Small Batch Chocolate Cream Cheese Muffins

These Small Batch Chocolate Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling are super easy to make. This Small Batch muffin recipe only makes 6 muffins, and the double chocolate muffin batter comes together quickly. You can make them with a cream cheese chocolate centre for a chocolate cream cheese muffin, or just leave them plain for a regular small batch double chocolate muffin - this recipe is super versatile!

Small Batch Chocolate Muffins

Hi hi! Just popping in to share this recipe with you for Small Batch Chocolate Muffins! These muffins are super easy to make and also come together really fast. They have a double chocolate muffin base, and they are filled with a big chunk of cream cheese. The recipe is small batch and only makes 6 muffins, which, to be honest, is the perfect amount of muffins for most people! Small muffin recipes are quick and easy, and one of my favourites.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Muffins

This small batch chocolate muffin recipe has kind of a weird back story - I worked on an oil rig before I moved to NYC. We worked night shift (7am-7pm, 21 shifts in a row), and in our little shipping container unit there was an oven we used for drying the rock samples. One night we worked out it went to a temperature that was good to bake at, and so the next day I grabbed some chocolate cupcake mix and a block of cream cheese from the supermarket, and popped together some chocolate and cream cheese muffins in our unit, and baked them in our sample oven. They were the best 3am snack I've ever had, and from then on each evening we would find something to bake in the oven. Probable giant health and safety violation? Yes. But very worth it? Also yes.

These Chocolate Cream Cheese muffins are super easy to make. You just make the muffin batter, then divide half between the cavities, shove a big piece of cream cheese into the middle, and top with the second half of the batter. So easy, and the cream cheese surprise in the middle is just so good.

What is the difference between a muffin and a cupcake?

Here’s my theory. A muffin is a mini ‘quick bread’ - so think like a mini version of a banana bread, etc. They are often (not always) a stir together recipe. The batter is usually a little wetter, and there is a higher ratio of leavening (the thing that makes the recipe rise) than in a cake recipe, and they often bake at a higher temperature. Cupcakes are wee cakes, so the way the batter is made is more similar to how a cake is made and usually baked at a lower temperature. Cupcakes often have a higher ratio of fat and sugar in the recipe too. Fun facts!

How to make your own muffin tin liners

I made my own muffin liners for these muffins to make them more 'bakery' style - meaning that they rose a little higher in the cups as the paper which sticks out also supports them as they bake. To do this I just cut some parchment paper into squares - 5.5" seemed to work well for me but feel free to go larger if you want. I then sprayed each cavity with spray, and pressed the paper down into it using the end of a rolling pin. A narrow glass would work great too. It does make them a little trickier to fill as the paper likes to jump out a little, but once you have the first quantity of muffin batter in there you are fine.

If you want to use pre-made muffin cups or just regular cupcake liners, go for it! If your muffin pan is super non stick you could probably also just do a good spray of baking spray or rub them with butter and do away with the paper completely.

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How to adapt a Small Batch Muffin recipe for a regular muffin pan

I use a 6 hole pan for this recipe, but it would work great just in a regular pan too. If you make them in a regular pan recommend spacing the muffins out so there is one in every second hole with a gap between, just to help them rise evenly. My friend Michelle fills some of the holes with warm water which is so smart!

Can I leave out the cream cheese in the recipe?

Yep! If you don't want to add the cream cheese in the middle, then you can just leave it out! This is a super versatile double chocolate muffin recipe, so you can do with it what you want. I've done it with a square or two of caramello chocolate in the middle, or an easter egg.... you could also fold some raspberries through too if you wanted, or plop some jam or berry coulis in the middle. I would love to hear your variations in the comments if you do happen to try something! (That's on you though - if you try something and it doesn't work please stay away from the star ratings 😅)

Frequently Asked Questions for Small Batch Chocolate Muffins

Do I have to make my own muffin liners?
Nope! If you don't want to, then you can just use regular muffin liners, or if you trust your pan, just spray it or butter it!

Can I use chocolate chips for this recipe?
You do you here - I prefer chopped chocolate because it melts nicely (chocolate chips have stuff in them to stop them melting), but if it's what you have, it will work great!

What pan did you use to bake these in?
I used this Williams Sonoma 6 cavity muffin pan (I just shot it in the vintage one I have and transferred to the other pan for baking). USA pan also makes a 6 cavity pan which looks great, or see the recipe notes for using a regular pan!

Is it just a big chunk of cream cheese in the middle of the muffin? Nothing mixed into it?
Yes. That's exactly what it is.

For more Small Batch Recipes, check out:

• Malted Mini Egg Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Peanut Butter Brownie Bars
• Passionfruit Meringue Bars
• Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

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