Last updated on July 22nd, 2026.
These are not just quick and easy Double Chocolate Muffins. They are moist, bakery-style muffins with beautiful domes tops, an intense chocolate flavor, and plenty of melty chocolate chips. Best of all, they come together in less than an hour. While they’re perfect for breakfast or brunch, they’re just as irresistible served warm as alate-night snack with a scoop of vanilla cream.
Some recipes, like this Chocolate Waffle recipe, I pay a lot of attention when developing it. Other, I just place my effort into pleasing the toughest crowd: my children. This recipe came together on one of those rushed mornings when school was out and everyone was hungry. I didn’t have a grand plan (I didn’t even have any sour cream), I simple started mixing ingredients, and an hour later, we were enjoining warm, tender chocolate muffins dotted with melted chocolate pools.
My daughters refer to them as “The best Chocolate Muffins” and I have to agree. They earned a permanent spot in my Breakfast and Pastries Collection, where they continue to disappear as quick as they come out of the oven.
My Go-To Ingredients
I didn’t over think it, I went with my instinct and chose the most simple ingredients I had at hand, I knew will intensify the flavor and contribute to the moist and tender texture for the best results:
- Unsweetened Natural Cocoa powder. I live by the rule that when it comes to cocoa powder the darker its color, the milder the flavor. So I used natural cocoa powder for the intense flavor.
- Light, or brown brown Sugar. I baked this recipe using both in separate occasion, and as a combination. It contributes to the moistness of the muffins and some deep flavors.
- Buttermilk. Because that’s what I had at hand, so it means you can also use sour cream, or greek yogurt instead.
- Espresso Powder. Or, instant coffee. We do not add it for the coffee flavor, it is the best way to intensify the chocolate flavors.
I like to use regular chocolate chips in the batter because it adds a chunky texture, then sprinkle some mini chocolate chip over the top before baking for a mesmerizing bakery-style finish that’s impossible to resist.
Bakery-Style Muffins Secrets
This is an easy, straight forward recipe: mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, pour over the wet ingredients, mix and bake. Do this and you will get moist, and tender chocolate muffins.
But for a bakery-style over the top muffins here are the secret steps:
- Start by mixing the wet ingredients with the sugar, then set the mixture aside for 10-15 minutes. During this time the sugar creates a bond with the liquids (dissolves). It means that during baking, less of the moisture will evaporate, so the muffins are extra fluffy.
- Do not over mix the batter. Once there is no visible dry ingredients, stop. Even if you notice lumps, they are full of air and mean tender and light crumbs.
- Refrigerate the batter for 1-8 hours. During the rest time, the flour will soak in the liquids in the batter and as a result the starches in the flour swell during baking giving us that beautiful domed muffin top.
- Fill the liners all the way to the top, no need for space. That’s how they will bake over the liners into tall bakery-style muffins.
Storing
At room temperate in an airtight container for up to three days. To freeze: place the muffins in a freezer bag for up to four weeks.
Quick and Easy Double Chocolate Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 Cups (240g) AP Flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking soda
- 1 Cup (200g) Light or Dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp Espresso powder or instant powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 Cup + 1 TBS (50g) Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 Cup (170g) Chocolate chips
- 1 Cup (240g) Buttermilk at room temperature
- 2 Large Eggs at room temperature
- 1/2 Cup (120ml) Vegetable oil
- 1 Cup (170g) Mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix the sugar (200g), buttermilk (240ml), eggs (2) and vegetable oil (120ml).
- In a medium bowl sift together flour (240g), cocoa powder (50g), baking powder (1 teaspoon), baking soda (1/4 teaspoon) and Salt (1/2 teaspoon). Add the Chocolate Chips (170g).
- Preheat oven to 350F (180C) and line a muffin pan with muffin liners.
- Fill muffin liners tot he top sprinkle each with mini chocolate chips (170g) and bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the muffins.
These muffins look so rich and delicious Dee!! What a great recipe and beautiful photos! – Anita
Thank you so much Anita!!!!
My granddaughters LOVE these muffins and I have to make them all the time! They call them “muffrownies”. ? I make them with mini chocolate chips.
Music to my ears! It makes me so happy to hear that you are making such beautiful memories with your granddaughters and I can tell you are a great grandmother! Thank you for sharing!!!
I make these all the time and have gotten so many compliments on them. They are my favorite!
These are amazing. Fantastic taste. Easy to whip up. I was having a bad day and just mixed everything together in one bowl my mistake. They still turned out so good that my brother and father asked if I could make another batch for them to take to Bridge at the Senior Center today. They have never asked that of me before! I made a second batch. It was perfection too. I would caution everyone to stick to the recipe and avoid the temptation to add more cocoa powder, chocolate chips or espresso. This recipe is already perfectly balanced. Thank you for the recipe!
Thank you so much Kathryn, so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
I just made these looking for a quick and easy chocolate muffin recipe for my sick daughter… Wow they are delicious. I love that they’re not too sweet!!
I had to use rapeseed oil and sour cream as that’s what I had in my cupboard and they are delicious… Will definitely be making again, thank you!
Thank you Rachel, so glad you linked them!
Made these last night. They came out great! They have a rich chocolate flavor and moist; delicious. My family loved them.
Hi thanks for the recipe, do you know the calorie of each muffin?
no I am sorry, I do not.
Hi there, I’m really excited to make this recipe. Can you tell me if melted butter would work for the oil, or do you know how that would affect the recipe? Thank you so much. : )
Muffins and quick breads tend to lose their freshness pretty fast, usually after the first day. Oil being 100% fat coats the flour more efficiently and extends freshness and moistness. However, butter takes the win when it comes to flavor, so you can replace it with melted butter (use 1/2 cup 113g), or use half the amount in oil and the rest melted butter.
Do you have to refrigerate the batter before making? Or can you mix the batter and bake immediately?
Both are a good option. I like to set it a side or refrigerate for the bakery-style look, but you can bake them when the batter is ready.
Lovely muffins! Not too sweet; just right. I will be making these often! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Thank you Rowena, so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe.