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Chocolate Chip Muffins

If you’re a chocolate lover, homemade Chocolate Chip Muffins are basically impossible to resist. They’re a wonderful sweet treat for breakfast or just a snack!

pile of Chocolate Chip Muffins on a white plate with a red mug in the background

Easy Chocolate Chip Muffins

I admit that I have a healthy appreciation for kitchen gadgets. I am quite sure that I would have a hard time giving up my stand mixer, food processor, hand mixers, and a number of other complex appliances that fill my kitchen and pantry. Even with all of that, I do enjoy those times that I can bake something amazing with just a couple of bowls and a spoon.

That’s what this Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe is all about. It is simplicity at its best. Measure, stir, scoop, and bake. Other than the measuring cups and spoons, all you need is a muffin pan, two bowls, a spoon, and a whisk to get you to a batch of homemade muffins in short order.

Lazy mornings were made for muffins like these with their no-fuss mixing. If you’ve got a good kitchen helper, then they’ll come together even more quickly. And your payoff will be freshly baked muffins with plenty of gooey chocolate.

I love those rare times when I can justify chocolate for breakfast. It just seems like such an indulgent treat, whether it’s a special occasion or for no real reason at all. It reminds of those times when my mother would let me eat cake for breakfast. What a way to start your day!

For more easy muffin recipes, whip up a batch of blueberry muffins or banana muffins!

two halves of a Chocolate Chip Muffin on a white plate with more muffins on a plate in the background

What You’ll Need

These Chocolate Chip Muffins are made with just the basics, so you’re likely to have what you need to whip up a batch most any time!

  • All-purpose flour – Be sure to measure accurately, as too much flour leads to dry, tough muffins. Learn more: How to Measure Flour
  • Granulated sugar
  • Brown sugar – Light or dark brown sugar will work, depending on how strong you want that molasses flavor.
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Ground cinnamon – A little bit of cinnamon makes these muffins something special, but you can easily omit it if you like.
  • Salt
  • Eggs – Set out the eggs before baking so that they can come to room temperature.
  • Unsalted butter – You’ll need melted butter for these muffins. Be sure to give the butter time to cool after melting. It should be warm but not hot.
  • Milk – Set out the milk along with the eggs. Whole or 2% milk works best. While I’ve not tried it, a nondairy milk should work, too.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Chocolate chips – Use good quality chocolate chips. I like semisweet for these muffins.

Want to add nuts?

Just add a handful of your favorite chopped nuts to the batter. If you want more than a handful, then decrease the amount of chocolate chips by the same volume of nuts you’re adding.

overhead view of Chocolate Chip Muffins on a white plate

How to Make Chocolate Chip Muffins

These muffins are a breeze to make. You won’t need your hand mixer for this recipe; the batter mixes easily with just a mixing spoon! Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for printable instructions.

Prepare for baking. Heat the oven to 375°F. Line or lightly grease 12 standard muffin cups. If you use liners, I recommend parchment paper liners.

Combine the dry ingredients and sugars. Whisk or stir the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center.

Combine the wet ingredients. Mix the eggs, butter, milk, and vanilla.

Finish mixing. Add the egg mixture to the well in the flour mixture. Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened or a few streaks of flour remain. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Portion. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Fill each cup about 2/3 full with approximately 3 tablespoons of batter.

Bake. Place the pan in the oven and bake the muffins 20 to 22 minutes. The muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool the muffins. Place the pan on a wire rack and allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Then remove the muffins from the pan and place them on the rack to continue cooling. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Lined vs Unlined Pans

Lining the cups of your muffin pan does a couple of things. First and most simply, it makes the muffins easier to remove from the pans and makes them more portable. Secondly, it adds a layer between the batter and the pan, creating softer, less browned edges.

Skipping the liners in favor of greasing the pan does the opposite. Without that extra layer in the pans, the edges of the muffins will be crisper and browner.

