This chocolate chip muffin recipe has remained a reader favorite since I first published it many years ago. These bakery-style chocolate chip muffins are BIG in size, flavor, and texture. They’re deliciously soft and moist with a crackly muffin top. Cinnamon spiced and loaded with chocolate chips, you’ll never turn to another muffin recipe again.
I originally published this recipe in 2013 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more success tips.
Today’s homemade chocolate chip muffins rival any from a bakery. They’re large and in charge, bursting with flavor, and are topped with a sweet sparkly sugar crunch. Like an acceptable version of chocolate chip cookies for breakfast! It’s a variation from my master bakery-style muffin recipe.
One reader, Jennifer, commented: “This is the recipe I’ve been looking for! The muffins are light and moist, not too dense or heavy. I think this is the best muffin recipe on Sally’s site! I’ve made both jumbo and regular size muffins… Thank you for this wonderful recipe! ★★★★★”
Another reader, Sabrina, commented: “Me and my family loved this recipe, best muffins I’ve ever made. I wasn’t too sure about the cinnamon at first and was going to skip it, but I did end up adding half of it in the end and they came out perfect. Really loved the kick it gave. ★★★★★”
Video Tutorial
Ingredients in Chocolate Chip Muffins
Besides flavor and texture, you’ll appreciate the simple ingredient list. You only need a few basic ingredients to make absolutely awesome chocolate chip muffins. Each ingredient is important and transforms boring muffins into bakery-style chocolate chip muffins!
- Flour: Flour is the foundation of these chocolate chip muffins muffins; we need a thick batter to hold all of the chocolate chips.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: A lot of leavener is required to create a significant rise against all of the wet ingredients.
- Cinnamon & Nutmeg: Cinnamon is a muffin’s favorite spice. You only need a small pinch of nutmeg, too. I promise you that nutmeg is what most chocolate chip muffin recipes are missing. You’ll never go back!
- Vanilla Extract & Salt: Both are used for flavor.
- Eggs: Eggs add moisture and bind everything together.
- Sour Cream or Plain Yogurt: Just like I do with chocolate covered strawberry muffins, I began adding a touch of sour cream to this batter. It helps keep the muffins extra moist and I highly recommend it!
- Sugar: Use granulated sugar to sweeten these muffins.
- Oil: Oil produces a moist, tender muffin. These days I combine a little melted butter and oil. See my recipe note.
- Milk: Milk adds plenty of moisture and lightens up the crumb.
- Chocolate Chips: These wouldn’t be chocolate chip muffins without chocolate chips! I always keep a large stash on hand for these muffins and chocolate chip cookies.
- Coarse Sprinkling Sugar: My secret ingredient used for sparkle and crunch on top. I like Sugar in the Raw or you can use white sparkling sugar sprinkles, usually found with the sprinkles in the baking aisle.
How to Make Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Muffins
This chocolate chip muffin recipe couldn’t be easier. The batter comes together in minutes, so it’s a wonderful recipe for busy mornings.
Mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients separately by hand, then combine them. The batter will be thick, which is ideal for holding muffin add-ins like fruit, nuts, or chocolate chips. Muffin batter is much thicker than cupcake batter because muffins are more dense. The thicker the batter, the less likely the add-ins will sink to the bottom.
- Tip: Make sure the eggs, sour cream, and milk are at room temperature, which incorporates them quicker and easier with other ingredients. I recommend taking these ingredients out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before starting.
Divide the batter in your muffin pan and fill each all the way to the top. You can make this recipe as 6 large muffins (shown), 14-15 standard size muffins, or 40 mini muffins. Top with a sprinkle of coarse sugar for a truly authentic bakery-style muffin!
Don’t Over-mix.
When combining the wet and dry ingredients, don’t over mix. This is very important to ensure soft and fluffy chocolate chip muffins. You’ll be tempted to keep on mixing because this batter is so thick, but it only takes about 20 strokes to mix it all together. You might notice a few lumps in the batter, but that’s normal. Remember, don’t overmix!
