These muffins reignited an as-yet unresolved internal debate I have about chocolate muffins. I mean, are they really muffins? I tend to believe they are more on the order of chocolate cupcakes sans the icing. I think perhaps the benefit of calling treats of this nature muffins is to ensure that they can be eaten for breakfast without the full-fledged guilt that would accompany eating a chocolate cupcake for breakfast. But let’s be honest – if you are going to eat this chocolate muffin for breakfast, would you have really felt guilty for eating a chocolate cupcake for breakfast? Me neither! But then again, I tend to like leftover cheesecake for breakfast as a special treat, so I’m probably the wrong person to ask.
Whether you consider them muffins or cupcakes, suitable for breakfast or dessert, they are certainly one thing: Delicious.
For as much as I love to give my mixer a workout (especially now that I have a new, bigger, sexier one thanks to my Chief Culinary Consultant!), it’s certainly nice to have a recipe such as this in your arsenal. Two bowls, a measuring cup, and whisk. That’s about all you need to get these babies mixed up and into the oven. Did I mention they take less than 10 minutes to make? These are a dream if you are short on time and in need of a quick breakfast or dessert fix.
These muffins would be great topped with raspberry jam, but I take every opportunity to throw chocolate and peanut butter together, so that’s what I slathered mine with!
If you have some buttermilk left over after making these, give the Maple-Oatmeal Scones or Blueberry-Buttermilk Scones a twirl for another wonderful breakfast treat!
More Muffins for Your Mornings:
Coffeecake Muffins
Orange Berry Muffins
Banana Muffins
Chocolate-Chocolate Chunk Muffins
Yield: 12 muffins
Ingredients:
¾ stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups buttermilk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extractEquipment:
12-cup muffin panDirections:
1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit with paper muffin cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.2. Melt the butter and half the chopped chocolate together in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from the heat.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract together until well combined. Pour the liquid ingredients and the melted butter and chocolate over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Do not overmix the batter. Stir in the remaining chopped chocolate. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.
(From Baking: From My Home to Yours
by Dorie Greenspan)
See more: Chocolate, Dorie Greenspan, Muffins
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they look and sound amazing! And I LOVE that you put peanut butter on them, a genius idea
I use to always get giant chocolate muffins from Sams club when I was younger, and these look like they could be their twin! I can’t wait to try this!
These look so amazing – esp with the peanut butter!!
Yum! Especially with that peanut butter! So funny the muffin/cupcake debate. The things we do to rid ourselves of guilt!!
Oh yes! Those muffins are gorgeous, and the peanut butter makes them over-the-top!
These muffins look amazing!!! I tend to think that chocolate muffins are more like cupcakes w/o frosting too, but I am surely not opposed to eating cupcakes for breakfast either
OMG! I’m trying to convince myself that these aren’t that fattening since they have buttermilk and not THAT much butter. LOL
I’d say they are just naked cupcakes LOL but no matter what you call them, they look delicious!
I don’t think I can eat these for breakfast but bring them on for dessert:)
Wow, these look amazing! I can’t wait to make them!
I vote that they are breakfast! A muffin is a cupcake without frosting. As long as there is no frosting, it is breakfast food. It’s the law.
Oh my gosh, you had me at chocolate-chocolate. These look delicious!!!
These look SOOO good
Michelle, this looks like a keeper…definitely one I will be baking for my guys…. it’s chocolatey goodness without too much fat, perfect for breakfast or dessert. BTW, I just picked up my Crofter’s jams at the Post Office (missed the mailman at the door), and we are enjoying them. Many thanks again for this gift. Happy New Year.
These look delish!
These look like an amazing way to not feel guity about having dessert for breakfast
Sounds like a delicious and decadent treat!
OMG chocolate and peanut butter. My husband would vomit at the mere thought of the combination, so they’d all be MINE… gloriously mine!
These look beyond amazing! I’m not one for store bought goods, but I have to admit that I have a weak spot for Costco’s chocolate muffins. These look way better than those, and that’s saying something!
They look delicious!! I will have to make them when I get one of my massive cravings for something Chocolate! Thanks for sharing!
Wow the muffins look rich and chocolaty and that’s just the way I like them! Saving this recipe. Thank you!
These look so chocolaty delicious!
