Hot Cocoa Donut Muffins

A Donut Muffin that tastes just like a cozy cup of Hot Cocoa. Yes, you need 1 or 10 in your life!

Happy Friday, friends! Now that we’ve reached double digits in the month of December, I am feeling the Christmas shopping pressure. The hubby and I have yet to purchase a few gifts together and yes, I still have to make up my mind what to get him as well. I have a few ideas, but life holds some sweet distractions for me. Who wants to step outside and join the hustle and bustle when one could curl up inside with tea and a Hot Cocoa Donut Muffin in hand while watching Elf?! That’s the constant dilemma I find myself in.

It’s a tough job being a food blogger, but someone’s got to do it. Also, someone has got to eat them… so I am blaming my Christmas shopping procrastination on these Donut Muffins. I think they can take it. Nothing could possibly take away from their amazingness.

You need to taste for yourself what is going on here.

Not only do they look like hot cocoa in muffin form, but they deliver in the taste department 100%. One thing that’s never happened before is the fact that I wanted to eat the entire muffin batter in the bowl. The incredible smell was overwhelming… so chocolaty, fudgy, and you guessed it, like someone had just poured me a fresh cup of hot chocolate. I could have sworn Judy the Elf (The Santa Claus, anyone?) was standing in my kitchen wondering if I cared for a cup ;).

The way they looked when these came out of the oven, definitely upped my excitement even more. And I straight up dunked them in wonderfully melted dark chocolate. Topped with teeny weeny marshmallows – you know what happened next. I took a big old bite and kept the Christmas movie marathon alive.

Also, if you can recruit your family members and friends to help eat them, that would be most helpful. If we didn’t have friends over the day I made these, I could have very well been in a hot cocoa, donut, muffin and overall chocolate coma. Good thing ’tis the season for sharing!

And since I can’t share these with you, I hope you give them a whirl yourself. Because you totally should.

Have a fabulous weekend, everybody!

Hot Cocoa Donut Muffins

2014-12-11 15:13:45

Yields 12

Donut Muffins are perfect for any time of year, but hot cocoa ones are extra special for this winter season. These are incredibly flavorful, moist, and taste like your favorite hot drink.

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Ingredients

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 .73 ounce package hot cocoa mix
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup milk
1 cup chocolate chips plus 1 tablespoon shortening
marshmallow bits

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with muffin liners or spray with nonstick spray.
1. In the bowl of your electric mixer, cream together butter, oil, and sugars until well combined, about 2-3 minutes. Add eggs, beating until smooth. Add baking powder and soda and mix until just incorporated. Next, measure nutmeg, cinnamon and salt and add to the mixture. Stir in vanilla and add the hot cocoa mix. Next, add flour and cocoa powder and mix until completely incorporated. Pour milk into the batter and give it a good stir.
2. Using a large cookie scoop, fill muffin cups until nearly full. Place in the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and let stand for a couple of minutes. Remove from the pan and let muffins cool on a wire rack.
3. Meanwhile, melt chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl in the microwave in 30 second increments. Dip muffins into the melted chocolate and sprinkle with marshmallow bits. Let sit for 5 minutes or until chocolate is set before enjoying.

Notes