Joy the Baker

Coffee Coffee Cake Muffins

by 174 Comments

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I saw people in bikinis today.  People.  In.  Bikinis.

Friends… apparently it’s time.  Granted, I live in Los Angeles.  It’s SunnySunTown.

Just a few days ago I was eager and ready for summer.  Summer is great, right!?  Well… I was mostly thinking about watermelon, picnics, and late night tacos.  I was NOT thinking about bikinis.  I’m not ready to think about bikinis.  I’m medium ready to think about tankinis… and that’s about as far as it goes.

I tend to have really strange reactions to seeing people in bikinis.  I make muffins.  It’s sort of a knee-jerk reaction.  People are wearing very little clothes in public?  Right… right.  I’ll be right back.  I have to go make a dozen, and eat at least two muffins. (brb. no bigs)

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I want to pack these muffins with as much flavor as possible.

In my kitchen, flavor generally starts with browned butter.

The process of browning butter takes the cold stick of yellow butter, and makes it a golden brown, nutty smelling, butter liquid.

It is divinity.

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I made simple sugar fragrant and utterly lovely by adding fresh vanilla bean.

I split a vanilla bean, scraped out the seeds and rubbed it into granulated sugar.  I used my clean fingers.  This pretty much creates the best perfume ever.

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Next flavor?  Espresso!

Instant espresso powder is one of my secret weapons in the kitchen.  …I’ll throw it in the eyes on any burglar that breaks in my house.

It also adds an amazing depth to chocolate desserts.  Brownies and chocolate cakes are brilliant with just a touch of instant espresso powder re-hydrated in a bit of hot water.

In these muffins, the espresso powder isn’t hidden behind dreamy chocolate.  The coffee flavor is combined with browned butter and vanilla sugar to create… well, a dang lovely breakfast muffin batter.

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I filled the muffin cups halfway with the vanilla, brown butter batter… then I stirred the espresso mixture into the remaining batter and topped off the muffin cups.  Yea… vanilla and coffee in these humble little muffins.  No biggie.

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Streusel and cinnamon too!  It wouldn’t be coffee cake without a streusel.

These are good thinking and planning muffins.  Grab your calender and coffee… settle in.  Avoid any and all thoughts about bikinis.

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Or!  Put on a pair of cowboy boots and a little dress and take these muffins for brunch times.  Totally the right move.

These muffins are tender and flavorful.  The coffee flavor is alluring and not too sweet.  They’re like little cupcakes you can totally get away with enjoying in the morning.  It’s just good breakfast eating.

Coffee Coffee Cake Muffins

makes 12 muffins

Print this Recipe!

10 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk

2 large eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons istant espresso powder mixed with 1 1/2 tablespoons warm water

For the Topping

3 Tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Put a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line muffin pan with paper or foil liners.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Keep an eye on the butter.  Melt and cook down the butter until little brown bits appear in the pan.  The crackling will subside and butter will begin to brown fairly quickly after that.  Keep a close eye.  Remove from heat.

If using vanilla bean, split the vanilla bean down the center, scrape the seeds out, and in a small bowl, rub the vanilla beans into the granulated sugar.  I used my fingers and it worked like a charm.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, and vanilla.  Add the brown butter and stir to combine.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl  Add milk and butter mixture all at once, and stir gently to combine.

Divide half of the batter among muffin cups.  Stir the espresso and water mixture into the remaining batter.  Divide the espresso batter between the twelve muffin cups.

To make the topping combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until crumbly.  Sprinkle evenly over the batter in the cups.

Bake until golden and crisp and a wooden pick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes.  Keep an eye on them… they dry out quickly.  Cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes then remove from the pan.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. nena

    I tried this recipe today and I was so pleased it turned out exactly like the photos and the taste was really great! I have been looking for a good coffee cake muffin made with espresso powder and some cinnamon, and I finally found it! That browned butter sure did make an excellent flavor. I also like the way these muffins rise. I have never been able to get muffins to rise before, so this is exciting. It looks just like the ones in the bakery. The only thing is maybe mine were a little too dense, like I need to Use a little less flour? Anyways, thanks so much! I see this came out around 2012 and I hope you’re still doing baking. It seems like 2012 was just yesterday, how the time flies

    Reply

  2. Ana

    Thanks so much for this recipe…the muffins were delicious. The coffee flavor was rather hard to pinpoint, and instead everything just melded into this breakfast-y flavor that was ever so nice:)

    Reply

  3. Sarah

    These were great!! So healthy & tasty! I’m on my third double batch…I can’t keep them in the house. My family loves them! I had featured u in the post of Top 7 Sweet & Savory Muffins on AllFreshRecipes, Looking forward to ur renewly post!

