These double chocolate muffins have been our favorite chocolate muffin recipe for over a decade. I love them so much that I published the easy recipe in my 1st cookbook back in 2014! (We now add even more chocolate chips and a touch of vanilla for extra flavor, as you’ll see in the recipe below.) The muffins are incredibly rich, mega chocolate-y, and loaded with chocolate chips in every single bite. Sour cream helps guarantee a soft and moist muffin that has a denser texture than chocolate cupcakes.
Not pointing fingers or anything but chocolate sweet rolls, you’re kind of high maintenance for the morning. (Worth the hype and effort for sure though.) Here’s something easier that satisfies your chocolate craving and doesn’t require a ton of effort, time, or patience. Ha!
Double Chocolate Muffins Details
- Flavor: Chocolate. Seriously, that’s all you really need to know! This chocolate muffin recipe comes together with cocoa powder and chocolate chips. In recent years, I began adding vanilla extract to the batter for a touch of extra flavor. You can certainly leave it out if you’d like (and as mentioned above, the cookbook recipe doesn’t include it).
- Texture: Unlike chocolate cupcakes and chocolate cake, these muffins don’t really have a sponge-like texture. And that’s mostly because we aren’t adding hot water to the batter. They’re more like a bakery-style muffin with a tighter crumb and satisfying bite.
- Ease: Besides the deep chocolate flavor, what you’ll love most about this double chocolate chip muffin recipe is its ease. The recipe uses common baking ingredients, doesn’t require a mixer, and is super straightforward like this pumpkin muffins recipe—2 cups of this, 1 cup of that, and whole eggs. (No separating needed.)
Key Ingredients in Double Chocolate Muffins
The full written recipe is below, but let’s walk through some key ingredients so you understand their importance. This is always helpful when looking for substitution options.
- Cocoa Powder: Use unsweetened natural cocoa powder. You could get away use dutch process cocoa powder, but the muffins may not rise as much. For best taste and texture, stick with natural. Most of the flavor comes from the cocoa powder, so choose a good one! I’ve baked with many over the years and I always go back to Hershey’s.
- Sour Cream: If you were to skip the sour cream and replace it with milk, the chocolate muffins would be thin, flat, and wet. Just like it does in chocolate covered strawberry muffins, sour cream lifts the crumb and keeps the muffins moist. You can replace it with plain yogurt and I often do—in fact, that’s how the recipe is written in the book!
- Oil: We usually use creamed butter and sugar in muffin recipes like blueberry muffins. However, cocoa powder is a very drying ingredient so it’s best paired with oil to keep the muffins moist. If you replace it with melted butter, the muffins will dry out. You won’t miss the flavor of butter because chocolate overpowers it.
By the way, if you enjoy banana + chocolate together, you’ll love these chocolate banana muffins—they’re whole wheat, too!
Expect a thick and sticky batter.
Avoid Overmixing & Use Room Temperature Ingredients
Really all you’re doing here is whisking the dry ingredients together in one bowl and the wet ingredients together in another bowl. The dry ingredients include the sugar and chocolate chips. This way you’re only mixing the ingredients together once—dry + wet instead of dry + wet + mixing in the chocolate chips. Make sense?
- The reason why you’ll mix the chocolate chips into the dry ingredients is to avoid over-mixing the final batter. Over-mixing muffin batter can lead to a tough, dense baked good. While these chocolate muffins are certainly denser than our soft and spongy chocolate cupcakes, they aren’t heavy as bricks.
- What will also help you avoid overmixing is using room temperature ingredients. Bring the eggs, milk, and sour cream to room temperature before starting. As a shortcut, place the eggs in a glass of warm water for 10 minutes and—honestly this is what I do—microwave the sour cream and milk for 10-15 seconds to take the chill off.
Tip: You won’t regret eating one warm out of the oven. Those melty chips!
