Looking for a way to get your daily dose of caffeine? These muffins are a scrumptious alternative (or addition) to your morning cup.
Today’s recipe, brought to us by nancypants, is a wonderful brew of flavors: spicy cinnamon, intense coffee, dark chocolate.
My dad, a coffee enthusiast, especially loved the frosting. “That has such a great coffee flavor,” he raved. And though I’m usually not a frosting lover, I have to admit that it was my favorite part.
Ready to see how to make them?
Here’s what you’ll need: butter, sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, milk, egg, Via instant coffee, vanilla extract, and chocolate chips.
Editor’s Note: This post is not sponsored by Starbucks. Any instant coffee will work, but Via works particularly well.
Begin by preheating your oven to 375° F. Melt the butter. Warm the milk. Dissolve the coffee in the warm milk.
Add the melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract to the coffee/milk mixture.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Pour the wet ingredients into a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
Mix together.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Grease or line you muffin tins with papers.
Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full with the batter.
Bake in the preheated 375°F oven for 17–20 minutes. Cool completely.
While the muffins are baking, make the icing. You’ll need butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, Via instant coffee, and water.
Bring some water to a boil.
Dissolve the coffee in a tablespoon of the water.
Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl. You should use a larger bowl than I did. It gets messy…
Add the vanilla and butter.
Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until well-combined. Add the coffee. See? Told you it’d get messy.
When the muffins are completely cool, add the frosting.
Notes:
1. Make sure you wait until the muffins are completely cooled until you add the frosting. If you don’t wait, the frosting will melt.
2. My sister thought the cinnamon in the muffins was a little odd. I thought it was lovely. If you aren’t a big cinnamon fan, you could easily leave it out.
3. You may find that, when you add the coffee, the icing will separate a little. Not to worry! If doesn’t harm it a bit.
Thank you, Nancy, for sharing this yummy recipe with us! (Nancy’s blog is Consider the Lilies, where she shares her poetry and photography.)
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Description
Delectable kick-start-your-morning-muffins that might just help you get through the morning and bed down your chocolate craving at the same time. This is a recipe from a friend of mine that I have altered a bit. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- FOR THE MUFFINS:
- 2 packages Starbucks Via Instant Coffee
- ½ cups Warm Milk
- ¼ cups Melted Margarine
- 1 whole Egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 cup Flour
- ⅓ cups Sugar
- 1-½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoons Salt
- 1 cup Chocolate Chips
- _____
- FOR THE ICING (optional):
- ½ cups Butter, Softened
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar, Or More As Needed
- ½ teaspoons Vanilla
- 2 packages Starbucks Via Instant Coffee
- 1 Tablespoon Boiling Water
Preparation Instructions
Dissolve Starbucks Via instant coffee in warm milk. Stir and mash with a spoon up against the side of the bowl until instant coffee is completely dissolved. Next, add melted margarine, egg and vanilla and whisk until combined.
In another bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Pour wet ingredients into a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir well to incorporate completely. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips.
Fill muffin tins 2/3 full and bake at 375° for 17-20 minutes.
These muffins are pretty sweet and caffeinated, so the icing is really just a much quicker way to send you into some kind of sugar or caffeine-induced coma. You don’t really need it.
BUT should you choose to heed no warning and care nothing for your pancreas and make the icing anyway, start by beating together the butter, sifted powdered sugar (which you can use more than two cups of to attain the right consistency) and vanilla. In a small bowl, mix the Via Instant Coffee together with the boiling water until coffee is dissolved. Add it to the butter mixture and mix until fully incorporated. And now if you have gone and done this, you have probably inadvertently crossed that faded line from the muffin world into the cupcake world. C’est la vie!
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Erica Berge shares her wonderful recipes and amazing food photography on her blog, Cooking for Seven. She also writes about crafts and posts more of her beautiful photography in her personal blog, EricaLea.com. There really isn’t much that this amazing young lady can’t do, and we’re thrilled she does some of it here.
71 Comments
Comments are closed for this recipe.
Amanda on 5.4.2011
I am a Huge coffee/Starbucks fan and I invited my friend over who shares this interest. While I admit I was quite curious and these were fun to make… they aren’t as “Wonderful” as I thought they’d be.
