Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe

Hello muffin lovers! This Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe yields soft and fluffy muffins loaded with gooey chocolate chips and a hint of vanilla.

If you’re looking for the ultimate chocolate chip muffin recipe, you’ve come to the right place! These muffins are everything you could want: soft, fluffy, and packed with gooey chocolate chips in every bite. Whether you’re baking for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon treat, this recipe delivers bakery-quality muffins that are both easy to make and customizable to your taste.

This classic recipe is also perfect to make ahead and store them for just when you need them!

Best Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe

In this post, I’ll walk you through every step of the process, from mixing the perfect batter to baking muffins with a tall, golden rise. You’ll also find helpful tips to make sure your muffins turn out light and moist every time. Plus, I’ll share a few tricks, like resting the batter to achieve that perfect dome shape and using a combination of buttermilk and sour cream for unbeatable flavor and texture.

This recipe is incredibly versatile, allowing you to swap in different types of chocolate, add nuts, or even make them extra indulgent with a sprinkle of crystal sugar on top. The best part? These muffins store beautifully and can be frozen for future enjoyment, so you can always have a batch on hand.

Follow along, and by the end of this post, you’ll have everything you need to bake up the best chocolate chip muffins ever! The full recipe with exact measurements and instructions is waiting for you at the bottom of the page, so let’s get started!

Make the Muffin Batter

In a large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: eggs, buttermilk, sour cream, melted butter, oil, and vanilla.

In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and sugar.

Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and gently stir with a spatula until almost combined.

Fold in the chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate. Do not over mix!

Cover the bowl with a towel and let the batter rest for 30 minutes. It’s not mandatory to rest the batter, but it can help the muffins get a taller rise. This is a good time to start preheating the oven to 425ºF.

Baking

When ready to bake, fill each muffin cavity into the prepared muffin cups to the top with batter and sprinkle with the crystal sugar if you desire. You can also add more chocolate chips on top at this stage.

Bake in the preheated oven at 425ºF for 7 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 350ºF and bake for an additional 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden around the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean

Let the muffins cool before serving.

Storage

Store at room temperature in a container with a lid for up to 1 day. For longer storage, place in the fridge and let come to room temperature or briefly warm in a toaster oven before serving. Refrigerated muffins stay fresh for up to 4 days.

To freeze, place in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. To thaw, let sit at room temperature for about 1 hour or in the fridge overnight. For quick thawing, wrap in a paper towel and microwave in 15-second intervals, or wrap in foil and bake at 350ºF for 10 to 15 minutes until thawed.

Why rest muffin batter

You can rest muffin batter anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight in the fridge.

Resting muffin batter helps the muffins achieve a taller rise because it allows time for the gluten in the flour to relax and the starches to fully hydrate. Here’s a more detailed breakdown:

1. Hydration of Starches: When the flour mixes with the liquid ingredients, the starches in the flour absorb moisture. Resting the batter gives these starches more time to fully hydrate, which helps create a softer, more tender crumb and improves the texture of the muffins.
2. Gluten Relaxation: During mixing, the gluten in the flour is activated, which can make the batter slightly denser. By resting the batter, the gluten has time to relax, leading to a lighter, airier texture when the muffins bake.
3. Gas Retention: Muffin batter contains leavening agents like baking powder and baking soda, which produce gases when combined with acidic ingredients (like buttermilk and sour cream). Allowing the batter to rest gives these gases time to distribute evenly throughout the batter. This results in a better rise when the muffins get hit by the heat of the oven, as the trapped gases expand and create that tall, domed top.
4. Chilling the Fats: If you rest the batter in the fridge (especially overnight), it can help solidify the melted butter or fats in the batter. When baked, this can create a slight delay in the melting of the fats, allowing the muffins to rise higher before they set in the oven.

Overall, resting the muffin batter gives you that ideal bakery-style muffin with a taller, more pronounced dome and a lighter, fluffier texture.

Tips & Tricks for Getting Perfect Muffins

• Don’t Overmix the Batter: Mix the wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Overmixing can lead to dense, tough muffins. A few lumps are okay.
• Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure that ingredients like eggs, buttermilk, and butter are at room temperature for a smoother batter and more even baking.
• Rest the Batter: Let the muffin batter rest for 30 minutes (or even overnight) to achieve a taller, fluffier rise.
• Fill Muffin Tins Properly: For tall, bakery-style muffins, fill each muffin cup nearly to the top. This helps them rise higher and develop a dome shape.
• Check for Doneness: Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, the muffins are done. Over baking can lead to dry muffins.

Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Chip Muffins

These classic muffins offer the perfect balance of rich chocolate and a fluffy, tender crumb, making them an irresistibly satisfying treat for any time of day. But there’s more to love:

• Minimal Cleanup: With only two bowls needed, one for wet and one for dry ingredients, you won’t be left with a sink full of dishes, making this recipe convenient as well as delicious.
• Bakery-Style Rise: Thanks to the optional resting of the batter, these muffins bake up with a tall, domed top, giving them that beautiful, bakery-style look and texture.
• Moist and Tender: The combination of buttermilk and sour cream creates an incredibly moist and soft interior, ensuring that every bite melts in your mouth without being too dense.
• Customizable Flavors: You can easily swap in your favorite mix-ins, like white or milk chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or even a sprinkle of cinnamon for a warm, spiced touch. You can also top them with crystal sugar for added sweetness and crunch. Check out more variation options below.
• Make-Ahead Friendly: These muffins freeze wonderfully. You can make a batch ahead of time and enjoy freshly warmed muffins whenever you like, which makes them perfect for meal prep, busy mornings, or unexpected guests.
• Quick and Easy to Make: Even with the option to rest the batter for a taller rise, the recipe is simple and straightforward. With just a few steps and common ingredients, you can whip these muffins up in no time, making them a great option for both beginner and experienced bakers.
• Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether you’re serving them for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack, these muffins are sure to impress. Their rich, chocolatey flavor and fluffy texture make them a hit with kids and adults alike.

Chocolate Chip Muffin Variations

• Vegetable Oil: Can be substituted with melted butter, but this will result in a firmer crumb. Olive oil or avocado oil can also be used.
• Swapped Chips: Try using different types of chips like white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, or semi-sweet chocolate chips.
• Add Nuts: Mix in 1/4 cup of chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts or even shredded coconut for extra texture.
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins: Swirl in 1/4 cup of peanut butter into the batter for a rich, nutty flavor.
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins: Substitute 1/2 cup of buttermilk with 1/2 cup of canned pumpkin and add 1 tsp of pumpkin spice, and a pinch of nutmeg for a fall-inspired treat.
• Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins: Mix in 1-2 tbsp of instant espresso powder with the dry ingredients for a mocha flavor.
• Swap the Chips for Fruit: Try making blueberry muffins by swapping the chocolate chips for fresh blueberries. If using frozen, make sure to coat the blueberries in flour before adding to the batter.

If you like this recipe, you’ll love these other muffin recipes:

• Nutella Muffins
• Double Chocolate Muffins
• Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
• Raspberry and White Chocolate Muffins
• Tall Blueberry Muffins
• Vanilla Muffins

I’d love to see how your muffins turn out! Share your photos and feedback on Instagram or Facebook.