Double Chocolate Muffins
If you love chocolate, these Double Chocolate Muffins are worth heating up the oven for. They bake up with tall, domed tops covered in melty mini chocolate chips, and the crumb stays soft and rich from the first bite to the last. They work beautifully as a school snack, a weekend breakfast, or a treat with your afternoon coffee.
The recipe comes from In Bloom Bakery, where Ginny Dyer shares a bakery style double chocolate muffin recipe that needs only a whisk and two bowls. One batch makes 12 muffins, so there is plenty to share. If chocolate at breakfast is your kind of thing, you may also like this Moist Double Chocolate Banana Bread.
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Why You’ll Love These Double Chocolate Muffins
Here is why this recipe earns a permanent spot in your baking rotation.
- Quick and easy. The hands on work takes about 10 minutes, and you only need a whisk plus two bowls. No stand mixer, no creaming butter and sugar.
- Seriously chocolatey. Dutch process cocoa powder gives the batter a deep, dark chocolate flavor, and mini chocolate chips land in every single bite.
- Very moist. Sour cream is the quiet hero here. It adds richness and keeps the muffins tender instead of dry.
The batter also rests for 30 minutes at room temperature before it goes into the oven, which is an easy step to work into your schedule.
Key Ingredients for Double Chocolate Muffins
Every ingredient in this recipe has a job to do. Here is what each one brings to the batter and why the small details matter.
- Unsalted butter, melted. Butter adds flavor and moisture that vegetable oil simply cannot replicate, which is why melted butter is the better choice here.
- Granulated white sugar. It sweetens the muffins and keeps the crumb tender. This recipe was tested with granulated white sugar only, so brown sugar is not recommended for the best results.
- Eggs at room temperature. Two eggs bring the batter together and help the muffins rise.
- Whole milk at room temperature. Whole milk gives the best flavor, so it is worth the quick trip to the store.
- Sour cream at room temperature. This is the ingredient that adds extra moisture and that soft, rich texture.
- Vanilla. Vanilla bean paste is recommended for the best flavor, though vanilla extract works just fine.
- All purpose flour. It creates the best crumb for a tender muffin.
- Dutch process cocoa powder. It provides a rich, dark chocolate flavor. Regular cocoa powder can be used instead, but Dutch process gives a stronger chocolate taste.
- Baking powder and baking soda. These two leavening agents work together for a fluffy texture and a good rise.
- Salt. A little salt brings out all the other flavors.
- Mini semi sweet chocolate chips. One cup (200 g) is folded into the batter, and an extra half cup (100 g) is reserved for sprinkling on top before baking.
If you want to change things up, other chocolate chips such as dark, milk, white chocolate, or peanut butter chips can be substituted, and chopped nuts can replace the chocolate chips entirely.
Step by Step Instructions for the Best Chocolate Muffins
The method is simple, and the order of the steps keeps everything tidy.
- Whisk the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set the bowl aside.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter, sugar, eggs, milk, sour cream, and vanilla.
- Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips. Add one cup of mini semi sweet chocolate chips and fold them into the batter with a rubber spatula.
- Rest the batter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the batter rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the pans. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two muffin pans with 12 liners, placing them in every other cup so the muffins have space between them. This spacing is the best way to get extra domed tops. If you do not own an oversized 24 cup muffin pan, two regular pans work perfectly.
- Scoop and top. Scoop the rested batter into the lined cups and sprinkle the reserved mini chocolate chips over each one.
- Bake and cool. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then move them to a wire rack.
If you bake all 12 muffins in one 12 cup pan without spacing them out, plan on about 4 to 5 extra minutes in the oven.
Pro Tips:
Two small habits make a big difference in how these muffins turn out.
Measure your flour correctly. Do not scoop the measuring cup straight into the flour bag. That packs the flour down, and you end up using far more than the recipe needs, which makes muffins dry and dense.
Instead, sprinkle spoonfuls of flour into the cup and level it off with a knife. If you own a kitchen scale, weigh the flour: one cup of all purpose flour equals 125 grams.
Bring the wet ingredients to room temperature. Eggs, whole milk, and sour cream should all sit out long enough to lose their chill. Room temperature ingredients blend into a smoother batter and give you the best texture once baked.
If you remember only one thing, remember this: spoon and level your flour, and let your eggs, milk, and sour cream come to room temperature before you start mixing.
Ingredients
This recipe is built from three simple parts, and one batch makes 12 muffins.
| Component | Ingredients |
|---|---|
| Dry mix | 1 3/4 cups (219 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled; 1/2 cup (40 g) Dutch process cocoa powder; 2 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1/4 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp salt |
| Wet mix | 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, melted; 1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar; 2 eggs at room temperature; 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk at room temperature; 1/2 cup (122 g) sour cream at room temperature; 2 tsp vanilla |
| Chocolate | 1 cup (200 g) mini semi sweet chocolate chips for the batter; 1/2 cup (100 g) mini semi sweet chocolate chips for sprinkling on top |
Keep the flour and the cocoa powder in separate measuring cups as you work, and set the topping chips aside in a small bowl so you do not accidentally fold them into the batter.
