These Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins are great for a quick, energizing breakfast, or a lighter, chocolatey dessert.
If you couldn’t tell by the addition of coffee in this recipe, I’ve become slightly obsessed with adding coffee to almost everything. I just love the delicious subtlety the coffee flavor adds.
Since I used instant coffee for both of these recipes (as opposed to regular ground coffee), I thought I would explain why. The reason instant coffee is used in baking instead of your usual, ground coffee, is because instant coffee (freeze-dried coffee) requires no further liquid to add that coffee flavor. Instant coffee is easily rehydratable, hence the term instant coffee: a cup of coffee can be made in an instant with the addition of hot water.
When baking, the ingredient proportions are so sensitive that instant coffee is the recommended way to go. If you add regular, fine coffee in the mix, you’ll end up having to compensate and add extra liquids, which throws everything off.
To get a more intense coffee flavor in your baking, you can switch out the instant coffee for instant espresso!
These muffins are…
Whole wheat
Oil/butter-free
Sweet
Chocolatey
Energizing
Moist
These muffins can also be made dairy-free by subbing in dairy-free chocolate chips.
The batter will be on the thicker side; don’t worry! That’s how it’s supposed to be. However, this does mean you should keep an eye on your muffins while they are baking to prevent over-baking them and drying them out.
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3 tbs instant coffee or espresso
- ⅔ cup chocolate almond milk
- 5 tbs vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees and grease a muffin tin.
- Combine the wet ingredients in a bowl. Mix well.
- Add the instant coffee, the sugar and the baking powder. Combine with a whisk until mixed well.
- Add the flour in batches and whisk together.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Using a spoon or an ice cream scoop, scoop the batter into each muffin tin.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes. Keep an eye on them!
Your turn:
What is one ingredient you are currently obsessed with?
Do you eat muffins for dessert, too? (Or am I just weird?)
Oh wow! I’m pinning that recipe and giving it a try!
Marsha recently posted…Training Tips To Get At Those Goals
I hope you enjoy, Marsha!
The Blissful Balance recently posted…Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins
Oooh, I can dig these!! They look fabulous and would love to eat one with a cup of coffee

Rachel recently posted…Buffalo Cauliflower Bites + Garlic Greek Yogurt Sauce
Ohhh double whammy. That’s a great idea 😀
The Blissful Balance recently posted…Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins
This is my kind of breakfast: caffeine and chocolate in one glorious muffin!!
Would white whole wheat flour work as a sub? Also, I don’t have instant coffee…do you think I could get away with actual coffee grounds?
Hi, Marina! Thanks for your comment. White whole wheat flour would work fine. However, ground coffee does not suffice because it requires a brewing process for the flavors to be extracted.
The Blissful Balance recently posted…Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins
I’m a coffee addict as well! I need to start baking with instant grounds more. Thick muffin dough is a good sign of deliciousness!
Margaret @ youngandrungry recently posted…10 Traits that Make Runners Successful in Life
Yes yes it’s a great addition in baking!! Thanks girl!
The Blissful Balance recently posted…Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins
OBSESSED with this. Love muffins, love chocolate (duh) and love coffee (double duh). I seriously might have to go pick up some chocolate almond milk specifically for this recipe… amazing Christina!
Ashley @ Fit Mitten Kitchen recently posted…Sweet Potato Fries with Walnuts, Brown Sugar, & Sweet Chili Sauce
Chocolate almond milk is my current obsessionnn! <3
The Blissful Balance recently posted…Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins
I’ve never baked with coffee before but looks like I need to! I love both coffee and muffins so this looks yummmmmy. Thanks for sharing
Thanks, Amanda!! xo
The Blissful Balance recently posted…Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins
You know it’s gonna be a great day when you have coffee AND chocolate together! I totally eat muffins for dessert all the time, no shame in that, they are delicious!
rachel at athletic avocado recently posted…Warm and Nourishing Bowl of Frothy Chai Spiced Oatmeal with Apple Noodles
Right?! Maybe muffins are meant for dessert, but we’re eating them for breakfast!? #mindblown
The Blissful Balance recently posted…Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins
Coffee and chocolate together for the win!!! Love it. And all your recipes always look delicious.
Haley recently posted…Currently – January 2016
Thanks so much, Haley!!
The Blissful Balance recently posted…Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins
I actually don’t drink coffee but I love the flavor of it! I love it in chocolate and in pastries and I bet I would these muffins! Didn’t know that about instant coffee and baking. That was a very helpful tip!
linda \\ the baker who kerns recently posted…No-Bake Coconut Quinoa Crunch Cookies [V + GF]
I love love love the flavor of coffee. I am addicted to it haha ooops. Thanks for the love, Linda!
