Chocolate Espresso Muffins #MuffinMonday

The deep rich flavor of these chocolate espresso muffins makes them the perfect accompaniment for a hot beverage or a cold glass of milk.

Last week my husband and I were packing up the car, ready for a road trip to France when our neighbor, a retired fisherman, knocked on our door with the gift of two immense spider crabs.

I thanked him profusely then went to the kitchen to show them to my husband. There was no way we could leave them for a week, even in the refrigerator so that afternoon, I wrenched all their legs off and popped them in a Ziploc bag. Then I picked the meat from the bodies and put them in a container. The crabs would make the traveling team. 

Whenever our neighbor brings over crabs, and occasionally lobsters, my return gift is something homemade. Sometimes carrot cake which is his favorite, or jam or fudge sauce but often it’s muffins. Because muffins are easy, versatile and everyone loves them. Bake some for a neighbor or friend!

Chocolate Espresso Muffins

This recipe makes nine standard muffins. If you don’t have a nine-cup pan, just use a 12-cup one and add a little water to the empty cups so the pan heats evenly.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups or 156g flour

1/2 cup or 100g sugar

1/4 cup or 20g cocoa

1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup or 100g semi-sweet chocolate chips plus a little extra for topping, if desired.

1/3 cup or 80ml canola oil, plus extra for greasing the muffin pan

1/3 cup + 1/4 cup or 140ml milk 

1 egg

Method

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare a nine-hole muffin pan brushing or spraying the insides with oil.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together your flour, sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. (I did put the espresso powder but somehow missed taking a photo after!)

In another smaller bowl, whisk together your oil, milk and egg.

To help the chocolate chips remain evenly in the batter, I like to mix them around with the residual oil left in the measuring cup. It’s just enough to wet them a little so that the flour mixture sticks to them. Toss and stir. 

Mix the chocolate chips into the flour mixture and use your clean hands to separate any that are stuck together. 

Pour your wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold until they are just combined. 

Divide the batter evenly between the holes in your oiled muffin pan. Add a few more chocolate chips to the top, if desired.  

Bake in your preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes or until the muffins are puffed up and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle. 

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Run an offset spatula or butter knife around the edges of the pans and gently turn the muffins out of the pan and cool further on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

It’s the last Monday of the month so that means it’s time for Muffin Monday. Check out the lovely muffins my blogger friends are sharing today! 

• Banana Crunch Muffins from Passion Kneaded
• Chocolate Espresso Muffins from Food Lust People Love
• Rhubarb-Ginger Muffins with Vanilla Bean Streusel from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Sour Cream Banana Rhubarb Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Teff Brownie Muffins from A Messy Kitchen
• Western Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all of our lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday can be found on our home page.

Pin these Chocolate Espresso Muffins!

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M&M Mini Muffins #MuffinMonday

Small and sweet, these M&M mini muffins are the perfect little bite for brunch, snack or tea time. Watch 24 disappear in no time at all! 

Last month, we hosted a small brunch for our former neighbors who moved last summer. They only moved six blocks away, which seems like nothing in the greater scheme of things but with everyone’s busy lives, we rarely get to see them unless we put something on the calendar. 

I made these muffins along with a crushed pineapple carrot quick bread, cheesy scrambled eggs, crispy bacon and fruit salad. It was lovely to catch up with them and the mini muffins were a hit with their adorable soon-to-be four-year-old, as I was hoping they would be.

You may notice that my M&M baking bits are missing the reds and greens. That is because I needed them to bake Christmas cookies to donate for a senior citizen Christmas party in our neighborhood last year. I couldn’t be bothered to drive to the store so I sat and separated them. The things I'll do to avoid yet another trip to the store!

M&M Mini Muffins

If you don’t have M&M baking bits, you can substitute mini chocolate chips. Or chop a chocolate bar up in pieces. Definitely don't drive to the store just for baking bits. 🤣 🙄

Ingredients for 24 mini muffins:

1 cup or 125g flour

1/4 cup or 50g sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1/4 cup or 75g plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup or 60ml milk

2 tablespoons canola or other light oil, plus extra for greasing the pan

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1/2 cup or 85g M&M baking bits

Method

Preheat your oven to 375°F or 190°C and prepare your mini muffin pan by lining it with little paper muffin cups or brushing the inside with oil. 

