Chocolate Muffins
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Calling all chocoholics! These tender chocolate muffins with a double hit of chocolate make a delicious breakfast or after-school snack.
The men in my family all have one thing in common: they are serious chocoholics. Growing up, my dad lived on a steady diet of chocolate cake and chocolate chip cookies, and he always kept a stash of Hershey’s Kisses in the back corner of the freezer, where my sister and I couldn’t reach them.
My son has clearly inherited this chocolate obsession, and he knows that flattery and praise are all it takes to get me into the kitchen, covered in cocoa powder. These tender chocolate muffins with a double hit of chocolate are one of his all-time favorites. They are easy to whip up with everyday ingredients. If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, or don’t want to purchase a whole carton, see how to make buttermilk using milk and vinegar or lemon juice.
Table of Contents
“These muffins are spectacular! They come out beautiful, moist and chocolatey every time I make them.”
What you’ll need To Make Chocolate Muffins
- Eggs: Provide structure and moisture, contributing to the tender texture.
- Buttermilk: Adds moisture, enhances the muffins’ flavor, and interacts with baking soda to help the muffins rise.
- Vanilla Extract: Elevates the chocolate flavor and adds depth to the taste.
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the batter. Measure it by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off to ensure accuracy.
- Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Provides intense chocolate flavor without excess sweetness.
- Light Brown Sugar: Adds moisture, sweetness, and a subtle caramel note. Because it tends to clump, gently pack the sugar into the measuring cup to ensure you’ve got the correct amount.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Leavening agents that help the muffins rise and achieve a fluffy texture.
- Semi-Sweet or Bittersweet Chocolate Chips: Introduce pockets of melty chocolate for a double hit of chocolate.
- Butter: Contributes to tenderness and richness in flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by combining the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl.
Whisk well.
In another large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Whisk well and then rub the mixture through your fingers to break up any lumps of brown sugar.
To the dry ingredients, add 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips, the buttermilk-egg mixture, and the melted butter.
Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, mix until just combined.
Using an ice cream scoop or two spoons, fill the muffin cups to the brim with batter.
Distribute the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips evenly over the muffin tops, pressing them lightly into the batter.
Place in the oven and bake for 8 minutes at 425°F (220°C), then turn the oven down to 350°F (175°C) and bake for about 12 minutes more, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean (check a few spots as the melted chocolate chips will make the tester look wet). Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for about 5 minutes before removing the muffins from the pan; cool on a rack.
Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Natural cocoa powder is acidic and has a more intense, slightly bitter flavor, while Dutch process cocoa powder is treated with an alkali to neutralize acidity, resulting in a milder taste and darker color. Dutch process cocoa powder is not used quite as often but if you bake for chocolate lovers, it’s good to have in your pantry for recipes like flourless chocolate cake or this double chocolate skillet cookie. Dutch process and natural cocoa powder are not always interchangeable in recipes due to differences in acidity and leavening properties, so, for optimal results, it’s important to use the type specified in the recipe.
Muffins are always best enjoyed fresh on the same day, but they’ll keep nicely in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Sure! The muffins can be frozen in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag for up to 3 months. Thaw for 3 – 4 hours on the countertop before serving. To reheat, wrap individual muffins in aluminum foil and place in a 350°F-oven until warm.
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Chocolate Muffins
Calling all chocoholics! These tender chocolate muffins with a double hit of chocolate make a delicious breakfast or after-school snack.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup low fat buttermilk (see note)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ⅔ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder, such as Hershey's
- 1¼ cups light brown sugar, packed (be sure it is fresh with no hard lumps)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
Instructions
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- In a large measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract.
- In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Rub the mixture through your fingers to break up any lumps of brown sugar.
- To the dry ingredients, add ¾ cup of the chocolate chips, the buttermilk-egg mixture, and the melted butter. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, mix until until just combined.
- Using an ice cream scoop or two spoons, fill the muffin cups to the brim with batter. Distribute the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips evenly over the muffin tops, pressing them lightly into the batter. Place in the oven and bake for 8 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350°F and bake for about 12 minutes more, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean (check a few spots as the melted chocolate chips will make the tester look wet). Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for about 5 minutes before removing the muffins from the pan; cool on a rack.
