Coffee muffins make mornings feel slightly more civilized, even when everyone wakes up hungry and dramatic. I pack rich coffee flavor into fluffy muffins with buttery crumbs. My husband grabs two before breakfast officially starts, while my picky kid suddenly loves muffins. Honestly, I consider that a parenting victory worth celebrating.
Coffee Muffins Recipe
These Coffee Muffins combine brewed coffee, espresso powder, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla in a tender, fluffy batter. Golden tops and soft centers make them perfect for breakfast, afternoon snacks, or cozy coffee breaks when you need something sweet.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- whisk
- Measuring cups
- Muffin tin
- Muffin Liners
- Cookie Scoop
- Cooling rack
- Freezer
- Freezer-Safe Tray
- airtight container
- oven
Ingredients
Coffee Muffin Batter
- All-purpose flour — 2 cups (240 g)
- Granulated sugar — 1/2 cup (100 g)
- Brown sugar — 1/4 cup (50 g)
- Instant espresso powder — 1 tablespoon (5 g)
- Baking powder — 2 teaspoons (8 g)
- Baking soda — 1/2 teaspoon (2 g)
- Salt — 1/2 teaspoon (3 g)
- Ground cinnamon — 1 teaspoon (3 g)
- Brewed coffee, cooled — 1/2 cup (120 ml)
- Buttermilk — 1/2 cup (120 ml)
- Eggs — 2 large (100 g)
- Unsalted butter, melted — 1/2 cup (113 g)
- Vanilla extract — 1 teaspoon (5 ml)
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips — 1/2 cup (85 g), optional
Coffee Crumble Topping
- All-purpose flour — 1/4 cup (30 g)
- Brown sugar — 2 tablespoons (25 g)
- Unsalted butter, melted — 1 tablespoon (14 g)
- Instant espresso powder — 1/2 teaspoon (2 g)
- Ground cinnamon — 1/4 teaspoon (0.75 g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease each cup.
- Whisk flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
- In another bowl, whisk cooled coffee, buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold gently until just combined. Do not overmix, or the muffins may become dense.
- Fold in chocolate chips if using. The batter should remain thick and slightly lumpy.
- Combine flour, brown sugar, melted butter, espresso powder, and cinnamon for the crumble. Stir until small moist crumbs form.
- Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Sprinkle the coffee crumble generously over each portion.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the tops look golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the muffins in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Let them cool slightly before serving.
- Serve warm with coffee or butter. Freeze completely cooled muffins individually before transferring them to an airtight freezer bag for longer storage.
Notes
For soft, tender muffins, mix the batter only until the flour disappears and avoid overbaking. For slightly firmer edges, bake 1 to 2 minutes longer. Keep the brewed coffee cooled before combining it with the eggs. Freeze cooled muffins individually on a tray, then transfer them to an airtight freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat frozen muffins in the microwave or oven. Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Customize the flavor with extra espresso powder, pumpkin spice, cardamom, chocolate chips, chopped pecans, walnuts, or caramel pieces. Handle warm muffins gently because the crumb remains delicate.