You definitely need milk with them and I keep trying them hoping they’ll get better and in all honesty, I really don’t want to just throw food away.
Will I make these again? No. I made them for my friend and she didn’t want to take Any home, even after I told her I wouldn’t eat them and they’d be wasted. There was just something… off about them
vickyw on 4.15.2011
My mother always used regular brewed coffee in her butter cream frosting instead of milk. Especially on her double chocolate sheet cake. Think I’ll try these muffins with her frosting. Thanks for the memories.
Michelle on 4.12.2011
Yummy!!!
Tiffany on 4.8.2011
I am just wondering what the measurements of each of the ingredients are…. it just tells you what to add not how much. Cant wait to make these! Thanks so much for sharing.
Katie B on 4.8.2011
I made these with the Carmel Via because that’s what I had at the time. They were so good! Very strong flavor but still so good!
Courtney on 4.3.2011
I like to make muffins/cupcakes in large batches and freeze them for future use. Are they as good without the frosting?
clarency on 4.3.2011
Made them on Instant Cappucino mix. They’re absolutly delicious and I shared them with some relatives that loved the idea of coffee in muffins.
meredith disque on 4.1.2011
those look amazing without the frosting too! I’m so wishing I could reach into my computer right now and take one! Gotta run for some instant coffee and I found my next baking project! Thanks for posting.
Pam, in NC on 3.30.2011
I made these!! But I made them as ‘babycakes’ to be a little snack with coffee…. Oh my starz!!!!!!! Super-delicious and not a little bit sweet!! I love coffee, I love chocolate, I love sugar. But I think next time (and there WILL be a next time soon!!!) I’ll only use one coffee packet in the frosting… THANK YOU so much for sharing this!!
Rochel on 3.29.2011
I made these the other day-delicious! I’ve been having one every afternoon (just one
) at 2:00 when I want to crawl in bed and take a nap and it gives me the ‘kick in the pants’ I need to keep going through the afternoon 
Susan on 3.29.2011
Wow I plan to make them for my coffeeholic hubby this weekend. Can’t wait. Thanks for always sharing wonderful recipes.
Carol on 3.29.2011
These were better then good, better than delicious, better then perfect, better than……
My only complaint…one batch is not enough! My live-ins and I plowed through these. Can’t wait to make again, and again, and again…
If you are considering this recipe, let me help you – MAKE THESE!
Echo on 3.29.2011
I made these as mini muffins on Sunday. I had some leftover Via Christmas coffee so this seemed like an amazing way to use it up. I could really smell the coffee during the prep, but after they were made? My husband thought they were chocolate muffins with chocolate chips. Zero coffee taste. So, if you are looking for coffee flavor, either use more Via or use a stronger blend? (although the Via I used said “bold”) *shrug* They were just ok. Although it could just be US. We like our coffee strong…and these had zero coffee flavor.
amy on 3.28.2011
YUM! Chocolate/coffee/icing does it GET any better?!
Laurie on 3.28.2011
I just made the muffins and they are cooling before I make the icing. They smell wonderful I can’t wait to taste them!
Kelly H. on 3.28.2011
You know, Via also comes in a cinnamon flavor. That would probably be delicious in this recipe! (the only reason I know, is I happen to have some of the cinnamon flavor at home.) Can’t wait to make this!
Mer on 3.28.2011
I just made these. I must have measured wrong in the muffin recipe. My batter was way too much liquid. I keep looking back over the recipe, but I can’t find my mistake. Oh well… they are yummy!
Jeanie on 3.28.2011
I tried these today with a couple of minor adjustments.
I added some cocoa powder to the batter to give it more of a mocha flavour, and added both cocoa powder and a splash of Kahlua to the icing. YUMMY!
sabinegar on 3.27.2011
This was a wonderful recipe! My batter only made 11 muffins, though. Who knows why. I probably don’t need the extra muffin!
ELaine Pool on 3.27.2011
I couldn’t wait – I made these yesterday morning & they were delicious! No frosting – I called them “breakfast.” Yummmmmm!