    Reply

  4. Mariam

    I only discovered the wonderful world of brown butter yesterday in a cookie. OMG! Do amazing I’m never making a choc-chip cookie without it again! so you can only imagine how excited I am to make these muffins since I also love coffee and vanilla and cinnamon too!

    Espresso powder s near impossible to find here in Australia so d you honk I could sub some liquid espresso for milk of use finely ground coffee?

    Reply

  6. ye-mek

    Muffin, muffin, muffin… We love muffin so much. These are great…We will try it… Thanks for sharing this great recipe with us.

    Reply

  7. Jennie L

    This is the first time I’ve made browned butter and I tell you, this is a flavor I want to take a bath in. The aroma of the mix was unbelievable…How did I exist without browned butter before? Love the recipe and am definitely not prepared to wear a bathing suit but so ready to make these again.

    Reply

  8. Deese

    Totally Awesome. I made these without the espresso powder (not a fan of coffee) and used sour milk (only thing on hand). Very good, love the texture and perfectly sweet, with the right amount of cinnamon. I will be making these again!

    :)

    Reply

  12. Joy

    I have always loved that we share the same first name! :)
    We love espresso in my house – so have an espresso machine – do you think it would work as well to substitute freshly made espresso in place of the espresso powder + water? Or do you think the coffee flavor would not be as strong because of the espresso powder/water concentration difference?
    Thank you so much for both your wonderful recipes and also your delightful posts. Your witty and happy writing style brings rays of sunshine to my day (and your mouth-watering recipes bring deliciousness to my taste buds!)!

    Reply

    • Mariam

      I was wondering the same thing since espresso powder is like impossible to find in Australia and we’ve got the heaps better thing – real espresso. I might make an espresso then further enhance the coffee flavour by ‘brewing’ a few T of coffee into it as you would with a french press :)

      Reply

  13. Valerie

    This is happening today. Thank you, Joy!!!!

    And I’m sure my husband will thank you too if I don’t screw this up too much haha.

    Reply

  14. xgirlpilot

    I love reading your posts, and if I could eat sugar, I’d buy your recipe and bake (and eat) until I had a muffin-top! I wonder if you’ve ever done experiments with stevia instead of sugar? Regardless, I love reading your posts, you make me smile… and that’s as good as sugar in my books!

    Reply

  18. Jessica

    I didn’t read all the comments but I hope someone made a muffin top joke in there somewhere. A link to the Jenna Maroney video would be a double-bonus.

    I am going to totally make these next weekend for my mom and sister who are coming to help me pack and move (AGAIN). I can’t wait to hear the “oooh”s and “ahhhh”s and “DANG!”s when they see/taste them. I will let you know how that plays out.

    Thanks again!

    Reply

  19. Lora @cakeduchess

    Coffee coffee muffins…these are going to be made just for ME!:)Living in Florida I know what you mean about seeing people in bikinis. It keeps me running more than I would maybe living somewhere else;)

    Reply

  20. JoJo

    I’m making these this weekend as it plans to be a rain deluge and I’ll need coffee everything to keep moving. BTW, your cook book rocks – I’m making a recipe from it each week. Snickerdoodles are next up.

    Reply

  21. kelly

    You are completely insane and I love it! These look out of this world. And as for bikinis, no way Jose. I like my skort and tankini top. That way everyone goes home alive.

    Reply

  23. scurry

    O!M!G! These are soooo good! I made them last night for my boyfriend’s birthday breakfast today. Perfect timing, Joy! ;) Thank you so much for this recipe. (And for your book with the brownie cookies with white chocolate that I have now made 4 times in less than a month.)

    Reply

  24. Jenna

    I love the way you talk about bikinis. Medium-ready to think about tankinis? Awesome.

    I read a lot of baking/home/kitchen blogs and it’s ridiculous how much I love yours. You really hit the nail on the head when it comes to being conversational; I feel like I’m reading a letter from a friend. Good job!

    Reply

  28. Gaby

    Just made it! Made it to pyrex dish instead of muffin mold… and it took sooo long :S next time i think i’ll follow u and make them into muffins!! they taste so good!!

    Reply

  31. Jillian @ Newly Bread

    lovely. These muffins look like the perfect accompaniment to a cup of coffee…or orange juice! And yes, perfect for planning. I will be trying these soon! And definitely not quiiite ready for bikini season. (who is?)

