Oh, hello, dream muffins. CHOCOLATE. STREUSEL. MUFFINS.
So much chocolate is packed into these chocolate streusel muffins. You may
think you can't handle this much chocolate - trust me, you CAN handle the
chocolate.
Loaded with chocolate, from chips to cocoa to chocolate milk, these muffins
are a chocolate lover's dream! Serve warm for the most decadent
breakfast...but they're also exquisite at room temperature.
As the name implies, there's a chocolate streusel on top. Between the streusel
and the muffin batter, you'll use two kinds of chocolate chips and a generous
amount of cocoa powder. But wait, there's more.
Here's the kicker. We're using CHOCOLATE MILK!!! (I love an excuse to buy
chocolate milk.)
What's the difference between a streusel and a strudel?
A STREUSEL is a crumb topping, typically made from flour, butter, and sugar.
It's said to have originated in
Germany.
A STRUDEL, also from Germany, is a layered filled pastry. It's typically
sweet, think apple, but can be savory also. (This
chicken and cheese strudel
looks amazing.)
If you love chocolate for breakfast, you're going to want these recipes as
well...
How to Make Chocolate Streusel Muffins Recipe
You’ll start off making the streusel. I’ll warn you –
the best tools for making this are your hands. They’ll be covered in
cocoa, and you’ll look like you’ve been digging in the garden, but it’s worth
it. Press butter cubes into the dry ingredients until they’re smaller and
distributed throughout the streusel. Add mini chocolate chips and set
aside.
The muffin batter comes together in a typical fashion. Mix the dry
ingredients, mix the wet ingredients, and stir them together.
Another key ingredient in the muffins is
espresso powder. You won’t taste the coffee flavor in these muffins, but a bit of espresso
powder boosts that chocolate flavor. There’s also vanilla and
almond extract
in the mix that just makes these even more delicious.
Look for espresso powder in your grocery store, or on Amazon. What espresso
powder do I recommend? I recommend Medaglia D'Oro, King Arthur, Café Bustelo, and DeLallo.
This batter is heavy and vinegar gives it an extra bit of lift. Don’t worry –
your muffins won’t smell (or taste!) like pickles.
Once you fill the muffin cups, you’ll sprinkle a generous amount of streusel
on the top of each muffin.
There will be streusel leftover. This is a good thing because it makes for
KILLER pancakes. Trust me. You might even want to make the streusel
specifically for pancakes!
(Store leftover streusel in the fridge. Pour pancake batter on a griddle.
Sprinkle streusel over the top. Flip to finish cooking.)
Back to the muffins. They are super decadent with that melty chocolate when
served warm, but they’re just as delicious served at room temperature.
Chocolate Streusel Muffins. For breakfast or a snack, your inner
chocoholic will thank you.
Chocolate Streusel Muffins
YIELD: 12 muffins
PREP TIME: 30 minutes
BAKE TIME: 18 minutes
For the streusel:
1/2 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons lightly packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons salted butter, cold and cubed
1/3 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
For the muffins:
1 3/4 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup chocolate milk
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoons white vinegar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (regular size)
Preheat oven to 425. Line 12 muffin cups with liners.
Make the streusel. Stir together the flour, brown sugar, and cocoa. Add the
cubed butter and distribute through the mixture, using your fingers to mash
the butter into smaller bits. Once the butter chunks are more like flat
pellets and evenly dispersed, stir in the chocolate chips. Set aside.
Make the muffin batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa,
baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large measuring cup, whisk the eggs lightly. Add the sugar, chocolate
milk, and espresso powder, whisking until combined. Add the extracts and
then the vinegar and whisk again.
Pour the wet ingredients, melted butter, and oil into the bowl with the dry.
Stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Spoon the batter into the prepared tin. The liners will be full. Press a
generous sprinkling of chocolate streusel onto each muffin. (Reserve any
remaining streusel and refrigerate for another use.)
Bake for about 18 minutes, or until the muffins bounce back when pressed in
the center. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
