My Homemade Life: A Gal's Gotta Have Her MINI ESPRESSO Chocolate Chip Muffins

Coffee Lovers Unite!

I will never, ever, ever, ever turn away a coffee-flavored baked good.

Ever.

And if chocolate is involved, then stand back, because I get really embarrassing.

I mean a gal's gotta have coffee-flavor and chocolate together or else the world is not right.

I especially love them the next day, with my coffee (of course) because I take my muffin, and pop it in the microwave for a couple seconds, just to get it warm and get the chocolate all melty.

Nothing like a cup of coffee with an Espresso muffin!

Like I said...Coffee Lovers Unite!

NOTE: I forgot to add the milk in the photo above! Oops!

2 packages Starbucks Via Instant Coffee Italian Roast Extra Bold (Please do not substitute)
1/2 c. warm milk
1/4 c. melted margarine ( 1/2 stick )
1 whole egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. flour
1/3 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. chocolate chips
1 Mini Muffin Tin (I prefer to use the mini muffin tin instead of the regular cupcake tin)

IMPORTANT: I want to stress something about these muffins. Please please please use the Starbucks Via Instant Coffee (Italian Roast Extra Bold) flavor. This is really easy to find. I KNOW everyone knows where a Starbucks is! Or, I have even seen this in your local grocery store. So how easy is that? No reason to substitute!

I know I'm very demanding with my recipe instructions. It's only because I love ya. Plus I want to be sure your stuff comes out tasting so yummy!

OK, so this is what the box looks like. Inside are the little individual packets. This is how they sell it at the grocery store, but I believe Starbucks actually sells the individual packets. Personally, I just buy the box, because I make these muffins so often, or I will actually make the instant coffee when I'm in a hurry. This stuff never goes to waste in my house.

Let's get started because I can't wait to have more coffee in my system.

Ge out your Kitchen Aid mixer or a large bowl. Combine the flower, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Combine all the dry ingredients together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients (this is where we are going to dump all the wet ingredients when we're ready).

Now, get out two smallish microwavable bowls. In one bowl, place your 1/2 c. milk, and in the other bowl, place your 1/2 stick butter.

Place the bowl with the butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Watch it closely, we just want it melted. Once that is done, take it out and let it cool off a bit. Now put the bowl with the milk in the microwave for 50 seconds.

Once the milk is nice and warm, take your two packets of Via Instant Coffee and cut off the tops and pour into the milk.

Mix the milk and the coffee really well with a spoon, mashing all the little particles on the side of the bowl to ensure its Incorporated really well into the milk.

WARNING: Do not drink this sucker, unless you want to clean your entire house, grocery shop, do 10 loads of laundry, wash the car, and re-paint your bedroom...all in a couple hours. This stuff is potent. It smells utterly fantastic and I want to drink it immediately, but I don't dare.

Ok, now gently crack open the egg, and put into the "well" of the dry goods, then place your melted butter and your coffee & milk mixture. Blend everything together really well, scraping the sides of the bowl if necessary.

Again, the smell of this stuff is heavenly to us coffee lovers.

Look at this incredible batter.

Now gently fold in the chocolate chips into the batter.

Take your MINI muffin tins and spray them really really really well with Baker's Joy. The non-stick spray that has the flour mixed in. We want these little darlings to just pop right out easily when they are done. This batter makes two mini muffin tins (24 mini muffins).

I prefer to use the mini-muffin tins instead of the regular cupcake tins. I just like the idea of having a little tiny muffin to pop in my mouth when ever I feel like it, instead of having to eat an entire big ole muffin. See how cute and little these things are.

Fill your tins 3/4 full and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 8 minutes. Watch your time! Take them out when they are just about done. We don't want to over-bake cause dry muffins are NOT good.
Use the trusty toothpick-in-center trick.