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!
One reader, Teck, commented: “It’s truly a superb recipe. Moist and full of flavor. Easy to follow. Voted the best muffin by my family. ★★★★★”
Another reader, Paulina, commented: “They turned out just perfect and looked so good, you’d think I bought them. This will definitely be my go-to chocolate muffin recipe from now on! ★★★★★”
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
Double 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 silicone 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 Silicone 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.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Can I replace the flour with gluten free flower?
Hi Estefania, we haven’t tested our muffin recipes with gluten free flours, but many readers have reported success using 1:1 flour substitutes (like Cup4Cup). If you try it, let us know how it goes!
I have been baking for a very long time and I specialize in Gluten free baked goods.
I’m currently baking this with King Arthur’s 1:1 gluten free flour.
It works amazing! But remember to let your mixture set for about 20-30 minutes before dividing and baking! That’s key to all GF baked goods!
So excited to try this recipe! Question though- is it fan bake or regular bake for the oven setting?
Hi Mya! We always recommend conventional settings for baking (not convection/fan). The flow of air from convection heat can cause baked goods to rise and bake unevenly and it also pulls moisture out of the oven. If you do use convection/fan settings for baking, lower your temperature by 25 degrees F and keep in mind that things may still take less time to bake.
Can I add in a little coffee for a richer chocolate hit?
Hi Kaitlyn, you could absolutely add a teaspoon of espresso powder or instant coffee to start and then adjust for more/less in future batches. Hope you enjoy the muffins!
Made this cupcakes and they are 10/10. I added m&m choc. And I made 12 cupcakes and 7 mini cupcakes.
Hi! Just wondering if I make these muffins the day prior to serving them to a big group, what’s the best way to maintain freshness? Should I kelp them refrigerated after they’ve completely cooled? Or just leave them at room temp in an airtight container?
Hi Mallory, these muffins are extra moist and are FABULOUS even the next day. After cooling, cover them tightly and leave at room temperature until the next day when you serve them.
I love, love, love this recipe and it works perfectly every time. Everyone wants to have the recipe and I can’t wait to test the mini muffins for my son’s birthday party!
These muffins are honestly the best I’ve ever tasted. I love how moist and chocolate-y they are. I made some for an event, and everybody loved them so much, that I ended up making a second batch. So delicious!
These muffins are honestly the best I’ve ever tasted. I love how moist and chocolate-y they are. I made some for an event, and everybody loved them so much, that I ended up making a second batch. So delicious!
So I bake the muffins at 425 then lower it to 350 but the recipe says to keep the muffins in the oven while lowering the temperature, but am I supposed to open the oven door or keep it closed ?
Hi Dina, you will keep the oven door closed, just lowering the temperature.
question
I want to remake these, because the first batch was a big hit! but I want to know, can I make this, exacty the same, only this time, also add chopped up black cherries inside of the batter. and then when I put the batter into the muffin liners, add a dark chocolate truffle in the middle, then cover with more batter and bake it? for like a double dark chocolate muffin with cherries and a melty truffle center?
Hi Kristina! You could definitely add chopped cherries. We haven’t tested adding a truffle to the batter, but think you method sounds like a good bet. Let us know if you try it!
Crazy question but would this recipe work as a cake layer? My sister in law loved them so much she said she wants a cake like this
Hi George, these would be denser cake layers, but you can certainly try it! Here’s everything you need to know about cake pan sizes and conversions. Or, you could try our chocolate cake instead and add chocolate chips to that batter.
Hi, I’m making these for a party this weekend and was wondering if they would be good to make the batter and then fridge it until ready to cook. I know some recipes say this even makes it better?
Hi Emma, We don’t recommend that, as the leaveners are activated once the wet and dry ingredients are combined. We recommend baking as soon as possible after mixing up the batter.
I wonder if I could make this into a muffin bread. Similar to the blueberry muffin bread. Any advice on how to do so?
Belita, you can use this recipe in a 9×5 loaf pan for a double chocolate quick bread! 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. Hope you enjoy it!
These muffins were amazingly good. It’s so chocolaty and moist. Best of all, it’s so easy to make.
Was trying to use some lite sour cream, eggs, and 2% milk before they went bad – even “breaking the rules” on these ingredients, they turned out fabulously, and we yielded 18 muffins! Delicious and SO MOIST!
WOW!! These muffins are so chocolaty and delicious. Tastes like something you would buy from a bakery. Thank you for another amazing recipe Sally!
I was wondering if your able to add other toppings like fruit or nuts. Would that change anything?
Hi Nikki, You can swap some of the chocolate chips with nuts. We’d keep the total amount of add-ins about the same.
Hi was wondering if subbing the milk for coffee would work?
Hi Carla! We haven’t tested it, but you may miss the fat from the milk. Let us know if you try!
Can white chocolate chip be substituted for the chocolate win this recipe?
Definitely!
I’ve made these as muffins a few years back for my staff and they were a hit. I’m feeling lazy and was hoping for a loaf pan adjustment?
Hi Elyse, you can definitely make this batter in a loaf pan. We’re unsure of the exact bake time, but it will be much longer than muffins. Keep a close eye on the loaf and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Is the amount of raising agent correct compared to the amount of flour?
Hi Sashi, yes, the recipe is correct as written.
I love making these muffins as a special treat for coworkers, teachers etc. Everyone always loves them! I make a double batch every time and keep some in the freezer so I can defrost them and have with coffee.
Love this recipe! I made a couple of changes, used half reg chocolate and half dark. Instead of milk I used a small ripe banana. They were fluffy, moist and delicious! Thank you!!
The fact that you answer so quickly, is wonderful and much appreciated
Will mini-chocolate chips work in the cho muffin recipe?
Hi Teresa, yes!
I agree with this. I bake all the time and every recipe by her has been a win but this one seemed dry to me also. Maybe I baked it longer than it should of been is the only thing I can think of. I’m going to try again in a few days and see what happens.
How long would you recommend for mini muffins? Cooking for 120 people!
Hi Maria, for mini muffins, bake 13-14 total minutes at 350°F (177°C) the whole time. Hope they’re a hit!
Can you help me to make these as giant size muffins? I’ve no idea how long to bake them, or how full to fill the cups. Thank you!
Hi Andrea, Instructions for making these in a jumbo muffin pan are in the Notes section of the recipe: 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. The total time jumbo muffins would take is 30-33 minutes.
Wow. These muffins were literally amazing. I’m an experienced baker and have tried many muffins over the years, but these checked all my boxes. They are incredibly moist, have the perfect ratio of chocolate chips, an incredible depth of chocolate flavor, and a tight but springy crumb. This recipe is saved in my go-to list and I know I will be making these again!
These were the most perfect muffins I have ever made! I used water since I didn’t have milk, olive oil, and threw in a couple secret ingredients. I should’ve put more chocolate chips but other than that it was perfect! I may have used a smaller muffin tin because they were ready to pull out after 22 minutes. I whipped them up so quickly and didn’t even wait for everything to get to room temp.
I loved this recipe! Mine came out so cute and delicious! I substituted the vegetable oil for coconut oil and they tasted great!!
I loved this recipe! Mine came out so cute and delicious!
I’m a Sally believer. This is my third recipe and I’m in awe. I follow the directions closely. I don’t know if it’s the room temperature ingredients or what but these are moist and YUMMY. These were filling and sweet, but I didn’t find them to be dense. I did use canola oil as a substitute that she recommended. I so appreciate that Sally gives acceptable substitutes for when I want to make something last minute.