- Note: If you’d like to make your own buttermilk, check out the easy method here.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The muffins can be frozen in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag for up to 3 months. Thaw for 3 – 4 hours on the countertop before serving. To reheat, wrap individual muffins in aluminum foil and place in a preheated 350°F oven until warm.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 324
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Sugar: 31 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Sodium: 293 mg
- Cholesterol: 52 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Comments
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My kids love these muffins anytime of day! They are easy to make too! I appreciate not having to use a mixer 🙂 thank you so much for sharing this great recipe with everyone!
I love your website and all your recipes! Thank you! I just made these Chocolate muffins last night and I thought I followed the steps correctly and they looked really yummy. However, I felt like they were on the drier side and a bit crumbly. Did I overmix the batter or put too much cocoa powder in?
Thank you for your help!
Hi Amy, Dryness is usually caused by measuring the flour incorrectly. Did you use the spoon and level method to measure the flour? Even a few extra ounces can make a big difference. This article/video explains it nicely.
Hi Jen, thank you!! I tried it again following each direction carefully and it turned out delish this time! I realized the first time I didn’t pack the brown sugar and I didn’t shake the buttermilk before using it. I also love your cookbook and have it displayed on the kitchen counter 🙂
Glad you had better luck the second time around (and that you’re enjoying the cookbook)! 🙂
These “muffins” are my justification for having rich, moist, chocolatey cake any time of the day! They are delicious!! Another amazing recipe from Jen! Thank you!!
Hi Jenn, can these muffins be frozen? Many thanks!
Definitely! See the bottom of the recipe for freezer-friendly instructions. 🙂
Hi Jen,
I’m about to make these muffins for my sons Valentine’s Day celebration at school tomorrow but I don’t have enough cocoa powder for two batches. What would I have to change to make them without it? Just regular chocolate chip muffins is what I’m going for here I guess.
Thanks!
Btw, I love all of your recipes. I’ve tried a lot of them and they have never steered me wrong 🙂
Glad you like the recipes! 🙂 And sorry if I’m weighing in too late to be helpful, but I wouldn’t recommend making these without the cocoa powder so you may want to use a different recipe for the second batch. Sorry!
I had enough cocoa powder after all but good to know anyway. And they turned out great, as usual with your recipes. Thanks 🙂
Hi Jen,
My chocolate chips did not melt either.
Tell me what I did wrong.
Joyce
Hi Joyce, You’re referring to the chocolate chips on the inside of the muffins? How did the cake portion of the muffins turn out?
The cake portion is not as thick as it should be.
Hmmm….did you make any changes to the recipe?
My muffin turn out great this time. I just use dark brown sugar instead of granulated sugar.
Thank you 🙂
Glad they turned out well!
Hi Jen,
I only have a dark brown sugar and granulated brown sugar.
How many grams you recommend please.
Joyce
Hi Joyce, I’d use the dark brown sugar — you’ll need 288 grams. Enjoy!
These muffins were delicious! I thought the chocolate chips on top were a great idea, making the muffins look special and tasty. I had no problems with the batter, quantity, oven baking, or timing. This was a great recipe to make.
Hi. Just making these now. What’s the reasoning behind baking at 400+ for 8 min and then at a lower temperature vs just baking for 20min at a constant temperature? Thanks.
Hi Sue, The initial blast of higher heat gives a little boost to the leavening agents so the muffins dome nicely.
This is truly the most delicious muffin recipe I have ever baked…and I have baked many! It is more than bakery worthy. The only thing I changed was to use 1/4c less brown sugar as we don’t like our muffins too sweet. They were moist and fluffy and had a great taste! Thank you for a wonderful recipe that our family of seven (four boys included!) will use again and again!! Thank you Jenn for sharing this amazing recipe!
Another thought…after doing years of baking, I have finally purchased a scale and started using metric measurements. This has helped immensely with accuracy, and allowed me to bake successfully 99% of the time.
Just made these muffins, turned out great, I substituted the buttermilk with vanilla yogurt, plus I added about 1/2 cup more yogurt.