    Reply

  32. stephanieclaire

    Just a little question from a rather inexperienced baker… How do you accurately measure tablespoons of butter? Do you melt it first then measure it out? I cant wait to get baking!
    Thanks a bunch

    Reply

  33. Mel

    I have to agree with previous posters on two accounts – these muffins sound magnificent and I am planning to make them ASAP, however, I too experienced a printing issue. It prints the header of Joy the Baker and then the copyright date, but no recipe or instructions…..

    Reply

  34. alison

    haha you always make me laugh!! i hate bikinis too. it’s nice being in Seattle now and not in Cali. I fit right into pastey white town. I feel for you in LA-HAH-I’d go make muffins too!! For now, I’ll make these and eat them while everyone here is still in jackets ;)

    Reply

  37. Bree

    Got your book, got your book, got your book book book! (to snappy little tune)

    Have bookmarked and will bake. Hard to choose where to start, although the granola is calling my name.

    xx

    Reply

  41. Mallory

    I love that you layered the batter. I would have never thought to do that with muffins – cake definitely but not muffins for whatever reason. Thanks for the idea!

    Reply

  42. Jenny

    You genius woman! browned-butter vanilla muffins layered with esspresso muffin? Uhhh pass me four and shove my bikini to the back of the closet, thank you!

    Reply

  43. Stacy

    These look super delicious! What a great combination of ingredients. And I am particularly loving the first and last photos.

    Also: I think muffins are a totally reasonable response to bikinis.

    Reply

  44. Becca - Cookie Jar Treats

    It is definitely not bikini season here…but that doesn’t stop the girls in my school from wearing skimy outfits. Acctually winter didn’t even stop those girls and I live in Colorado! o.O

    Anyways…muffins=love. Muffins, I think, are way better than cupcakes. Plus this one has strussel!! Who doesn’t love crunchy, sugary strussel?!

    Reply

  46. Laura @ She Eats Well

    Coffee cake will always remind me of my childhood. We made coffee cake a lot in my kitchen and it’s such a timeless food…dare I say food GROUP!? Ha. Anyways, these muffins look delicious…and should be consumed at all times of day!

    Reply

  47. Anne

    SunnySun Town (totally true)? I HAD to laugh at this and the bikini-state-of-things. I’m totally not ready for that yet! …AND “…I’ll throw it in the eyes on any burglar that breaks in my house.” omg, I love it! You’re the best. Who else but Joy the Baker would tell us that she plans to use espresso powder as a burglar deterrent? <3

    Reply

  50. Rindi

    Wow that looks yummy and a great treat for Monday morning meetings at work – then I followed the link to the espresso powder – I everything on that site and a week off work to play!!!!

    Reply

  51. Hilary

    My other half and I were discussing just last night how best to make the smell of vanilla and butter in to a perfume. We concluded that I may be alone in wanting to wear a perfume that smelt of baked goods. Thank goodness for Joy.

    Reply

  58. Jo Blogs Jo Bakes

    Oh Joy! What have you done?! These are quite simply the bestest looking muffins I think I’ve seen in a very long time and I am so delighted that AT LAST an American recipe which calls a cake a “coffee cake” actually has coffee in it! I’ve been sooooo disappointed at gazillions of US recipes, I’m a big coffee fan you see – I’m making these tomorrow. Sod the bikini! :D xx

    Reply

  60. Pat

    Hi, As I’m sure you know, here in the uk, our receipes are in pounds and onces would a cup be roughly 4ozs. and would that be half a teaspoon, same as 2 1/4 tspns.

    Reply

  61. Kat

    So coffee and muffins are better than bikinis.

    I do have a question though. My kitchen tends to operate on a budget and I have not broken down and bought vanilla beans yet. I know it would not be the same, but do you think mixing vanilla extract with some sugar and letting it… marinate (is that right word?)… would work?

    If so any guesses on the amount of extract to sugar?

    Reply

  62. Katya

    Those look divine! I have to eat my banana bread cupcakes first. Then priorities are set: these muffins, then bikinis a few months later.

    Reply

  64. Elise @YumFoodieFoodie

    yeesh. Bikini’s already? I feel you about being medium-ready for tankinis… I’m about lukewarm with one-pieces right now myself.
    Muffins are so much more comforting than watching people frolic about in bikinis. I choose muffins, any day.

    Reply

  65. Carissa

    Mmmm! These look so good! I’m ready for bikini weather, because that means I’m on vacation, but in the meantime, muffins are a good source of happiness.

