Mocha Muffins
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
Yield: 8 muffins
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Plenty of chocolate and a shot of espresso make these Mocha Muffins a great pick-me-up treat!
Ingredients:
- 1& 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3-4 tablespoons espresso (1 shot)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. 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.
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).