Double Chocolate Chip Muffins

 

Like Deb Perelman, I can’t help but notice the difference between the muffins I make and the big, sweet, fluffy confections that my kids beg for at the grocery store. I mean, yeah, my muffins tend to have whole grains and less sugar and all, so I can see the draw of the commercial ones! I decided to make this Smitten Kitchen recipe as a treat. Even then, the Fox decided that while he only likes muffins with chocolate chips, the batter must be vanilla, not chocolate. You know, because you’re either particular about your food or you aren’t, and, well, he is. The rest of us loved these muffins!

½ cup vegetable oil or melted lactose-free butter
2/3 cup (140 g) light or dark brown sugar
½ cup lactose-free milk (any kind, or even water or coffee, apparently)
1 cup (225 g) plain lactose-free yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs
½ tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. baking soda
¾ cup (60 g) cocoa powder (any kind)
1 ¾ cups (230 g) all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups (225 g) chocolate chips, divided

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Either coat a 12-cup standard muffin tin with butter or nonstick spray, or line with paper liners. (I had a total of 15 muffins.)

In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, sugar, milk, yogurt, and vanilla. Whisk in eggs. (At this point, I admit that I mixed all my dry ingredients together before adding them to the wet ingredients; that’s just how I roll.) Sprinkle salt and baking soda over the batter and whisk thoroughly to combine. Stir in cocoa powder, whisking until any lumps disappear. Stir in flour and 1 cup of the chocolate chips.

Spoon the batter into the 12 muffin cups; don’t worry if it goes all the way to the top. Scatter the remaining 1/3 cup chips over the tops of the muffins. Bake muffins for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each muffin comes out batter-free.