Sweet, soft, and fluffy bakery style chocolate chip muffins.
At the time of this writing, if you google “chocolate chip muffins”, you will get 1,260,000 results. That’s over a million results, friends.
A million chocolate chip muffin recipes and I have the nerve to suggest that I have something new for you, something that’s better than a million other recipes.
But that’s exactly what I’ve got for you today, and considering that you’re here and maybe (hopefully?) you’ve been following along with my recipes, I’m going to assume that you and I have similar taste, and you are going to love this recipe as much as I do.
As usual, this recipe went through many different versions before settling in its final form.
I wanted these chocolate chip muffins to be soft (thank you, cornstarch, for finally solving that for me!), fluffy (an extra, well-stirred egg white), and definitely not dry (do not underestimate the moistening power of buttermilk, it helps give these muffins the best texture you could ever ask for).
I wanted them to be big and proud, like something you’d see in a New York City bakery display.
I spend a lot of my time reading about the science behind baking, but for the life of me I couldn’t get these muffins to have nice, full, rounded muffin tops, no matter what I did (well, I should say I couldn’t get them to have the muffin tops I was looking for and the perfect texture/flavor.)
I finally found this article from The Kitchen Whisperer, which solved all of my problems. Evidently, if you start with your oven on a high temperature and then drop the temperature about a third of the way through baking, your muffin tops will spring to life and your muffin bottoms won’t burn or dry out (this was another thing I’d been struggling with).
Sweet muffin top perfection.
Mondays call for muffins. Big, soft, fluffy muffins with extra chocolate and well-sugared tops.
I hope you’ll try these out and let me know in the comments how you like them, and how they stack up against the one million-plus other chocolate chip muffin recipes out there.
Enjoy!
Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled at least 5 minutes (57g)
- ¼ cup canola oil may substitute vegetable oil (60ml)
- 1 cup sugar (200g) (granulated sugar)
- 1 large egg + 1 egg white room temperature preferred
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk* room temperature preferred -- please see note for buttermilk substitute
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 220g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips I used a mix of mini and regular sized, but you can use either or a combination (175g)
- 1/3 cup additional granulated sugar, coarse sugar preferred for topping (67g)
Instructions
- Combine butter and canola oil in a large bowl. Stir well.
- Stir in sugar.
- Add egg, egg white, and vanilla extract. Stir very well, until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Add buttermilk and stir well.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, corn starch, and salt.
- Fold dry ingredients into wet gently, taking care not to overmix. Once about half of the dry ingredients have been incorporated into the batter, add in chocolate chips and continue to fold in to batter until all ingredients are just combined.
- Cover bowl with a dry towel and allow batter to sit 15 minutes**
- Preheat oven to 425F (218C) and line muffin tin with paper liners.
- Once oven has preheated, portion batter into 6-cavity large muffin tin (you may also use regular, 12 count muffin tin, you will just need to bake them for less time), filling each tin all the way to the top with batter (without overflowing).
- Sprinkle tops generously with sugar and place muffin tin in preheated oven.
- Bake on 425F (218C) for 8 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350 (177C) (do not open the oven door or remove the muffins, just leave them in and reduce the temperature) and bake another 15 minutes, or until tops are just beginning to turn golden brown (if you are using a 12-count muffin tin rather than jumbo-sized, these will not need to bake as long. Start checking your muffins after 7-8 minutes on 350F (177C).
- Allow to cool, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Nina says
WOW!!! I wish I could post a photo because these came out not only delicious but gorgeous! I followed the recipe exactly (I used organic milk and lime juice instead of buttermilk). The muffins doubled in size in the oven! My husband just ate 6 of them! I’m definitely making them again later this week for a dinner party dessert. :))
Sugar Spun Run says
I am so glad that you enjoyed the chocolate chip muffins, Nina! If you’d like to share a photo feel free to join my Facebook Group or share it with me on Instagram @sugarspun_sam. I’d love to see your final product! Thanks for trying my recipe. I do hope that they are a big hit at your party! 🙂
Abbey says
I just tried the recipe and am wondering if I did something wrong. The inside bottom quarter or so of the muffin did not seem done. I followed the directions to a tee – maybe something off with my oven setting? (But I bake a lot.) Any thoughts or recommendations? Overall still a great flavor.
Sugar Spun Run says
Hi, Abbey! I am so sorry that you experienced an issue. If they were not done and were gooey at all they may have just needed another minute or two to bake. Everyone’s oven is different so the oven setting may be off slightly too. Regardless, I am happy that they tasted delicious. 🙂
Amy says
Ummm wow. I’m not a huge fan of cc muffins, but I loved these! And my kids went nuts over them! Definitely keeping this one and will make again!!
