Recipe

Chocolate Muffins

Bakery-style chocolate muffins with tall tops, crisp edges, and a super moist, fudge-leaning center. One bowl, simple ingredients, big chocolate payoff.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A real photo of tall bakery-style chocolate muffins with crackly tops and chocolate chips, arranged on a cooling rack on a kitchen counter in natural light

Jump to Recipe

There are chocolate muffins, and then there are chocolate muffins that actually taste like chocolate. These are the second kind. Think: domed tops, those little crisp edges around the rim, and a center that stays tender and rich for days. Not cupcake-sweet, not dry, not weirdly bready. Just straight-up cozy chocolate energy.

This recipe keeps things accessible and low drama. We use pantry staples, cocoa powder, and a little hot coffee or hot water to wake the chocolate up. Then we do one sneaky bakery trick to help you get that tall, proud muffin top without needing special equipment or a culinary degree.

A real photo of chocolate muffin batter in a large mixing bowl with a whisk resting on the rim, cocoa streaks visible in the batter

Why It Works

Deep chocolate flavor from a true cocoa bloom step, plus chocolate chips for pockets of melt.
Moist crumb thanks to oil and sour cream or Greek yogurt, so they stay soft even the next day.
Bakery-style rise from a higher starting oven temperature and a short rest before baking.
Simple method with clear steps and no fancy tools, just a muffin tin and a whisk.

Pairs Well With

Hot coffee or espresso
Cold milk
Fresh raspberries
Peanut butter

Storage Tips

Room temp: Keep muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If you want to preserve the crisp edges, line the container with a paper towel and avoid stacking until fully cooled.

Fridge: You can refrigerate for up to 5 days, but the fridge can dry baked goods out. Warm one for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave to bring it back.

Freezer: Freeze individually (wrap each muffin well) for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or microwave in short bursts until just warm.

Best reheat move: Split one, toast lightly, and add a tiny swipe of butter. It sounds extra. It tastes correct.

Common Questions

What makes these “authentic” chocolate muffins?

They lean into real cocoa flavor and a muffin-style crumb, not cupcake vibes. The batter is mixed gently (no creaming butter and sugar), and the cocoa gets bloomed with hot liquid to deepen the chocolate taste.

Can I use Dutch-process cocoa?

Yes. Dutch-process cocoa is smoother and darker. Because this recipe uses baking powder plus baking soda, it works with either natural or Dutch-process cocoa.

Do I have to use coffee?

Nope. Coffee boosts chocolate, but you can use hot water instead. You will not taste coffee if you use it, it just makes the chocolate louder.

Why did my muffins turn out dense?

The usual suspects: overmixing (stirs develop gluten), old leaveners, or packing in too much flour. Stir just until the flour disappears, and fill cups about 3/4 full for the best rise without spillover.

Can I make mini muffins?

Yes. Bake at 425°F for 3 minutes, then reduce to 350°F and bake about 8 to 10 minutes total. Start checking early.

Can I add mix-ins?

Absolutely. Keep it to about 3/4 cup total add-ins so the batter can still rise. Great options: chopped walnuts, peanut butter chips, or crushed freeze-dried raspberries.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

12-cup muffin tin
Paper liners (optional but convenient)
Large mixing bowl
Whisk and rubber spatula
Measuring cups and spoons
Ice cream scoop or large spoon for portioning
Wire rack for cooling

I started making these when I wanted something that felt like a bakery treat, but with the kind of ingredient list you can actually pull off on a Tuesday. The goal was simple: a muffin that tastes like chocolate first, not sugar. After a few rounds of testing (and a few muffins that looked cute but ate like sponges), this version stuck. It is the one I bake when I want the kitchen to smell like a win, and I want a breakfast that quietly turns into dessert.

Chocolate Muffins

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Total Time 43 minutes

Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, natural or Dutch-process (50 g)
1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed (100 g)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup milk (whole or 2%)
1/2 cup neutral oil (canola, avocado, or vegetable)
1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup hot coffee or hot water (not boiling)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, plus more for topping

Optional: 1 tablespoon coarse sugar for sprinkling on top for extra crunch.

Instructions

Prep your oven and pan. Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or lightly grease the cups.
Bloom the cocoa. In a large bowl, whisk the cocoa powder with the hot coffee or hot water (not boiling) until smooth and glossy. This is where the chocolate wakes up.
Add sugars and wet ingredients. Whisk in granulated sugar and brown sugar, then whisk in eggs, milk, oil, sour cream (or yogurt), and vanilla until smooth.
Whisk the dry ingredients together first. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Before you fold anything in, use your whisk to gently whisk the dry ingredients together on top (just a few strokes) so the leaveners are evenly distributed. Then switch to a spatula and fold until you no longer see dry flour.
Batter note: This is a loose, pourable muffin batter, more like thick chocolate cream than cookie dough. That is exactly what we want for a tender, moist crumb. Do not try to “fix” it by adding extra flour.
Fold in chocolate chips. Add 1 cup chocolate chips and fold just to distribute. Do not overmix. Overmixing is how muffins get tough and sad.
Rest the batter (quick bakery trick). Let the batter sit for 10 minutes at room temperature. This helps the flour hydrate and supports a better rise.
Fill the muffin cups. Divide batter evenly, filling each cup about 3/4 full. This batter has plenty of lift, and this fill level helps prevent overflow. Top with a few extra chocolate chips and optional coarse sugar.
Bake with a temperature drop. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then without opening the oven, reduce heat to 350°F and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs (melted chocolate is fine).
Cool. Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack. Eat one warm if you want to experience the chocolate chips at maximum chaos.

Nutrition information is estimated.

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