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Prep these amazing chocolate muffins in 10 minutes with everyday ingredients. When you make these double chocolate chip muffins that are moist, tender and packed with chocolate flavor you’ll become the star of weekend breakfasts!
Rave-Worthy Chocolate Muffins Recipe
Delicious! All the tips helped me get super domes. I did not have buttermilk on hand so I used a tablespoon of lemon juice in half-and-half, worked out wonderfully. Can’t wait for your muffin cookbook to come out!
-Sarah
I am pumped to be adding a chocolate muffin recipe to our muffin collection. I really do love muffins because I consider them an anytime food. Breakfast, snack, late night snack, they are perfect anytime.
After testing and retesting this recipe and 60 muffins later, I nailed the most perfect moist chocolate muffin with nice, domed tops.
Why These Are The Best Chocolate Muffins
- Packed with chocolate flavor
- Everyday ingredients prepped in 10 minutes
- Can use any type of chocolate chips (regular, mini, chunks, semi-sweet, milk, dark chocolate)
- Moist, soft muffins with tender crumb
- Tall and domed muffins tops (bakery style!)
Ingredients for Double Chocolate Muffins
These simple ingredients make the best chocolate muffins! Keep scrolling to get the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card below.
- all purpose flour: flour is necessary to build structure
- natural unsweetened cocoa powder: adds intense chocolate flavor
- granulated sugar: adds sweetness and flavor
- baking powder and baking soda: helps to leaven and lift the batter
- salt: just a pinch to balance the sweetness and enhances the other flavors
- eggs: binds the batter together by providing structure
- buttermilk: adds fat, moisture and flavor
- vegetable oil: adds fat and moisture
- vanilla extract: adds flavor
- chocolate chips: the star of double chocolate muffins! I used a combination of regular and chunk semi-sweet chocolate chips.
How to Make Moist Chocolate Muffins
- Combine dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir with a spoon to combine, set aside.
- Combine wet ingredients. In a larger mixing bowl combine the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine with a spatula.
- Combine batter. Gradually mix the dry ingredients and 1 ½ cups chocolate chips into the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. The batter will be very thick!
- Rest. Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes. During this time, preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Prepare pan. For bakery style muffins, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffins liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Fill the liners with 6-8 heaping tablespoons of batter. Add the remaining chocolate chips to the tops of the muffins. Sprinkle them with sanding sugar.
- Bake. Place one pan in the center of the oven and bake for 7 minutes at 425ºF, then keep the muffins in the oven, turn the temperature down to 350ºF and bake for 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan. Repeat with the remaining batter, bumping the temperature back up to 425ºF.
Pro Tips for making this Chocolate Muffins Recipe From Scratch
- Measure the flour using the spoon and level method.
- For best results, make these double chocolate muffins with buttermilk. This recipe has not been tested with whole milk, skim milk or a milk alternative.
- Allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes.
- Top the muffins with lots of chocolate chips and sanding sugar for a true bakery style muffin.
- Bake at a higher temperature initially to cause the muffins to rise quickly.
How to Properly Measure Flour
The most accurate way to measure flour is to use a kitchen scale, weighing it in grams.
If you don’t have a kitchen scale, follow this method.
- Aerate the flour with a whisk or spoon. Flour becomes heavy and compact as it sits. Aerating is the same as fluffing the flour, but not the same as sifting it. Do not sift the flour unless the recipe specifically calls for it.
- Use a spoon to sprinkle the flour into the measuring cup. Do not tap the cup against the counter, as this will compact the flour.
- Use the back of a butter knife to level off the excess.
How to Create Bakery Style Muffins
Bakery style muffins are known for their domed tops. Plus who doesn’t love them? I used a few techniques to help “lift” these muffins so they would have domed tops.
1. THE REST PERIOD
Let the batter rest for 15 minutes after it’s mixed and before you scoop it into the muffin pan. During the resting period, starch molecules in the flour are absorbing the liquid in the batter, causing them to swell and giving the batter a thicker consistency (ref the kitchen whisper). Our 15 minute rest is just a quick rest.
