 cups organic brown rice flour*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Soak dates in 1 cup of warm water with 1/4 cup hibiscus for about 15 mins.
- In a separate small bowl, add 1/4 water and 1/4 cup hibiscus and let soak for 15 mins.
- Blend the dates and hibiscus water with walnuts, 1/4 cup blueberries, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
- Add baking soda. Quickly blend just to combine. This will turn the batter from bright pink to charcoal grey that would have Wednesday Addams swooning — science is so cool! Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl combine dry ingredients and mix together.
- Slowly pour in and mix date/nut water mixture into flour bowl, and begin gently mixing until combined. Don’t clean out the blender pitcher yet.
- Add the reserved 1/4 water and 1/4 cup hibiscus to blender that had the date mixture, and blend to combine. This will create a pretty pink water that helps clean the blender, and get all the good stuff out.
- Mix the new hibiscus water into the grey batter. You will have a thick but fluffy moist batter which should now be a muted purple color.
- Gently fold in frozen blueberries, mix just to combine and spread berries throughout the batter.
- Divide the batter into 12 silicone muffin cups or muffin tin, level with the top of the cup. Smooth the tops if there are any peaks.
- Bake for 35 minutes at 350 F. Toothpick test, should be clean when pulled out
- Remove from the oven. Let cool in muffin cups for about 15 minutes before removing.
- Store refrigerated in airtight container for up to a week.
Notes
*to make these paleo, skip the brown rice flour and increase the almond flour to 2 1/2 cups
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Tea Soaking Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 35
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