Instructions
Follow the steps in order, and the batter comes together in a few minutes of hands on time.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 3/4 cups (219 g) all purpose flour, 1/2 cup (40 g) Dutch process cocoa powder, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt. Set the bowl aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together 1/2 cup (112 g) melted unsalted butter, 1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar, 2 eggs at room temperature, 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk at room temperature, 1/2 cup (122 g) sour cream at room temperature, and 2 tsp vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
- Add 1 cup (200 g) mini semi sweet chocolate chips and fold them into the batter with a rubber spatula.
- Cover the muffin batter with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 muffin pans with 12 liners, lining every other cup so that they are spaced out.
- After the batter has rested for 30 minutes, scoop it into the lined muffin cups. Sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup (100 g) mini semi sweet chocolate chips over each muffin.
- Bake the muffins for 20 to 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out with just a few moist crumbs. If you bake all 12 muffins in one 12 cup pan without spacing them out, they will need about 4 to 5 extra minutes in the oven.
- After baking, let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
The muffins are at their best while the chocolate chips are still soft and melty, so serve them once they are cool enough to handle. They hold up well in a lunchbox too, and the domed tops stay intact when you pack them in a single layer.
Recipe details
Here is a quick look at the timing and yield for one batch.
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Rest time: 30 minutes
- Cook time: 22 minutes
- Servings: 12 muffins
Store the muffins in an airtight container or a freezer bag for up to three days.
See the additional source.
FAQs
What makes double chocolate muffins moist?
The key to moist double chocolate muffins is sour cream, which adds richness and tenderizes the gluten. The recipe uses 1/2 cup (122 g) of sour cream at room temperature. Using melted butter instead of oil also adds moisture and flavor, and the 30-minute batter rest helps hydrate the flour for a tender texture.
How do you get domed tops on chocolate muffins?
The best way to achieve bakery-style domed tops is to space the muffin liners in the pan. Line every other cup in two pans so the heat circulates evenly, allowing the muffins to rise higher. You can also start baking at a higher temperature, but this specific recipe is designed to work with the spacing technique.
Can you use regular cocoa powder instead of Dutch process?
Yes, you can use regular natural cocoa powder instead of Dutch process cocoa powder in this recipe. However, Dutch process cocoa, which is used in the canonical recipe at 1/2 cup (40 g), provides a richer, darker chocolate flavor. Natural cocoa will still work but may yield a slightly lighter color and milder taste.
How long do double chocolate muffins last and can you freeze them?
Double chocolate muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. For longer storage, freeze the completely cooled muffins individually wrapped in plastic wrap inside a freezer-safe bag for up to three months. To serve, thaw at room temperature or microwave for 15 to 20 seconds.
Double Chocolate Muffins
Double Chocolate Muffins If you love chocolate, these Double Chocolate Muffins are worth heating up the oven for. They bake up with tall, domed tops covered in melty mini chocolate chips, and the crumb stays soft and rich from the first bite to the last.
- Yield: 12 Muffins 1x
Ingredients
For the Double Chocolate Muffins
1 3/4 cups (219 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/2 cup (40 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 cup (122 g) sour cream, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup (200 g) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup (100 g) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, for sprinkling on top of the muffins
Instructions
For the Double Chocolate Muffins
1-In a medium bowl, whisk together the: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Then set aside.
2-In a large bowl, mix together the: In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter, sugar, eggs, milk, sour cream and vanilla.
3-Add the dry ingredients to the wet: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
4-Add in the chocolate chips and fold: Add in the chocolate chips and fold them into the batter with a rubber spatula.
5-Cover the muffin batter with plastic wrap: Cover the muffin batter with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
6-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 muffin pans with 12 liners, lining every other cup so that they are spaced out.
7-After the batter has rested for 30: After the batter has rested for 30 minutes, scoop the batter into the lined muffin cups. Sprinkle extra mini chocolate chips over each.
8-Bake the muffins for 20-23 minutes, or: Bake the muffins for 20-23 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out from the centers with just a few moist crumbs. (If you choose not to space out the muffins and instead bake them all in one 12 cup pan, keep in mind that the muffins will need about 4-5 extra minutes longer to bake.)
9-After baking, let the muffins cool in: After baking, let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
Preparation: 10 min. Cooking: 22 min. Allow time for every resting, cooling and chilling step in the instructions. Additional time: follow the resting and cooling steps (30 min).
- Method: bake
