Tuesday, February 11, 2025

EASY DOUBLE-CHOCOLATE BROWNIE MUFFINS from author @CleoCoyle #valentinesday #chocolate



Behold Our Fresh-Baked Chocolate Valentine! 💗

From Cleo Coyle: Sometimes we need a little chocolate therapy. For an easy-to-make chocolate escape, I recommend these lusciously satisfying Double-Chocolate Brownie Muffins. These babies are quick to whip up and delicious paired with coffee. And speaking of coffee...

Marc and I have a brand-new (our 21st) Coffeehouse Mystery out, No Roast for the Weary. Our latest caffeinated adventure is great fun, the murder mystery has wonderful twists, and we hope you all enjoy it! ☕




Now let's have some foodie fun...



Cleo Coyle writes two
 bestselling mystery
 series with her husband.
To learn more, click here.


☕ A Recipe Note from Cleo

Non-bakers, fear not! This is an easy recipe to make, foolproof really, using only one bowl and a rubber spatula to stir everything up. I call it a "pantry recipe," because it makes spectacular use of a few simple ingredients that many of us often have in our kitchens.

The result is a darn tasty cross between a double-chocolate brownie and a banana muffin. The mashed banana gives nice weight to the muffin and adds a bit of nutrition along with a subtle but lovely flavor. Combined with the (optional) peanuts (good protein) and melted chocolate chips (for the soul), this muffin’s flavor isn’t far from a chocolate-syrup drizzled banana split. Seriously, the hard part for me and my husband (after pouring our coffee) is eating only one.

May you eat (and read) with joy!

~ Cleo



To download this recipe
in a PDF document that you
can print, save, or share,



☕ Cleo Coyle's Easy
Double-Chocolate Brownie Muffins

Makes: 12 muffins

Ingredients:

2 large eggs, lightly beaten with fork

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (do not skip!)

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted and cooled

2 ripe bananas, mashed well with fork (until they resemble applesauce)

1 box Devil's Food Cake Mix (I used Pillsbury Moist Supreme)

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli)

(optional) 1/2 cup chopped dry roasted, unsalted peanuts (or your favorite nut)


Directions: Place all ingredients into a large mixing bowl. (Be sure the melted butter is not too hot. You don't want to cook the eggs.) Mix by hand until well blended, but do not over mix. 

Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners and divide batter among them (filling each cup about 2/3rds full, see my photos). OR grease the cups and go naked. 

Bake at 350° F. for about 20 minutes. (Do not over-bake.) Remove from oven and allow muffins to cool a bit before stripping away the paper and noshing. (No kidding...) If you try to remove the paper liners while the muffin is hot, you’ll have sticking problems. Simply allow the muffin to cool, and you should have no problem eating with joy. 

Cleo's Foodie

P H O T O S 












Eat (and read) with joy!


New York Times bestselling author
of The Coffeehouse Mysteries and
Haunted Bookshop Mysteries

Cleo (Alice) with her husband, Marc


Visit Cleo's online coffeehouse here.
And follow her at these links...





Our Latest
Coffeehouse Mystery


National Mystery Bestseller
#1 Amazon Category Best Seller
Fresh Fiction Readers' Selection
& A Cozy Mystery Best of Year

To Buy: 


No Roast for the Weary
includes a killer menu of
tasty recipes. Get Cleo's
Free Recipe Guide below...






 

Paperback Edition


To Buy:



Don't Miss Our Latest
Haunted Bookshop
Mystery...

  

Jack & Pen 
Together Again!


"Amazing and Unique" 

~ Fresh Fiction



"DELIGHTFUL" ~ Kirkus Reviews


To Buy:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Bookshop.org

+ More Buy Links







👇

Cleo is now working on her next 
book and Newsletter

Don't miss her book news, 
bonus recipes, and fun 
prize package giveaways!

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CLICK HERE


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Posted by Cleo Coyle at 12:35 AM
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18 comments:

  1. LorettaFebruary 11, 2025 at 1:50 AM

    Cleo, you had me at muffins. I adore the pistachio muffin recipe you published in Brewed Awakening and make them all the time. I'm going to try these next. .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cleo CoyleFebruary 11, 2025 at 10:16 AM

      Thank you, Loretta. Marc and I are glad to know that you're enjoying our Coffeehouse recipes. All our lives, we've enjoyed cooking (and eating :)), and we're happy to share some tasty results from our cooking life by layering them into our writing life. Take care, keep reading, and keep in touch!

