Tiramisu Muffins
intro
Soft, coffee-kissed muffins swirled with creamy mascarpone and dusted with cocoa, capturing classic tiramisu flavor in portable, handheld form.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep oven and tin
Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F) with a rack positioned in the middle. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners, or lightly grease each cup with nonstick baking spray. Set the tin aside while you prepare the batter, completing prep as the oven preheats to save time.
Mix dry ingredients
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 240g all-purpose flour, 100g granulated sugar, 8g baking powder, 1g fine sea salt, and 5g (1 tbsp) of the unsweetened cocoa powder until fully combined, with no visible clumps of cocoa remaining. Set the bowl aside.
Make mascarpone filling
In a small bowl, stir together 113g (1/2 cup) of the mascarpone cheese, 50g powdered sugar, and 1.25ml (1/4 tsp) vanilla extract until completely smooth, with no lumps. If using, stir in 7.5ml (1/2 tbsp) of the optional dark rum for traditional tiramisu depth. Set the filling aside.
Combine muffin batter
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 room-temperature large eggs, 85g cooled melted butter, 180ml cooled strong coffee, remaining 3.75ml (3/4 tsp) vanilla extract, remaining 7.5ml (1/2 tbsp) optional dark rum, and remaining 112g (1/2 cup) mascarpone cheese until smooth. Pour the dry ingredient mix into the wet ingredients, and stir with a rubber spatula just until no dry flour streaks remain—do not overmix, as this creates tough muffins.
Fill and swirl tins
Scoop 30ml (2 tbsp) of coffee batter into each lined muffin cup, then top each with 5ml (1 tsp) of the reserved mascarpone filling. Divide the remaining batter evenly across the cups (each will be 2/3 full), then dot the top of each muffin with the rest of the mascarpone filling. Use a wooden toothpick to swirl the mascarpone into the batter top in a gentle zig-zag marbled pattern.
Bake the muffins
Place the muffin tin in the preheated 190°C (375°F) oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a middle muffin comes out with 1-2 moist crumbs attached (no runny wet batter). Remove the tin from the oven and let muffins rest in the tin for 5 minutes at room temperature, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 more minutes.
Dust with cocoa
Place the remaining 10g (2 tbsp) unsweetened cocoa powder in a small fine-mesh sieve held 15cm (6 inches) above the muffins, and lightly dust the top of each cooled muffin with an even, thin coating of cocoa to mimic the classic tiramisu finish. Serve at room temperature.
Tips
2.For the most authentic tiramisu flavor, use freshly brewed, cooled espresso instead of mild drip coffee; 2 tsp instant espresso powder dissolved in 180ml hot water (then cooled) works as a convenient substitute.
3.Store leftover muffins in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving to bring out their full coffee and mascarpone flavor.
OMG these tiramisu muffins are a GAME CHANGER for my morning coffee run! I baked a batch Sunday for meal prep and they held up perfectly all week. Not too sweet, just the right hit of coffee and that classic dusting of cocoa on top. 10/10 would make again.
Super easy to throw together even for someone who burns toast half the time! My only note is I’d add a tiny bit more mascarpone filling next time, it was a little scant for how much I love that creamy tiramisu vibe.
My kids devoured these after school yesterday! I was worried the coffee flavor would be too strong for them, but it was super mellow, and they thought the cocoa powder on top was "fun chocolate dust." Total win for the weekly snack rotation.
Brought these to my office potluck last week and people were begging for the recipe before I even left the break room. Tastes exactly like tiramisu but in portable muffin form? Genius. No soggy ladyfingers to mess with, either.
Pretty good! Cook time was spot on for my garbage oven, which never happens for muffin recipes tbh. I skipped the espresso soak because I’m sensitive to caffeine and used decaf, still turned out great.
I’m not much of a baker but these were so straightforward! Made them for my girlfriend’s birthday since tiramisu is her favorite, and she said they’re better than the fancy bakery version we get downtown. Major win for me.
Wait, mine came out a little dry? Did I overmix the batter? I followed the measurements exactly but they weren’t as moist as the pictures look.
Made these for my neighborhood block party and they were gone in 10 minutes flat! The little drizzle of mascarpone glaze on top is *chef’s kiss*.
These freeze so well! I wrap them individually and pop one in my bag on my way to work, it thaws perfectly by lunchtime. Such a great easy treat to have stashed for busy weeks.
Nice recipe! I’ve been making traditional tiramisu for 40 years and this is such a fun, casual twist. I added a tiny splash of amaretto to the filling like I do in my regular recipe, and it was wonderful.
Made these in my dorm kitchen with a tiny countertop oven and they still turned out perfect! So easy, no fancy equipment needed. My roommate ate three in one sitting lmao.
These were good but I wish the coffee flavor was stronger. I used regular brewed coffee instead of espresso like the recipe said, maybe that’s why?
I’ve tried so many tiramisu muffin recipes online and this is by far the best one. Not cloyingly sweet, the texture is fluffy, the mascarpone center is so creamy. Obsessed.
Great recipe! I used gluten-free all purpose flour because of my wife’s celiac, and it worked really well. Just had to add an extra tablespoon of milk to get the batter consistency right.
Wait a second, can I make these the night before a brunch? I’m hosting 12 people next Saturday and don’t want to wake up at 6am to bake, lmao.
Ugh, my mascarpone filling sank to the bottom of every muffin! What did I do wrong? They tasted okay but were super messy to eat.
Just pulled these out of the oven and my whole apartment smells like a fancy coffee shop! The recipe was so easy to follow, even for someone who usually messes up muffin recipes.
Made these for my kid’s soccer team snack day and all the parents were asking where I bought them! The coach even asked for the recipe to make for his own family. SO good.
Has anyone tried making these mini? I’m making them for a baby shower next month and mini muffins would be so cute for the dessert table.
I loved the flavor of these but I found the muffin liners stuck really bad to the muffins when I peeled them off, half the muffin came off with the liner! Any tips?