Chocolate for breakfast? Yes please.
muffins or cupcakes, who cares, these look great …never thought of these being naked – funny…
These look fantastic. I love chocolate chip muffins. The ones at Costco are SO good. I’ll have to make these!
Yum! I love jumbo chocolate muffins. I have to keep them out of the house except for special treats because I just gobble them up!
Wow these look really good, and I’m not even a chocolate fan!
Definately a muffin, cupcakes are made by starting out with creaming butter and sugar, adding eggs etc, muffins are mix wet into dry, so I say muffins!
Muffins may not be that pretty as cupcakes, they are far yummier. I don’t know why but I prefer muffins!
Oh my! As if the chocolate muffins were not to die for on their own….then you slattered peanut butter on it. Girl, I think we could be friends
These muffins look so so FANTASTIC. I am going to make them for my kiddos this wk. Thanks for the recipe.:)
Just one word for you.
YUM!
mmmm I love muffins like this when they’re baked so the top is jut a little bit crunchy
I haven’t made double chocolate muffins in a while, i’ll have to try out this recipe soon!
Hi!
By regular muffin pan, do you mean the ones that are really for muffins? and not the normal ones used for cupcakes? Just want to have that clarified. Thanks a lot!!!
And yes, YUMMMMMM!!!
Oh and by the way! how full did you fill up the cupcake liners to create those pretty really-muffin-like domes?
Hi Meg,
Hmm I’ve always used the same type of pan for cupcakes as I do for muffins – just your standard 12-cup pan, such as this one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009EYIRS?ie=UTF8&tag=broeyebak-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=B0009EYIRS
And as far as filling the cups, I used a large cookie dough scoop.
I was dying to make these last night, but I was out of butter and out of vanilla. I ended up making them using smart balance and sans vanilla and they still turned out very good! I filled them up rather close to the top and the result was very nice puffy muffin tops that look delicious! My friend and I are about to enjoy them with some cafe for breakfast, mmmmm….. Thanks for another great recipe!
There is a very fine line between cake, certain “breads” and muffins. These look great!!
Oh, my mouth is watering. Dinner is on the stove, but I want THESE!!!
These are the perfect excuse to have chocolate for breakfast. Well, I guess I know what I’m having for breakfast tomorrow!
@ Michelle:
Oh great! After you used that large cookie dough scoop, how filled were the muffin liners? Like 3/4?
I’ve always wanted to know how to make pretty muffin domes just like these! Haha thanks! 
A perfect recipe for an excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast
Just added this to my recipe collection, can’t wait to bake them!
sounds great love to try ot
I made these last night following the recipe exactly. I loved how they baked up all rounded on top. I had one while still warm, they seamed a little dry to me, also has a slight after taste of baking soda I think 1TBSP is a little too much. I will make these again no doubt but will alter the recipe and see what happens. Happy Baking!
OMG! Those look devine. How can you go wrong with Chocolate. I’m going to have to try these. Thanks!
Yumm these look so good! I made similar ones from Meeta’s site! Loved them!
Hi Megan,
I’d say they were about ¾ full after one pass with the large cookie scoop. I then had some extra batter left that I divided between the muffins. Hope that helps!
Hi Michelle,
I’ve been meaning to comment on your blog for some time, I absolutely love it! I work with your Chief Culinary Consultant and love to cook and bake as well, so have been updated on the amazing things you make and your blog is referenced often. I made these muffins for a breakfast club thingie this past week and they were a huge hit! Thanks for sharing such great tips and recipes.
Bethany
I usually don’t go for chocolate chocolate muffins but must admit that these look like the perfect ones!!
Those look so sinful. I feel like some chocolate right now…
To quote Jim Gaffigan “Muffins are bald cupcakes!” Doesnt mean they are less tasty.
This recipe deserves a try, for sure! The muffins look scrumptious! This is my third comment in minutes – I feel I must add a link on my blog….
These chocolate, chocolate chunk muffins look so tasty we want to try making them. We just did a report on cocoa beans. We learned that it is said they were introduced by the ancient Maya. They made a drink from it, but first they used it as currency (like money). Could you imagine working for money! We thought about it and we love chocolate so much we just might do it!
Just made these for my friend, hope they’re good!
They look it!