Description
Delight in these rich and moist Chocolate Strawberry Muffins, combining the deep flavors of Dutch-processed cocoa and espresso powder with fresh chopped strawberries and melty semisweet chocolate chips. Perfect for a decadent breakfast treat or an indulgent snack, these muffins offer a perfect balance of chocolatey goodness and fruity freshness.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup Hot Water
- ½ cup Neutral Oil
- 2 large Eggs (room temperature)
- 1 cup Sour Cream (room temperature)
Sugars
- 1 cup Brown sugar
- ⅓ cup Granulated Sugar
Dry Ingredients
- ¾ teaspoon Espresso Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 ¾ cups All-Purpose Flour
- ¾ cup Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
Add-ins
- ¾ cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
- 1 cup Fresh Strawberries (chopped into small pieces)
Instructions
- Prepare espresso mixture: In a jug or cup, whisk the hot water with the espresso powder until well combined. This enhances the chocolate flavor in the muffins.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, neutral oil, sour cream, the prepared hot espresso mixture, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
- Add dry ingredients: Gradually add the flour, Dutch processed cocoa powder, kosher salt, baking soda, and baking powder to the wet mixture. Stir gently just until the batter is almost smooth; do not overmix to keep the muffins tender.
- Incorporate add-ins: Fold in the semisweet chocolate chips and chopped fresh strawberries evenly through the batter.
- Rest the batter: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and let the batter rest for 30 to 60 minutes. This step helps hydrate the flour and deepens the flavors.
- Preheat oven and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 425℉ (220℃). Line two muffin pans with liners, placing liners in every other muffin hole so only 6 muffins bake at a time; this spacing allows the muffin tops to rise beautifully.
- Fill muffin cups: Spoon the batter into each lined muffin cup, filling each just over ¾ full to allow room for rising without overflow.
- Bake the muffins: Bake the muffins at 425℉ for 5 minutes to give them an initial rise, then reduce the oven temperature to 350℉ (175℃) and continue baking for an additional 18-23 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool and finish: Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes. For a bakery-style finish, gently press some additional chocolate chips onto the warm muffin tops immediately after baking. Then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Resting the batter enhances muffin texture and flavor; do not skip this step.
- Adding fresh strawberries adds moisture, so do not overbake to keep muffins tender and moist.
- Filling muffin cups just over ¾ full prevents batter overflow while allowing a nice dome on top.
- Pressing extra chocolate chips on warm muffins creates an appealing bakery-style look and extra chocolate flavor.
- Muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.
- Reheat muffins briefly in a microwave or oven for a fresh-baked taste.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 28 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snack, Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
