Mocha Muffins


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Mocha Muffins

Anyone exhausted after a night up watching the Super Bowl? I’ve got the perfect coffee kick for you!

Personally, I’m not a coffee drinker. I’m fairly wired as it is, so I don’t need any chemical help getting going every day. And I was on a decaf kick for a while because it tastes nice, but it also stains your teeth. I guess some people don’t fall prey to that, but I do, which also explains why I gave up green tea. Hot beverages are not my friend.

As a result, I like to get my caffeine kick through dessert, and what better way than with the best muffin I’ve had in quite a while? These pack a nice coffee punch while not being overly sweet, making for a gentle start to the day. We all need that on a tired Monday morning!

Mocha Muffins

In the meantime, I’m doing okay because I did not stay up late. I’ve mentioned before that my body turns off at nine, and I’m not ashamed of that. It’s also wired to wake up in the 4s, and I’m very upset about that. I should have been a farmer.

The thing is, once anyone wakes me up, that’s it. I’m up. My brain starts racing and I just can’t sleep any more. Kenny, on the other hand, sleeps through pretty much everything and if he does wake up, he’s snoozing again within seconds. It’s very tempting to throw things at him in the wee hours of the night out of sheer frustration at his sleep skills.

Mocha Muffins

Over the past week, I have been awakened by the following: a child with a nosebleed, a child needing her nose to be blown, someone slamming the toilet seat shut at maximum volume at two A.M., Kenny accidentally turning the light on in the middle of the night, little feet running down the hall at top speed back and forth (I don’t want to know), and a nonstop looping nightmare that I’m drawing My Little Ponies nonstop for my daughters. Which actually did happen in real life, but the nightmare is worse.

While this level of sleep deprivation runs nowhere close to what we experienced when the children were babies, I have to wonder if I’ll ever sleep well again. When they get older I’ll just wonder where they are, who they’re with and what they’re doing. I can see myself doing a lot of waiting up. And by the time they’re responsible adults, I’ll have forgotten how to sleep properly at all.

Mocha Muffins

But then, I can always throw things at Kenny while he sleeps if it makes me angry. He’ll never know. And I can make breakfast muffins with lots of coffee in them to get me going.

A few weeks ago during our big snowstorm, I decided to bake my way through Dorie Greenspan, and these muffins were part of that. As happens a lot with any recipe I make, I added chocolate chips. My mother pointed out that no coffee dessert recipe is nearly as good without chocolate, and I agree with her wholeheartedly.

Mocha Muffins

These are pretty easy, and they make for good motivation after a night of little sleep to get up and at ’em. We’re all tired, but let’s see what we can do to make today happen!

 

Mocha Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder (or instant coffee will work)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup coffee, cooled
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 egg (room temperature is best)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.
  2. In one bowl, combine the flour, sugar, espresso powder, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and brown sugar. Set aside.
  3. In a smaller bowl, mix together the coffee, melted butter, egg, and vanilla. Be sure to have fully cooled the coffee and butter, or your egg will cook. Gently stir in the chocolate chips.
  4. Using an ice cream scoop, portion the muffin batter equally among the 12 prepared cupcake liners.
  5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool and serve!
https://justaboutbaked.com/mocha-muffins/

Mir

I fulfill many roles in life: wife, mother, teacher, everlasting learner. This site is dedicated to one role that expresses my creativity in ways that I find consistently challenging and rewarding: baker. Inventing new ways to enhance food, especially if that food involves chocolate or peanut butter (or both!), is a passion of mine. I look forward to sharing my ideas with you.

This Post Has 30 Comments

  1. Jessica @ Citrus Blossom Bliss

    Yum!! I’m a coffee fiend, and these sound absolutely magical. Would it be going overboard to have them with a cup of coffee? Because that’s how I’m planning to have these!
    Jessica @ Citrus Blossom Bliss recently posted…21 Day Fix Final Week and ResultsMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Not overboard at all. In fact, it’s the best way to go. That or hot chocolate!

  2. Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy

    Drawing My Little Ponies non-stop? That does sound like a nightmare!
    I can’t have caffeine, so I have decaff, and I am thankful that it doesn’t stain my teeth, as I just love the flavour of coffee, so I think I would love these too.
    Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy recently posted…Comment on Vegetarian Breakfast Burrito by Charlotte BraithwaiteMy Profile

    1. Mir

      They’re so into the ponies, and I cannot STAND them. So it really is a nightmare!

  3. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice

    I wish I was a morning person! As I’ve gotten older, I love going to bed earlier, but I still like to sleep in. My husband is just the opposite though. He can go to bed at midnight and still be up at 6am. These muffins sound like just the treat to get me going in the mornings! So creative!
    Gayle @ Pumpkin ‘N Spice recently posted…Strawberry Cheesecake MousseMy Profile

    1. Mir

      I can’t get less than 7 hours or I’m cranky. But they have to be early hours!

