Double Chocolate Muffins

I’m sure I’ve said it before, but I’m not a morning person. Like, at all. And I envy all of you morning people who not only seem to have the ability to get out of bed at a decent hour, but generally enjoy doing so. I wish I had your super power. Instead I’m that person that at 9am (ok, ok, 10 am… maybe 11am… don’t judge me!) comes shuffling and shambling out of bed like the sleep zombie that I am, only to sit on the couch for another hour wondering for the billionth morning whether or not squinting really really hard at the coffee machine will, in fact, cause it to brew my cup of coffee on its own (sadly, my magical sleepy squint has not yet worked on the coffee machine. It does, however, seem to work on the husband). In order to become a normal, functioning human being, I need my cup of coffee (regular with a healthy dose of whole milk) and something to eat. Unfortunately morning sleep zombies like myself are not so great with making food, nor should they really be allowed near hot things like that could result in them transforming from sleep zombie to raging hulk monster. Enter breakfasts that can be made ahead (easy, quick, and no chance of burning yourself)! My new personal favorite that I can make the night before and enjoy from the safety of my couch: double chocolate muffins!

Double Chocolate Muffins
Yields about 12 muffins

What you’ll need:
1/2 stick (57 grams) butter
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup chocolate chips + extra for garnishing
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp. baking cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour

Start by preheating your oven to 425* Fahrenheit (205* Celsius) and lining or greasing your muffin pans. In a large, microwave-safe bowl, melt your butter. Add the milk and reheat so that the whole mixture is hot (it’s ok if the milk and butter separate at this point). Add the chocolate chips and stir until completely melted, microwaving in 10 second increments if the mixture starts to cool down. Go ahead and add your sugars, and stir until they dissolve. Make sure you keep stirring until there are no longer any brown sugar lumps. Add your baking soda, cocoa, and vanilla extract. One at a time, at your eggs, whisking between each new addition. Add your flour, and stir until everything is completely combined. Be prepared for some thick batter!

Pour your batter into your prepared muffin pan(s), filling the cups only about half full. These muffins will rise quite a bit which is why you don’t want to overfill your pans. Garnish your batter with some extra chocolate chips before baking. Bake for 3-5 minutes at 425* Fahrenheit (205* Celsius), then reduce to 350* Fahrenheit (175* Celsius) for another 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Happy baking!

Baking method adapted from Dinner, Dishes, and Desserts