Christmas Chocolate Muffins

Jani

Hi, I'm Janice! I'm a chef, food photographer, and DIY enthusiast. On this blog, I share reliable, budget-friendly recipes that anyone can make, regardless of their cooking experience. Alongside these delicious dishes, I also offer a peek into my DIY projects, showing you how I’m transforming my home one step at a time. Whether you're here to cook up something tasty or get inspired to tackle a home improvement project, you'll find something to enjoy!

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December is coming, and with it, the craving for warm, cozy desserts like these festive Christmas Chocolate Muffins. These muffins are rich, chocolatey, and just the right balance of sweet and spiced.

Unlike baking a full chocolate cake, these are quick, easy, and don’t require an electric mixer—perfect when you’re short on time but still want to create something special. Adding candied orange peel, raisins, and a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg gives them a holiday touch that’s simply irresistible.

If you want to prepare another quick cake, I recommend Lemon Pound Cake.

Close-up of Christmas Chocolate Muffins showing a rich chocolate texture with candied orange peel and sprinkled holiday decorations.

Essential ingredients for this recipe

This recipe keeps it simple with easy-to-find pantry ingredients, making it perfect for a last-minute dessert.

  • All-Purpose Flour: This keeps things simple. All-purpose flour helps control the rise by adjusting the baking powder quantity.
  • Granulated Sugar: Regular white sugar works great to sweeten these muffins.
  • Cocoa Powder: Choose unsweetened cocoa powder, which is sifted to avoid lumps.
  • Eggs: They help bind and add a bit of richness.
  • Vegetable Oil: Any mild oil will keep the muffins moist without overpowering the other flavors.
  • Warm Water: This helps bring out the chocolate flavor.
  • Baking Powder: This gives the muffins a nice, fluffy texture.
  • Candied Orange Peel and Raisins: These add a classic Christmas touch, but feel free to swap for other dried fruits.
  • Cinnamon and Nutmeg (optional): Perfect for adding a warm, cozy spice if you love holiday flavors.
Ingredients for Christmas Chocolate Muffins, including flour, cocoa powder, sugar, eggs, oil, baking powder, candied orange peel, and raisins, arranged on a countertop.

Why you should try Christmas Chocolate Muffins?

1. Effortlessly impressive: This recipe is incredibly practical yet yields a beautiful, bakery-worthy treat. With a little extra care in decorating, you’ll have muffins that look much fancier than the effort they require!

2. Quick and easy: You’ll need no more than 15 minutes in the kitchen to mix these muffins up, and they only use basic ingredients that are budget-friendly.

3. Great for any skill level: Even if you’re a beginner, this recipe guides you through with simple steps that anyone can follow. It’s an ideal way to gain confidence in holiday baking without stress.

4. Versatile for customization: The recipe is forgiving and easy to modify to your taste. You can make small adjustments for endless variations, making these muffins a festive favorite in no time.

How to make Christmas Chocolate Muffins

  • Sift the dry ingredients: Start by sifting the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cocoa powder (since it tends to clump), and sugar into a mixing bowl. This step keeps the batter smooth and lump-free.
  • Combine wet ingredients: In another bowl, mix the warm water, oil, and eggs. Whisk until smooth.
  • Bring it all together: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture, stirring until smooth. Add the optional cinnamon, nutmeg, and any desired mix-ins like raisins or candied orange peel.
  • Fill the muffin liners: Fill each muffin liner a bit over halfway. Avoid filling them to the top, or they’ll overflow as they bake.
  • Bake and enjoy: Bbake in a preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Let cool before decorating or enjoying as is!

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Variations and Substitutions

1. Chocolate Chips: Try swapping the dried fruit for chocolate chips! Dark, milk, or even white chocolate chips each add a different twist.

2. Swap water for milk: For a creamier texture, use warm milk instead of water.

3. Add nuts: Consider mixing in some chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans for added crunch and holiday flair. These work well both in the batter and as a decorative topping.

Tips and Tricks

  1. Always sift the dry ingredients
    This avoids clumps, especially with cocoa powder, which can be prone to lumping.
  2. Mix wet and dry separately
    Combining liquids and dry ingredients separately helps keep the batter smooth and lump-free.
  3. Use warm (Not Hot) water
    Ensure the water is warm, around 104°F (40°C), to help bloom the cocoa without cooking the eggs.
  4. Mind the fill level
    Fill each liner slightly over halfway—too much and the muffins will overflow, too little and they won’t rise as well.
  5. Preheat the oven
    A preheated oven ensures that the muffins bake evenly.

 

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Christmas Chocolate Muffins

These Christmas Chocolate Muffins are a festive and easy-to-make treat perfect for the holiday season. With a light, fluffy texture and rich chocolate flavor, they’re made with simple ingredients like flour, cocoa powder, raisins, and candied orange peels. The warm water and vegetable oil keep the muffins moist, while the addition of raisins and orange peels adds a delightful burst of flavor. This recipe is quick, taking about 15 minutes to prepare and only 20 minutes to bake, making it ideal for a busy holiday season. These muffins are sure to impress with their soft crumb and festive touch.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Palabra clave Chocolate muffins with orange peel, Christmas baking, Christmas Chocolate Muffins, Christmas dessert ideas, Easy chocolate muffins, Easy holiday dessert, Festive muffins, Holiday baking recipes, Holiday chocolate muffins, Holiday treats
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 9
Calories 180kcal

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup warm water 180 ml
  • ½ cup oil
  • ½ cup granulated sugar 125 g
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour 125 g
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 30 g
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ cup raisins
  • ¼ cup candied orange peels chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat and prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
  • Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Add the sugar and stir to combine. This ensures that all the dry ingredients are well mixed and free from lumps, which is important for a smooth batter.
  • Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the warm water, vegetable oil, and eggs until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.
  • Combine wet and dry mixtures: Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, gently stirring until just combined.
  • Add raisins and orange peels: Fold in the raisins and chopped candied orange peels. If you like, you can also add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg for an extra holiday touch.
  • Fill muffin liners: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin liners, filling each about 2/3 full to allow room for the muffins to rise.
  • Bake: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
  • Cool and Serve: Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve as they are, or decorate with powdered sugar or a drizzle of melted white chocolate for a festive look.

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