The Secret Trick for Tall Muffin Tops
Fill your muffin tins all the way to the top. If using a giant muffin tin, your batter will fill 6 large tins to the brim, as shown above. Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425°F, then for about 25 minutes at 350°F. This initial high oven temperature lifts the muffin top up quickly and creates a tall crust, which is why filling the muffin tins to the top is imperative.
Most muffins bake between 350°–375°F for the entire time. Setting the oven to 425°F initially and then lowering the temperature after 5 minutes guarantees muffins with tall, sugar-crusted, crackly tops. I do this in all my muffin recipes.
See my Master Bakery-Style Muffin Recipe for more flavor options and ideas.
More Favorite Muffin Recipes
- Blueberry Muffins
- Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Mini Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Banana Chocolate Chip Streusel Muffins
- Morning Glory Muffins
- Banana Muffins
Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 jumbo muffins or 15 standard muffins
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Big, bakery style muffins stuffed with chocolate chips and topped with a sprinkle of sugar. This recipe is written to yield 6 jumbo muffins. For standard size or mini muffins, see notes at the bottom of the recipe. Baking times differ.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
- 1/3 cup (5 Tablespoons; 71g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/3 cup (80ml) oil (vegetable oil, melted coconut oil or avocado oil)*
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (80g) sour cream or yogurt, at room temperature*
- 1 cup (240ml) milk, at room temperature*
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups (270g) semi-sweet chocolate chips*
- optional: coarse sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Generously grease a jumbo 6-count muffin pan with butter or nonstick spray (nonstick spray recommended) or line with muffin liners. Set aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk the melted butter, oil, sugar, and eggs together until combined. Then whisk in the sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Mixture will be pale yellow. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and fold together with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon until completely combined. Use a whisk to rid any large lumps of flour, if needed. Avoid overmixing. The batter will be thick. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Divide batter between each muffin cup, filling all the way to the top. Sprinkle with coarse sugar (for added crunch, recommended!). Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) and continue to bake for 25-26 minutes until the tops are lightly golden brown and centers are set. Stick a toothpick in the center of a muffin to test for doneness. If it comes out clean, the muffins are done.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes in pan before serving.
- Cover leftover muffins and store at room temperature for 5 days or in the refrigerator for 1 week. Muffins freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 6-count Jumbo Muffin Pan | Jumbo Muffin Liners | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Silicone Spatula or Wooden Spoon | White Sparkling Sugar
- Oil: Vegetable oil, canola oil, or melted coconut oil work best in this recipe.
- Sour Cream/Yogurt: I recommend full fat sour cream or full fat or low fat plain yogurt. I don’t recommend fat-free for either.
- Milk: I like to use buttermilk or whole milk in this recipe because either add wonderful moisture and flavor. You can use any milk, dairy or nondairy, but the lower fat milk you use, the less flavorful and moist your muffins will taste.
- Chocolate Chips: I love using a mix of regular size and mini size chocolate chips for varying chocolate texture. You can also use chocolate chunks or milk chocolate chips.
- Standard Size Muffins or Mini Muffins: For standard size muffins baked in a 12-count muffin pan, reduce baking time to about 20 total minutes: 5 initial minutes at 425°F and 15 minutes at 350°F. Yields 14-15 standard size muffins. For about 40 mini muffins, bake for 11-13 minutes at 350°F the entire time.
- Why is everything at room temperature? All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. Read for more about the importance of room temperature ingredients.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hello! I was just wondering if it’s possible to make these as Banana Chocolate Chip muffins? How many Bananas could I use? Thanks!
Hi Cait, We recommend following the banana nut muffin recipe in our Master Bakery-Style Muffin recipe, which is adapted from this basic muffin batter. You can add about 1 cup of chocolate chips to that batter.
This recipe was so easy to follow and my first batch is in the oven baking now! But one question – if I wanted to make the batch at night and bake the muffins in the morning, can the raw batch stay in the fridge overnight?
