These fluffy and moist Double Chocolate Muffins are made entirely from scratch in just over 30 minutes. They’re perfectly chocolatey without being too rich for breakfast. Recipe includes a how-to video!
The Best Chocolate Muffins
These super moist and fluffy double chocolate muffins are one of my favorite ways to eat chocolate for breakfast (chocolate biscotti are always a good option too!). They have a pronounced chocolate flavor (thanks to blooming the cocoa powder) but aren’t too decadent or rich, so they still feel like a muffin rather than a chocolate cupcake!
Today’s recipe is an update to one of my original recipes. While the original version was great, I felt like I could do even better and make the muffins just a bit softer and more chocolatey. Some sour cream and blooming the cocoa with hot water solved my hang-ups with the original recipe, and here we are!
I had many taste-testers compare my original recipe with this one, and while they all liked the original, every single one voted for the new version when comparing the two. If you’re a big fan of the original, don’t worry–I’ve linked to the original recipe in the recipe card. But I really think you’ll love this new and improved version!
What You Need
Here are the key ingredients we’ll be using in our double chocolate muffins:
- Cocoa powder. Use a natural (not dutch-processed!) cocoa powder. This is important since we’re using baking soda; if you’d like to learn more about this distinction, scroll down to the FAQ section or read my natural vs. Dutch process cocoa post.
- Oil. To attain the perfect texture and flavor, we are using oil instead of butter here. Because butter contains water, it actually can dry out our muffins. Typically I like to use a blend of oil and butter for moisture and flavor (I do this in my chocolate chip muffins), but in this case we have plenty of other elements contributing to the flavor of the muffins (mainly the chocolate and sour cream), so we can nix the butter and still have flavorful results. Any neutral cooking oil (such as vegetable or canola) will work here.
- Sour cream. Like in my chocolate banana bread and blueberry muffins, we’ll be adding some sour cream here too. This (very subtly) adds to the flavor of the muffins, but more importantly, it helps to keep them tender and moist. You could also substitute plain, full-fat Greek yogurt instead.
- Chocolate chips. I like to use a blend of mini and regular-sized semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can use whatever you like.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Double Chocolate Muffins
- Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
- In a separate heatproof bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water (we’re “blooming” it here to develop the flavor, if you’ve made my zebra cake you’ll remember this step from the chocolate stripes!)
- Whisk in the oil until combined. I like to add the oil first because, even though it separates from the water, it helps to cool down the chocolate mixture before we add the sour cream and eggs, which could be negatively affected (they could cook or curdle if the water was still hot).
- Now ad the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract and whisk until combined.
- Fold together the wet and dry ingredients until they’re just about 50% combined.
- Add the chocolate chips and continue gently folding until just combined.
- Divide the batter into a lined muffin tin (remember, this recipe makes 18 muffins so you’ll need two tins, or to wait for the first batch of muffins to cool so that you can use it for your next 6 muffins!) and top with additional chocolate chips.
- Bake for 17-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
SAM’S TIP: Adding the chocolate chips when the batter is 50% combined helps us avoid over-mixing. Over-mixing makes for tough, dense, dry muffins that don’t rise above their muffin liners. Use a spatula (not a mixer!) and mix until just combined, then stop!
Frequently Asked Questions
This will happen if you over-mixed your batter or over-baked your muffins. Remember to use a gentle hand to fold the wet and dry ingredients together and bake until your toothpick comes out clean or preferably with a few moist crumbs (just try to avoid the chocolate chips!). This recipe is designed to be very moist, so if followed properly, your muffins won’t be dry.
If you don’t have sour cream, full-fat plain greek yogurt will work instead. I don’t recommend leaving it out entirely though.
I don’t recommend it. This recipe relies on the acidic nature of natural cocoa powder to help activate the baking soda. Sour cream is acidic, so it helps, but it won’t do everything we need it to. Dutch process cocoa is alkaline, so if you use it, your baking soda won’t fully activate and your muffins could end up flatter than they should be.
SAM’S TIP: I like to use an ice cream scoop (affiliate link) to portion my muffin batter into liners. It’s less messy and more precise!
Are you team chocolate-for-breakfast? If not, these double chocolate muffins may convert you 😉
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Double Chocolate Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cups (208 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ½ cup (50 g) natural cocoa powder
- ½ cup (118 ml) very hot or boiling water
- ½ cup (118 ml) avocado, canola or vegetable oil
- 1 cup (240 g) sour cream (see note)
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (340 g) semisweet chocolate chips divided (I like to use a blend of mini and regular-sized chocolate chips)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F (190C) and line a 12-count muffin tin (see note) with paper liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.1 ⅔ cups (208 g) all-purpose flour, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, ½ teaspoon table salt
- Pour cocoa powder into a separate heatproof bowl or large measuring cup. Carefully pour very hot or boiling water overtop and whisk until mixture is smooth.½ cup (50 g) natural cocoa powder, ½ cup (118 ml) very hot or boiling water
- Add oil to cocoa powder mixture and whisk in (it will separate, this is fine) then add sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract and whisk until thoroughly combined,½ cup (118 ml) avocado, canola or vegetable oil, 1 cup (240 g) sour cream, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and use a spatula to gently fold together until about halfway combined. Add 1 ½ cups (255g) of chocolate chips and continue to fold batter together until chocolate chips are well distributed and batter is just combined.2 cups (340 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- Portion batter into muffin tin, filling ⅔ of the way full, then sprinkle muffin tops with remaining chocolate chips.
- Bake in center rack of 375F (190C) oven for 17-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist fudgy crumbs.