2. BAKE AT HIGH TEMPERATURE INITIALLY
Bake the muffins at a high temperature (425ºF) initially, then lower to 350ºF. Starting the muffins off at a higher temperature causes the batter to rise rapidly, setting the outer surface of the muffin, producing a domed shape.
3. FILL THEM TO THE TOP
Fill your muffin liners to the top with batter. Yes, this goes against everything you’ve heard but it’s important in helping the muffin gain that height.
4. FILL EVERY OTHER MUFFIN CUP
This tip has been a game changer! For bakery style muffin tops, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffins liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Filling every other cup allows the muffins to spread and dome without running into each other. This technique also encourages the muffins to brown, creating a golden muffin top.
Chocolate Muffins Recipe Variations
- Gluten free. I’ve made these muffins with both regular and gluten free flour with awesome results on multiple occasions. I recommend King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour. Use it as a one for one substitute for regular flour.
- Raspberry Double Chocolate Muffins: Add fresh raspberries to the batter for a burst of tartness that complements the rich chocolate flavor.
- Nutty Double Chocolate Muffins: Mix chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans into the batter for a crunchy texture and added flavor.
- Chocolate Swirl Double Chocolate Muffins: Swirl chocolate ganache or melted chocolate into the batter before baking for a marbled effect.
- Mint Double Chocolate Muffins: Add a hint of mint extract to the batter for a refreshing twist on traditional double chocolate muffins.
- Peanut Butter Double Chocolate Muffins: Swirl peanut butter into the batter or add peanut butter chips for a delicious combination of chocolate and peanut butter flavors. Follow my Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins.
- Coconut Double Chocolate Muffins: Mix shredded coconut into the batter for a tropical twist on classic double chocolate muffins.
Storing and Freezing Muffins
Muffin Storage
If you’ll be eating the muffins within 24 hours of baking, you can leave them uncovered on the counter. The muffins will not dry out while left at room temperature for 1 day.
In fact, muffins are so moist they can become soggy and those crunchy, sugary tops can disappear when stored in an airtight container.
But I have a trick to help that – paper towels.
For longer storage, 2-4 days, line the bottom of an airtight container with paper towels. Place the muffins in a single layer in the container then cover the muffins with any additional layer of paper towels. The paper towels will act like a sponge, absorbing the moisture they release while they are stored.
If the paper towels become too moist around day 2 or day 3, replace them with fresh paper towels.
How To Freeze Muffins
Individually wrap each muffin in plastic wrap. Then place them in a ziploc bag or airtight container and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To thaw, leave them at room temperature until defrosted, about 1 hour. Or unwrap them and microwave at 20 second intervals until defrosted.
More Chocolate Desserts
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Best Chocolate Muffins
Ingredients
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (84g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups (360ml) buttermilk
- ½ cup (118ml) vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (340g) semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided (I used regular and chunks)
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir with a spoon to combine, set aside.3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour, 1 cup (84g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar, 4 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt
- In a larger mixing bowl combine the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine with a spatula.3 large eggs, 1 ½ cups (360ml) buttermilk, ½ cup (118ml) vegetable oil, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients and 1 ½ cups chocolate chips into the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. The batter will be very thick!2 cups (340g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes. During this time, preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- For bakery style muffins, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffins liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Fill the liners with 6-8 heaping tablespoons of batter. Add the remaining chocolate chips to the tops of the muffins. Sprinkle them with sanding sugar.
- Place one pan in the center of the oven and bake for 7 minutes at 425ºF, then keep the muffins in the oven, turn the temperature down to 350ºF and bake for 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan. Repeat with the remaining batter, bumping the temperature back up to 425ºF.
These are absolutely heavenly! They are chocolatey and not overly sweet. Turned out amazing, I really wished I could show you!!!
Thank you so much for sharing, will be trying more recipes, I’m excited 💜
I work at a school and the SPED class has a little coffee shop that opens of Fridays, I bake for them to make money for Special Olympics, I made this muffins for them and the teachers loved them, they all told me you have outdone yourself again, I will definitely be making them again and again, I am trying the chocolate banana muffins this weekend I am pretty sure they are as delicious as the chocolate ones.