Hi Toni, we don’t recommend it. Because the leaveners are activated when wet and dry ingredients are mixed together, it’s best to bake the muffins shortly thereafter.
Is there a non-dairy substitute for the yogurt/sour cream?
Hi Toba, you can use a dairy-free yogurt instead.
Making these now and the batter is a lot thicker than I was expecting. I was expecting more like cake batter. Is that right or should I add more milk?
Hi Danni, yes, this batter is thicker than a cake or cupcake batter. Hope the muffins turn out great!
Also, is there a way to make smaller muffins?
Hi Courtney, For standard size muffins baked in a 12-count muffin pan, reduce baking time to about 20 total minutes: 5 initial minutes at 425°F and 15 minutes at 350°F. Yields 14-15 standard size muffins. For about 40 mini muffins, bake for 11-13 minutes at 350°F the entire time.
Could I use whole wheat flour for these?
You can try, but expect a heavier and slightly drier muffin. You may want to start with 1/2 all purpose and 1/2 whole wheat and then adjust more/less for future batches.
I love trying your recipes. Wondering the reason for really temp for 5 minutes then lower for rest for muffins.
This initial high oven temperature lifts the muffin top up quickly and creates a tall crust, which is why filling the muffin tins to the top is imperative.
Most muffins bake between 350°–375°F for the entire time. Setting the oven to 425°F initially and then lowering the temperature after 5 minutes ensures muffins with tall, crackly tops.
Subbed AP Flour for Bread Flour and OH MY WORD these are good! Also added 1/8th teaspoon caramel extract. Nice crusty tops and the insides are pillowy and light.
Great recipe, stealing it.
These taste amazing but I couldn’t get on with filling all the way to the top – they overflowed but not in a uniformed way which meant they broke quite a bit when taking them out the tray. I would definitely make again but just not fill the cases so high next time.
Very dry, ok but would not makeitagain
Hi Lolly, we’re so sorry you had troubles with this recipe. How did you measure your flour? Be sure to spoon and level (or use a kitchen scale) to ensure it’s not over measured. Too much flour can significantly dry out the muffins. Over baking (even by just a minute or two!) can also be a contributing factor. Hope this helps!
How should you change the baking time if you use regular size muffin tins instead of the jumbo ones?
Hi Patricia, see recipe notes for regular size muffins.
Hi sally, can I ask can we don’t add the cinnamon and nutmeg because the kids don’t like it or if we add those two will they be able to taste it on the muffins! Is this muffins moist and soft for the kids to eat?
Thank you!
Hi MM, the nutmeg is optional and you can also omit the cinnamon with no other changes needed! These are moist with a light crumb like muffins from the bakery – kids and adults will love them!
Thank you so much! Do you like to use buttermilk more or you recommend whole milk more?
Thank you!
We use them interchangably!
I randomly decided that I wanted to fill my freezer with muffins and stumbled across this recipe. It is wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. It whipped up with ease and my not-muffin-liking father has devoured three. The muffins are soft, airy and addictive. You don’t feel heavy after eating one, and they’re irresistable. I may have to make more tomorrow. Thank you so much, Sally and the team.
Just finished making these and was hard to wait for them to cool. Didn’t have course sugar so used brown sugar to top. These muffins are the best chocolate chip muffins I’ve ever had. So good! So funny how I found this page. I just googled best chocolate chip muffins and chose your site… and it was true!! Thank you
These muffins are incredible, and my family agreed. It’s really hard to eat just one!
I substituted 1 cup agave syrup for 1 cup sugar and they are delicious. Here is a nutrition breakdown for 36 mini muffins, using the site noted in the comment regarding nutrition.
Can I use this recipe for Banana Nut muffins? HUGE hit in this 4 kid household, so much so that they’ve now requested variations!
Hi Thalia, we’re so glad these muffins are a hit! We’d recommend following the banana nut muffin recipe from our master muffin post.
