Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe
Chocolate for breakfast sounds like a good idea to me some days. Okay, most days. If it sounds like a good idea to you, these chocolate chocolate chip muffins are the only excuse you need. They probably could have been called cupcakes, but they’re not as light and fluffy as a chocolate cupcake. They’re denser and have a more muffin-like texture. Since I think of muffins as healthier than cupcakes, I called them muffins. Mind games. They work every time. The beauty of these homemade chocolate chip muffins is that they come together in minutes with just two bowls and a whisk. No need to drag your mixer out for these big, puffy beauties.
They’re ready from start to finish in under a half hour. You can even mix the dry ingredients in a bowl at night, and the next morning it’s as easy as pouring wet over dry, stirring, baking, and you’ll be eating chocolate for breakfast before you know it. That’s my idea of waking up. These chocolate chocolate chip muffins are made for chocolate lovers. There’s cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and dollops of Nutella on the muffin tops. If there’s a way to make a muffin top better, smearing it with Nutella is how. I also smeared some with Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter, since everything is better with peanut butter. Don’t make me choose between Nutella and chocolate peanut butter.
And boy, are they ever soft. I used oil rather than butter, which I prefer in most muffins, cupcakes, and cakes because it keeps them extra soft and springy. And buttermilk keeps them fluffy, lighter, and moist. The outside developed a very slight chewiness and the interior stayed soft, dense enough but still fluffy, and moist. The chocolate chips melted and made them extra chocolaty and rich. When I served them to my family my husband exclaimed, “Oh Wow! Chocolate cupcakes!” I said, well, I’m calling them muffins and explained my logic. He liked my rationale. Then, he told me that I need to give them all away. My heart sank for a minute, thinking he didn’t like them. Call me old-fashioned, but the only two people in the world I really care if they like my cooking are my husband and my daughter. But he said they’re amazingly good and that he was tempted to eat half the batch at once. Chocolate cravings apparently run in our family.
What’s in Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins?
To make these easy chocolate chip muffins, you’ll need:
All-purpose flour Light brown sugar Unsweetened cocoa powder Instant espresso granules Baking powder Baking soda Salt Semi-sweet chocolate chips Buttermilk Eggs Canola oil Brewed coffee Vanilla extract
How to Make Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins
To make these easy chocolate chip muffins, simply mix the dry ingredients together in one bowl and the wet in another. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, being careful not to over mix. Spoon the batter into a greased 12-cup muffin tin, then bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Note that it’s hard to find a ‘clean’ patch to test that doesn’t have melted chocolate chips and it’s easy to confuse muffin batter with a gooey melted chocolate chip. Be careful not to overbake, which is easy to do with chocolate goodies, given the dark color. I baked for 24 minutes and in the future, will probably pull them at about 22 minutes. Watch your muffins, not the clock, when evaluating doneness. If you happen to overbake, sealing them in a Ziploc overnight while they’re still warm will help them soften up.
Is There a Buttermilk Substitute I Can Use?
If you don’t normally keep buttermilk on hand, you can cheat and make some with vinegar or lemon juice and milk. Or use regular milk and add a hearty dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt.
Will These Muffins Taste Like Coffee?
Not at all. The small amount of espresso granules and brewed coffee simply enhances the rich chocolate flavor of these chocolate chip muffins. They won’t taste like coffee in the slightest.
Can I Omit the Espresso Granules?
If you can’t find instant espresso granules, you can use instant coffee instead. Technically, you may omit the espresso, but I highly recommend adding it in!
Can I Use Different Mix-Ins?
Yes, of course! You can add up to a cup of any mix-ins you’d like. Chopped nuts would taste great in these chocolate chocolate chip muffins as well.
Can I Make These Gluten-Free?
I’ve only made this recipe as written, so I’m not sure how using a gluten-free flour would affect the taste and texture.
Is There an Egg Replacement I Can Use?
I’ve only made these chocolate chocolate chip muffins as written, so I’m not sure how using an egg replacement would affect the taste and texture.
Can I Freeze Muffins?
Yes, you can easily freeze these homemade chocolate chip muffins. Simply let them cool, then seal them in a Ziploc freezer bag. When you’re ready to eat them, reheat them in the microwave or set on your counter to thaw.
How to Reheat Muffins
To reheat these chocolate chocolate chip muffins, I recommend nuking them in the microwave for about 15 seconds.
What to Serve with Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins
These homemade chocolate chip muffins are rich enough as is, but I like to serve them with different toppings anyways. A few of my favorite toppings for these muffins are:
Homemade peanut butter Cream cheese Nutella Chocolate frosting Brown sugar banana jam Jelly
Tips for Making Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins
The batter is very fudgy and thicker than your average muffin batter. As you’re combining the wet and dry ingredients, use a rubber spatula and just keep folding and turning the bowl, folding and turning the bowl, making sure to get any dry bits from the bottom — but don’t overmix the batter. The less you mix and develop the gluten, the softer and more tender the muffins will be. I didn’t use liners because I didn’t want muffins with ruffled-potato chip marks on them. Instead, I sprayed my pan with floured cooking spray. No issues whatsoever with sticking. When you’re filling the muffin pan, don’t be scared to fill the wells up to nearly the top, a solid three-quarters full. This is what creates big, bakery-style domed-top muffins. I used a one-quarter cup measure, sprayed with cooking spray, and filled a 12-Cup Muffin Pan perfectly. Spraying your scoop with cooking spray helps this thick, rich, super fudgy batter to slither right off and into the muffin pan. In the past, I’ve filled muffin cups up nearly the top, only to create splooging-over mushroom tops, rather than muffin tops, and have ruined plenty of muffins. But with this batter, you’re safe to fill them up very full.
More Easy Muffin Recipes:
Vegan Coconut Oil Banana Muffins — These muffins are extra fluffy and moist thanks to the combination of coconut oil and ripe bananas in the batter. This is a quick and easy muffin recipe you’re bound to love! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes!
Triple Chocolate Zucchini Muffins — These muffins are incredibly chocolatey without being too sweet. They’re studded with mini chocolate chips and packed with grated zucchini. Warning: these are addicting!
The Best Vegan Blueberry Muffins — These are the BEST blueberry muffins I’ve ever had, vegan or otherwise. An avocado replaces the butter (and much of the oil) you’d typically add to muffin batter. These are fluffy, moist, and so easy to make!
Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Mini Blender Muffins — These gluten-free peanut butter muffins are made in a blender and come together in mere minutes. You’d never guess that these mini muffins are gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, and oil-free!
Vegan Chunky Apple Cinnamon Muffins — These apple cinnamon muffins are studded with BIG chunks of apple! They’re so easy to make and are perfect for a quick snack or breakfast to-go.
Extra Soft and Moist Blueberry Muffins — These are hands down the best blueberry muffinsEVER. They’re fluffy and moist thanks to the addition of sour cream in the batter. Not to mention they’re bursting with fresh blueberry flavor.
Mini Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Muffins — These mini pumpkin muffins are coated in cinnamon sugar and are bursting with fall flavor! Even better, they’re accidentally vegan!
