Chocolate Lava Muffins

Easy, yummy, and chocolatey. 

Chocolate Lava Muffins

8 oz chocolate chips
1 stick butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
4 eggs
butter, to coat the muffin tin
1 Tbsp cocoa powder

-Preheat the oven to 375.
-Carefully melt the chocolate chips and butter in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly.  Stir in the vanilla.  Remove from heat and pour into a small bowl so it doesn't continue to heat/cook in the saucepan.
-In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together the sugar, flour, and salt.  Add the chocolate and mix well.  Add the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next.  Beat on high until creamy and light in color, about 4 minutes.  Chill while you prepare the muffin tin.
-Coat each muffin cup, as well as the top of the tin, with butter.  Dust with cocoa powder, then tap out the excess.  Scoop the batter into the muffin cups and bake 10-11 minutes.  The outsides should be set, but the insides should still be gooey.
-Serve warm - excellent with vanilla ice cream!

*You can make the batter ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until after dinner.  You can also prepare the muffin tin ahead of time.  All you'll have to do after dinner is bake.
*These are great leftover, as well.  The centers firm up a little bit, but stay nice and moist.