JourneyKitchen on 3.27.2011
I’m loving this. And I can say without even making it – I will love the frosting!!
Amy Jordan on 3.26.2011
These look absolutely delicious! I’m a big fan of frosting in general. Can’t wait to try these.
Marla Meridith on 3.26.2011
These muffins are so fun! Great step by step
debstmomy on 3.26.2011
Just want to share that I used Taster’s Choice instant coffee (a Via knock-off) & they were just awesome!!!!
Next time I may use a little cocoa powder in the frosting too, for more of a mocha flavor!
Joanne on 3.26.2011
I love Via! This looks like the perfect combination!
Sarah on 3.26.2011
On my way to go get some Via instant coffee… and will be making them right away!!!
Beth on 3.26.2011
I love love love coffee in all forms. Off to Starbucks to get some VIA! These will be a hit on my BFF vacation to Florida next week!!!
Matthew on 3.26.2011
So uh, yeah. I just made these.
Wow. Do NOT make these if you don’t love coffee. If you do…make them right now.
Katrina on 3.26.2011
Yum! Amazing looking muffins. Drool!
debstmomy on 3.26.2011
Just made them, OMG! Best muffin/cupcake EVER! Thank YOU!
Priscilla on 3.25.2011
Hmmm…..I have some instant espresso powder and that might work in this recipe. I think I’m going to try it!
Cristina on 3.25.2011
These look AWESOME!!! Gonna have to make them, but how do I wait for them too cool, seriously???
Sue on 3.25.2011
King Arthur Flour sells some divine coffee flavored chips which might be fun to try also.
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is on 3.25.2011
Oh my goodness I need these immediately.
laura @ alittlebarefoot on 3.25.2011
these look positively dreamy.
nancypants on 3.25.2011
P.S. Via packets contain 3.3 grams of instant coffee. Looking up conversions on this is difficult because some “granulated” stuff is loftier so takes up more space (regular instant coffee) than the fine grind of Via. Via is very fine and looking up conversions I found that 3.3g of gelatin powder (also very fine) is equal to 1 tsp. So judging from that I would probably use about 1 1/2 tsp. to 2 tsp. as a substitute for Via if you are using a traditional bulkier-grain instant coffee. I don’t have suggestions for using regular brewed coffee. (sorry!) These are just my thoughts and not a scientific answer.
SueDeeSue on 3.25.2011
These look great and I swear you can smell the muffins right through the screen.
nancypants on 3.25.2011
What a lovely surprise it was to find this post. I wondered what the influx of TK friend requests was all about! :^P So glad you all liked the recipe. I need to make these again. I had originally gotten a similar recipe from a friend and then changed it up some but I knew it would be a hit with others. They are certainly memorable. Too bad I’m not really supposed to have caffeine anymore!!
Carol on 3.25.2011
Going to make these ASAP!
Sarie Doverspike on 3.25.2011
I am so making these this weekend! Thanks for the recipe!
eensmom on 3.25.2011
I am going to see if I can convert this to gluten free. It sounds delicious!
jumpingbean on 3.25.2011
Mmmm mmmm, I soooo want to make these!
Cyndi Pruitt on 3.25.2011
I can’t find the measurements on these ingredients. How much ofeach do I use?
gail23 on 3.25.2011
Yes please. How much instant coffee?
Caroline C on 3.25.2011
I was wondering how much instant coffee to use also. I dont have the pre-packaged kind.
Linda on 3.25.2011
Regarding the instant coffee …. how many teaspoons are in these two packets (total)?
Jenny on 3.25.2011
I always have a cup of instant cappaccino each morning – my brand is the Victorian Inn English Toffee – and the other day when I was in a hurry and didn’t stir it too well, I sipped a clump of the powder and it came to me – I should use this in baking! YUMMMM! And then I see this recipe. – I’ll have to try it!! I may have to try pancakes too
Thanks
Urban Wife on 3.25.2011
I heart coffee and these sound perfect! My list of things to bake keeps growing quicker than I can handle.
JacQ on 3.25.2011
OMG, these muffins look sooooo delicious~ I almost licked my laptop screen…
Rubyane Burkhart on 3.25.2011
These look so good it makes me wish I liked coffee!