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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The muffins turned out great! They were very chocolatey and moist inside and rose well. Reduced the brown sugar from 1 1/4 cups to just 1 cup because I prefer my baked goods a little less sweet, and they turned out perfectly even with less sugar. Definitely would recommend reducing the sugar to make it (just slightly) more healthy. Thanks for the recipe, will be making these again in the future!
Hello, Can I use this recipe to make giant muffins?
Sure. 🙂
Just made it yesterday… I used plain milk added with lemon as buttermilk substitute and instead of butter I used vegetable oil… The batter was not as thick as I thought but it turned out great and the muffin was gone within hours…. Thank you…
Just made these for my family… even though I didn’t use buttermilk (not available in my country) I used plain milk and muffins turned out great!!! How can I substitute buttermilk? Can I use oil instead of butter in this recipe? Thank you
Hi Zoe, So glad you’re enjoying the muffins. You can actually make buttermilk quite easily. See how here. And, yes, it’s fine to replace the butter with oil. Hope that helps!
Excellent recipe,
Everyone enjoyed!
Thank you for sharing.
Hi may i know how long can i keep these muffins after they bake? thank you! 😊
Hi Angie, Muffins are always best enjoyed fresh on the same day, but they’ll keep nicely in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Hope that helps!
Be still my beating heart!!.. these are perfect in texture-dense but not overly so, chocolaty goodness with out being too sweet. Definitely 5stars!! Next time I will use dark chocolate chips (just a personal preference) all chips in the batter/none on top (again, personal preference) and I will have them with a great cup of coffee!! Can’t wait to try these with a cream cheese filling. My local coffee shop and bakery’s could sure learn something from this recipe!!A quick tip to all muffin lovers out there, spritz your muffin papers with a non-stick cooking spray like Pam before putting in the batter. Makes for easy removal even when warm. Thank you for sharing such a fabulous recipe!!!!
My family loves these muffins! As I have a fussy eater, I’m wondering how I can alter the recipe to sneak in applesauce and/or zucchini? Thanks!
Hi, glad these are well liked in your house! I actually have a recipe for chocolate zucchini bread that can be converted into muffins. They’ll take less time to bake – I’d start checking them for doneness at 20 – 25 minutes.
Perfection! No other word fits these muffins. I made no substitutions and they came out perfect. I’m a chocoholic so I used good quality (Callebaut brand) cocoa powder and chocolate chips. These muffins were delicious. I can’t wait to make them for friends.
Thank you for another keeper!
I tried this skeptically, as Ive tried hundreds of highly ranked recipes only to end up with mediocre or sometimes pretty bad results. I have to say that these were fab! Soft, chocolaty and just enough not too sweetness to justify making them 😉 Made them with my 5yo and 8yo who cant wait to make them again. Thanks 🙂
Hi! How would I modify if I want to try to make 6 Jumbo muffins? Thank you.!!
Hi Joelle, I haven’t made these jumbo-sized, but I think should you should add about 5 – 10 minutes to the baking time. (I’d start checking them after 5 extra minutes.) Hope you enjoy them!
I made jumbo muffins with this recipe, using canola oil rather than butter. The yield is 8 muffins. Baked at the 425 degrees for 10 minutes; then the 350 degrees for 15 minutes. I used two six yield muffin tins and paper liners. You will have two empty cups in each tin, simply fill each of these 1/2 full of water for better heat distribution. They turned out fantastic. My husband said this recipe is definitely a keeper. He thought they were great; so did I.
Hi, just made these and they turned out beautifully! I made a few adjustments and thought I’d share. I was out of brown sugar and subbed white without issues. I also cut down the sugar to 3/4 c. and added a medium mashed banana to the buttermilk mixture. I made a buttermilk mixture with 1 T lemon juice and 1/2 c milk + 1/2 c plain nonfat yogurt. I also subbed out 1/2 c flour with 1/4 c. wheat germ and 1/4 c. ground flaxseed. I baked them in mini muffin tins 5 min at 450 and 6 min at 350. Thanks for the awesome recipe! They will be devoured by my 6 kids!!
Just pulled these out of the oven, and the smell of chocolatey goodness is everywhere! Can’t wait to dig in. Thanks for another great recipe❤️
Hi. Just made these and the taste is awesome however they overflowed. What did I do wrong?
Hmmmm… these generally rise nicely. When you say they overflowed, do you mean that they didn’t rise and batter pooled around the muffin wells? Did you make any adjustments to the recipe?
Perfect muffins. Love it when a recipe works and doesn’t need to be tweaked at all. I know every time I try something from once upon a chef it will be a hit.
Delicious!!! Not overly sweet but just the right amount of chocolate. I ended up baking them in several mini-bundt pans and serving them with ice cream as they were the perfect serving of chocolate cake for everyone.
This is one of the best muffins recipes I have ever made. They are light, tender and have a perfect amount of chocolate and sweetness. My family loved these delicious chocolate muffins and this recipe will be made often for family and friends. I visit your recipe site so often because recipes are easy to follow, you’ve done all of the perfecting and tweaking and I get such wonderful comments from family and guests.
