Mini Muffins with Chocolate Chips and Orange Zest

Happy Easter! We just got back from a lovely Easter morning service and young adult brunch with lots of tasty food...ham, mac and cheese, green beans, scalloped potatoes, pasta salad, bean salad, falafels, pies, mimosas, hot cross buns, corn muffins, banana bread, and more!  A great celebration!

If I hadn't had brunch with friends from church planned, I probably would have made my weekend standby, mini muffins.  They make any breakfast instantly indulgent, and they're much easier to make than many breakfast pastries.  I really like this recipe...moist, fluffy muffins with plenty of chocolate and a lovely orange flavor from lots of orange zest.  The sour cream here really makes the muffins delicious, although Greek yogurt would be a great substitute.  I made these muffins using a special mini muffin-maker that I won from She Wears Many Hats last year, which I use it all the time for quick morning muffins.  But, you can easily use a regular mini-muffin tin...just keep an eye on the muffins and check them with a toothpick when they start to get brown.

Mini Muffins with Chocolate Chips and Orange Zest (adapted from Fine Cooking)
Makes 1-1/2 dozen mini muffins

1-3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup + 3 T granulated sugar
5 T unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 scant cup sour cream
1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk
3/4 cup chocolate chips
Zest of 1 orange

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a mini-muffin tin or preheat a mini muffin maker.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
3. Whisk together the sugar, butter, milk, sour cream, and eggs in a medium bowl.  Add to the flour mixture and gently fold together with a rubber spatula until the ingredients are just combined.  Add the chocolate chips and orange zest and gently fold to combine.
4. Fill the muffin tin wells about 3/4 of the way full, and then bake until a tester comes out clean.