Do you have one eye open most mornings, trip over the dog as you shuffle to the kitchen and barely pour your waiting pre-programmed cup of coffee into your mug? Or, if you are like one of my best friends, she can’t even get that far into her morning without a pinch hitter. Her hubby brings her a first cup of the day in bed before she can even attempt to face her day. Yeah, there are men like that, or at least men who are smart enough to know what’s good for them. 😉

If you are one of THOSE kind of people, morning haters, then you NEED these Chocolate Chip Espresso Muffins ready and waiting to be gobbled up with your coffee.  I can’t honestly say that I feel your pain though. Because I am one of those nauseating, pop out of bed at six a.m., bright eyed and ready to bake something tantalizing kind of people. You have my permission to shout obscenities at the screen or place your breakfast order. Either way, I’m cool with it. To each his or her own is my motto.

These muffins are not overdosed on sugar— I pinky swear. I like to taste flavor in my baked goods; flavor that comes from a touch of vanilla, a smattering of cinnamon and a dose of espresso. And if you use nice dark, dark, sinister-like chocolate in your muffins, then these are just barely sweet, a touch bitter when you bite into the chocolate, are oh-so-soft and have a little kick to them.

Whether you are making my GF version or AP flour version is no matter. They are both moist and spongy and just perfect along side a steaming hot cup of coffee. Just whip up a batch tonight, and then you will be completely ready to take on the day tomorrow, knowing that you have these babies waiting for you when you stumble out of bed.

Chocolate Chip Espresso Muffins

An S&C Original Recipe
Gluten Free Version
Makes 12 Regular-Sized Muffins
2 c. home made GF Flour Blend 1*  (See GF Tab on top of my site and make sure to make the flour blend with EXTRA FINE brown rice flour)
1/2 c. + 2 T. coconut sugar or light brown sugar
1 T. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
3/4 t. guar gum*
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. ground espresso powder or instant espresso granules
1/2 c. low-fat buttermilk
1/2 c. Canola oil
2 large eggs
1/2 t. natural vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. dark chocolate chips
1/8 – 1/4 c. Turbinado sugar for topping
Optional add-in: chopped walnuts

*For the All Purpose flour version simply replace 2 cups all purpose flour for the GF flour blend and ELIMINATE guar gum. Everything else is the same.

To make the muffins: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a muffin pan with paper liners (Foil liners work best for GF version). In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour through the espresso powder.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl beat together the milk through the vanilla extract. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients all at once. FOR THE GF VERSION, beat the batter with the whisk until smooth and then add the chocolate chips and stir. For the AP Flour Version, DO NOT BEAT THE BATTER; instead stir the liquid into the dry ingredients with a rubber scraper/spatula until just barely combined. Then add chocolate chips and stir them in. GF flours need to beaten in to get that smooth texture while AP flour products should not be beaten after the wet and dry are combine because then more gluten forms and your baked good will be tough.

Fill the muffin tins 2/3 full and then add a pinch of Turbinado sugar to the top of each muffin. If you don’t have Turbinado sugar, simply use granulated sugar for the topping or chopped walnuts mixed with the sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes depending on your oven. The muffins should be barely firm to the touch, be golden on top and a toothpick should come out clean when you test it in the center of a muffin.