Sometimes you just crave something sweet, but store-bought muffins can be loaded with sugar and leave you worried about the extra calories. That’s exactly why I started making these chocolate chip muffins at home – I can control exactly how much sugar goes in and still satisfy that sweet tooth craving.
The best part? You can easily adjust the sweetness to your liking. Want them a bit less sweet? Cut back on the sugar by a quarter cup. Prefer them more indulgent? Add a little extra. It’s your kitchen, your rules.
Here’s a bonus tip I’ve discovered: whenever I make these muffins, I often whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookies too since they share so many of the same ingredients. You’ve already got your flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and chocolate chips out – why not make the most of your baking session?
And speaking of seasonal baking – with Halloween coming up, you might want to try pumpkin chocolate chip cookies next! They use many of the same base ingredients. But first, let’s master this delicious muffin recipe and get comfortable with the basics.
These moist and rich chocolate chip muffins are perfect for a quick breakfast or a sweet treat.
Ingredients
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar, let sit for 5 minutes)
1 cup chocolate chips (plus extra for sprinkling on top)
- Equipment:
12-cup muffin tin
Paper muffin liners
Directions
- Preheat Oven & Prepare Muffin Tin: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Alternate Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are okay.
- Fold in Chocolate Chips: Gently fold in 1 cup of chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Fill Muffin Liners: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top of each muffin for a bakery-style finish.
- Bake: Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool: Let the muffins cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips for Perfect Muffins
Don’t Overmix the Batter: This is probably the most important tip I can share. Mix just until the ingredients come together and you don’t see dry flour – a few lumps are perfectly fine. Overmixing develops the gluten and makes your muffins dense and tough instead of light and fluffy.
Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Take your butter and eggs out about an hour before baking. They’ll blend much more smoothly into your batter when they’re at room temperature, giving you better results.
Easy Buttermilk Substitute: Don’t have buttermilk on hand? Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a cup of regular milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. This creates the same tangy flavor and tender texture that buttermilk provides.
Mix Up Your Chocolate Chips: Feel free to switch up the chocolate chips based on your preference! Try dark chocolate chips for a richer flavor, white chocolate chips for something sweeter, or even mini chocolate chips for more even distribution. You can also mix different types together – half semi-sweet and half butterscotch chips make a delicious combination.
Storage: Keep your finished muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap them individually and freeze – they’ll keep for several months and taste fresh when thawed.
Here you have all the tips you need to make perfect chocolate chip muffins every time. Now it’s time to get your hands a little floury, fill your kitchen with that amazing aroma of fresh-baked goods, and treat yourself to something homemade and delicious. Happy baking!
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