Chocolate Muffins are tall, domed, and loaded with dark chocolate chips inside and on top, with a crumb so soft it feels closer to cake than a heavy dense muffin. The batter comes together in one bowl and bakes at 350°F in just over 20 minutes, so you can have a full batch cooling on the counter before lunch.
This recipe caught my eye while scrolling through @ikosun_kitchen’s Instagram feed, because the eggs get whipped on high speed until white and thick before anything else goes in. That one step is what gives these muffins their height and lift without any butter, which most chocolate muffin recipes rely on for structure.
Do not rush the egg whipping stage here, since that trapped air is the only thing making these muffins rise and dome in the oven. If you stop too early and the mixture still looks yellow, the batter will be flat and heavy because it has no other leavening power beyond the baking powder.
Chocolate Muffins
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalOil-based chocolate muffin batter with cocoa and dark chocolate chips folded in and scattered on top, baked at 350°F until domed and set in the center. Yields exactly 12 large muffins.
Ingredients
3 medium eggs
200 ml sugar (1 cup)
1 packet vanilla sugar
500 ml all-purpose flour (2.5 cups)
200 ml milk (1 cup)
A little less than 200 ml vegetable oil (just under 1 cup)
2.5 heaping tbsp cocoa powder
1 packet baking powder
100 g dark chocolate chips, plus extra for topping
Directions
- Beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla sugar in a stand mixer on the highest speed until the mixture turns white, thick, and roughly doubled in volume.
- Pour in the milk and vegetable oil and mix on low speed until just combined.
- Add the baking powder, cocoa powder, and flour and fold or mix on low until the batter is smooth with no dry streaks.
- Fold in the dark chocolate chips by hand with a spatula, saving some for the tops.
- Divide the batter evenly into 12 large muffin liners, filling each about three quarters full.
- Press a few extra chocolate chips into the top of each muffin so they show after baking.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) with top and bottom heat for 20 to 25 minutes, checking at 20 minutes. They are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
FAQs
Can I use regular cocoa powder or does it have to be dark?
Any unsweetened cocoa powder works fine here, though Dutch-process cocoa gives a darker color and smoother flavor than natural cocoa. Natural cocoa is slightly more acidic, so the taste will be a little sharper but still good. Either way the baking powder handles the rise, which is why the type of cocoa does not affect the texture.
What kind of chocolate chips work best for this recipe?
Dark chocolate chips with at least 50 percent cocoa hold their shape in the oven and give you pockets of melted chocolate without dissolving completely into the batter. Milk chocolate chips melt faster and spread more, so the contrast between batter and chip is less noticeable. Semi-sweet chips split the difference, which makes them a solid choice if you prefer something less bitter.
Can I replace the vegetable oil with melted butter?
Oil keeps baked goods moist for longer because it stays liquid at room temperature, while butter firms up as it cools and dries the crumb out faster. If you use melted butter the muffins will taste richer on day one but lose softness by day two. Stick with oil if you plan to store them, since the texture holds for up to three days covered on the counter.
How full should I fill the muffin liners?
Three quarters full is the sweet spot for this batter, because any higher and the muffins will overflow the liners and spread sideways instead of doming upward. Any less and you get short flat tops that do not look as impressive once cooled. For a dessert that uses a similar portioning approach, the Berry Mascarpone Layer Cake is worth trying next.
How do I store leftover muffins?
Cover them loosely with a clean kitchen towel at room temperature and they will stay soft for two to three days without drying out. Sealing them in an airtight container too soon traps steam and makes the tops sticky, so wait until they cool completely before covering. You can also freeze them individually wrapped in plastic for up to a month, because they thaw well on the counter in about 30 minutes.
Can I make mini muffins with this batter instead?
The batter works perfectly in a mini muffin tin, though you will get about 30 to 36 smaller muffins and the baking time drops to around 12 to 14 minutes. Check them early since they go from done to overbaked fast at that size, and a toothpick test at 12 minutes is the safest way to tell. For another small-format treat from Chef Imen, the Strawberry Cream Sheet Cake cuts into party-size squares just as easily.
