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These bakery-style chocolate chip muffins are moist, buttery, tender, and loaded with chocolate chips for a decadent breakfast treat or a sweet afternoon snack. Made from scratch with about 10 minutes of prep, the muffins are delicious with a hot mug of coffee, a cup of tea, or a cold glass of milk. Add some fresh fruit, Greek yogurt, or a light egg casserole to round out the meal. Don’t miss all of the tips and tricks for perfectly raised muffin tops and soft, fluffy insides, too!
Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe
Whether you’re looking for a sweet treat to spoil your mom on Mother’s Day, a tasty addition to the breakfast buffet at your next brunch with friends, or just a simple and delicious snack that will make your kids smile, these chocolate chip muffins are the perfect choice! They’re easy to stir together (no mixer required), they have a moist, light, and tender crumb, and they’re full of rich, buttery flavor and fudgy chocolate. Garnish the tops with coarse sugar and extra chocolate chips, and you’ve got a decadent bakery-style treat in the comfort of your own home. Perfect with a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of coffee!
How to Make Tall Muffin Tops
There are a few key steps to creating that nice, high dome on the muffin top:
- Use a thick batter (you’ve got that here!)
- Fill the muffin cups almost to the top (I like to use an ice cream scoop, large cookie dough scoop, or 2 ¼-inch dough scoop like this to equally measure the same amount of batter into each cup)
- Leave some of the muffin tins empty to allow the heat to circulate around the individual muffins. If you’d like to do this, you’ll need two 12-cup muffin pans. Line 6 cups in each pan with paper liners, leaving alternate muffin cups empty.
What is the secret to moist muffins?
There are a variety of factors that contribute to moist muffins with a light and fluffy inside:
- Use butter and oil. The oil keeps baked goods ultra-moist, while the butter adds rich flavor. By using both kinds of fat in these muffins, you get the benefits of each.
- Don’t over-mix the batter. Stirring too much can activate the gluten in the flour, resulting in dry, dense, or tough muffins. Instead, mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula just until the ingredients are combined. A few lumps in the batter is okay!
- Don’t over-bake the muffins and don’t let them cool in the pan. Leaving them in the oven for too long can dry out the muffins. Similarly, it’s important to remove the muffins to a wire rack to cool so that they don’t continue cooking in the hot muffin pan.
The sweet gingham potholders, laurel spoon rest, heart mugs, and heart-shaped dishes that you see here come from my friends at Farmhouse Pottery, and would be perfect gifts for Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day!
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a batch of homemade chocolate chip muffins. As always, specific measurements and complete step-by-step baking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- All-purpose flour: the base of the muffins. Make sure that it’s properly measured using my tips below!
- Granulated sugar: for just the right amount of sweetness.
- Quick-cooking oats: add flavor and texture to the batter. These are the oats that I use, but you can omit this ingredient if you prefer.
- Baking powder: the leavening agent that helps the muffins rise.
- Salt: to balance the sweetness and enhance the other flavors in the muffins.
- Buttermilk: provides a slightly tangy flavor, yields a more tender crumb, and provides a little bit more lift for light and fluffy muffins. If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, you can substitute with regular whole milk — the recipe will still work.
- Butter and oil: you can use just butter or just oil, but I like the combination of the moisture that you get with the oil, plus the rich flavor of the butter.
- Eggs: give the muffins structure and lift.
- Vanilla extract: for cozy warmth.
- Chocolate chips: I like miniature chocolate chips, since they distribute more evenly throughout the muffins for chocolate in every bite. If you prefer, you can use regular chocolate chips in just about any variety: semi sweet chocolate chips, bittersweet chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, or even white chocolate chips!
- Coarse sugar: gives the muffins crunchy, sparkly tops for a bakery-style finish!
How to Make Chocolate Chip Muffins
These simple chocolate chip muffins come together in about 10 minutes with just a handful of ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. No mixer required!
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl: flour, sugar, oats, baking powder, and salt.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients in a separate medium bowl: buttermilk, melted butter, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients in the large bowl. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to mix just until combined.
- Fold the chocolate chips into the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly among muffin cups in a standard size muffin pan that’s lined with greased cupcake liners. I like to use an ice cream scoop to make sure that each muffin is the same size (and therefore bakes in the same amount of time).
- Sprinkle coarse sugar and extra chocolate chips on top of each muffin.
- Bake the muffins in a 350°F oven for about 20-25 minutes, and then allow them to rest on a wire rack until they’re cool enough to handle. Slather on some butter and devour!
Serving Suggestions for Simple Chocolate Chip Muffins
Chocolate chip muffins are such a versatile little treat — especially when paired with butter, cream cheese, peanut butter, honey, or jam. You can offer them for a quick grab-and-go breakfast on busy mornings; pile some in a basket as a part of a special Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day brunch buffet; or set out a few with a glass of milk or a mug of coffee for an afternoon snack.
For a more elaborate brunch spread, try pairing the muffins with any of these other morning dishes:
- Fruit Salad or just a platter of fresh melon and berries
- Fruit Smoothies
- Southern Shrimp and Grits
- Candied Bacon
- Crustless Quiche with Spinach
- Ham and Cheese Baked Omelet or Baked Western Omelet
- Sausage Breakfast Casserole
- Quiche Lorraine
- Easy Frittata with Cheddar and Chives
- Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
- “Country Comfort” Smoked Sausage Casserole
Storage
Allow the muffins to cool completely. Muffins are best enjoyed on the day that they’re made. Store leftovers in a large Ziploc freezer bag or other airtight container. The muffins will last for 2-3 days at room temperature, or you can freeze the muffins for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat Moist Chocolate Chip Muffins
If the muffins are frozen, allow them to sit on the counter for a few minutes while you preheat the oven to 350°F. Frozen muffins will require about 10-12 minutes in the oven; room temperature muffins will only need about 5 minutes to warm through. Alternatively, you can microwave one muffin at a time for 15-30 seconds or just until warm.