  4. Megan - The Emotional Baker

    Oh goodness, Mir! You had me laughing over your wake up calls (although I’m sure they’re not laughing matters!)

    Getting your caffeine fix via sweet treats is genius – these muffins look amazing 🙂
    Megan – The Emotional Baker recently posted…Fudge Filled Sugar Cookie SandwichesMy Profile

    1. Mir

      It’ll be funny to me someday, too. So laugh away, Megan!

  5. Kate @ Framed Cooks

    I unashamedly went to bed right after the halftime show, so I am doing okay this morning, although I am drooling over the thought of one of those mocha muffins with my morning tea (not a coffee person either)…Happy Monday Morning!
    Kate @ Framed Cooks recently posted…Almond CookiesMy Profile

    1. Mir

      I didn’t even make it there, Kate! It was Beyonce or me, and I chose me!

  6. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary

    I actually like coffee, but only if it’s iced and only if it’s a vanilla or salted caramel latte. 😉 But, I’d much rather have my coffee in muffin form! These mocha muffins look delicious, Mir! These totally belong in my belleh.. although I’ll have to nix the chocolate. Life is so unfair! Pinned!
    P.S. I stayed up for the whole game, but wish I didn’t since my team lost. Boo. Cheers, doll!
    Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary recently posted…Baked Challah French Toast with Salted Caramel Irish Cream & Strawberry Maple SyrupMy Profile

    1. Mir

      It’s easy enough to nix the chocolate here, friend!

  7. annie@ciaochowbambina

    Well, I love my coffee strong and black…I drink 3 – 5 cups a day…easily. But this muffin will be a welcomed addition to my coffee club – me and my cup!
    annie@ciaochowbambina recently posted…Strawberry & Black Pepper Oatmeal Crunch SquaresMy Profile

    1. Mir

      You and my mom are the major coffee drinkers, then. She is so addicted!

  8. Amanda

    I never realized how much coffee impacted me until I stopped drinking so much of it. Now it’s just a rare treat for me or I’ll end up climbing the walls. But I’m definitely all right with a little caffeine in my dessert. These muffins look so moist and tender. Delicious!
    Amanda recently posted…Spicy Bean SalsaMy Profile

    1. Mir

      It is a nice treat, for sure. Sitting back with a warm cup of something is quite nice!

  9. Erin @ Miss Scrambled Egg

    Mir – I am the same way as you. I go to bed early and wake up early. My boyfriend could sleep until 1 PM if he wanted to on the weekends. I just don’t get it. I need my coffee fix in the morning though. I’ve definitely scaled back by coffee intake since college, but I do like one in the morning before I start my day. These muffins look delicious. I might make a batch this weekend.
    Erin @ Miss Scrambled Egg recently posted…Red Velvet Pizzelles with Cream Cheese FrostingMy Profile

    1. Mir

      I’ve never been able to sleep in. I’m so jealous of people who can!

  10. Medha @ Whisk & Shout

    This looks amazing! And while I have no kids, the toilet seat slamming is something that has actually woken me up before in the middle of the night! Amazing how sound carries down a hall like that haha 🙂
    Medha @ Whisk & Shout recently posted…Raspberry & Macadamia Oreo TartMy Profile

    1. Mir

      The sound is SO LOUD. Why is that?!

  11. Manali @ CookWithManali

    u are just like my husband! he doesn’t drink any hot drink, like None! I think it’s best to get your caffeine through desserts! these look awesome!
    Manali @ CookWithManali recently posted…Butter Paneer PizzaMy Profile

    1. Mir

      I only really want hot drinks when I’m freezing. I’m just not a beverage girl!

  12. Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust

    Everyone knows to be VERY quiet at night or mom is NOT happy. But I still want these muffins!
    Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust recently posted…The BEST Brownie Pie {from scratch}My Profile

    1. Mir

      Seriously, they should know that by now about me. I get so mean when kids are waking me up!

  13. Danielle

    I’m not a huge coffee drinker either, but I do live it in baked goods! These muffins sound delicious, Mir. Definitely a perfect breakfast pick me up too!
    Danielle recently posted…Red Velvet Cookie CupsMy Profile

    1. Mir

      They really help get me going, Danielle!

  14. Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks

    I stayed up and watched the whole game then woke up and remembered I had a broken heart. I wish I would have had one of these caffeine loaded muffins to get me up and going and out of my funk. Your mama was totally right about the chocolate! I hope you get some sleep in this lifetime!

    1. Mir

      Oh no, Rachelle! They’ll be back at the Super Bowl. Just believe!

  15. Michele @ Alwayzbakin

    These muffins sound like just the thing I need this morning! I’m so happy to hear that we are both on the same sleep schedule. Everybody makes fun of me because I conk out early every night. Lol
    Michele @ Alwayzbakin recently posted…Chocolate Cake Mix M&M CookiesMy Profile

    1. Mir

      It’s healthier that way! I love my early bedtime.

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