These Double Chocolate Muffins are moist, rich, and filled with bittersweet dark chocolate chips. They’re easy to make, require no mixer, and taste absolutely fantastic! For a little added crunch to each bite, sprinkle some sparkling sugar over the top before baking!
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Why you’ll love this recipe
Double the chocolate. This recipe uses unsweetened cocoa powder, special dark cocoa powder, and 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips. The combination gives these muffins the richest chocolate flavor!
No mixer is needed. I love a good recipe that doesn’t require a mixer, and this is one of them! You only need two mixing bowls, a whisk, and a spatula to make these super-yummy double-chocolate muffins. For more recommended baking tools, check out the list below.
The perfect dome shape. After you make this easy double-chocolate muffin batter, let it sit for 20-25 minutes. This will allow some time for the starches in the flour to hydrate and absorb the moisture from the liquid ingredients. You’ll notice that after letting the batter sit, it will become thicker.
Soft and moist. Besides the awesome chocolate flavor, these double chocolate muffins are so soft and moist, thanks to using some buttermilk and vegetable oil!
And speaking of soft and moist, if you love this recipe, you will really enjoy my other muffin recipes, like my Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins and Apple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins, to name a few!
Ingredients Needed
The following ingredients are needed to make these bakery-style double chocolate muffins. Items noted in the bulleted list are key ingredients that need a bit more explanation.
- All-Purpose Flour. My all-time favorite flour brand is King Arthur, but use what you have on hand. If needed, sift the flour!
- Cocoa Powders. I used unsweetened cocoa powder and special dark cocoa powder—both Hershey’s brand. If the special dark isn’t available (I’ve heard it’s also been discontinued), you can use Dutch-process cocoa powder or black cocoa (King Arthur makes a good one!).
- Buttermilk. See the buttermilk alternatives below.
- Dark Chocolate Chips. I used Ghirardelli’s 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips. They’re larger in size and remind me more of buttons than the typical chocolate chip. They melt wonderfully, too!
- Sparkling Sugar. I love adding this to the muffin tops before baking. It gives the muffin tops a little added crunch! The best I’ve found is the King Arthur brand.
For quantities and instructions, please see the recipe card below.
Buttermilk Substitutions
If you do not have store-bought buttermilk on hand, you can try one of the following alternatives.
- Homemade Buttermilk. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to a 3/4 cup measuring cup. Then fill the remaining cup with the whole milk. Stir, then let it sit for 5 minutes before you add it to the batter. If you don’t have lemon juice, you can use the same amount of white vinegar instead.
- Saco Pantry’s Cultured Buttermilk Blend. This is a powdered buttermilk you add water to. It can usually be found in the baking aisle with powdered milk, evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk. After opening the container, it needs to be kept in the refrigerator.
How to Make the Recipe
Below is a brief overview of how to make this double chocolate muffin recipe. For the full printable recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below.
Step 1. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powders, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the chocolate chips to coat in the dry mixture.
Step 2. Whisk together the eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and buttermilk.
Step 3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Let the batter sit for 20-25 minutes (at room temperature or in the refrigerator).
Step 4. Scoop and fill each muffin liner. Top with sparkling sugar and chocolate chips.
Step 5. Bake the muffins. 375ºF for 25-30 minutes. Twenty-eight minutes worked well for me.
Step 6. Transfer to a cooling rack after 5-10 minutes. Cool completely or until they’re still slightly warm, then enjoy!
Storage and Freezing Instructions
To store the chocolate muffins, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 3 days.
To freeze the chocolate muffins, let them cool completely, then double wrap them in plastic wrap and keep them in a well-sealed container in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, defrost overnight, then reheat in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.
Helpful Tips
- I yielded 16 muffins using a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop and standard muffin liners, filling each liner to the top. You can also use a tulip-style wrapper, as I did with my Lemon Blueberry Streusel Muffins and Chocolate Chip Muffins, which will yield 12 muffins.
- You can let the batter sit at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
- Topping the muffins with sparkling sugar is optional, but it adds a nice, subtle crunch when you bite into one.
Recipe FAQs
I used standard muffin or cupcake liners for this double chocolate muffin recipe, which yielded up to 16 muffins. You can also use the tulip-style wrapper, as I did with my Lemon Blueberry Streusel Muffins and Chocolate Chip Muffins, which will yield 12 muffins.
Letting your muffin batter sit for 20-25 minutes gives the starches in the flour time to hydrate and absorb moisture from the liquid ingredients, resulting in the perfect dome shape when baked! You’ll notice that after letting the batter sit, it becomes thicker and a little darker, too.
Yes, you can freeze these double chocolate muffins! First, let them cool completely. Then double wrap them in plastic wrap and keep them in a well-sealed container in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, defrost overnight, then reheat in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.
Yes. I recommend keeping them stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 15-30 seconds, if desired. You can also keep them stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They’re really at their best, though, the day they’re baked or the next day.
If you tried these Double Chocolate Muffins or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know what you thought in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Moist & Delicious Double Chocolate Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1/3 cup Special Dark Cocoa Powder
- 3 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 2 cups 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
- 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 large Eggs, room temperature
- 3 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 3/4 cup Buttermilk
Instructions
- In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together well the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, special dark cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour, 1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, 1/3 cup Special Dark Cocoa Powder, 3 tsp Baking Powder, 1/2 tsp Baking Soda, 1/2 tsp Salt
- Add in the bittersweet chocolate chips and toss to coat. Set aside.2 cups 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and buttermilk.1/2 cup Vegetable Oil, 1 cup Granulated Sugar, 2 large Eggs, 3/4 cup Buttermilk, 3 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Add the whisked dry ingredient mixture with the wet ingredients, stirring together with a spatula until just combined. Let the mixture sit for 20-25 minutes. The batter will become darker and a little thicker, but still easily scoopable!
- Adjust your oven rack to the 2nd level mark (just above center) and preheat your oven to 375ºF. Line 2 standard size muffin tins with 14-16 muffin liners. If you use the tulip style liners, you'll only need 1 muffin tin and 12 liners.
- Using a 3 tablespoon-size cookie scoop (or 2 spoons) fill each muffin liner to the top. If desired, top with sparking sugar and additional chocolate chips.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes at 375ºF. Let the muffins cool in the tins for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack. You can cool them completely or until still slightly warm.
- To store the chocolate muffins, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 3 days. To freeze the chocolate muffins, let them cool completely, then double wrap them in plastic wrap and keep them in a well-sealed container in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, defrost overnight, then reheat in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information provided above is an estimate only and will vary based on specific ingredients used. See Nutritional Disclaimer for more info.
These muffins are super easy to make and delicious 🤤 especially when you need a chocolate fix.