Chocolate Muffins
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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.
You May Also Like
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
Powered by 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Hi Jen, an old fan of yours from India, where we’re still playing catch-up, when it comes to finding all of the prescribed ingredients. Your recipes, fortunately, aren’t very demanding and the occasional substitutes I fall back on aren’t too way-off! These muffins, just as your other recipes, turned out just as the ones shown here in the photos. You’re a gem!
Delicious. Recipe should have made 14-15 muffins. Used Parchment Paper muffin cups and they overflowed considerably. Muffins also very crumbly. Perhaps they needed more baking. Otherwise quite good and very chocolaty. Used Ghirardelli cocao and chips.
Hi! I made these for my family and everyone loved!! Thank you so much for the recipe. These muffin are so good! Love from Brazil 💘
Hi
What can I put instead of chocolate chips or can I make it without the chocolate??
Hi Jude, you could replace the chocolate chips with chopped nuts if you’d like. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
These muffins are delicious – strong chocolate flavor yet not too sweet. I didn’t have liners and muffins cake out of pan just fine. Just sprayed well with baking spray.
These will now be in the rotation when buttermilk is in the house – your chicken tenders, cranberry nut bread and chocolate muffins! Yum!!
Hello and good evening. Is it okay to completely opt out of the chocolate chips? If yes, are there any changes to be made on any of the ingredients’ measurements? Chocolate chip stocks have recently run out and I’m tasked to make something for a parent who’s coming home within the next couple of days or weeks after more than a year away to work overseas. Thank you for this recipe. Looking forward to making this soon.
Hi Ana, It’s fine to just omit the chocolate chips. Hope the recipient enjoys! 🙂
Theses came out soooooo nice! Satisfying, but not overly sweet. My family and I absolutely LOVE them!
Hi Jenn,
Got a question… Can I use Dutch processed cocoa powder for this recipe?
Thanks!
I wouldn’t recommend Dutch-processed cocoa powder here – sorry!
Glad you liked them! By a cake, do you mean a loaf? If so, I’d recommend this recipe that was designed as a loaf. Let me know if you were looking for more of a layer cake.
I put the melted butter into the fridge for ‘just a few minutes’ to ‘cool slightly’ and forgot it. The chocolate muffins STILL ended up perfect! The grandkids loved them, the husband loved them and I loved them!
Hi Jenn,
I have 3 questions:
a) Can the chocolate chips be substitute by chopped chocolate bar?
b) I see that we can replace buttermilk with yoghurt, do we keep to the measurement of 1 cup?
c) Can we add nuts as topping for the muffins instead of more chocolate chips?
Thanks!
Hi Joyce, 3 answers:
-The chocolate bar will melt a little into the muffins (it won’t hold its shape like chocolate chips) but it should work.
-Yes
-Yes
Hope you enjoy! 🙂
These were absolutely delicious! My family loved them!
These muffins are better than Costco chocolate muffins, and that’s saying something. The ultimate fix for a chocolate craving – dark chocolaty crumb interspersed with gooey chocolate chips perfect for any time of the day. (I say this to justify my eating too many of them just short of binge eating). The aroma of chocolate wafting through the house is an added treat.
Absolutely loved them! The muffins turned out amazing!
This turned out wayy better than expected. Thanks Jenn!!
Omg, this was hands down the best chocolate muffin recipe I’ve ever had. I halved the recipe as I only had 6 muffin tray, and damn did these turn out so great. I followed the recipe to tee. If you’re skeptical about making them, don’t worry, these are so easy to make. So go ahead and bake these babies.
I am trying to make these into muffin tops. I’ll make them about 3 inches in diameter, and what do you recommend for the thickness? And how long should I bake them for? Thanks for any advice! Love love love your site!
Hi Grace, I haven’t made muffin tops so it’s hard to say for sure, but based on what I saw online, it looks like they’ll take somewhere between 15 and 20 minutes, so I’d start checking them at 15. Hope you enjoy!
Hello Jenn, for this Chocolate Muffins recipe, can I replace the “1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter” with oil? How much oil do I use?
I don’t have buttermilk, can I use full-cream milk instead?
Hi Ranessa, Yes, I think you could get away with replacing the butter with oil; I’d recommend 1/2 cup (same amount as butter). And if you don’t have your own buttermilk, you can easily make your own. See how here. Hope that helps and that you enjoy the mnuffins!
Hi Jenn, is your cup measurement in this Chocolate Muffin recipe based on Metric Cup (that is, 1 Metric cup = 250ml)?
Can I leave out the chocolate chips? My husband prefers chocolate muffins with cocoa powder only.
If I bake this in a loaf pan, what temperature and how long should I bake it for?
Kindly advise, thank you 😄
Hi Alyssa, If you need metric measures, there is a button in the top right corner that allows you to toggle between metric and cup measures. It’s fine to leave out the chocolate chips and bake the batter in a loaf pan. I’d set the oven to 350°F/175°C and start checking around 50 minutes (it could take longer). Hope that helps!
Can I substitute greek yogurt for buttermilk?
Sure – hope you enjoy!
I tried this two times, and both times they came out overflowed and deformed. The first time I followed the recipe to the letter only to find the monstrous deformed muffins in the oven with the batter all over the muffin pan and some spilled to the bottom of the oven. The next day tried them again, but put the temperature to 200C for the first 5 minutes – same result. Measured everything by weight.
