Tessa's Recipe Rundown
Taste: The most flavorful chocolate chip muffins I’ve ever tried.
Texture: The muffins themselves are soft with a slightly crisp exterior, studded with melty chocolate chips throughout.
Ease: Super simple!
Pros: Easy, delicious muffin recipe, ready in just 35 minutes.
Cons: None.
Would I make this again? Over and over again!
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There’s something so satisfying about the humble muffin. I love that it can be enjoyed for breakfast, as a snack, or as a dessert.
These Chocolate Chip Muffins use an extra dose of brown sugar to give it that slightly butterscotch taste that pairs so well with the chocolate.
They also have a generous amount of butter, which not only makes them taste amazing, but helps to create those slightly crispy muffin tops.
This recipe is simple and unassuming, but absolutely satisfying. I first published a version of this recipe over a decade ago (!!) and it’s actually evolved a fair amount since then. I think that just goes to show that the most minor tweaks and changes can make a big difference in the final result when it comes to baking.
Check out all my tips in the Sprinkle of Science section just below to learn the simple sweet science behind these magical muffins.
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make The BEST Chocolate Chip Muffins
How to Make MOIST Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Measure your flour correctly: I like to use a digital kitchen scale, but if you don’t have one, use the spoon-and-level method to avoid accidentally adding too much flour, as this can create dry muffins. Learn more about the importance of measuring flour correctly here.
- Don’t reduce the sugar: Sugar does SO much more than simply sweetening these muffins. Learn more about sugar’s role in baking here.
- The butter: This Chocolate Chip Muffins recipe uses a generous amount of butter, which not only provides a ton of flavor, but also helps produce slightly crispy edges on the muffin tops.
- Use REAL buttermilk: More on this just below.
Do I Have to Use Buttermilk?
For best results, yes, I highly recommend using real buttermilk in this Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe. It provides a beautiful tang and helps produce a moist, tall, light muffin. DIY substitutions simply can’t offer the same benefits. Learn more about the science of buttermilk and buttermilk substitutes here. If you can’t find buttermilk, you can use whole milk instead, but please note that your muffins’ taste and texture will change as a result.
The Best Muffin Pan
I recommend using a light-colored metal pan. The darker your muffin tin, the darker your muffins will get while baking, and it can cause the muffins to dry out while baking. This is my favorite muffin tin.
Why You Should Never Overmix Muffin Batter!
Overmixing your batter will create dense or rubbery muffins, which no one wants. Once the dry ingredients are combined with the wet, gently stir with a rubber spatula *just* until combined. Since we’re adding chocolate chips next, leave a few streaks of flour. They’ll get stirred into the batter with the chocolate chips.
How to Bake Tall Chocolate Chip Muffins
You may have seen a trick for getting muffins to bake up nice and tall where you start baking at a high temperature for a few minutes, then reduce the temperature. That technique definitely works, but I almost always forget to lower the temperature! So, I simplified things for this recipe with just one temperature. I also recommend chilling your muffin batter, if time permits. Chilling your muffin batter overnight makes for the BEST muffins! Check out all my tips for baking tall muffins here.
Why Do My Muffin Liners Stick?
Oftentimes this is due to the brand of liners. This is my favorite brand that I order in bulk from Amazon. If this is a common issue for you, check out my article on How to Prevent Muffin/Cupcake Liners from Sticking here.
How to Store Chocolate Chip Muffins
Store Chocolate Chip Muffins in an airtight at room temperature for 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for about 15 seconds if desired to get the chocolate chips nice and gooey. Muffins can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost on the counter or in the microwave before serving.
More Muffin Recipes You’ll Love:
- Ultimate Muffins (easy base muffin recipe!)
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Chocolate Coffee Toffee Crunch Muffins
- Double Chocolate Banana Muffins (rich and chocolatey!)
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Ingredients
- 2 cups (254 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 cup buttermilk*, at room temperature
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (if desired)
- 1 1/2 cups (255 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, butter, egg, and vanilla. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. Gently stir in the chocolate chips. Do not overmix.
- Using a large cookie scoop or a spoon, divide the muffin batter evenly among the muffin tin cups.
- Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool until barely warm.
- Serve or store in an airtight at room temperature for 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for about 15 seconds if desired. Muffins can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Notes
This recipe was originally published in 2009 and recently updated with recipe improvements, tips, and new photos. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
Can we leave out the brown sugar?
Hi Dede! We haven’t tried it without the brown sugar, but I wouldn’t recommend it! Sugar doesn’t just sweeten baked goods; it moistens, provides tender structure, assists with gluten formation, extends the shelf-life (meaning it will be fresh and moist longer) – just to name a few things! Brown sugar does even more things, including providing a source of acid to help activate the leavening agent and create a taller, lighter muffin! Reducing the sugar content in a recipe doesn’t just lower sweetness; it messes with the recipe’s chemistry and creates a totally different baked good. I hope that helps! Happy baking 🙂
These were delicious! My husband was in the mood for muffins and we didn’t have buttermilk and had ran out of eggs so we used an egg replacer and made buttermilk with milk + cream of tartar. Would definitely make again (with or without the substitutions!)
Glad your substitutions worked well!
I chilled the batter for 8 hrs but they baked up like the ones you showed were baked right after making the batter. Any ideas as to what may have gone wrong for me?
Hi Grace! Be sure to read our tips in the pink box above the recipe as there are quite a few reasons muffins might not rise well. Double check your baking powder’s expiration date and check its freshness (how to do that detailed here). Also be sure to not overmix your batter! If you haven’t already, check out our article on How to Bake Tall Bakery Style Muffins. Sometimes, even a small adjustment such as filling your muffin tin cavities with more batter can make all the difference. Hope that helps!
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Turned out great!! Love the crunch on the top, definitely making again. The kids devoured these!
This makes me so happy to hear!
Can i replace the buttermilk with something else?in Italy i can’t find it
Can I substitute egg?
how full do we fill the cupcake liners so it rises just like yours?
but a tablespoon is not too much
I made these! They were really easy to make and they turned out perfectly—couldn’t stop eating them.
Can these be made with gluten free flour? Are there any other adjustments that would have to be made?
I just made these now and they are AMAZING! I didn’t have buttermilk so I used whole milk like you suggested. They are so good.
They will definitely be a regular in my muffin baking rotation