Do you have the nutritional information for these?
Hi Trish, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
I love that the chocolate chip muffins have a smooth transition from a dark golden-brown side to a light golden-brown top, giving the muffins a beautiful look. After I took the first bite of the muffin, it felt so mouth-watering and had a nice crunch. The melting chocolate in my mouse was pure comfort. Moreover, the muffin reminds me of a candy store with delicious Lindor chocolates and other sweets. Before I made the muffins, I found a recipe online that shows you how to make Cheesy Tea Biscuits. When I finished the biscuits, it tasted plain rather than cheesy. As a result, I learned that online recipes may have errors or unavailable ingredients in stores near you. If a recipe doesn’t work in the future, I may alter the recipe. In the muffin recipe, I substituted vanilla extract with honey. Surprisingly, my family and I enjoyed the muffins more than the blueberry pie. Finally, my family urged me to add blueberries to my muffins rather than chocolate chips to try a different taste.
Eliminate the chocolate and spices and this makes for a great base recipe! I’ve made this countless times now, and it’s never missed. I do 185g all-purpose and 190g almond flour for less gluten and a more satiating texture, 2-3 tbsp butter and 2-3 tbsp coconut oil (it does not need nearly as much oil as listed) and 1/2 cup sugar as opposed to 1 cup. This recipe has yielded up to 30 standard size muffins for me (you don’t need to fill to the very top). My favorite add in is lemon zest with either raspberry or blueberry- so good!
I love this recipe, was wondering if I could make the base and then split so I could make chocolate chip and blueberry?
Absolutely!
I love using your guy’s recipes and all, but I would love the measurement for everything on these muffins!
You can find the recipe in the gray recipe card above!
I followed the recipe exactly and used vanilla nonfat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and these came out delicious!! I don’t see anywhere for substitutions. I’m going to try the recipe recipe with blueberries hoping they will be sweet enough.
These muffins are wonderful! They look beautiful, with their perfect sparkly domes. I wound up with 12 big “regular” sized muffins plus 16 mini muffins. I followed your note to use buttermilk, which contributed a strong flavour. In future I think I’ll use plain milk instead. I also used almost 2 cups of chocolate chips: a combination of semi sweet chips and mini chips as well as some dark chocolate chips (finished off all the little bits left in the cupboard 😀 ) Very chocolatey and delicious.
Can I use Avocado oil? We don’t do seed oils at our house, I saw coconut as an option, but my kiddos don’t prefer it.
Shouldn’t be a problem, Faith.
I’m sure this recipe is delicious but It didn’t work because I followed the recipe as I did it, and it didnt mention beforehand that you need to get a separate bowl for wet and dry ingredients. This happened the same with the cookies as well and I didn’t assume it would be the same for the muffins. It would be helpful if you could say “ in a separate bowl, whisk eggs and milk and yogurt”. Thank you.
Doesn’t “set aside” kinda imply that?
Yes! That was my whoopsie I was in a rush, I remade them today and they were great! Sorry for the confusion. 🙂
All recipes are different. You should always read the entire recipe and notes before you start.
Besides, “set aside” means just that. This recipe is absolutely wonderful! thanks for sharing.
Can I substitute whole wheat flour?
Hi Amber, you can try, but expect a heavier and slightly drier muffin. You may want to start with 1/2 all purpose and 1/2 whole wheat and then adjust more/less for future batches.
Have made these sooooo many times! This is my 13 year old grandson’s breakfast every morning! I tweak a bit to make them a bit lower fat, less sugar, and they are still fabulous in every way!
This is the recipe I’ve been looking for! The muffins are light and moist, not too dense or heavy. I think this is the best muffin recipe on Sally’s site! I’ve made both jumbo and regular size muffins. I prefer to leave out the cinnamon and nutmeg and add an extra teaspoon of vanilla. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
I just made the bakery style chocolate chip muffins! Love, love, love them! Soft, moist & full of flavor. Definitely will be making them again and again! Thank you!