Alex Takes on Double Chocolate Chip Muffins

Some of you may have thought, after witnessing the cocoa powder mess from the brownies, that I would not be brave enough to let Alex back into the kitchen. Then it occurred to me that if I taught her to make muffins I could get her making her own savory muffins for her lunch box this school year (I kid, I would have let her bake something again. Eventually.). So I opened a muffin cookbook and let her choose a recipe. And no these are not savory or remotely healthy, but we made them back in July, long before school started! She actually went around our lane, distributing them to neighbors.

Reading the recipe before beginning (and scratching an itch lol)…

Measuring the milk. Thank you, OXO, for inventing those slanted measuring cups–SO much easier for small kids!

This picture is blurry but it cracks me up. Of course when we designed the kitchen I was not thinking about whether my kids would be able to reach the microwave, arguably the safest cooking appliance in the kitchen. And yes she is on a stool.

Here it is, the big spill. You knew one was coming! This time it was a lot of flour on the floor. And with this picture, we have proof that Alex cleaned it up….

…just not completely on her own! Delilah graciously immediately helped out.

At least we did not spill the more expensive cocoa powder this time!

Do you know what an act of restraint it was for me to stand on the other side of the counter and take pictures while she whisked the dry ingredients?

OK that act of restraint was nothing compared to this one. I admit it, after years of her begging me, this is the first time my inner control freak let her fill the muffin wells.

Stay tuned for more baking adventures with the kids! And witness me getting ever more laid back… or if not laid back, at least a bit more relaxed.

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Alex Takes on Double Chocolate Chip Muffins

Closely adapted from Muffins Galore (Catherine Atkinson)

Course: muffins

Cuisine: quick breads

Keyword: chocolate chips

Author: TheSpicedLife

Ingredients

• 2 cups AP flour
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 T unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 6 T unsalted butter melted
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Prepare your muffin tin: this recipe claims to make 12 muffins, but for us it made 12 standard muffins and about 20 mini muffins(!). Either generously grease the muffin wells, or line them with muffin liners and lightly spray with oil.
2. Whisk together the flour, sugar (break up any large lumps), cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. Whisk together the milk, melted butter, and eggs. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix gently until barely combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Fill the muffin wells approximately 4/5 full. Place about an inch of water into any un-used muffin wells to prevent burning. Bake for 20 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean or with a just a few crumbs attached (if you hit a chocolate chip, try again).
5. Cool the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out on a cooling rack. Serve warm or cold.