Description
Rich coffee muffins with chocolate chips, topped with homemade crunchy toffee. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet snack.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts (your choice!)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark, your preference!)
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, granulated sugar, water, and salt.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved.
- Once the sugar is dissolved, stop stirring and let the mixture come to a boil. Use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature.
- Continue to cook the mixture, without stirring, until it reaches the hard-crack stage (300-310°F or 149-154°C). This will take about 10-15 minutes. The mixture will turn a beautiful amber color. Be patient and keep a close eye on it, as it can burn quickly at this stage. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can test the toffee by dropping a small amount into a bowl of ice water. If it forms hard, brittle threads, it’s ready.
- Once the toffee reaches the hard-crack stage, immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. Quickly stir in the chopped nuts.
- Pour the toffee mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread it into an even layer.
- Let the toffee cool completely at room temperature. This will take about 30-60 minutes. You can speed up the process by placing it in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes.
- Once the toffee is completely cool and hardened, break it into small pieces. You can use a knife or simply break it with your hands. Don’t worry about making them perfectly uniform; rustic is charming!
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease it well with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the cooled coffee, buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter. A few lumps are okay!
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips and about 3/4 of the broken toffee pieces. Reserve the remaining toffee for topping the muffins.
- Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full with the batter.
- Sprinkle the remaining toffee pieces evenly over the tops of the muffins.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the muffins cool in the muffin tin for about 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Coffee Strength: Use strong brewed coffee or espresso for the best flavor.
- Nut Variations: Experiment with different nuts in the toffee (pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts).
- Chocolate Variations: Use milk chocolate, white chocolate, or a combination of chocolate chips.
- Espresso Powder: Add 1-2 teaspoons of espresso powder to the dry ingredients for a more intense coffee flavor.
- Gluten-Free Option: Substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend containing xanthan gum.
- Storage: Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
- Make Ahead: Toffee can be made up to a week in advance. Muffin batter can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours (rise may be slightly affected).
- Serving Suggestions: Serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, coffee, or tea.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes