Quinn has been after me for ages to bake more with chocolate and coffee. The problem, you see, is that I don’t like coffee. Love to smell it, don’t love to drink it. Does anyone else have this problem?
It’s no secret that chocolate and coffee are a brilliant pairing. They just seem to enhance each other naturally. Even I have a hard time arguing with that.
I picked up a fresh shot of espresso at our neighborhood coffee shop, which is just a short walk from home for us. If you have access to good espresso, I highly recommend it for these muffins. In a pinch, try using another strong-brewed coffee.
It may seem a bit odd to have a recipe that makes 8 muffins. But, I worked with the practicality of using one shot of espresso. You can get a dozen by increasing all the ingredients by half. If you’re an espresso drinker, then you just get a bonus half shot to enjoy.
Mocha Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (42 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 3-4 tablespoons (45-60 ml) espresso, 1 shot
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (90 g) mini semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard muffin pan with paper liners.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the sugar, butter, espresso, vanilla, and egg until thoroughly combined. Add the flour mixture in 3 or 4 portions, mixing just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared muffin pan, using about 1/4 cup batter per muffin.
- Bake 20-25 minutes or until a pick inserted into the center comes out with clean. Keep in mind that you may get chocolate on the pick from the chips.
- Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes.
24 Comments on “Mocha Muffins”
Hi! Thanks for the great recipe… bummer you don’t like coffee – isn’t it one of the four major food groups (chocolate, butter, coffee, and your choice)?!?
Quick question: can I make my own espresso using espresso powder? One would think that possible, but I always like to ask before I tinker with a recipe.
Thanks –
Hi, Debbie! I’ve only used espresso powder a couple of times, and that’s been a while. My guess is that you should be able to use it. I would dissolve it in hot water first. I don’t know how much you should use, but there’s likely some information on the container.
I do drink coffee. The espresso and chocolate will make the perfect pick-me-up afternoon snack.
I drink espresso every day, and every time I make something chocolatey, I throw in a little instant espresso powder for good measure. They do just go together. Your muffins look incredible, and I’ll take that extra shot of espresso on the side!
I too dislike coffee. Although I don’t like the smell of it unless it’s one of those mixed beverages that basically smell like dessert.
Oh yum! I love coffee flavored desserts, but like you, I hate to drink it!
Mm, I love coffee so I’ll love these for sure! Definitely trying them out. Thanks for the recipe!
I love the idea of walking into a local coffee shop and ordering espresso to use for baking! I never know what to do when recipes call for espresso when I don’t have an espresso machine. Great idea, these muffins look fantastic!
I adore coffee- but I still think I’d love these muffins- chocolate and coffee go SO well together! They look great!
I love anything mocha flavoured, your muffins look so delicious!
I agree with Debbie, chocolate and coffee are both definitely considered two of my favorite food groups:) These look perfect.
My boyfriend hates coffee also and so I try to avoid making things with mocha so that he’ll eat them…but it means that I miss out! I’ll have to make these and not tell him 🙂
I love coffee – these sound right up my street!
Hello there! I made these for my birthday on Sunday and they tasted amazing! The amount of batter I had was actually enough for nine muffins. The only thing was that the batter was really thick and almost stiff, and the tops came out rather crunchy. I followed the recipe to a T. Any ideas on why they came out like that?
Kendall, my first guess is that the batter was mixed a bit too much. The more it’s mixed, the more gluten is formed. That can give you thick batter and tough baked goods.
OK, I figured that was the answer. I won’t mix so much next time!
Question/Observation: There’s no milk in this recipe? Is that a misprint? I only bake a little and have never seen a muffin recipe without milk or a milk substitute, so I wanted to make sure that it’s not a misprint before I give it a try. This looks yummy! Thanks!!
I initially wrote the recipe to include milk, but I decided they didn’t need it once I got the batter mixed. If you’d prefer to include milk, you can add about 1/2 cup. It will change the consistency, but they should still be good.
Do you think I could use regular black coffee instead of expresso? If so, would i use 3 tablespoons still?
Hi, Carol. You can make the substitution, but keep in mind that you’ll get less coffee flavor. I wouldn’t alter the amount, as you’d change the consistency of the muffins.
I was wondering what you mean by a shot of espresso? I’ve never had it. Is this something I can get at a Starbucks – is this a powder or is this brewed coffee ready to drink? Thanks!
Hi, Janet. A shot is just a common measurement of espresso. It’s about 3 tablespoons of brewed espresso (or strong coffee).
Although delicious, the batter was very thick. Is that normal? I also had to had 1/2 of milk to make the batter even possible to mix. The final outcome was very dry and the sides and top are crunchy.
I’m sorry you had troubles! If you didn’t change anything at all about the recipe, then I’d double check the accuracy of your measurements, especially the flour.