Can you use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar? Or substitute with granulated sugar?
Hi Audrey, I wouldn’t recommend granulated sugar, but dark brown sugar should work. Hope you enjoy!
“Better than the ones you buy in the bakery” is feedback I got on these delicious muffins. Thanks for an easy and perfect recipe!
i made these twice this week! got great reviews from my college age boys and their friends! i made them in a giant size muffin pan and reduced the cooking time and temp by about 5min and 5 degrees.
Wonderful muffins, can’t stop eating them. 😋
I made these for my class show and tell! Still just a kid, but I’m very passionate about baking! They were so good, very easy to make!! Will make again!
These were amazing. I can always rely on your recipes!
Tasty and rose really well! Just a bit dry… maybe left it in the oven a little long?
Hi Julia, the muffins may have been a bit overbaked. Also, dryness is often caused by too much flour. Did you use the spoon and level method for measuring it?
These are absolutely divine! Soft and tender on the inside with a crispy top, full of deep chocolate flavor. Love ’em! Thank you for the recipe.
Really one of the best Muffin Recipes I’ve ever tried, I look forward every morning to have a couple (I heat them for 10-15 seconds in the Microwave) with my cup of coffee. Thank you!
So, so delicious! Easy substitute for the buttermilk was some semi-skimmed and a tablespoon of lemon <3
Worked out so peng
Can I use normal milk instead of buttermilk?
No, you really need buttermilk for these. If you don’t have any on hand, you can easily make your own. See how here. Hope that helps!
These directions were simple to follow, and a warm chocolate muffin was on my plate in under an hour! Super impressed because they look exactly like the picture and like a muffin I’d see in a bakery. Thank you for supplying my baking therapy 🙂
These are absolutely delicious. Make them 3 times recently. Everyone loves them! Easy enough to make with your little ones.
I did this recipe twice in the last month and turned out amazing. Thank you 🙂
Easy and delicious chocolate muffins. My 3yo loves making these 😊
I have been making these for the family for a while now and I was wondering: can I give them 15 stars? Made them again this morning. I now consider baking to be therapy during these strange times we live in…. Stay safe.
🙂 So glad you like them — stay healthy and safe!
Can these be cooked at all one temperature? I cooked as directions indicated for time and they were super dry.
Hi Kelly, I’m sorry you found these to be dry! Just curious, did you make any adjustments to the recipe? Did you use the spoon and level method for measuring the flour as a little bit of extra flour can make a big difference. If you’d like, you can reduce the temperature and bake them for the whole time at 350°F. Hope that helps!
Amazing! I didn’t have liners so I generously sprayed the muffin tin and also floured it. Worked out perfectly
These came out TRULY AMAZING. Deeply chocolately, moist and delicious.
CHANGES I MADE:
– Instead of butter I used 3/8 cup Olive Oil. Works perfectly. (You can often substitute olive oil for butter in baking by using 2/3rds the amount of butter called for.)
– I added 1/2 tsp of cinnamon powder. I always like the combination of a very light cinnamon touch with chocolate.
PRECISE DIRECTIONS: Your directions are so precise. The oven temperature directions made all the difference – perfect rise, evenly baked, and the outside is ever-so lightly crispy, inside soft and moist. (Often muffins come out super dry or gummy and in order to get the inside baked the outside over bakes. This was not like that at all.)
I will be making these a LOT!
These are more true to a cupcake for me, versus a muffin. Almost like what a chocolate cupcake box mix turns out like, and the choc chips all sank into the batter while cooking. Not bad, but I’m still searching for a good chocolatey MUFFIN recipe …
Turned out great. I used 1:1 gluten free flour, and canola oil (instead of butter). Oh, also I had a bit of Penzeys high fat and some Ghirardelli cacao powder instead of Hershey’s. Thank you- what a treat!
Best muffins I ever made – thank you! I have tried making muffins over the years but they always turned out to be a disappointment; dense and flat. These are so moist and delicious! Is it possible to omit the chocolate and add blueberries or other ingredients?
Carol
Hi Carol, so glad you had success with these! I wouldn’t recommend omitting the chocolate as it would be an entirely different recipe. If you’re interested in blueberry muffins though, these get great reviews from readers. 🙂
These are in the oven on 425 right now…and I’m wondering if after the 8 minutes are up I need to wait until the oven gets to 350 to put the muffins back in for the remaining 12 minutes? The batter tastes sooo delicious! Can’t wait to devour these.
Hi Fran, I know I’m weighing in too late to be helpful, but you don’t need to remove the muffins from the oven while you wait for the temperature to come down. Hope the muffins turned out nicely!
Okay taste but SO dry (and yes, I measured my flour properly and didn’t overmix…I am an amateur pastry chef). I think it was the super high starting oven temp and the 20 minute bake time. Typically my muffins are done in 15 minutes at 350. My oven is well insulated and even after the 12 minutes, the oven temp didn’t come down to 350. Was at 360 when I pulled them out. Next time I’d lower the oven temperature and baking time. Not sure what the purpose of the initial bake af 425 for 8 minutes was. I also used a dark nonstick pan and should have known better than to follow the 425 initial degree bake instructions. They taste great dunked in milk or served with some ice cream, though. Impossible to eat straight.
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.