    Reply

  68. Laura

    Your advice about rubbing the vanilla seeds into the sugar with clean fingers reminds me of the tip in your book for flavoring sugar… which made me want to comment and let you know that I am *loving* the book! So many treats I can’t wait to make! It’s just as fabulous and funny as I expected it to be, Joy :)

    Reply

  69. Sarah H B

    I was feeling the same way yesterday— I went to visit my younger sister at her college campus and there were girls everywhere in bikinis and the smallest amounts of clothes I have seen in awhile. Just lounging around on lawns. Ill go for coffee cake muffin brunches over the days of laying half naked on college campus anyday!

    Reply

  75. Tori (@eatori)

    LOVE the idea of rubbing the vanilla through sugar. I go stingy most of the time and just leave the wrinkly pod in the jar with my sugar to help perfume it, but I can’t wait to try this.

    Reply

  77. Amy

    Oh my gosh! Yum. My boyfriend is a coffee fanatic and he’d love these. I think they’d be so good with some cream cheese or whipped cream… or maybe just wash it down with some heavy cream?

    xoxo,
    mon amy

    Reply

  79. Amber

    I think when I start stashing away things in the freezer before the impending birth of my baby, a batch or two of these will be hiding in with all the casseroles and waffles.

    Reply

  80. Monica

    These look amazing. I bet the kitchen smells like heaven afterwards, too. I’d rather have these muffins then fit into a bikini any day… well maybe… the best of both worlds?

    Reply

    • Candin

      If this post made you chuckle, I suggest you read Joy’s post titled Bikinis are Stupid. Hilarious! It was the first post of hers I ever read. I was a fan for life after hat.

      Reply

  83. Alexis

    things i cannot resist: comments about being “medium ready” for tankini season (genius!); espresso powder used as mace (doubly genius!); any baked good that involves struessel and browned butter. you’ve done done it again!

    Reply

  85. Annie

    Sorry to be Debbie Downer, but there are print issues with this recipe. You and the muffins, however, are perfect.

    Reply

  89. Emily D.

    I live in New Jersey and It was almost 90 degrees on Monday. Luckily, I didn’t see anyone in a bikini.
    I am still going to make these muffins though.

    Reply

  93. Marian (Sweetopia)

    I hear you! I was thinking the same thing… but have a few more months before it gets warm enough here though. Eep. I’m thinking wraps are good. (The bathing suit covering, not the food. Well, the food is good too!)

    Reply

  100. Iris

    I am a sucker for anything coffee flavor. But you started the post talking about bikinis, which reminded me bikini season will be here soon enough, and espresso muffins in my house are very, very dangerous.

    Reply

  102. Rachael B

    I saw bikinis too… on old leathery woman sitting on our beach. Gross! I actually bought a one piece from old navy and the ridiculous look I got from the woman behind the counter made me laugh. I’m only 25 and I don’t believe in flaunting my pasty white, semi-reflective skin. I’d like to think people would thank me for not baring it all or worse – blinding them!

    Reply

  105. thelittleloaf

    I’m a sunshine worshipper and love any excuse to get my bikini on but I love muffins more, especially gorgeous coffee cake muffins like these. Delicious, whatever the time of year.

    Reply

  108. Todd

    I really like this idea– always looking for good coffee cakes and good muffins; in my head they’re perfect for quiet rainy mornings with my cup of coffee. This recipe looks fantastic, thanks.

    Reply

  109. Katherine @ eggton

    You know, back in the day, women didn’t wear bikinis. They wore “CUMBERSOME PANTALOONS” when they went swimming. Cumbersome pantaloons were pretty much leggings and a full body suit. You could eat all 12 of those muffins and still look rad in your cumbersome pantaloons 20 minutes later at the swimming hole or wherever. The look was pretty awesome, and probably cheaper than today’s $45 PER SQUARE INCH of bikini. Check out my girl Anette Kellerman (famous old-time swimmer) rocking the look here:

    http://eggton.com/2012/01/13/relax-and-pull-up-your-swim-pants/

    Reply

  113. Sara {Home is Where the Cookies Are}

    These look awesome! I always feel like coffee cake falls sort of short flavor-wise, but these look like they are so deeply FULL of flavor. Can’t wait to try them. Totally agree about bikinis. Can’t even think about it. Not that my thighs are hidden by a one piece or a tankini either – just can’t think about public near-nakedness at this point. . . . I need muffins too. LOTS of muffins.

    Reply

  114. Sara {Home is Where the Cookies Are}

    These look awesome! I always feel like coffee cake falls sort of short flavor-wise, but these look like they are so deeply FULL of flavor. Can’t wait to try them. Totally agree about bikinis. Can’t even think about it. Not that my thighs are hidden by a one piece or a tankini either – just can’t think about public near-nakedness at this point. . . . I need muffins too. LOTS of muffins.

