Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake Muffins

For some odd reason, I always associate spring weekend mornings with brunch. I love winter, but the best part of winter is that transition period to spring, with more light... and farmer's markets opening to inspire health(ier) cooking.

However, there is still snow on the ground, so I still am craving sweet, dense, and chocolatey.

I used to make Biqsuick-based coffee cakes when I was in grade school on weekend mornings for my family loaded with crumb topping and chocolate chips-- they never lasted one day. These coffee cake muffins are a nod to those wonderful memories, with a little portion control thrown in.

Not that that stopped me from eating three in one sitting, though! (I can use half-marathon training to justify anything!)

These are also based on a recipe from Flour bakery in Boston (yep, still obsessed with that cookbook!), except Joanna Chang's doesn't include chocolate. She doesn't know what she's missing.

So roll out of bed, enjoy the sunshine, and get to it!

Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake Muffins

Inspired by Flour

For the streusel:
3 tbsp packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
4 tbsp all purpose flour
3 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

For the cake:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup plus 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Line two muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.

To make the streusel, combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. Using your hands, work in the butter until crumbly. Set aside.

For the cake, use a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and granulated sugar together. Add butter a few pieces at a time and beat until butter is well incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, vanilla, and yogurt until well mixed. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour into the butter mixture. Increase mixer speed and blend until batter is fluffy. Slow down speed and add chocolate chips.

Fill muffin cups halfway with batter; sprinkle in a thin layer of streusel, and top with more batter until 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown, and serve warm and gooey on a Sunday morning!