Remember when we made our own almond milk? Mmmmm, home made almond milk is sooooo good! That pulp though! What do we do with the leftover pulp?! I hate wasting food, so I was determined to come up with a recipe that not only used the almond pulp, but used the whole batch. 1 batch of almond milk = 1 batch of leftover pulp = 1 batch of something delicious. Are you with me?
The texture of freshly squeezed almond pulp is not all that unlike the texture of ricotta, so I looked to my whole wheat ricotta muffins for inspiration. Like that muffin, this one uses whole wheat pastry flour, is naturally sweetened , and is simultaneously delicate and substantial. Chia seeds add a bit of crunch, and the pairing of sweet almonds with in-season cherries is pretty much perfect.
It may seem like a lot of almond pulp - one packed cup of pulp goes into these muffins, which came from one cup of almonds we used to make the almond milk - but consider how often you've added a cup of chopped nuts to a muffin recipe. I add a cup of chopped walnuts to my no sugar banana bran muffins every time I make them! Regardless, these muffins fall into the weekend / occasional category in my books, as do most muffins.
The big question is, what if I don't have almond pulp? Can I use almond flour or ground almonds instead? Maybe, but I haven't tested this. Almond pulp will definitely be wetter than ground almonds, so you may have to add a bit of moisture to the recipe. I can't say for sure if that would work out or not because I haven't tested it, but if anyone does, please write in and let us know how it goes!
Note! Paul and I are in Istanbul for the weekend, so I may not be able to respond to questions and comments as quickly as normal. I promise I'll get back to you ask quickly as I can! If you'd like you can follow our trip on Instagram.
Almonds are high in monounsaturated fats – this is a healthy fat when consumed in moderation, the same type as is found in olive oil. Almonds are also a good source of manganese, vitamin E (which has antioxidant properties) and magnesium.
Cherries are rich in antioxidants: anthocyanidins (which give them their intense colour) which help improve antioxidant defences, and quercetin, which may help regulate blood pressure. Cherries are a good source of fiber, potassium and vitamins A and C.
Two years ago: Strained Yoghurt, Naturally Sweetened
Three years ago: Vij's Spicy Cauliflower Steak
almond-pulp muffins with cherries and chia
Ingredients
- 1 cup pitted and halved cherries about 20 cherries
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup packed almond pulp leftover from one batch of almond milk
- 2 eggs
- a scant ½ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup plain yoghurt
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup slivered almonds
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180ºC / 350ºF. Line 12 standard muffin cups with muffin liners or squares of parchment paper.
- Start by pitting the cherries. This can be messy business so keep a cleanup towel handy and don't wear white! There are many cherry pitting methods (maybe you even have a cherry pitter?) but what I usually do is slice them around the middle with a sharp knife, twist to separate the two halves, and pick the pit out with my fingers. Place the cherry halves in a measuring cup and stop when you get to one heaping cup.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together melted butter, almond pulp, eggs, honey, vanilla, yoghurt, and chia seeds. Set aside.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk together whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir the dry mixture into the wet, careful to not over mix - it should still be a touch lumpy.
- Fold the cherry halves into the batter, and spoon into the prepared muffin tins.
- Sprinkle the tops with slivered almonds.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, until muffins are puffed and golden and toothpick inserted towards the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the muffin tins for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Joanna says
I just made these and they turned out so well! I made a few changes since I didn’t have all the ingredients: instead of 1.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour I used 1 cup whole wheat Kamut flour and 1/2 cup wheat bran (for added fiber). I also used plain Greek yogurt and added a teaspoon of almond extract to play up the almond taste.
They are moist and delicious.
Katie Trant says
Glad these turned out so well for you, Joanna! Thanks for the info on your modifications.
Terri says
Made these tonight with almond/ Brazil nut pulp that had a touch of coco powder and two dates in the pulp. I also used AP flour instead since Indidnt have whole wheat on hand. These turned out really great! I used frozen cherries and roughly chopped them up in the food processor. I doubled the recipe and added almond extract as well. Thanks for the recipe! Full of protein, airy and not too sweet. ❤
Katie Trant says
Oooh, brazil nut and cocoa powder sounds delish!
Janine says
I used dehydrated almond pulp, as that's how I store it in the freezer. I adjusted slightly for less moisture in the pulp and they turned out great! I used 1 c sprouted spelt flour (instead of 1 1/2 c whole wheat) and didn't use the chia seeds as they tend to soak up moisture. Yay for another great pulp recipe!!!
Katie Trant says
Glad it worked out for you! I've never tried dehydrating my almond pulp, but that's a great idea!
Maria C, says
I just did your recipe and muffins look and taste awesome! Thank you so much, I didn't know what to do with the almond pulp after making almond milk. I did another recipe of bread (which was lovely too) but your recipe is surprisingly good! and I mean "surprisingly" because I am not good at baking...but these muffins look like real muffins he he. Ah, I added banana instead of cherries (I didn't have) and some stevia instead of honey.
Katie Trant says
Glad you like them! It's one of my favourite ways to use up almond pulp. Banana sounds like a good addition!
Alyssa says
Yes, you can use almond flour in these! I used 3/4 c and kept everything else the same and they turned out delicious. I even used frozen cherries cut in half. I did use extra chia seeds, probably like 1/4 cup because I spilled them into the batter accidentally. The extra chias gave these the texture of poppy seed muffins!! So delicious.
Katie Trant says
Great to know, Alyssa! Thanks for the update 🙂 Extra chia sounds great too!
Shikha la mode says
I hate wasting food too and am glad you found something useful to do with the pulp. Also, Istanbul? TAKE ME WITH YOU.
themuffinmyth says
Istanbul was really fabulous! If you ever get a chance, GO!!!
joycevandenbergporter says
Looks like a great flavor combination! I have never used chia before and have been thinking about giving it a try.
themuffinmyth says
Chia is great in so many things! I don't often use it in baking, but in smoothies, as chia pudding, sprinkled on yoghurt. Definitely give it a try!
kellie@foodtoglow says
I have yet to make my own almond milk - actually I have a big ol bag of cashews and will probs make that first - but this muffin recipe with the lovely cherries in it is a serious incentive. I know you are having a beautiful and delicious time in Instanbul - I've seen he piccies on Instagram! You so deserve this exotic and inspiring holiday.
themuffinmyth says
Thanks Kellie! The holiday was just what the doctor ordered! I've not made my own cashew milk yet, but it has appeared at my local grocery store and it so, so good. The home made stuff would be amazing I'm sure! And the leftover pulp would no doubt be every bit as useful as leftover almond pulp. Yum!
Eileen says
These muffins sound delightful! I usually end up using almond pulp in smoothies (frozen into cubes & blended) or in oatmeal. Such an amazing combination with cherries!
themuffinmyth says
Oh what a great idea freezing it in ice cube trays! I'll have to remember that for next time.
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Deena Kakaya says
What a good idea! I love almond flavours in bakes, who can deny a good bakewell? Do the muffins rise as easily with the almond pulp in them? X
themuffinmyth says
They do rise, but they are definitely on the sense side. In a good way though!
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