Mocha Muffin
intro
Tender, domed mocha muffins with rich coffee and dark chocolate notes, featuring a crisp sugary top, ideal for breakfast, snack time, or casual dessert.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep oven and muffin tin
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) with a rack positioned in the middle slot. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners, or lightly grease each cup with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
Whisk dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, combine 240g all-purpose flour, 100g granulated sugar, 30g unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tbsp instant espresso powder, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp fine sea salt. Whisk for 30 seconds until fully blended, with no visible clumps of cocoa powder remaining.
Combine wet ingredients
In a separate medium bowl, whisk 2 large room-temperature eggs until smooth (about 20 seconds of stirring). Stir in 180ml whole milk, 120ml cooled strong brewed coffee, 85g melted unsalted butter (cooled 5 minutes first to avoid cooking the eggs), and 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, mixing until fully smooth with no streaks of egg visible.
Fold batter and chocolate
Pour the full wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Fold gently with a silicone spatula only until no dry flour streaks remain (about 10-12 strokes; lumps in the batter are normal and desired). Fold in 120g (3/4 cup) of the dark chocolate chips, reserving the remaining 30g (1/4 cup) for topping.
Portion batter into tin
Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin, filling each paper liner 3/4 full (approximately 60g of batter per cup). Sprinkle the reserved 30g dark chocolate chips and 1 tbsp coarse turbinado sugar evenly over the top of each portion of batter for a crisp, sweet crust.
Bake and cool muffins
Place the tin on the middle rack of the preheated 200°C (400°F) oven. Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F) without opening the oven door, and bake for an additional 12-14 minutes. Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with 1-2 moist crumbs attached (not wet batter, not completely clean). Let muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 more minutes before serving.
Tips
2.Do not open the oven door during the first 5 minutes of baking: the initial high heat creates the signature tall, domed muffin top, and heat loss will cause muffins to collapse.
3.For the deepest mocha flavor, use cold brew coffee in place of regular brewed coffee, and opt for 70% cacao dark chocolate chips to balance sweetness with rich, bitter chocolate notes.
OMG these are SO good! I’ve been chasing that perfect big domed bakery muffin top for years and this recipe nailed it. The coffee flavor is just right, not too bitter, pairs perfectly with the dark chocolate chips I tossed in. Brought a batch to my office potluck yesterday and every single one was gone in 10 minutes. 10/10, will be making these every Sunday for meal prep!
My kids loved these, they devoured them! I was worried the coffee flavor would be too strong for my 7 and 9 year old, but it’s just a nice deep chocolatey mocha taste that they went crazy for. Super easy to throw together on a school morning too, I didn’t even have to pull out my stand mixer. Only note is I used regular cocoa powder instead of Dutch process and it still turned out perfect.
Total game changer. I’ve tried so many mocha muffin recipes that come out dry or flat, but these were moist, tall, and tasted exactly like the ones I get at my local fancy coffee shop that cost $4 each. Saved me so much money by making them at home! I did add a little espresso powder drizzle on top after they cooled, chef’s kiss.
Wait has anyone tried making these with a 1:1 gluten free flour blend? I have a friend with celiac coming to brunch this weekend and these look too good not to serve!
Not gonna lie, I was skeptical a muffin recipe labeled ‘easy’ would actually taste like bakery quality, but wow. These are dense but not heavy, the chocolate streusel topping (I added the optional one, duh) is *chef’s kiss*. Made them for my early morning fishing trip with the guys and everyone asked for the recipe. Even my buddy who hates coffee liked them!
As someone who drinks a double shot latte every single morning, I was worried these wouldn’t have enough coffee kick. I added an extra tablespoon of instant espresso to the batter and it was perfect! The crumb is so tender, and the sugar crust on top gives that perfect little crunch just like the corner bakery downtown. Will be adding these to my weekly rotation for sure.
Made these for my daughter’s soccer team snack last weekend and the parents were all raving more than the kids! I made mini muffin versions so they were easier for the kids to grab, baked them for about 18 minutes and they came out perfectly. The only thing I’ll do differently next time is make a double batch because we ran out so fast!
Ugh, mine came out totally flat and didn’t get those big domes at all? I followed the recipe exactly, used cold butter like it said, didn’t overmix… any ideas what went wrong? Taste was still amazing so I’m not mad, just want that pretty bakery look next time!
These hold up so well in the fridge for the whole week! I wrap each one individually in plastic wrap after they cool, grab one on my way out the door to work, nuke it for 15 seconds when I get to the office, and it tastes fresh baked. 10/10 for easy weekday breakfasts. I added a handful of walnuts for a little extra crunch and it was chef’s kiss.
I swapped the semi-sweet chocolate chips for milk chocolate and added a little chocolate ganache filling in the center of each muffin and holy cow, these are better than any muffin I’ve ever bought at a bakery. My roommate thought I ordered them from a fancy patisserie! Super easy recipe even for someone like me who burns toast half the time.
I made these vegan by swapping the egg for a flax egg and using oat milk instead of regular milk, and they came out INCREDIBLE. I was worried the texture would be off, but they were just as domed and moist as the non-vegan version I made last month for my brother’s birthday. So versatile!
Wow, I’ve never successfully baked anything that didn’t come out of a box mix before, and these turned out perfect on the first try! The instructions were so clear and easy to follow, and my girlfriend said they’re better than the muffins we get on our weekend coffee dates. Total confidence boost, can’t wait to try more recipes from this site!