Hello! Is it possible to add protein powder to this recipe? And if yes, how much? Much love from Edmonton 🙂
Hi Faiqha, I’ve never incorporated protein powder into baked goods, so I can’t say for sure, but I suspect you could get away with adding up to 1/4 cup to the flour mixture. You may need to add just a little more buttermilk so the liquid to dry ratios aren’t off. Please LMK how they turn out if you try it!
Wow! These are simply phenomenal! My 17 year-old son recently requested me to bake chocolate muffins and I scoured the internet for a recipe. I read MANY recipes but for some reason I found none appealing until I came to this one. I will admit I was skeptical about all that brown sugar, but I followed the recipe to the letter and my son announced they were a 10 out of 10 and my husband said they were a 20 out of 10! Just made them again and this time I put a few left over fall M&Ms on top and made them in Texas-size muffin tins and the result was just as excellent. Thank you so much for a fantastic simple but extraordinarily delicious chocolate muffin!!
Hi! I want to add some Guiness to these.. Would you recommend cutting some of the buttermilk? I lobe chocolate and guiness in a cupcake and Id like to transfer it into a muffin! Any tips?
Hi Emily, I think it would work. I’d replace half the buttermilk with Guinness. Hope you enjoy!
Made these muffins today! Turned out exactly as your pics. Delicious! Not too sweet at all. Our family loved them. I baked mine for 8 mins then turned down to 350 degrees for only 10 minutes and they were done!
Hi there! Can I make the batter the night before and bake in the morning?
Unfortunately, it won’t work to make the batter ahead; the leavening will be activated when the wet and dry ingredients are combined and, so when you go to bake them, they won’t rise as they should. You can combine the wet and the dry ingredients (and keep them in two separate bowls) the day before, and then bake them in the morning. Hope that helps!
Thanks so much for the tip!
Hi it seems this recipe is big hit, how if i just wanna make chocolate chip muffin (plain/basic muffin)? should i take out the cocoa powder & replace it w/ flour?
Hi Aya, I wouldn’t recommend it – sorry! Instead, you could add chocolate chips to these Donut Muffins or use the batter from this coffee cake to make muffins.
These muffins are Amazing! They are perfect, and super easy with basically no advance planning (aside from buying buttermilk). Thank you so much for another great recipe Jenn! I have come to really enjoy cooking and baking since I discovered your website and purchased your book. You make it easy for a novice to have success!! I love the clear directions that you provide. Many thanks
These were SO good, Jenn! I agree with some of the other comments that chocolate muffins are usually too sweet, heavy, or oily (I would never buy one at a deli here in NYC, ha!). But I loved, loved, loved these. Thanks again.
I would like to add espresso powder to this recipe. Opinion?
Yes!
I should have been more specific – how much espresso powder would you suggests? Thanks.
Hi Katie, Depending on how strong you want it, I’d suggest 2 to 3 teaspoons.
I realised too late that my cocoa was processed with alkali. What can I do to combat this? Add more of something? The dry and wet are not mixed yet.
Sorry for the delayed response, Sammm! How did the muffins turn out?
Actually they turned out great! They still rose and looked exactly as you pictured them. I even had enough for a 13th muffin which I put in an ungreased silicone muffin cup. It too turned out great.
What is the reasoning behind greasing AND lining the muffin tins?
So glad they turned out nicely – good to know that the cocoa didn’t have a significant impact! I recommend both spraying the pan and using liners because these muffins tend to stick – just extra insurance!
I made these muffins last night. I was trying to use up some leftover hot chocolate mix, so I decreased the cocoa and sugar and added a half-cup of the mix. They turned out great!
Very yummy. I LOVE IT. Thanks
Where does the butter go?
Hi Nadira, When you add the wet ingredients to the dry, the recipe indicates to add the butter then as well. Hope that clarifies!
I made these yesterday. Absolutely delicious. Moist, filled the chocolate craving without being too sweet. I added 1/4 teaspoon of espresso power, as I add this to my baking anything chocolate. Instructions were perfect. Will be making these many times over. Thank you!
Can I use this recipe to make mini muffins and how long should I bake?
Hi Susan, For mini muffins, I’d adjust the oven temp to 375°F and start checking after 12-15 min. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
Can you please clarify the oven temperature for mini muffins? Do I start them at 400 for 8 mins or at 375? And if so, what do I drop it down to after? Thanks!
Lee-Ann has
Hi Lee-Ann, For mini muffins, I’d adjust the oven temp to 375°F (and keep it there for the entire baking time) and start checking after 12 minutes. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
You’re the expert, so I take your word for it, but I’m just curious what the reason is for not using Dutch processed cocoa. I’m really looking forward to making these chocolate muffins for my family during the Christmas vacation.
Thanks,
Gail
Good question – The acidity in natural cocoa powder activates the baking soda in the recipe and causes the batter to rise in the oven. Dutch-process cocoa powder has been treated with an alkali to neutralize its acidity and is therefore not acidic enough to activate the baking soda. Hope that clarifies!