The Blissful Balance recently posted…Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins
A chocolate and coffee combo is always a win in my book! I think I would eat these while sipping a mug of black coffee

sarah recently posted…Busting Nutrition Myths
Yummm I seriously want that right now. Except then I wouldn’t sleep all night LOL
The Blissful Balance recently posted…Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins
I went through a muffin stage, but somehow lost it! It’s bad, I know. I love the simplicity of this recipe – i have all of the ingredients except for the instant coffee!!
Jess @hellotofit recently posted…My Effective Method for Better Bicycle Crunches
You know, I did too. I used to make them every week almost so that I could bring them for breakfast (sales field job) to work. Then I fell off the train, but I’m back!! lol
The Blissful Balance recently posted…Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins
Coffee in everythingggggg. These sound so yummy! You really can’t go wrong with the combination of chocolate and coffee.
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Les @ The Balanced Berry recently posted…How to Make Coconut Butter
Chocolate and coffee is a match made in heaven. Whoever the first person to combine them was a genius.
The Blissful Balance recently posted…Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins
Pinning and potentially eating my computer. Don’t mind me.
SuzLyfe (@suzlyfe) recently posted…Friday Favorites: From Client Feedback to T-Rex Videos
hahaha you crack me up. I hope you have a warranty.
The Blissful Balance recently posted…Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins
These look absolutely delicious. Love coffee so much so I’m going to have to try these!
Alyssa recently posted…Friday Favorites 1/29/16
Thanks, Alyssa!
The Blissful Balance recently posted…Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins
These look so good! I love any kind of muffins!
Shannon recently posted…Kung Pao Tofu
So do I
thanks, Shannon!!!
The Blissful Balance recently posted…Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins
These look amazing!!! Coffee + anything = amazing.
Need to try these!
Margaret @ Simple Fit Foodie recently posted…Easy Broccoli and Kale Soup
Thanks so much, Margaret!!
The Blissful Balance recently posted…Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins
Stoppppp ittttt!!! These look amazing! I love baking with instant coffee. It yields such a deeper, richer flavor. Seriously Christina, these look bomb dot comb.
Chrissa – Physical Kitchness recently posted…Paleo Plantain Pinwheels
Aww thank you so much Chrissa <3 coming from you, that means a lot!!
The Blissful Balance recently posted…Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins
Chocolate and coffee are the best combo! These look so delicious Christina. I could eat a whole batch right now hehe!!!
Harriet Emily recently posted…train dirty london: skinny rebel workout
Aw thank you Harriet!! xo
The Blissful Balance recently posted…Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins
Coffee in my muffins sounds like something I need in my life ASAP!!
Definitely trying this recipe as my spouse loves any recipe that has to do with coffee and chocolate. Thanks for sharing this!
It’s one of my favorite combinations!! I love experimenting with it. Thanks for reading!!
I can’t find chocolate almond milk. How much cocoa powder do you recommend adding if I try to make my own?
Oh no! Here is a good recipe that I think will help you to make your own: http://minimalistbaker.com/super-thick-diy-chocolate-almond-milk/
yummy! two of my biggest guilty pleasures combined
Which ONE ingredient? Makin’ it tough here. LOL
I eat muffins for breakfast, but I think an espresso and one of these muffins for afternoon would work out just fine.
Wouldn’t using the same amount of espresso powder as instant coffee make it a little too potent?
Bob @Wired for Coffee recently posted…Kitchen Too Far For Coffee? Get Lazy, Here’s How
Hi Bob! I actually made this recipe last week using espresso! It amplified the coffee flavor but it wasn’t too potent. I say if you’re going to make them, do it with instant coffee first, and then if you feel like you want them to be more bold, try ’em with espresso. Thanks for the comment!
I don’t have whole wheat flour where I live but I totally want to make this. Because, coffee. You know. 😉 Anywho, can I get away with using all-purpose flour instead?
Yep! I made these the other day actually with AP and they worked fine!
Alrighty. Thanks much! ^_^
Nathalie recently posted…Chocolate Cupcake with Chocolate SMBC Frosting
Love your blog! Started a new high protein diet 4 weeks ago, and alas have not found a protein cake recipe that hasn’t been dry and tasteless… this looks great, will be trying out later!!! Only just discovered your blog, favorited and now a regular viewer!
Yummy! I made these! It was so tasty, all my family like it