When I line muffin pans, I prefer paper baking cups for ease of use and their nonstick properties. When I’m not lining the pans, I use a cooking spray with flour to make them easier to remove from the pans after baking.

Chocolate Chip Muffins piled on a white plate

Tips for Success

This recipe is simple to make, but here are a few tips for making your Chocolate Chip Muffins the best they can be!

  • Use a light-colored metal pan. Dark pans tend to over-bake the outside edges before the centers can get thoroughly baked.
  • Don’t use an electric mixer. Using an electric mixer is likely to lead to over-mixing, which will make your muffins dry and tough. If you do opt to use a mixer, be very careful to stop mixing just when everything is combined.
  • Don’t over-mix. Too much mixing leads to tough muffins. Muffin batters generally won’t be smooth like a cake batter, and that’s perfectly fine. A few streaks of flour in the batter are fine and will blend into the muffins as they bake.
  • Want more tips? See my tips for baking muffins.

How to Store

These muffins will keep at room temperature up to 3 days in an airtight container after they’ve cooled. To keep the moisture from making them soggy, line the container with paper towels and place more layers of paper towels between layers of muffins and on top before sealing the container. Refrigerating will extend that by a couple of days, but make sure the container is well-sealed so they won’t become dry.

While the muffins are quite good at room temperature, I do hope you’ll take good advantage of eating them warm from the oven for a wonderful treat. You can also warm them briefly in the microwave before serving.

How to Freeze

After the muffins have cooled completely, place them in an airtight, freezer-safe bag or container. They should keep up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for an hour or so at room temperature.

a whole and a partial Chocolate Chip Muffin on a white plate

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Yield 12 standard-size muffins
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes

If you love all things chocolate, these soft, chewy Chocolate Chip Muffins are the best way to kick your day off!

pile of Chocolate Chip Muffins on a white plate with a red mug in the background

Ingredients

  • 1 & 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (50g) packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted & slightly cooled
  • 1/2 cup (118ml) milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (170g) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease or line 12 muffins cups.
  2. Whisk together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Make a well in the center. Set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, melted butter, milk, and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
  4. Stir in the chocolate chips. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, using about 3 tablespoons of batter to fill each cup about 2/3 full.
  5. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

Notes

Recipe slightly adapted from McCormick.

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    89 Comments on “Chocolate Chip Muffins”

  1. Yum!! I love simple recipes. Can’t wait to try these!

  2. I have to ask… what type of camera are you using? All of your shots are gorgeous! Can’t wait to try this one!
    Dana

  3. These muffins looks delicious. And the best thing in doing muffins is that they really are so easy and quick to prepare and bake that you can do it even just before bkfast..if you are not in a hurry as evere like me 😛
    Silvia

  4. OMG. Why isn’t this picture edible? It’s difficult to find chocolate chips in Spain (well, quite expensive) but I think I should try with chopped chocolate, these muffins look so delicious…

    By the way, I wanted to ask you…Do I have your premission to translate to spanish some of your recipes in my blog? Thank you from Spain.

  5. I love simple recipes like this. That’s why muffins and quick breads are so good but I’m with you… try to steal my kitchen Aid mixer and you will have to deal with one crazy baker! I need my stand mixer, food processor, microplane, ice cream machine, yogurt maker… my husband thinks I’m crazy!

  6. By the way, the muffins look fabulous with all the chips melting. yum!

  7. you have the unique ability to take pictures that are so crystal clear and perfect, i really feel like i’m looking at the real thing. this is somewhat unfortunate, because then i want the real thing, and i don’t have it. 🙂

  8. I love that first picture! These look delicious. I make muffins a lot because they’re easy, individually portioned (though I still eat more than one!) & they can be justified as breakfast. 🙂

  9. Oh my! These look wonderful! I just may have to try these this week-end.

  10. Fabulous photography, up course and personal. I could be in your kitchen with the views.
    Lovely.

  11. I feel like I’m from the stone ages. I am the exact opposite of you! I have no kitchen gadgets at all, besides my hand mixer. Oh, how I long for KitchenAid 🙂 I normally grab some rather dry and inedible chocolate chip muffins but whenever I bake them on my own, I remember my love for them.

