Chocolate chocolate-chip mini muffins
Dear readers, I blame you for the fact that these bite-size chocolate muffins materialized in my kitchen last weekend. I'm sorry, but I do. I've been systematically emptying the house of all quick-and-easy sweet nibbles like chocolate bars and M&Ms, because of late my willpower has been absent. So, last Sunday afternoon when my chocolate craving hit hard, there was no candy in the house; however, I found both cocoa powder and chocolate chips in the pantry. Uh-oh. Before I could reroute myself toward the celery sticks, it occured to me that you, dear readers, would love some chocolate muffins (I wasn't wrong, was I?).
Of course I needed to taste a few to be absolutely certain they were worthy of you. They were -- I'm sure, because I tasted plenty of them -- and they were super-easy to make without a mixer. The recipe will make 12-14 large muffins, but I'm glad for the built-in portion control of mini muffins when self-control fails me.
Chocolate chocolate-chip mini muffins
From the pantry, you'll need: unbleached all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, cocoa powder, granulated sugar*, egg, pure vanilla extract.
Recipe adapted from this recipe on Food Network. Makes 36 mini muffins.
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp cocoa powder (I use Hershey's cocoa from the supermarket)
3/4 cup superfine sugar*
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (for sweeter chocolate flavor, use milk chocolate chips)
1 cup nonfat (skim) milk
1/3 cup plus 2 tsp vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 large mini muffin tins with paper liners, and set aside.
Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa, sugar*, and chocolate chips into a large mixing bowl.
Combine all the liquid ingredients into a measuring cup, and lightly whisk together. Then, pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix with a rubber spatula just until the ingredients are incorporated (remember, a lumpy batter makes the best muffins). Spoon into the prepared muffin tins.
Bake 14 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the muffins comes out clean. Let the muffins rest in the tin for 5 minutes, then remove carefully to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
Note: if you don't have superfine sugar, place 3/4 cup granulated sugar in a small food processor, and process for 2 minutes.
More snackable treats with chocolate chips and chunks:
Chocolate chip ice cream cookies, from The Perfect Pantry
Sweet and salty peanut chocolate chunk cookies, from The Perfect Pantry
Chocolate chocolate white chocolate chip cookies, from The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Crispy chewy chocolate chip cookies, from Smitten Kitchen
Disclosure: The Perfect Pantry earns a few pennies on purchases made through the Amazon.com links in this post. Thank you for supporting this site when you start your shopping here.
And, we thank you. I'm glad to know you're looking out for us. Which reminds me … there's an open bag of chocolate chips in my pantry...
They sound delicious, but I'm afraid this would be too much temptation for me!
TW, always happy to do the hard work for my readers.
Kalyn, this was exactly my problem with these little muffins. But oh, they are good.
These mini muffins looks so cute and very delicious!
Jeff, they are both!
These would be hard to resist - definitely would satisfy any chocolate cravings!
Jeanette, they really did hit the spot. Not too sweet, but just enough chocolate.
Lydia,
I like mini muffins for just that reason--easy portion size!
I like mini chocolate chips in my muffin batter, but always seem to have the large size available.
These look lovely.
What is the salt for? It never said to use it.
Jess, thanks for catching the omission. Salt goes in with the dry ingredients, and I've corrected the recipe.