Chocolate Muffins with a Hint of Cinnamon

Chocolate Cinnamon Muffins

A very filling muffin.  A cross between a brownie, a cupcake and a muffin.

The cinnamon is a nice touch.  Cinnamon and chocolate are a good combo, especially for a muffin to go with coffee in the morning.

I reworked the recipe several times -- lowering the temperature of the oven, using buttermilk instead of milk, adjusting the salt, etc. -- and now I think they are "blog-worthy."

Chocolate Cinnamon Muffins
(adapted from Homesick Texan)

Makes 12 muffins

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 t. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. to 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. regular salt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease twelve regular muffin cups.

You will need two bowls.  A smaller one for the wet ingredients.  And a larger one for the dry ingredients.

Stir together the sugar, oil, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla.

In the larger bowl, whisk or sift together:  flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add the chocolate chips to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir just until combined.  Don't overmix or your muffins will become tough.

Fill the muffin cups three-quarters full.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  22 minutes is what mine have been taking.  Don't overbake.  Take them out sooner rather than later, just like brownies, or they will be too dry.

Let them cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes (until the chips firm up) and then turn them out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.

They freeze well.

B