50 minutes
Rich, nutty muffins with chunks of semisweet chocolate and a sweet, crunchy top.
cups
tablespoons
teaspoons
Semisweet Chocolate, chopped coarse
0 oz
tablespoons
cups
cups
each
cups
teaspoons
1. Prepare oven and muffin tin
Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Cut parchment paper into roughly 5-inch squares, and press them into the muffin tin using a drinking glass to ensure they fit snugly and protrude slightly from the cups.
2. Mix dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until they're evenly combined. Add the chopped chocolate to this dry mixture and give it a quick toss to coat the chocolate pieces in flour.
3. Brown the butter
Melt the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally. Keep an eye on it; the butter will foam and then start to turn a dark golden brown, releasing a nutty aroma, which should take about 2-4 minutes. Once browned, pour the butter into a large, heatproof bowl and let it cool for about 10 minutes.
4. Mix wet ingredients
While the butter cools, in a large bowl, whisk together 1¼ cups of sugar and the eggs until the mixture is thick and creamy, which takes about a minute. Then, whisk in the sour cream and vanilla extract until smooth. Finally, whisk in the cooled browned butter.
5. Combine wet and dry ingredients
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a rubber spatula. Be careful not to overmix; you want the batter to be thick and slightly lumpy, with some dry spots remaining.
6. Portion and sprinkle sugar
Portion the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin, using a greased ⅓-cup dry measuring cup to scoop the batter. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with the remaining ¼ cup of sugar.
7. Bake muffins
Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, rotating the tin halfway through baking. They're done when the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Serve
Serve the muffins warm or at room temperature, and enjoy their rich, nutty flavor and delicious chocolate chunks.
Add a teaspoon of instant espresso powder or replace some of the liquid with strong brewed coffee to complement the chocolate flavor with a subtle coffee background.
Incorporate cocoa powder into the batter to create a double chocolate muffin.
Swirl in some salted caramel sauce into the batter before baking, or fill the muffin centers with it after baking.
Mix in instant coffee granules to the batter, and top with a coffee-flavored streusel.
For a mocha chip muffin, use both the coffee infusion suggested above and mix in chocolate chips instead of chunks for a smoother texture.
Watch the butter carefully as it cooks, swirling the pan occasionally. As soon as the milk solids turn brown and the butter smells nutty, remove it from the heat and transfer it to a bowl to stop the cooking process.
Check muffins a few minutes before the recipe's suggested time and look for a few moist crumbs on a toothpick inserted into the center, indicating perfect doneness.
Fold wet and dry ingredients gently until just combined to avoid developing the gluten too much, which can lead to dense muffins.
Use an oven thermometer to confirm the accuracy of your oven's temperature and preheat for at least 15 minutes before baking.
Use high-quality chocolate chunks for a more uneven and satisfying melt, and consider chopping up a bar of premium chocolate.
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