Sugar Spun Run says
I am so glad that they were such a hit, Amy! I am so glad that you and your kids enjoyed the chocolate chip muffins. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Samantha Magnolia says
I made these muffins today. They were so easy and delicious. My whole family loved them.
I didn’t have butter milk so I did the white vinegar and milk, work like a charm. I also waited the fifteen minutes and had no problems. Thank you for a great recipe.
Sugar Spun Run says
I am so glad that you enjoyed the chocolate chip muffins, Samantha! Thank you for commenting. 🙂
Lauren says
These muffins are delicious! I followed the recipe as written (I used the lemon juice and milk substitute as recommended and let them sit for about 20 minutes) and they came out beautiful with a perfectly rounded muffin top. They almost have a custardy texture on the inside from being so moist, and they are sweet but aren’t too sweet. Plus, I think they might be even better the day after you bake them. I’ve already made them twice, and I might even invest in coarse sugar for the full bakery effect! Thanks Sam!
Sugar Spun Run says
Thank you so much, Lauren, for trying my recipe. I am so glad that you have enjoyed the chocolate chip muffins. 🙂
Laurie says
I’ve been in search of a super moist chocolate chip muffin recipe, and this proved to be the moistest so far. I omitted the salt because I only had salted butter, and I added a dollop of sour cream. Thank you!
Sugar Spun Run says
I am so glad that you enjoyed chocolate chip muffins, Laurie! Thank you for commenting. 🙂
Tami says
Absolutely the best chocolate chip muffin recipe!
Sugar Spun Run says
Thank you so much, Tami! I am glad that you enjoyed them. 🙂
Krista says
These were a hit in my house. Home with 2 sick kids, and I will basically make anything they want, as long as they eat. That being said, my husband was like, “These are a home-run!” I want to try these again, and sub out chocolate chips for blueberries!
Thanks for the perfect recipe!
Hikerbakerchic says
I made these earlier today following the directions exactly as written even though I was a bit skeptical about not adding baking soda. I figured I would try the recipe as is first and I’m so glad I did. These came out perfectly! They were a big hit! I made two batches the first as is with two kinds of chocolate chips and the second I swapped the chips for sprinkles making funfetti muffins which were a hit with my 3 year old! Thanks for working out the process and for sharing!
Sugar Spun Run says
You’re very welcome! Thank you so much for letting me know how it turned out for you, I appreciate it 🙂
Nancey Carroll says
If using the 12 smaller muffin version do I still keep them at 425 for 8 min? Or do I reduce that as well.
Sam says
Hi Nancey! Yes, 8 minutes at 425 and then likely only 7-8 minutes at 350. Enjoy! 🙂
Crazy Boss Baker says
Good, but dense and not as light, fluffy, moist. Allowing the batter to rest for 15 minutes did not seem to help the rise. Baking soda perhaps would have, which is entirely absent from this recipe. thanks for posting though, I do like playing with variations and many of Sam’s recipes are flawless.
Sam says
Disappointed to hear they weren’t fluffy for you, the fluffiness/light texture is one of my favorite things about these muffins! 🙁 Typically if muffins come out dense it is because they may have been over-mixed or over-baked. While baking soda is commonly used with buttermilk, after lots of testing I decided it was best to omit it from this recipe for the best texture and flavor.
Amanda says
Sounds like you mixed either too long or too hard & maybe didn’t let the batter rest long enough. My 15 minute test went over about 35 extra minutes and they came out like heaven
Bailey says
I am so SO glad this recipe popped up first when I Googled ‘Chocolate Chip Muffins’ because these are absolutely what I was aiming for. They really are bakery quality and have exceptional flavor and texture. Especially when using high quality ingredients, this recipe produces the perfect muffin crumb with balanced moistness so that they aren’t dry or so moist they’re sticking to the roof of your mouth. Definitely don’t skip out out any steps or ingredients, this recipe is perfect the way it is! Although make sure you have muffin liners or some parchment to make your own as I did find the outside of the ‘stumps’ got a little too brown because I did not have any liners and also because I was using a dark pan.
Sam says
Thank you so much, Bailey! I am so glad you enjoyed the muffins so much. 🙂
Julie says
I made these tonight and it was a disaster. I followed the recipe to the letter and they did not rise. They sank in the middle but the bottom was cooked properly. Do you have a idea this happended ?
Sam says
Hi Julie! If your oven is operating fine and the temperature is accurate then my best guess would be that the baking powder might have been bad.