In large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

In smaller bowl, whisk together the egg, yogurt, milk, oil and vanilla extract.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredient and fold until just combined then fold in the baking bits.

Divide the batter between your prepared mini muffin cups. 

Bake in the preheated oven about 15-18 minutes or until the muffins are nicely browned and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Leave them to cool for a few minutes then remove them from the pan and cool on a wire rack. 

Enjoy!

It's the last Monday of the month so that means it's Muffin Monday. Time to share muffin recipes! Check out the links below: 

• Blueberry Orange Muffins (egg free) from A Messy Kitchen
• M&M Mini Muffins from Food Lust People Love
• Tahini Coconut Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all of our lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday can be found on our home page.

Pin these M&M Mini Muffins!

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Thin Mint Chocolate Muffins

Made with the iconic Girl Scout cookies, these Thin Mint chocolate muffins are sweet and chocolatey with a little crunch for fun. 

The idea for these muffins popped into my head in the middle of the night unbidden. I wasn’t even thinking about muffins! What if, my brain said, you put a thin mint at the bottom of the silicone muffin cups and spooned chocolate batter in on top? Intriguing idea, I replied. 

So the first thing I did the next morning was to open the box of Thin Mints I had just bought from the cutest little scout outside my local grocery store the day before, to check if one would fit nicely in the bottom of my silicone muffin cups. It did! 

A little backstory. My very first job out of university was at the San Jacinto Girl Scout Council, in development (read: fundraising) which included the annual cookie sale. In my first year, we joined together with Houston area chefs who created recipes using the cookies which were then served at a party for donors. It was a lot of fun and raised substantial funds. Ever since, when I see Girl Scout cookies, I can’t help but think of creative ways to use/eat them. 

Thin Mint Chocolate Muffins

I highly recommend using silicone baking cups for this recipe so that the Thin Mints don’t stick to your pan. If you can’t find Thin Mints, Keebler makes one called Grasshopper Cookies (or Fudge Mint Delights in some countries) which would work. Walmart brand Fudge Mint Cookies are also very similar.

Ingredients for 12 muffins

3/4 cup or 180ml milk

2 teaspoons vinegar

1 3/4 cups or 220g flour

3/4 cup, packed, or 150g dark brown sugar

1/2 cup or 40g natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1/3 cup or 80ml canola or other light oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

8 Thin Mint cookies for the batter and topping

12 Thin Mint cookies for lining the silicone baking cups

Method

Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C. 

Roughly chop the 8 Thin Mints, setting aside about 1/3 for topping. 

Add the two teaspoons of vinegar to the milk in a measuring cup. Stir and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a smaller mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil and vanilla, along with the slightly curdled looking milk/vinegar mixture.

Add the larger pile of chopped cookies to the dry ingredients.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, until just combined. There may still be some flour showing and that’s fine.

Put one Thin Mint at the bottom of each silicone muffin cup, rounded side up. 

Use a scoop or large spoon to fill the prepared muffin cups. They are going to be pretty full. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining chopped cookies.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Mine took only 20 minutes. You do not want to over bake these and dry them out.

Put the muffin pan on a wire rack to cool for about five minutes.

Remove the muffins from the pan and continue to cool on the wire rack. 

Carefully remove the silicone muffin cups. Here's one upside down! 

Enjoy the chocolate muffins with crunchy bottoms! 

It’s the last Monday of the month, which means it time for Muffin Monday! Check out the lovely recipe links below.

• Apple Corn Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Cranberry Oat Bran Muffins from A Messy Kitchen
• Maple Corn Muffins from Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Thin Mint Chocolate Muffins from Food Lust People Love

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all of our lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday can be found on our home page.

Pin these Thin Mint Chocolate Muffins!

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Double Apricot Jam Muffins #MuffinMonday

These are called double apricot jam muffins because they have jam in the batter and a filling of jam as well. Full of flavor, with a tender crumb!

If you were reading this space last week, you know that I made a single jar of apricot jam from dried apricots. I was very pleased with how it turned out, using it as a glaze for my cheater pain aux raisin so I decided it would be a good idea to employ it in muffins as well. 