    Reply

  115. Deese

    Hi Joy! As always I love this post and I am going to make these yummy looking breakfast friendly cupcake like coffee cakes this weekend. I just thought you should know something is wrong with your coding at the end of the recipe there is [/printbale] and when I clicked the print link there was nothing there but your copyright. I’m guessing this has to do with the misspelling of printable…

    Also it must be said that I pre-ordered your cookbook back in January and I have made your buttermilk cheddar jalapeno biscuits a bazillion times…per request from my family! Totally awesome. :)

    Reply

  116. Mallory

    Great muffins and I pick boots and a dress over a bikini any day. Thankfully I live in Ohio….we are a few months away from bikini season…thank goodness!!!

    Reply

  117. Jamie Lauren Gem

    Bikinis?! – urgh, is it that time already?!

    & weddings too. Almost as scary in my opinion as you know you will be immortalised in the happy couple’s photos forever more. Bingo wings and all!

    The stress of summer body prep makes me want these muffins even more!

    X

    Reply

  120. Sophie

    You are seriously on a roll at the moment. I look forward to your posts so much.

    I am definitely definitely making this tonight.

    Joy, you rock!

    Reply

  121. Sofia

    Oh lovely!
    May I just suggest a little respelling? ‘Streusel’ is one of those German words I really like that always get mispelled ;) we would have quite a bit of fun pronouncing your versions ;)
    Love what you do!

    Reply

  122. Rika

    Can’t wait to try them!!! Fortunately it is Autumn here in South Africa and bikini season is over. Relief! My beach game plan generally involves big hat, big sunnies and a cute cover-up… Roll on Winter – Boots and coats are a lot less pressure.

    Reply

  124. Wendy@chezchloe

    Growing up in Florida I totally know the pressure of bikini season, despite having lets say, a healthy athletic body…it wasnt till much later that I realized how nice a body it was. Now it’s time I appreciate it and not wait till I’m 60 to again look back. Coffee cakes, yet another winner. After my short sugar break… Will be on it.

    Reply

  130. Averie @ Averie Cooks

    All these flavors going on…brown butter, vanilla, espresso, LOVE it. And I love crumb topping like there’s no tomorrow.

    There were people in bikinis in San Diego today too. I ran in a sports bra. But also turned the heat on tonight. Nothing like some temperature swings!

    Reply

  131. Margherita

    Already bikini time??? I’m glad I don’t live in LA there must be so much pressure…way better to make delicious muffins instead.
    Love the idea of combining making a kind of doubla layered muffins. And, yes, there’s no muffins without streusels!

    Reply

  132. Ash

    Mmm! You are so funny and silly and I love it!
    I have been romanticising about what ever magic was happening with the stacked up sando cookies. Can hardly stand it! Damn food photos looking all delicious.
    So looking forward to those ;)

    Reply

  135. lidia

    now you have got me thinking about bikinis!
    seven months pregnant and i don’t think i will fit into any of my bikinis this summer
    but i can enjoy plenty of late night tacos for sure.

    Reply

  136. Rima

    zOMG this looks so yummy.
    this with a cup of white chocolate mocha in the AM? yeaaa…
    i’m not a fan of bikinis, but am a fan of muffins. I can eat a muffin anytime!

    Reply

  138. CheezyK

    In the name of all things delicious!! Will definitely be trying these, probably with an espresso shot instead of the instant powder though. Oh, and a macchiato on the side … mmmmmmmm

    Reply

  139. Margarita

    Boo to bikinis and yay to coffee cake muffins! I absolutely love how you flavor your sugars… the orange zest one was amazing and I bet the vanilla beans in the sugar here is amazing as well. Also, two-layered muffins… vanilla and coffee = genius!

    Reply

  140. Jennifer L.

    I heart that your knee-jerk reaction to bikinis is to bake muffins… definitely my kind of thinking! These look amazing.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  6. […] This charming picture really makes us drool, right? You deserve to own them if you are eager for summer like me. All I am looking forward to are watermelon and tacos in picnics. Extremely excellent! Instant espresso powder will add a better flavor to chocolate cakes. Instead of hiding behind chocolate, the flavor is combined with butter and vanilla. Plus tender muffins, no food can match it for a breakfast. At joythebaker.com […]

    Reply

  12. […] cream that sadly enough failed to be red and blue… and a marzipan star) Thor cupcakes (coffee cupcakes with a fondant Mjolnir) and Loki souffle cupcakes (dark chocolate souffles with a white chocolate […]

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