Double Chocolate Muffins Recipe Video
PrintDouble Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 21 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes (includes slight cooling)
- Yield: 12-14 muffins
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These double chocolate muffins are incredibly rich, mega chocolate-y, and loaded with chocolate chips in every single bite. Sour cream helps guarantee a soft and moist muffin that has a denser texture than chocolate cupcakes.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (41g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 3/4 cups (315g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (185g) full fat sour cream or plain yogurt, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil*
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or use cupcake liners. This recipe yields about 14 muffins, so prepare a second muffin pan in the same manner or bake in batches and reserve leftover batter at room temperature for when the first batch is done.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk the eggs, sour cream, oil, milk, and vanilla extract together until combined. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and fold together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until completely combined. (Batter is quite thick, so I recommend a spatula or spoon over a whisk.) Avoid overmixing. The batter will be thick and sticky.
- Spoon the batter into liners, filling them all the way to the top. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an additional 15-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 20-21 minutes, give or take. (For mini muffins, bake 13-14 total minutes at 350°F (177°C) the whole time.)
- Cool muffins for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack until ready to eat.
- Cover leftover muffins and store at room temperature for 5 days or in the refrigerator for 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: For longer storage, freeze the muffins for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then heat up in the microwave if desired.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-count Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Wooden Spoon or Rubber Spatula | Cooling Rack
- Jumbo Muffins: If you’d like to make about 6 jumbo muffins instead of standard size, follow the recipe through step 3 using a greased jumbo 6-count muffin pan. Spoon batter into the liners, filling all the way to the top. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an additional 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Sour Cream: Use full fat sour cream. In a pinch, you can replace it with plain yogurt. (Full fat Greek style or regular yogurt would be best.)
- Oil: For best taste and texture, use vegetable oil. In a pinch, you can replace with canola oil or olive oil. The muffins can taste greasy with melted coconut oil, but if you try it, it’s imperative the other ingredients are room temperature so the coconut oil doesn’t solidify as you mix the batter together.
- Milk: Whole milk is best. 2%, 1%, or nondairy milk work in a pinch. Do not use nonfat milk. Don’t use buttermilk. (You could use buttermilk if replacing both the sour cream AND milk, but the muffins taste a little spongy that way. Best to use sour cream and whole milk.)
- Recipe excerpted from Sally’s Baking Addiction. This version includes more chocolate chips and the addition of vanilla extract for a little extra flavor. The cookbook version also uses plain yogurt, but you can use sour cream as noted here.
Haven’t tried this recipe yet, I plan to! Was wondering if its okay if I use milk chocolate chocolate chips, thats all i have at home at the moment.
Thanks!!
Hi Emaan, You can definitely use milk chocolate chips instead of semi sweet. The muffins will be a little sweeter.
Wondering if I use almond milk will these still turn out okay? I don’t expect them to be same but will they still be “muffins?” Thank you!
Hi Riley, Almond milk should work fine in these. Enjoy!
Hi! I have not made this yet but it sounds amazing. Our son needs to gain weight, and I wonder if we can use half-and-half or heavy cream instead of milk? Thank you!
Hi Kathy, that would likely be too heavy for this muffin batter. Best to stick with whole milk.
Can I use Dutch Process Cocoa for this recipe?
I made these into muffin tops. My son has not stopped raving. Bake time was 12 mins and oven temp was 400. Moist, yummy. I added white chocolate chips to the top and then dusted the finished product with powdered sugar. Microwave for 15 seconds, then top with vanilla ice cream = my son’s favorite way to eat these.
Thank you!!
This recept is wonderful, I always tend to mess up anything I’m baking but these worked out great!!
I only have low fat sour cream- will that ruin the muffins??
Thank you!
Hi Lori, that will work in a pinch, the muffins may not be a moist and rich though.
Giving 5 for the flavor and guidance, these are delicious!!!!!!! I still don’t care for the 425 bake as I like my muffins and baked goods moist and I believe that’s what’s causing the two muffin recipes I tried of yours to be a bit drier than I liked. I did the 425 for 5 mins and then 12 mins at 350 and would have rather cut the 425 time down going forward. I get that it makes them rise, but I’ll take my flat top moist muffins any day with this flavor over the chance of drying. Highly recommend and thank you! Absolutely delightful chocolate muffins.
They were very good muffins. Chocolate muffins will sometimes be dry but these were perfect. The only thing I did different was nothing was at room temperature being I didn’t have the time.
If I am using 6 jumbo liners, do I fill those to the top before cooking?
Yes! See recipe notes for jumbo muffin instructions.
