Chocolate Cream Cheese Muffins

Chocolate Cream Cheese Muffins pair well with coffee in the evening. Or, you know, if you like eating dessert in the morning you can take one on for breakfast or brunch.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Muffins

Chocolate Muffins

Makes about 24 regular muffins or 12 large ones.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

• 2 cups sugar
• 3 cups flour, separated
• 3/4 cup dark cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup very hot water
• 12 ounces mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup large sugar crystals (optional)

Place the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a mixing bowl and mix until well combined.

Place eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, butter, & vanilla in a medium bowl and whisk together until the eggs are beaten.

Pour the wet ingredients into the mixture while continuing to mix. Mix a short time and then add the hot water. Mix until the batter comes together.

Turn the mixer off; and, use a rubber spatula to scrape ingredients from the sides of the bowl down into the batter and then stir the chocolate chips in as well.

Line muffin tins with cupcake liners or spray with non-stick baking spray. Fill muffin cups with one heaping ice cream scoop of muffin batter (double if using extra-large muffin tins).

Cream Cheese Filling

• 1 pound cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Beat together until light & fluffy.

Using handy dandy decorating bags, or a plastic baggy with the corner cut off, fill with the cream cheese filling. Then squeeze the filling into the center of each chocolate muffin. Let up on the pressure as you bring the bag up out of the muffin and squirt a little circle onto the top.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until a fork poked into the chocolate muffin area comes out clean.

Allow the muffins to cool for about 20 minutes before enjoying because the chocolate chips and filling will be very, very hot.