These extra moist double chocolate muffins are everything you could want in a muffin. They have slightly crunchy tops with deliciously tender centers that are filled with chocolate chips. It’s an easy, no-mixer recipe for the perfect chocolate muffins just like your favorite bakery.
**This recipe was updated April 14, 2022 with new photos, recipe tips and a slightly updated recipe**
The Best Chocolate Muffins
I usually find muffins fall into one of two categories: dry and bland, or weirdly greasy and overly sweet. But today I’m sharing the absolute best chocolate muffin recipe. These double chocolate muffins are moist, tender and almost verging on fudgy. They have a chocolate flavor that’s not too sweet (they’re muffins after all, not chocolate cupcakes), and there’s chocolate chips in every bite.
Making the Muffins
These muffins are nice and chocolatey due to a healthy dose of cocoa and chocolate chips. I like to use Dutch-process cocoa for the best chocolate flavor, and semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips.
- Start by whisking together the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make sure that you don’t have lumps in the cocoa – as they’ll be hard to get rid of later.
- Then in a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: melted butter, oil, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. Using both melted butter and oil gives these muffins more flavor (from the butter) and keeps them moist from longer (thanks to the oil).
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Then pour the wet ingredients into the well. Carefully fold the ingredients in together. Make sure to do this gently, as overmixing will lead to tough, dry muffins.
- When the batter is about 90% combined, fold in the chocolate chips. When you’re done mixing, the batter will still be a bit lumpy. As long as you don’t have lumps of cocoa powder (remember step 1), you’re good to go.
- Then spoon the batter into the lined muffin tin. The batter will go up to the very top of each liner. Note that in the photo I used silicone muffin tins. When using silicone muffin tins, I like to place them on a cookie sheet because I find that they’re easier to take out of the oven that way.
- The muffins will bake for 5 minutes at 425F, then you’ll turn the temperature down to 375F and continue baking for 15-20 minutes. The initial 5 minutes of baking helps the muffins rise beautifully, but then turning down the temperature ensures that they don’t burn.
Buttermilk Substitute: If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, add 2 teaspoons of vinegar (white or distilled) or freshly squeezed lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then fill to the 1 cup line with 1% or 2% milk. This will sour the milk so that it acts like buttermilk. Buttermilk is key for extra soft muffins
So to recap – these double chocolate muffins are moist, tender, extra chocolatey and just plain delicious. And if you love muffins, make sure to try these other favorites too:
Double Chocolate Muffins
Equipment
- 12-cavity muffin pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 grams) spooned & leveled
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa (40 grams)
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar (250 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup vegetable oil (60 ml)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (56 grams) melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk (240 ml)
- 1 cup chocolate chips (180 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F (200C or 190C fan forced) degrees. Line a 12 cavity muffin tin with muffin papers.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a second large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, oil, eggs, vanilla extract and buttermilk.
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Then pour the wet ingredients into the middle of the well. Gently fold the ingredients together using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
- When the batter is almost combined, gently fold in the chocolate chips.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each muffin cavity to the top. You'll end up with about 12-14 muffins in total.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 400F. Then turn the oven down to 375F (190C) and continue baking for 15-20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with just melted chocolate chip on it. Do not remove the muffins from the oven when you turn the temperature down.
- Cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then continue cooling on a wire rack.
Notes
- Room Temperature Ingredients: For best results, the eggs and buttermilk should be at room temperature before getting started.
- Buttermilk Substitute: If you don't have buttermilk on hand, add 2 teaspoons of vinegar (white or distilled) or freshly squeezed lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then fill to the 1 cup line with 1% or 2% milk.
- Storage: Muffins are best if enjoyed fresh from the oven. Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Muffins freeze well. Then thaw overnight in the fridge.
Yes to anything double chocolate! These muffins are SO cute and I would just adore to devour one right now Xx
Hi, I have tried your banana chocolate bread and it was awesome and I have baked them for the past 2 conservative weekends and my family is screaming of chocolate overdose. Hahah so this week, I would like to try this recipe instead. If I were to replace sour cream and buttermilk, can I use milk instead?
Im planning a orange double chocolate muffins, so I will be adding orange zest. Thanks.
Glad you liked the banana chocolate bread! I think it would be fine to replace the buttermilk with with regular milk, and the sour cream with yogurt – but I haven’t tried the recipe with both of these substitutions (I’ve only tried substituting milk for buttermilk). I bet with orange they’d be delicious though!
How many recipes I tried to find the perfect muffin !! and these are the perfection !! they are very soft and very good even two days later !! I am too happy !!! and I can not wait to try other recipes !!!! Thank you Fiona !!!!
Liquid buttermilk or powder?
Liquid – like you find in the dairy fridge of the grocery store