It’s dessert… for breakfast! These triple chocolate muffins are rich, dense, and extra indulgent thanks to real melted chocolate, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips. They’re excellent paired with a cup of coffee in the morning or with milk as an after-dinner treat.
One reader, Debb, says: “Love this muffin—and get rave reviews when I share it. I added a few packets of Starbucks Via (instant coffee) to the recipe this time to get a triple chocolate mocha muffin. ★★★★★“
Have you ever woken up and felt like it was the perfect day to have chocolate cake for breakfast? If so, today is your day.
Triple chocolate muffins are a totally acceptable way to sneak in dessert first thing in the morning. I love making muffins for their ease and simplicity, and while I usually reach for wholesome favorites like healthy bran muffins or whole wheat banana nut muffins, once in a while it’s ok to indulge your sweet tooth.
Perfectly dense and packed with 3x the chocolate-y goodness (more on this chocolate trio later), these muffins will be appreciated for birthday breakfasts, as part of your special Mother’s Day recipes or Father’s Day recipes, as a Valentine’s Day treat, or really on any morning that just needs a little extra sweetness.
These Triple Chocolate Muffins Are:
- Denser than chocolate cupcakes or chocolate cake, but not as rich as homemade brownies
- Extra chocolate-y thanks to chocolate bars, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips
- An even deeper, darker, and more decadent version of these double chocolate muffins (which come from my 1st cookbook, Sally’s Baking Addiction!)
- Easy to prepare in just 1 bowl, with no mixer required
- Positively indulgent in a way that will grab any chocolate lover’s attention—in the best way possible!
Triple Chocolate Lineup
These muffins get their deep chocolate profile from a triple-threat lineup of ingredients:
- Pure Baking Chocolate: Most of the chocolate flavor comes from one melted chocolate bar. You want to use a high-quality brand of pure baking chocolate, such as Ghirardelli or Baker’s brands, which can be found in the baking aisle. Do not use chocolate chips because they contain stabilizers that will prevent them from melting properly. (No baking chocolate on hand? Try my double chocolate muffins instead.)
- Cocoa Powder: Just like in chocolate cake, reach for natural unsweetened cocoa powder rather than dutch-process cocoa powder. You can read up on the differences between natural unsweetened vs. dutch-process cocoa powder if you’re interested. Choosing the right variety will make a big difference in the taste, texture, and appearance of your muffins.
- Chocolate Chips: Last but certainly not least, add a heaping cup of chocolate chips to the batter to provide a little texture in each bite. Use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips, regular size or mini. If you enjoy a certain type of baking chip in your chocolate chip cookies, you’ll enjoy them here, too!
I also use these 3 powerhouse chocolate ingredients in my homemade brownies.
FAQ: Are These Just Cupcakes?
While you may feel the same joy you get while biting into a chocolate cupcake, today’s muffins are not quite as light and spongy. And of course, there’s no tower of chocolate buttercream or swipe of chocolate ganache on top. (Although there’s no rule saying you can’t…)
Muffin Success Tips:
- Avoid over-mixing: While these chocolate muffins have a denser, tighter crumb, too much mixing can over-develop the gluten and create an overly heavy, squat muffin. Mix the batter until just combined.
- Use room-temperature ingredients: Proper room-temperature ingredients are important so the batter comes together with ease. Especially when we’re working with warmer ingredients like melted butter and chocolate, you’ll want to make sure your eggs and sour cream aren’t coming straight from the cold refrigerator.
- Fill the liners to the top + use a burst of high heat: My #1 trick for those bakery-style high muffin tops? Filling the muffin pan to the top with batter, along with an initial high burst of heat (exact details in the recipe instructions), help the muffins to rise quickly without over-baking.
Again, there’s no masking that these triple chocolate muffins are every bit as rich, indulgent, and chocolate-y as they taste and sound. If you’re looking for something on the lighter side, my healthier chocolate banana muffins will still satisfy those early-morning chocolate cravings. Or browse all my muffin recipes to find your next breakfast bake.
More Muffins:
- Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Chocolate Covered Strawberry Muffins
- Banana Chocolate Chip Streusel Muffins
- Pumpkin Muffins (with or without chocolate chips)
- Banana Muffins
Triple Chocolate Muffins
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 10-12 muffins
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These brownie-like muffins come together with pure baking chocolate, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips for 3x the chocolate goodness!
Ingredients
- one 4-ounce bar (113g) semi-sweet chocolate*
- 1/2 cup (115g; 1 stick) unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (80g) sour cream or plain yogurt, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (63g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/3 cup (27g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder*
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 heaping cup (180-200g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (mini size works too!)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- Coarsely chop the chocolate. Place in a medium heat-proof bowl along with the butter. Microwave on high in 10 second increments, whisking after each until completely smooth and chocolate has melted. Cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream. Set aside.
- Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the wet ingredients and fold to completely combine—make sure there are no flour spots at the bottom of the bowl. Fold in the chocolate chips. Batter will be thick.
- Spoon the batter evenly into each cup or liner, filling each all the way to the top. Bake the muffins 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 15–17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 20–22 minutes, give or take. Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
- Muffins stay fresh stored at room temperature for a few days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: For longer storage, freeze cooled muffins for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature or warm up in the microwave if desired.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-count Muffin Pan | Muffin Liners | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk
- Chocolate: For the 4 ounces (113g) of chocolate, make sure to use high-quality chocolate, not chocolate chips. (You will use chocolate chips as the last ingredient.) I suggest high-quality chocolate baking bars sold in the baking aisle such as Baker’s, Ghirardelli, Guittard, or Lindt.
- Cocoa Powder: Use natural cocoa powder, not dutch-process cocoa powder. Read about the difference between natural cocoa powder vs. dutch-process cocoa powder.
- FAQ: Is there really only 1/2 cup of flour required? Yes, that’s correct. The cocoa powder takes the place of some flour. These are fudge-brownie-like muffins. Here’s my traditional double chocolate muffins recipe, if you want to try those instead.
- Mini Chocolate Muffins: Fill muffin cups only about halfway. A couple teaspoons of batter per mini muffin cup is plenty. Bake at 350°F (177°C) (for the whole time—no initial high heat) for 12–14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Yields about 30 mini muffins.
Keywords: triple chocolate muffins
Fantastic recipe! These muffins are easy to make and astoundingly rich and delicious! I’m a bona fide chocoholic and I usually think chocolate desserts aren’t chocolately enough; but, I can honestly say, these are chocolately enough!
★★★★★
Will this recipe work with jumbo muffin tins (that only hold 6 muffins)?
You bet! See these jumbo blueberry muffins for baking guidelines.
I’m shocked this recipe doesn’t have more attention! I’ve been making these for years and they are incredibly decadent. So so good.
★★★★★
To add to my previous comment – I use semi-sweet chocolate chips in place of the chocolate bar because it’s what I have on hand. Do you find any difference between the two for this purpose?
★★★★★
Hi John, chocolate chips contain stabilizers that will prevent them from melting properly. In this recipe, most of the chocolate flavor comes from one melted chocolate bar. We’re glad you loved the muffins!
Absolutely Amazing!
★★★★★
Tasted SO good! I used a Hershey chocolate almond bar instead of chips, and it was perfect. I had just over a muffin’s worth left, so I put it in a mug and microwaved it for 1 1/2 minutes and it was almost as good as the baked version. Other than that I followed the recipe exactly.
★★★★★
I love this recipe the kind of taste like those two white brownies the only thing is is they are to me a little sweet it said three quarter cup of sugar but next time I’m only going to do a quarter cup otherwise these are perfect they’re chewy they’re chocolatey but I feel like I’m going to have a sugar rush but this recipe is a definite keeper like I said the only thing I change is just lessen the sugar other than that thank you so much
★★★★★
This is my go to recipe for when I need chocolate! I am such a fan of yours, I have made 70% of all your desserts & this is on my top 3!!
Can this recipe be made with all purpose, cup for cup gluten-free flour?
Hi Susan, we haven’t tested that substitution so we’re unsure of the results. Let us know if you give it a try!
My muffins sank in the middle and I am not sure why! Hoping to get some guidance, thank you!
Hi Kay, when muffins sink in the middle, it often means that they are slightly under baked. A few extra minutes in the oven should help for next time!
I absolutely love the flavour of these muffins. I’ve made these 3 times in the past week for my freeze stash for school lunches. But they keep sinking in the middle and I have followed this to a T. They risr how they should then go down in the middle. Why…. They aren’t under cooked either.
★★★★
Hi Natasha, cocoa powder is a pretty light and drying ingredient and more often than not, baked goods can sink in the center. You could try adding a little more flour for stability, such as using 2/3 cup instead (about 80g).
This recipe was very easy to follow and turned out great! I made these muffins for a grandson who loves chocolate but does not like frosting. He loved them and said they are his new favorite thing. Thank you.
★★★★★
I absolutely love this recipe! No matter how many times I make them, I never get a full 12 regular sized muffins. I get 10 if I fill them 2/3. Nonetheless, they are wonderful!
★★★★★
Love this muffin – and get rave reviews when I share it. I added a few packets of Starbucks Via (instant coffee) to the recipe this time to get a triple chocolate mocha muffin. Also – I’ve baked mini muffins – those are wonderful also. And lastly – I scoop batter into muffin liners, freeze them – and then bake just what I need at a time – to have them fresh. They’re best fresh when the outside is a little crisp with super moist inside.
★★★★★