These Easy Cappuccino Muffins are fluffy with a strong coffee flavor. Made with instant coffee and topped with flaked almonds. Bakes for 20 minutes!
☕ Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Made with instant coffee powder.
- Strong coffee flavor.
- Light and fluffy.
- 12 perfectly domed coffee muffins.
- Sprinkled with flaked almonds, which are optional.
These easy cappuccino muffins are made using instant coffee powder dissolved in boiling water and blended through the two sugars. This method easily imparts the coffee flavor through the muffin batter.
I’ve tested this coffee muffin recipe quite a few times and I wanted the coffee to shine through. With success, you will be able to taste the coffee in each bite.
Usually, you’ll notice that coffee muffins have a crumbly streusel topping. To make this recipe quick and simple, you’ll see that these easy cappuccino muffins are made without the streusel topping but instead have flaked almonds sprinkled on top, which are completely optional!
Table of Contents
Enjoy your cappuccino muffins in the morning, plain or with a spread of butter, and served with a cup of coffee or tea.
You can also warm these muffins up in the oven or quickly in the microwave for a delicious warm coffee muffin for breakfast or afternoon tea.
If you’re interested in more easy muffin recipes, try my Easy Blueberry Muffins, One Bowl Chocolate Chip Apple Muffins, Chocolate Chip Muffins, and these delightful White Chocolate and Raspberry Muffins.
📋 Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Here is what you need to make this delicious cappuccino muffin recipe:
- Unsalted butter - melt your butter first and set it aside so it can cool slightly while you prepare your remaining ingredients.
- Plain flour - is also known as all-purpose flour in the US. I have not tested this recipe using gluten-free flour.
- Baking powder - helps the muffins to rise in the oven. Make sure your baking powder has not expired, use my handy guide here to find out how to test it.
- Baking soda - help the muffins rise.
- Salt - use a fine salt or Kosher salt.
- Instant powdered coffee - powdered coffee works best, I do not recommend using instant coffee granules as they do not dissolve as easily in the muffin batter. You can also use instant powdered espresso.
- Boiling water - to dissolve the instant coffee.
- Granulated sugar - use golden/raw granulated sugar. Can also substitute with white granulated sugar.
- Brown sugar - use light/regular brown sugar, not dark brown sugar. Measure your sugar by lightly packing it into the measuring cup or use kitchen scales to measure the weight.
- Whole milk - have at room temperature.
- Eggs - must be at room temperature before starting your cappuccino muffins.
- Plain Greek yogurt - must be at room temperature to emulsify properly into the batter. Substitute with plain yogurt.
- Vanilla extract - use either a vanilla bean extract or vanilla essence.
- Flaked almonds - sprinkle on top before baking. These are optional and you can easily omit the flaked almonds if you don't want them included.
🥣 Step By Step Instructions
How to make easy cappuccino muffins in 6 easy steps!
There is a full and detailed recipe card at the bottom of this post.
1) In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until well combined.
2) In a separate small mixing bowl, add instant coffee powder and pour in the boiling water. Whisk until the coffee dissolves.
3) Add both sugars and using a hand whisk, whisk the sugars into the coffee until well combined.
4) Pour in melted butter, milk, eggs, yogurt, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.
5) Pour liquid mixture into the dry flour mixture and gently fold and mix until incorporated. Ensuring not to over-mix and no pockets or streaks of flour remain.
6) Spoon the batter into the muffin liners, filling them up to the top. Bake for the first 5 minutes at 220ºC (428ºF) then a further 12-15 minutes at 180ºC (356ºF). Serve & enjoy!
💭 Tips For Recipe Success
- Baking the muffins at 220ºC (428ºF) for the first 5 minutes allows them to rise faster, creating a taller muffin.
- Melting the butter first allows time for it to cool down slightly whilst you gather and measure out your remaining ingredients.
- Bringing the cold ingredients to room temperature before starting will help these ingredients emulsify into the batter properly.
- Use an instant powdered coffee and not an instant granulated coffee. The granules will not dissolve properly in the batter, it’s best to stick with a powdered version.
⏲️ Storage Instructions
Store in an airtight container, in a dry dark pantry at room temperature, for 3-4 days.
Freeze in an airtight container or individually wrapped in plastic wrap, then placed in an airtight container and frozen for up to 3 months.
Thaw at room temperature overnight and warm back up in a low oven or microwave before serving.
💬 Recipe FAQ's
Baking muffins for the first 5 minutes at a high temperature allows the steam in the muffins to quickly release and cause the muffins to rise fast, creating a high domed muffin top.
I strongly recommend using instant coffee powder as it dissolves better than the granules in the batter. If you choose to use instant coffee granules, you will have larger bits of undissolved granules in your muffins.
Yes, easily substitute Greek yogurt for regular plain yogurt in this recipe using the same quantity.
The flaked almonds sprinkled on top are completely optional. They’re a great addition and a substitute for streusel. You do not have to include them on your muffins.
🥄 Related Recipes
If you enjoy this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️ star rating and a comment review below. I love to hear what you think and it's much appreciated. Thank you! Your email address will not be published. Sam x
Recipe Card
Easy Cappuccino Muffins
Ingredients
- 100 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 1 /2 cups (375g) plain all purpose flour, scoop & leveled
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt, or Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoon instant powdered coffee, or instant powdered espresso
- 3 tablespoon boiling water
- ½ cup golden/raw granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature (each weighing approx. 50g in shell)
- ⅓ cup plain greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup flaked almonds, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 220ºC (428ºF) fan-forced. Line a regular size 12-hole muffin pan with muffin liners. Set aside.
- Melt butter and set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.
- In a separate small mixing bowl, add instant coffee powder and pour in the boiling water. Whisk until the coffee dissolves.
- Add both sugars and using a hand whisk, whisk the sugars into the coffee until well combined.
- Pour in melted butter, milk, eggs, yogurt, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined and the eggs are beaten through.
- Pour liquid mixture into the dry flour mixture and gently fold and mix until incorporated. Ensuring not to over-mix and no pockets or streaks of flour remain.
- Spoon the batter into the muffin liners, filling them up to the top. Makes 12 regular-sized muffins.
- Optional: Sprinkle flaked almonds on top of the muffin batter.
- Bake for the first 5 minutes at 220ºC (428ºF).
- After the first 5 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 180ºC (356ºF) and bake for a further 12-15 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and allow muffins to cool in pan for 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Served warm or cool down and enjoy!
- Store in an airtight container, in a dry dark pantry at room temperature, for 3-4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in January 2018. It was republished in December 2022 with new images and helpful information.
If you enjoy this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️ star rating and a comment review below. I love to hear what you think and it's much appreciated. Thank you! Your email address will not be published. Sam x
Anna says
What can I sub the yoghurt with as I’m lactose intolerant?
Samantha says
Hi Anna, you can sub the greek yoghurt with plain coconut yoghurt as that will be dairy free. Still yoghurt and has a similar texture so I think that will be your best option. Hope that helps and enjoy the muffins 🙂