Coffee Break Muffins

Does anyone else struggle to get themselves out of bed on a Monday morning, or is it just me? I don’t know about you, but Mondays are rough for me. What? The weekend is over already, but it just got here.

I’m a bit scary in the morning. You don’t want to mess with me until I’ve had at least 1 cup of coffee. I trudge around the house in zombie mode, arms extended, feeling my way around the house until my eyes finally realize they should be opened- kind of like Frankenstein. I even moan and grunt like Frankenstein in the morning. Like I said, a bit scary. Oh, and the hair. The hair is just awful. Half of it’s sticking up as if someone took a balloon to it, and the rest is plastered to my face. Scary! Some people thrive in the early morning, but I’m not one of them.

Don’t worry non-morning lovers, I’ve got your back. I made coffee break muffins to help us out of our morning stupor. They’re packed with espresso powder, strongly brewed coffee, and mini chocolate chips. They’re a dream come true in the morning, and they’ll get ya moving in no time.

These muffins taste like a mocha latte. They’re a moist, cakey muffin.

These muffins took no time to whip up. I used a jumbo muffin tin because Monday morning calls for a jumbo muffin. Nothing else will do.

Hope this muffin helps shake you out of your Monday stupor. Enjoy!

Recipe:

adapted from Dorie Greenspan

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tbs. instant espresso powder

1 tbs. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. salt

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1 cup strong coffee, cooled

1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or a 6-cup jumbo muffin tin. Feel free to line your pan with papers instead of greasing them.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, espresso powder, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk the coffee, melted butter, egg, and vanilla until well combined. Pour the liquid mixture over the dry mixture and, with a rubber spatula, stir to blend. A few lumps are okay. Fold in your chocolate chips. Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the muffin tin to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before removing the muffins from the tin.