Recipe Variations
- Use the same batter to prepare a loaf of chocolate chip bread instead of individual muffins. Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350°F for about 1 hour.
- We prefer mini chocolate chips, which add the perfect touch of chocolate in every bite of muffin. You can use any chocolate chips that you like, including dark chocolate chips, semi sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or milk chocolate chips.
- Swap out the buttermilk and use whole milk instead. Unlike baking soda, the baking powder does not need acidic buttermilk to activate.
- Omit the quick oats if you don’t have any on hand, or if you don’t care for them.
- For whole wheat muffins, you can substitute half of the all-purpose flour (1 cup) for an equal amount of whole wheat flour. I don’t recommend using 2 full cups of whole wheat flour, because it will make the muffins a bit too dry and dense.
- Mini Muffins: bake the batter in mini muffin tins in a 350°F oven for about 12-15 minutes.
- Instead of a combination of both butter and oil, use just ½ cup of oil or just ½ cup of melted butter.
Tips for the Best Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe
- Properly measure the flour by fluffing the flour with a fork, and then spooning the flour into the measuring cup and leveling it off with a knife. Do not use the measuring cup to scoop the flour directly out of the canister. This will pack the flour too tightly in the measuring cups, resulting in more flour than you need, which in turn yields dry, dense muffins.
- Start with room temperature ingredients. The room temp buttermilk and eggs will blend more easily into the batter.
- The key to a perfect muffin is just barely mixing the ingredients. You want them to come together, but a few lumps are fine. This way they’ll stay moist and tender!
- For even higher muffin tops, leave some of the muffin tins empty to allow the heat to circulate around the individual muffins. If you’d like to do this, you’ll need two 12-cup muffin pans. Line 6 cups in each pan with paper liners, leaving alternate muffin cups empty.
- Fill the muffin cups about ¾ full. I like to use an ice cream scoop to make sure that each cup has an equal amount of batter, ensuring that the muffins bake evenly in the oven.
- To check if the muffins are done, insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin and make sure it comes out clean. Don’t cook them for too long, or they can dry out.
More Muffin Recipes to Try
- Strawberry Muffins
- Whole Wheat Banana Blueberry Muffins
- Apple Muffins with Cinnamon Sugar
- Old-Fashioned Cranberry Muffins
- Apple Cider Donut Muffins
- Farmhouse Blackberry Muffins
- One-Bowl Zucchini Muffins
- Blueberry Streusel Muffins
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Easy Banana Muffins
- Applesauce Pumpkin Muffins
- Morning Glory Muffins
- Double Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Orange Muffins
- Easy Blueberry Muffins
- Bran Muffins
Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour, properly measured (see note below)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons quick-cooking oats (optional)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup buttermilk or whole milk, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (½ of a stick) salted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chocolate chips (I prefer miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips, but any variety will work)
- Optional, for topping: additional chocolate chips and coarse sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, oats (if using), baking powder, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk (or milk), melted butter, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir just until combined, being careful not to over-mix. The batter may be lumpy, which is fine.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each cup almost to the top. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips and coarse sugar on top, if desired.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Properly measure the flour by fluffing the flour with a fork, and then spooning the flour into the measuring cup and leveling it off with a knife. Do not use the measuring cup to scoop the flour directly out of the canister. This will pack the flour too tightly in the measuring cups, resulting in more flour than you need, which in turn yields dry, dense muffins.
- We prefer mini chocolate chips, which add the perfect touch of chocolate in every bite of muffin. You can use any chocolate chips that you like, including dark chocolate chips, semi sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or milk chocolate chips.
- Start with room temperature ingredients. The room temp buttermilk and eggs will blend more easily into the batter.
- The key to a perfect muffin is just barely mixing the ingredients. You want them to come together, but a few lumps are fine. This way they’ll stay moist and tender!
- For even higher muffin tops, leave some of the muffin tins empty to allow the heat to circulate around the individual muffins. If you’d like to do this, you’ll need two 12-cup muffin pans. Line 6 cups in each pan with paper liners, leaving alternate muffin cups empty.
- Fill the muffin cups about ¾ full. I like to use an ice cream scoop to make sure that each cup has an equal amount of batter, ensuring that the muffins bake evenly in the oven.
- Don’t skip the sugar topping and extra chocolate chips on these muffins! They create perfect sweet, crispy tops that contrast beautifully with the moist, tender insides.
- To check if the muffins are done, insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin and make sure it comes out clean. Don’t cook them for too long, or they can dry out.
- Use the same batter to prepare a loaf of chocolate chip bread instead of individual muffins. Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350°F for about 1 hour.
- Swap out the buttermilk and use whole milk instead.
- Omit the quick oats if you don’t have any on hand, or if you don’t care for them.
- For whole wheat muffins, you can substitute half of the all-purpose flour (1 cup) for an equal amount of whole wheat flour. I don’t recommend using 2 full cups of whole wheat flour, because it will make the muffins a bit too dry and dense.
- Mini Muffins: bake the batter in mini muffin tins in a 350°F oven for about 12-15 minutes.
- Instead of a combination of both butter and oil, use just ½ cup of oil or just ½ cup of melted butter.
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