  12. great food shot, totally taken in by it. looks incredibly moist and just look at em choc chips. mmmm

  13. Thanks, Tara!

    Dana, we have a Nikon D200 with a 60mm macro lens.

    Silvia, you are exactly right. I don’t understand why I don’t make muffins more often. They’re so quick, easy, and delicious.

    Morgana, translate all you want. With few exceptions, the recipes I use are not my original recipes.

    Aran, luckily Quinn is a gadget fan as well, so he understands the need for all the kitchen tools. They will definitely spoil you!

    grace, you are very kind. Thank you so much!

    Sarah, muffins are quite a breakfast treat. A minor indulgence from minimal effort. Just about perfect!

    Cindy, I hope you like them!

    Thanks, Kim! What a wonderful compliment!

    Amanda, once you cross over to the stand mixer side, there’s no going back. 😉

    Thanks, diva! I’m a sucker for melty, gooey chocolate chips.

  14. These look delicious! Any chance anyone has heard of an OATMEAL version of these or similar? I have a friend that loves oatmeal chocolate chip cookies…and I was thinking of doing some experimenting and coming up with a cupcake form for her birthday. Topped with a cinnamon buttercream frosting, I think she would be in heaven. Help!

  15. Those are just stunning. I’m all about muffins lately, but my nearly-fat-free, whole wheat flour, low sugar versions wouldn’t want to get caught sitting next to yours… 🙂

  16. I love chocolate chip muffins. Simple perfection.

  17. i saw the first photo in my rss and now i am craving these muffins

  18. wow, yes those in my belly, stat

  19. Kelly, try these muffins.

    Thanks, Katy! I should be making more muffins like yours.

    Sarah, I agree.

    Andreea, you should make them. Such a quick thing to treat yourself with.

    LOL, furiousball!

  20. looks like a perfect recipe for my daughter to make on Mother’s Day. Score!!!

  21. What a sinful breakfast, my friend. 🙂
    They look wonderful, so high! I haven’t made muffins in such a long time…

  22. Megan, that definitely sounds like a plan!

    Thanks, Patricia!

  23. I LOVE when a recipe comes along that can be done entirely by hand. And if there’s chocolate involved, well, count me in. 🙂

    I also love how the ingredients list is so similar to chocolate chip cookies, I bet the very edges on the muffins might have that perfect chewy/crisp thing going on with the brown sugar…must try!

  24. oh how i love homemade choc chip muffins! the pics are making me drool! haven’t had them in years! i think i will make these this weekend for me and the kids! thank you!

  25. Again fabulous photos and recipes! I love checking out your blog!

  26. Shauna, you’re right – the ingredients are similar to chocolate chip cookies. Hope you like them!

    Christey, let me know what you think if you make them!

    Thanks, My Sweet & Saucy! 🙂

  27. Those glistening chips are melting my little taste buds!! Chocolate for breakfast is wonderful!

  28. Thanks, Tartelette! I completely agree.

  29. I add a slight spin on these, turning them into cappuccino chocolate chip muffins. Add two-three teaspoons of instant coffee granules (depending on how strong you want the coffee flavor to be) into the egg/milk/butter/vanilla mixture and stir until granules are dissolved.

    Sometimes for these I add just a dash more cinnamon and vanilla as well. I think they are my all time favorite muffins, and that’s saying a lot since I’m a big muffin fan.:D

  30. i’m in muffin heaven!! this looks fantastic!! i’m making these tomorrow!!

  31. Jessica, your variations sound delicious! I’m not much of a coffee fan, but sign me up for the cinnamon and vanilla!

    bunny, I hope you like them!

