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Double Chocolate Espresso Muffins

Double chocolate espresso muffins with a mocha crumb, rich dark chocolate chips, and espresso powder sprinkled on top. A two-stage high-then-lower bake creates tall domed tops.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

dry ingredients
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.75 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbsp espresso powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
wet ingredients
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 0.5 cup vegetable oil
  • 0.25 cup strong brewed coffee cooled
  • 1 tsp vanilla
add-ins and topping
  • 1.5 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1 espresso powder for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat the oven to 425F and line a 12-cup muffin tin. Set it aside so the batter can go in right after mixing.
Mix dry ingredients
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and salt in a bowl. Whisk until the cocoa looks evenly streak-free.
Mix wet ingredients
  1. Whisk granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, strong brewed coffee, and vanilla until smooth. The mixture should look glossy and fully combined.
Combine and fill
  1. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Stop as soon as no dry pockets remain to keep the crumb tender.
  2. Fold in dark chocolate chips until evenly distributed. You should see chips throughout the batter.
  3. Fill the muffin cups to the very top and sprinkle espresso powder for topping over each. The tops should be well-covered before baking.
Bake
  1. Bake at 425F for 5 minutes. The initial domes should start rising quickly.
  2. Reduce the oven to 350F and bake for 13-15 more minutes. The muffins are done when the tops spring back and a tester comes out mostly clean.
  3. Let the muffins cool in the tin briefly, then transfer to cool completely. Cooling helps the domes set and the chocolate flavor deepen.

Notes

Pro tip: For the best tall domed tops, fill the cups all the way to the rim and keep the batter just-mixed—overmixing can flatten the rise. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze muffins for up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). Dietary swap: use your preferred dairy-free buttermilk substitute to make a dairy-free version while keeping the bake times the same.