Hi Jenn,
Thanks for the awesome recipe. I made it once & it tasted awesome. Can I replace the butter with applesauce?
What is the purpose of baking powder in the recipe?
Glad you liked them! If you want to substitute applesauce for the butter, I’d recommend replacing half the amount of butter with applesauce. Any more than that and I’d be concerned the muffins would be too moist and dense. And the baking powder helps to make the muffins rise. 🙂
Can this recipe be baked in loaf pan? I know, that the baking time may be different.
Sure, Tuty – that should work. Enjoy!
Yes. It works and is delicious. Moist and tender. Thank you.
Wonderful! I did not have buttermilk so used the 1 Tablespoon of vinegar then enough milk to make a cup rule, and they came out wonderful. I made them again and only had Greek nonfat yogurt so I substituted that instead of the buttermilk and they also came out wonderful. This recipe is a favorite at our house. We pair it with turkey sausage/bacon and some fresh fruit.
Hi Jenn,
My child needs to take chocolate muffins for a picnic,,and i knew where to search them”ONCE UPON A CHEF”…i know these will come out delicious..just needed a little help.
1.can i use two medium eggs instead of large ones?
2.can i use plain granulated sugar instead of brown..or half of dark brown and half of white granulated?
3.can i use oil instead of butter?
4. will they stay well if i bake them a day or two in advance?
Please help as i need to bake them before
Tuesday.
Thanks a ton.
DV
Hi DV, You can use medium eggs. For the sugar, I’d use half dark brown/half granulated. And it’s fine to use oil instead of butter. I’d baked them no more than one day in advance for best results. Hope that helps!
Hi Jenn,
Thank you very much for your quick reply.
The muffins were tasty and i did use oil,,my son was super happy.
I did find them a little dry though,cannot understand why?
i have used light brown sugar.can you help?
All the same thanks for another lovely recipe. Waiting to hear from you.
Regards,
DV.
Hi DV, Did you measure the flour using the spoon and level method? Even just a little too much flour can cause muffins to be dry. You might also try reducing the baking time by a few minutes.
These muffins are fantastic as written (and a good chocolate muffin recipe is hard to find)! We have made them several times for a family member with celiac disease using Cup 4 Cup gluten free flour. They are still delicious but maybe not quite as good as the original. We take 2-3 minutes off the total cooking time for the gluten free version.
I was always intrigued by chocolate muffins but never made them before. What have I been waiting for? They are absolutely delicious. Tender crumb and wonderful chocolate flavour. Who wouldn’t want chocolate for breakfast? A definite winner that I will make again and again and again ………………….
This recipe makes a tasty batch of muffins indeed! I have made this recipe several times now and have learned that not over-mixing the batter results in a lovely soft textured muffin. Definitely a favorite.
Thank you for the recipe, I’m going to try it tonight. If I bake it in a pound cake pan, what temperature and for how long should I bake it for? Thanks.
Hi Mic, what are the dimensions of your pan? I know pound cake is often made in both loaf and tube pans.
What is the nutrition info?
Hi Louise, I just added them. You can find them immediately under the recipe.
These muffins are really quite delicious. I used pastry flour (210 grams instead of the 220g called for in the recipe, as pastry flour tends to absorb more liquid), and got a super-tender result. As these muffins cook up fairly large, busting out of the pan, I might make 6 next time instead of the whole dozen. They are so rich, and being on the large side, I think a half-portion is enough for the four of us.
Thanks!
Definitely for a chocoholic. Such as myself… you can not only taste the chocolate in the chips, but in the bread as well.
These were a big hit with my husband and friend. There was more batter than I needed for my 12-cup muffin pan; the recipe made 16 muffins. They were nice and chocolatey and not too sweet. I had to reduce the cooking time by a few minutes. Yum!
These muffins are great! As you say, they are full of chocolate but not too sweet. I used whole wheat pastry flour instead of AP, and forgot to start the oven at 425 degrees (it was a constant 350 degrees). The muffins still turned out as delicious as my daughter was hoping!
Thank you for Chocolate Muffins.
My world is now complete with Chocolate for breakfast. When the family smells them baking they come without even calling them. Simply delicious Don’t need to add a thing.
Thank you so much for the effort that goes into your recipes. These were Perfection!!! Really looking forward to your cookbook!
Can I use sour cream or plain yogurt in place of buttermilk?
Thank-you
Lina from Quebec
Sure– enjoy!
Is it possible to make the muffin batter the night before you want to bake them and refrigerate until use?
Unfortunately Katie, for best results, I would not suggest refrigerating the muffin batter overnight as they will not rise when you go to bake them.
Thank you for the response!
Perfection!
Made these on the weekend. Turned out great. Had to put them in the Freezer so I wouldn’t eat them all!! Will definitely make again.
These muffins are delicious. They’re so good with brown sugar.You should tell people to heat them for 20 seconds in a microwave for an even better muffin,