Absolutely 5 stars. I am a lousy baker. I followed this recipe to a tee and the muffins turned out totally moist and delicious. The only thing I did different was add 1/2 cup more chocolate chips. Brilliant recipe. Thank you so so much for sharing. I just love your recipes!
I’ve been searching for a good chocolate muffin recipe since my local bakery closed. These muffins are great, super moist and chocolatey. I used 1% milk and greek yogurt.
Hi Sally, can I use brown sugar instead of granulated sugar for this recipe?
Thanks~
Hi, Absolutely, but the muffins will taste a little heavier.
Hi Sally, these muffins look absolutely delicious! Before making them I’d like to ask, could I make this recipe without the chocolate chips? Thanks!
Definitely!
Could I use almond milk and coconut oil as subs for , milk and vegetable oil?
Hi Brandi! Yes, those substitutions should work ok, though the flavor will change slightly.
Hi, would subbing the all purpose flour for whole wheat work?
Hi Tkom, You can certainly give it a try, but the muffins will be dense and heavy with the whole wheat flour. We don’t recommend doing any more than 1/2 whole wheat, 1/2 all-purpose.
Could I replace some of the sugar in this recipe with maple syrup?
Hi Cassie, adding more wet ingredients would take some testing to get right. Let us know if you try anything! We do have a few “skinny” chocolate muffin recipes like this double chocolate muffin recipe if you’re interested in those as well!
These are amazing!!! I thought they might be too sweet but the amount of chocolate chips helps. They are brownie/muffin dream!
I love all your recipes. I have not found one I don’t love. Your page is my go to!
If I use mini chips, can I make this into mini muffins? What would be the changes in baking time/temperature? Thank you.
Hi Dawn, sure can! For mini muffins, bake at 350 degrees (the entire time) for about 12-14 minutes, give or take. Keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Hi! I tried this recipe a while ago and it was good, but my cupcakes turned out a bit dense and dry. The top was also a little weird, they weren’t entirely like yours. Would you have any idea what I did wrong? Thank you!
Hi Gray, happy to help! If the muffins were overly dense, it’s possible the batter was over mixed. The dryness could be from over baking (even just an extra minute or two can dry out baked goods) or from too much flour. Be sure to spoon and level your flour for best results. Hope this helps for next time!
These muffins are phenomenal!
These are absolutely divine!! I made 16 muffins and my 2 girls ate them like wolves !!
I made these muffins exactly as stated in the recipe and holy crap are they delicious. My new favorite chocolate muffin recipe. They were a huge hit with the family and very easy to make
Hi Sally, I noticed your recipe doesn’t have any baking powder. Is there any specific reason why?
Hi Diana! I typically test recipes using natural cocoa powder (acidic ingredient) with baking soda first. And these turned out wonderfully as is, so there is no need to add baking powder or replace some baking soda with baking powder.
These were perfect. I used semi and milk chocolate chips and then frosted them for the final overload.
I also used half & half instead of whole milk.
Thanks for the tip of oil vs butter. I never knew this.
I tried them the first time and they were a super duper hit! So this is my go-to recipe for us whenever we feel like a chocolate muffin!
I added 1 tsp of espresso powder, just to have my coffee and muffin all in one shot!
( just kidding, I still had my coffee! I just Like adding espresso to most of my chocolate recipes)
I wanted to try your triple chocolate muffins this morning, but I didn’t have a good quality chocolate bar so I settled for your double chocolate. Thank you so much it’s a great recipe!
What about add-ins for this recipe? More spices? Orange peel? Pepper ? Nuts? Espresso powder?
I tried them for the first time today. Followed the recipe to the letter and I am amazed at how good they turned out. Made muffin liners myself ’cause silly me thinks that they rise higher that way 😉
Can i bake this in a loaf pan?
Hi Oworeo, absolutely. Same temperature, but we’re unsure of the exact bake time. Keep a close eye on it and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Do you need to use whole milk? Or is 1% okay?
Hi Claire, 1% will work in a pinch.
I’d like to use this recipe in a football mold. Do you think it will work?
Hi Sandy! We’ve never tested these muffins in a pan similar to that so can’t offer any advice. But let us know if you give it a try!
I baked the batter in the football pan according to the pan directions. I had to use grape seed oil as I was out of vegetable oil. It was a hit. Very moist and delicious.