      ~ Cleo
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  2. JeriFebruary 11, 2025 at 1:52 AM

    These look so rich and yummy. Happy Valentines Day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cleo CoyleFebruary 11, 2025 at 10:43 AM

      Thanks, Jeri. Happy Valentine’s Day to you, too. And, given today's post, happy Valentine’s Day to all the chocolate lovers out there...

      (I've always considered February 14 a chocolate-noshing holiday. :))

      ~ Cleo
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  3. Elizabeth StrobeFebruary 11, 2025 at 1:57 AM

    Those pictures had me wishing I could reach through my screen and grab one. A wonderful chocolate Valentine.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cleo CoyleFebruary 11, 2025 at 10:40 AM

      Ha! Thank you, Elizabeth. If we could pass you a plate of these fresh-baked muffins with a hot cup of coffee, we absolutely would. Cheers for stopping by the Kitchen, and Happy Valentine's Day!

      ~ Cleo
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  4. SallyFebruary 11, 2025 at 2:21 AM

    I just devoured Bulletproof Barista in one day. Now I'll have to wait until April to see what happens next. I guess I'll console myself with a batch of these chocolate treats. Happy Valentine's Day to everyone at Mystery Lovers Kitchen.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cleo CoyleFebruary 11, 2025 at 10:49 AM

      Thank you, Sally! Marc and I are thrilled to know that you found BULLETPROOF BARISTA to be a page-turner, and we're even more excited about getting our brand-new Coffeehouse title into your hands.

      NO ROAST FOR THE WEARY is a twisty read with many highly unique (and often amusing :)) challenges for Clare and her beloved baristas. We're counting down to it's release on April 1, and we hope you enjoy it!

      ~ Cleo

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  5. Kay GarrettFebruary 11, 2025 at 9:13 AM

    Thank you for Cleo Coyle's Easy Double-Chocolate Brownie Muffins recipe! I love the combination of easy and delicious.
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cleo CoyleFebruary 11, 2025 at 11:00 AM

      Thank you, dear Kay, so do we! Happy Valentine's Day to you, a little early but in plenty of time to stock up on all things chocolate. xoxo

      ~ Cleo
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  6. JoanneFebruary 11, 2025 at 10:18 AM

    I can't wait for No Roast for the Weary. April can't come soon enough. Thanks for the head's up, I just placed my order.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cleo CoyleFebruary 11, 2025 at 11:14 AM

      Aw, thank you so much, Joanne. Marc and I had a grand time writing NO ROAST FOR THE WEARY. We drew on some of our own experiences as writers in NYC and layered them into our newest Coffeehouse adventure. Clare and her beloved baristas face some highly unique (and uniquely amusing) challenges this round as they stive to solve a puzzling crime. We hope you enjoy the read!

      ~ Cleo
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  7. GrandpalanuFebruary 11, 2025 at 11:52 AM

    I am definitely trying these beauties!!! Thank you both for sharing so much reading/baking/cooking fun!!! Luis at ole dot travel

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cleo CoyleFebruary 12, 2025 at 4:01 PM

      Oh, thank you, Luis, for your sweet comment. Marc and I are thrilled to know our work (writing and cooking) brings you joy. Happy Valentine's Day to you!

      ~ Cleo
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  8. Libby DoddFebruary 11, 2025 at 1:14 PM

    Oh, my, these sound wicked good!
    The only thing missing is a bit of powdered coffee in the mixture.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cleo CoyleFebruary 12, 2025 at 4:02 PM

      Cheers, Libby! For a "mocha" version of this muffin, adding espresso powder would be the way to go, for sure. Thanks for suggesting and Happy Valentine's Day to you!

      ~ Cleo
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  9. IYamVixen2February 15, 2025 at 5:16 PM

    Yum! I happen to have two ripe bananas on the counter now. And a quiet snowy day ahead of me....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cleo CoyleFebruary 21, 2025 at 10:12 PM

      You've got the perfect conditions for my Chocolate Brownie Muffin Rx. Thanks for stopping by the Kitchen. Stay cozy!

      ~ Cleo
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