  32. I added a mashed up banana to the recipe since I had one laying around – freakin’ YUMMY!

  33. Manali, I’ll bet those were delicious! Thanks for the tip.

  34. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! This is IT!!!!!!
    I have tried so many variations and this IS the ONE!
    We LOVE them!

  35. Helen, I’m glad you like them! Definitely one of my favorite recipes.

  36. These are so good…and so simple to make!! I just baked these and my kids and I couldn’t wait to bite into them. I warned my 5 y.o that they were going to be super hot but we both bit into them anyway and naturally burned our tongues. Burnt tongues and all we kept gobbling them up. We are waiting for after dinner for a real treat 2 each! I am going to be making another batch tomorrow morning and I’m hoping that these freeze well, cause eventhough they are quick and easy to make they are the sort of thing you want on hand just when you need “something.” Thanks for the add.

  37. Suezi, it’s good to hear that they were a hit!

  38. Are these a heavy-dense muffin or more cake-like? I have been looking for more cake-like muffin but not a cupcake, can anyone help?

  39. Sharon, I wouldn’t classify these as cake-like. You might try these muffins. They might be more like what you’re wanting.

  40. These were so easy and quick to make. I’m eating one right now and loving it! Great recipe. My kids love them too.

  41. Made these muffins and my mother and sisters loved them, they ate the whole batch in one day.

  42. whoa thats look so good!

  43. how do you stop the chocolate chips sinking to the bottom?

  44. Sandra, many times chocolate chips sink because of the consistency of the batter. If it’s too “thin,” the chips are likely to sink. Differences in measuring methods can contribute to batter variances. I like to measure dry ingredients by weight, while others use a scooping methods. I have read that coating the chips in flour will help. I don’t know if that is true, but it’s certainly worth a try.

  45. These were wonderful. Definately a keeper.

    Sandra-I agree with Jennifer. It sounds like the batter was just a little thin. The batter should be something like soft tile grout where it gently oozes into the pan after mixing. LOL

  46. I tried these out and was so excited about making them as a valentines morning treat. They weren’t nearly as moist as I thought they’ed be. Mine were done after 20 min. Kinda disappointing.

  47. These were a big hit with my boys. I loved the cinnamon flavor. Thanks for the recipe. Just some notes!
    Melissa-These were very moist for me. I have sinced switch to using the silicon baking muffin liners when baking muffins and they help in this area a lot. Although sometimes recipes take longer to bake with these.
    Sandra-I mix in the chocolate chips right before the dough in all mixed up – so they do get a little coated with flour first and they were evenly distributed.
    Katy-I went ahead and used half whole wheat pastry flour with no adverse effect in taste. Next time I may try 2 egg whites and 1 whole egg and I bet they will turn out just fine!

  48. I’ve been craving chocolate chip muffins for a few days, I finally made them today, using this recipe. Thanks for sharing!

  49. Could you use butterscotch chips instead of the choc? just wonder (well, all I have in the house is butterscotch chips and the muffins look soooo good!) 🙂

  50. Emily, I’m sure butterscotch would be great!

  51. Yum! I have made these several times. We just love them. I tried an experiment today (a la Barfoot Contessa) and coated the chips in a bit of flour. It really seemed to help keep them floating through the entire cooked muffin rather than sinking to the bottom. Thanks for your recipes. Keep adventuring!!!

  52. I made these this morning and WOW they are so so sooooo good. Thank you so very much for the wonderfully perfect recipe:)

  53. I tried these and they are GREAT! Awesome recipe, cinnamon really made them good.

  54. These are wonderful! But my chocolate chips sank to the bottom too! bummer!

  55. love chocolate chip muffins

  56. i have a question can u substitute salted butter for the unsalted butter or use crisco?

  57. bailey, you could probably use Crisco. I don’t really bake with it, so I don’t have that much experience with it. Salted butter in baked goods is generally not a good idea unless it’s specified. The amount of salt in salted butter varies from brand to brand, so it’s not easy to figure out how to adjust the salt in the recipe.