- Allow muffins to cool in their tin for 10-15 minutes before carefully removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Storing
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Muffins may also be wrapped and frozen for several months.Sour Cream
You may substitute full-fat plain Greek yogurt instead.Muffin Tin
This recipe makes 18 muffins and a typical muffin tin holds only 12. If you have two tins, divide the batter into the two tins and bake one tray at a time. If you only have one tin, bake the first batch, allow the muffins to cool 10 minutes, carefully remove them to a cooling rack and allow the tin to cool completely before baking the remaining batter.Original Recipe
For those of you who are diehard fans of the original recipe, you can find the original recipe here.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Gary Di Franco
Easy, moist and delicious! I’ve finally found a double chocolate muffin recipe worth saving. Thanks!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the muffins, Gary! 🙂
Jaime
I’ve been making chocolate chocolate chip muffins from a box mix for years until my local grocery store quit selling the mix. So I’ve been on the search for a recipe and I’ve found it! Thank you. This recipe is easy and way better than the mix I’ve been using. My kids agree!!
Sam
I’m so happy to hear this! Thank you for letting me know how everyone liked them, Jaime, I appreciate it! 🙂
Tessa
To make these mini muffins, what adjustments would you suggest?
Sam
Hi Tessa! I have not baked them as mini muffins so I am not sure how long they would need to bake. They would bake on the same temperature though. 🙂
Taylor
Loved them! I made 12 extra large muffins and they turned out great!
Just a note for anyone using grams/ not in the US, 2 cups of flour is 300g not 240g.
Sam
Hi Taylor! I am glad you enjoyed the muffins! I would caution that the 240g has been tested and you should not use more in this recipe. Your muffins may turn out dense and drier than desirable if you use more. 🙂
Paula
These are delicious! Made no changes although some of my chocolate chips were peanut butter because it was what I had on hand and they came out perfectly! Thank you!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the muffins, Paula! A little peanut butter with your chocolate is never a bad thing in my book. 😉
Lynda
Great recipe, perfect amount of chocolate flavour & very moist! This recipe is a keeper😊 I like that you can just mix it by hand, only took a few minutes( except for the dishes😕) I wish you all the best with your full time blogging, judging by this recipe I am sure that you will suceed!
Sam
Thank you very much, Lynda! I am so glad you enjoyed the muffins! I like to ask my husband to do the dishes all the time so I don’t have to do them, it’s the worst! 🙂
Jacquelyn Robertson
I love this recipe. It is very easy & very tasty. I added espresso powder to enhance the chocolate flavor & double Dutch cocoa powder. I am going to try the peanut butter double chocolate muffin next
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Jacquelyn! 🙂
Jo
How much expresso powder
Chris
My kids ask me to make these for breakfast every week! They are so delicious and easy. We make giant bakery muffins and smaller ones. Wonderful recipe. Thank you.
Sam
I am so glad they enjoy them so much, Chris! 🙂
Nav
Hi Chris, how do you make the giant bakery muffins? I also want to make them! I have a regular medium sized 16 muffin tin.
Jessica
Thank you so much for posting this delicious breakfast treat!!! Followed the recipe exactly as written and they were amazing! My son requests them weekly. I will never need another double chocolate chip muffin recipe!!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoys the muffins, Jessica! 🙂
Becca Mtz
My picky teenage girls AND my professional baker LOVE these muffins!!!! They were gone in record time and they were asking for more! It was unbelievable! We usually get chocolate muffins from THE big club warehouse and, I’m not gonna lie, they are really good and baked fresh daily, without any effort on my part (=clean kitchen). Two different family members at different times referred to the other ones unsolicited, saying these were WAY better!! Love it! Now I’m going to experiment! I have creme de menthe chunks and dark chocolate chips to start! It’s a little more work than buying them, but admittedly, I like when they beg me to make them. Then I get things, like them to clean the kitchen!😁 Thanks so much for this recipe, it gives me such a feeling of power!! Maybe I can get the garage cleaned! 🤣 A girl can dream!!!!💖💖💖
Sam
😂 I am so glad everyone enjoyed the muffins so much! Cleaning up is the worst part so I always volunteer to make the food if someone else will clean up. 😂
Natalie
Followed the instructions and they came out bitter. ☹️
Sam
That’s…. really odd… they shouldn’t be bitter. You didn’t leave the sugar out by chance did you? Or accidentally use too much cocoa powder or baking soda? Sorry to hear they weren’t a hit for you!
Natalie Cabrera
No ma’am. Followed it to the “T”. 🙁 maybe the cocoa powder because it’s the baking kind?
Kim
Disappointed…I followed recipe exactly and, because they were not done in 18 minutes, I gave them another three minutes. Now that I’ve taken them out and they’ve cooled, they have all fallen in the middle, as though not fully baked.
Sam
Hi Kim! Did you give the oven ample time to preheat before adding the muffins? If so I’d wonder if your oven temperature is not accurate, sounds like it’s running colder than it’s telling you and that may be why the muffins took longer to cook and then sank.
Kim
Hi, yes…oven was warmed extra long to help heat up the chilly kitchen! I use an oven thermometer and oven is accurate. My husband says the cupcakes are done (I’m not able to eat them—they were a Valentine’s Day treat!) so I think I’d use less chocolate chips next time to see if that makes a difference. (I did bake an extra 3min.)
Thanks for taking time to reply!
Christy
Just made your muffins this morning for breakfast and a Valentine’s Day treat. They turned out beautifully! Made them with gluten free flour, coconut oil, and coconut sugar. Needed something sweet with what I had on hand and your recipe was the one. God bless you!
Sam
So happy to hear they were such a hit! Thank you for commenting, Christy! 🙂
Gabby
will it work if i made it in a small cake pan instead of muffin tins?
Sam
Hi Gabby! You should be able to, but I don’t know what a baking time would be for that.
Jen
Could you substitute yogurt for the sour cream?
Sam
I think plain Greek yogurt would work