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 are now counting down the weeks to the publication of our brand-new (21st) Coffeehouse Mystery, 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...





Coming April 1st!



Our 21st Coffeehouse Mystery
No Roast for the Weary 

 Pre-Order at: 

Bookshop.org

+ More Buy Links



No Roast for the Weary
includes a killer menu
 of delicious recipes.
And so does...






New Paperback Edition!

National Mystery Bestseller
#1 Amazon Category Best Seller
Fresh Fiction Readers' Selection
2 Best of Year Lists!


To Buy:



The Coffeehouse Mysteries are bestselling works
of amateur sleuth fiction set in a landmark 
Greenwich Village coffeehouse, and each of the 
21 titles includes the added bonus of recipes.  





Get a free Title Checklist of
Cleo Coyle's Books in Order
Click here 
or on the image below.






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!

TO SIGN UP...
CLICK HERE














18 comments:

  1. 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. 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. These look so rich and yummy. Happy Valentines Day.

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

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

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

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 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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