  58. I just followed your recipe and they are actually sooo tasty!!
    thankyou so so so much!! 🙂
    this recipe is well reccommended !!

  59. girl these turned out great! wanted to try a natural sweetner in it(I guess sugar is natural)..so in a doubled batch I used half cup of milk and half cup of agave necter and just used the brown sugar as the recipe calls for…..lordy they are good! can’t wait to try some of your other recipes…

  60. yummy in my tummy i want some freakin muffins right now!

  61. omg these are amazing muffins! yay

  62. I made these today and to be a little healthier for the kiddos i used some whole wheat flour and substituted apple sauce for the butter and these muffins were still pretty yummy. i do plan on trying this recipe just as it is here for a nice treat for hubby and I. thanks!

  63. OMG!!!!! These look delous. I think I’ll make theys for my Class.
    They’ll LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!

  64. These look so moist and delicious! Chocolate chip muffins are my kids’ favorite and I’ve been looking for a good homemade version of them. Do you think water could be substitued for the milk?

  65. Amy, I’m not sure about substituting water for milk. Milk is mostly water, but there’s fat there, too. I would think the consistency and flavor would be affected. If you try it, let me know how it works.

  66. Lazy weekend mornings of baking are the best 🙂 those look awesome! I can’t wait to try them. Sometimes simple is exactly what a person needs- and who doesn’t need chocolate chip muffins?

  67. Just made these – they were amazing!! The tip for tipping them out of the pan immediately for a crispy outside was awesome! Thanks for this recipe. Glad I stumbled onto this website – it’s now in my favorites 🙂

  68. I made these for my sister and we bridesmaids to snack on while getting ready for the wedding. They were a huge hit! We munched on them all day.

  69. Hi Jennifer, the muffins look really good. I just bought a huge container of milk choc chips and will bake them today..my 2 year old just love muffins! Pictures look edible. 🙂 Thanks for the recipe.

  70. These muffins are amazing!!! the cinnamon adds just enough flavor to spice them up!! A must bake!

  71. This has become my go-to muffin recipe! I’ve made them countless times, and they’ve never lasted more than a day in my house! Everyone loves them, and I especially love how easy the recipe is (and clean-up, too!). They’ve never failed me, and I really encourage everyone to try them! Great for a beginner baker (like myself)!

  72. Thank you so much for a tasty looking chocolate chip recipe! My roommates birthday is today and she love chocolate chips…She’s in for a surprise when she gets home from work! Yeah! 🙂 Now, off to baking I go!

  73. the bake time is way too long. You will end up with overbaked, dry muffins if you cook them for that long. 15 minutes was perfect

  74. Hello there.
    Do you think buttermilk would work as well?
    Greetings from Vienna

  75. I made these but the bottom of the muffins were breaking. Any idea why? By the way they were delicious

  76. Could I substitute cherry juice (from maraschino cherries) for the milk? Would it be the same consistency?

    • Hi, Cindy. I wouldn’t make that substitution, as milk provides some important things to the batter, like structure. If you want to add cherry juice, I’d try substituting it for the vanilla extract.

  77. Made these twice in 2 weeks, both for a crowd, so I doubled the recipe. They are delicious and a bit hit. The only change I made is I shake cinnamon and sugar over the top of the unbaked muffins. It adds a nice crispiness & flavor. These are super easy and quick. Thanks for yet another great, delicious recipe.

  78. I’ve been making this recipe consistently since 2008 – 11 years on and it is still one of my favorite breakfast treats. Thanks!

  79. Can these be made as mini-muffins? If so how long should I bake?
    Thanks,

  80. Hello,
    Thank you for sharing this recipe my family loves the muffin.
    I believe 1/2 cup (237ml) milk is wrong conversion though. I live in “the rest of the world” so I use metric measurement…. and I believe 237ml is what Americans call 1 Cup?

  81. These are delicious! I made mini muffins with GF flour and baked them for 10 minutes. They turned out perfect.

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