I brought some over to my neighbor and she was delighted, as were we. The muffins are sweet but not too sweet and the little spoon of jam in the middle is a nice surprise.

Double Apricot Jam Muffins

This recipe makes about 8 muffins when using silicone muffins cups. Your output may vary if your muffin cups are larger or smaller. No buttermilk? Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to your measuring cup then pour in the milk up to the 1/2 cup or 120ml line.  

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups or 156g flour

1/4 cup or 50g sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup or 120ml buttermilk

1 egg

1/4 cup or 60ml canola or other light oil

1/2 cup or 140g apricot jam, divided

Method

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare your muffin pan by greasing it with oil or butter or lining it with paper muffin cups. Or use silicone liners. Mine came from Crate & Barrel and were a gift from my daughter. I love them! 

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

In a smaller mixing bowl whisk the egg, buttermilk, oil and half of the apricot jam together. 

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredient bowl. Fold to combine. Do not over mix.

Put about 1 1/2 -2 tablespoons or a scoop of the batter in each muffin cup. 

Divide the reserved apricot jam between the muffins. 

Top with the remaining batter, divided between the muffins. 

Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden and a wooden skewer comes out clean. 

Remove from the pan or silicone liners after they’ve cooled a few minutes and put them on a wire rack to cool completely before storing in an airtight container. 

Enjoy!

It's the last Monday in this short month of February so it's time for Muffin Monday! Check out the lovely muffins my blogger friends are sharing.

• Banana Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Double Apricot Jam Muffins from Food Lust People Love
• Ginger Lime Muffins from A Messy Kitchen
• Small Batch Sourdough Muffins studded with Chocolate Caramel from A Day in the Life on the Farm

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all of our lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday can be found on our home page.

Pin these Double Apricot Muffins!

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Blood Orange Yogurt Muffins - Small Batch #MuffinMonday

These blood orange yogurt muffins are light and tender, full of flavor from the zest and juice of my favorite seasonal citrus, blood oranges.

It’s citrus season in the northern hemisphere and a variety of choices abound, from navels to tangerines, cara cara oranges and even pomelos, but until this week, nary a blood orange. 

I am a huge fan of store apps because they allow me to check prices and make my shopping list based on availability and best value. One finally came through for me when blood oranges showed up and, bonus, with a digital coupon! 

Blood Orange Yogurt Muffins

If you don’t have blood oranges, by all means make these muffins with whatever oranges, tangerines, etc. that you do have. 

Ingredients

For 6 muffins:

Grated zest and juice of 1 blood orange (about 2 tablespoons)

1/3 cup or 66g sugar

1 cup or 125g flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Good pinch salt

1/3 cup or 81g Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons milk

1 large egg, at room temperature

1/4 cup or 57g unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing the pan

Optional topping:

2 tablespoons pearl sugar

2 teaspoons blood orange juice

Method

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C.  Prepare your 6-cup muffin pan by buttering it or line it with paper liners.

Measure your sugar into a large mixing bowl. Zest your orange into the sugar then use a spoon to press the zest into the sugar to release the fragrant orange oil.

Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk to combine.

Juice your orange.  

In another mixing bowl, whisk together the juice, yogurt, milk, egg and melted butter. Whisk till well combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones.

Fold until just mixed through.

Divide the mixture between the muffin cups in your prepared pan.

I was trying to get a little of the blood orange color on the tops of the muffins so I quickly stirred 2 tablespoons of pearl sugar with 2 teaspoons blood orange juice and divided the pink sugar between the muffins. As you can see from the photos, the pink didn’t really show up but the pearl sugar does make a nice crunchy topping so, no regrets. 

Bake in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden. 

Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes then remove the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.  

Enjoy! 

It’s the last Monday of the month, which means it’s Muffin Monday time! Check out all the lovely muffins my blogger friends are sharing today!

• Blood Orange Yogurt Muffins from Food Lust People Love
• Dried Cherry Oatmeal Muffins from Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Sourdough Cornbread Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Spiced Cocoa Muffins from A Messy Kitchen

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all of our lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday can be found on our home page.

Pin these Blood Orange Yogurt Muffins!

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