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.
Zama
No Baking powder?
Will this not have a negative impact to the muffins?
Sam
Nope, it is not needed in this recipe.
Hien Nguyen
Hi, I tried this recipe and it is so so good. I reduced 30% sugar, replaced chocolate chips by small chocolate chunks and sour cream by yogurt .It still worked even I baked in air fryer. So yummy!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the muffins, Hien! 🙂
Emma
This recipe made way more than 18 regular size. They are in the oven now. If I have to many I plan on giving to neighbors.
Sam
Really? Interesting, I did recently see some really shallow cupcake pans in the store I’m wondering if yours are more shallow than mine. Nothing wrong with extra muffins though, I suppose! 🙂
Jennifer C
These were so very tasty! I realized afterward that I had forgotten to add the sour cream, but actually, I wouldn’t change it at all. I will try next time with the sour cream, but with my batch today, they had a slight crunch to them on the outside and tender moist inside. I also forgot to save 1/2 cup of chips for the topping, and had dumped all 2 cups into the batter. So very delicious!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Jennifer! 🙂
Rachel
My kids and I love these for breakfast. I had been using a box mix that was sort-of expensive, considering how fast the muffins went, and these are just as good, if not better, plus I get 18 muffins per batch! I will not go back! Thank you!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoys them so much, Rachel! 🙂
Maurissa
Big hit with the family! Kids said they taste better than store bought muffins! My 11 year old son said, Mom these are so good and smooth, they just melt in your mouth.”
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that they were a hit, Maurissa! Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Rose
I made this recipe using plain yogurt instead of sour cream because it just happened to be what I had in my fridge at the time and they turned out delicious! Best muffins I’ve ever made!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed them, Rose! Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Halie
Just curious..did you use plain greek yogurt and if so much yogurt did you put in? I’d rather put yogurt than sour cream just to have slight healthier version. Thanks!
Kristen
Made this recipe and my office mates loved it..Thanks Sam!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that it was a crowd-pleaser, Kristen! Thank you for making my recipe to share. 🙂
Pam
I have made these twice and followed the recipe exactly. Both times, they came out beautifully! Delicious! 💙
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Pam! 🙂
Clara
These muffins were the best! I added them to my bookmarks so I can easily get to this recipe. Can’t wait to make them again!😊
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you loved them, Clara! Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Anastasia
Thank you so much for the recipe, I’ve tried it twice and the muffins were wonderful! First time with yoghurt and second time – sour cream, I liked the latter more, but both times tasty 🙂
I have a question though, if I were to add coffee, at what stage do you think it would be better?
Thanks again!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you have enjoyed them, Anastasia! You will have to experiment with coffee in this muffin recipe as I have not tried it personally. Are you looking to use instant or hot? As far as when to add… I would add it to the wet ingredients. Keep me posted on what you try next and how it turns out. 🙂
Marie-Claude Guimond
Just made those (substituted canola for coconut oil ) and they were better than gourmet bakery quality according to my husband. Can’t wait to make more of your recipes!
Sam
I’m so happy to hear this! Thank you so much for commenting! I hope you love the rest of the recipes just as much!
Veronica
These were a hit with my family.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy to hear how much everyone enjoyed them, Veronica! Thank you for trying my recipe. 🙂
Elisa
My team ( I am a manager) asked me to make them some muffins. I bake a lot so I get request. in my search for the best recipe I found yours ! I modified the recipe by using half & half instead of milk. Also I made 12 instead of 18 to have jumbo muffins. And These turned out amazing ! This will be my go to chocolate chip muffins recipe !
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed them and that they turned out so well, Elisa! Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
K G
definitely better than store bought
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the muffins, KG! Thanks for commenting. 🙂