Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Muffins
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These moist, light, & fluffy bakery style Chocolate Chip Muffins are perfect for impressing overnight guests or just treating yourself. They’ve got sky-high sugared tops, lots of chocolate chips, and the BEST flavor and texture. Recipe includes a how-to video!
(Still) The Best Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe
When I first shared this recipe back in 2016, a google search for “chocolate chip muffins” generated roughly 1.2 million results. Today you’ll find that number is closer to 64 million. 🤯 Despite the stiff competition, I still firmly believe that I have the BEST chocolate chip muffin recipe out there…yes, better than 64 million other muffin recipes!
What makes these muffins so good? Well for starters, they’re huge–we’re talking jumbo, bakery style chocolate chip muffins! They’re also perfectly soft and fluffy (in contrast to the crisp biscotti I just shared), and of course, they’re chock full of chocolate chips. As a finishing touch, they’re sprinkled with coarse sugar, so not only are the tops slightly crisp, but they’re also kind of glittery. These muffins truly belong in a New York City bakery display, but luckily, you don’t have to plan a trip to NYC to try them.
Like my basic muffin recipe, this recipe uses a technique from The Kitchen Whisperer for nice, tall muffin tops. I use this technique in my banana muffins too, and so many of you have commented to let me know how well it works for you.
Let’s dive right into the details!
What You Need
Besides technique, these muffins use carefully selected ingredients to claim their title as the BEST. Here are a few of the game changers we’ll be using today:
- Butter + oil. I love to use this combination for a flavorful AND moist crumb. Don’t substitute one for the other–we need both!
- An extra egg white. What makes these muffins so light and fluffy? To get that bakery style chocolate chip muffin texture, we’re adding an additional egg white. Both your egg and egg white should be at room temperature for best results.
- Buttermilk. Buttermilk is the secret to moist muffins! These muffins begin their bake at a fairly high temperature, so it’s important that they have the right ingredients to prevent dryness. You could use my buttermilk substitute if you don’t have the real stuff on hand, but real buttermilk adds moisture and thickness that isn’t quite duplicated with a substitute. (And no, you do not need baking soda in this recipe just because we’re using buttermilk).
- Cornstarch. This is my secret ingredient for extra soft, tender muffins. Don’t skip it!
- Chocolate chips. I like to use a blend of mini and regular sized chocolate chips, and I always reserve a few for placing on the muffin tops just before baking.
- Coarse sugar. While you’ll use granulated sugar in the muffins, I recommend sprinkling coarse sugar on the tops. This is optional, but it really elevates the look and texture and makes these truly “bakery style” chocolate chip muffins!
SAM’S TIP: Don’t have jumbo muffin liners? You can make muffin liners out of parchment paper! Not only does this save you a trip to the store, but it also gives you that bakery-style look.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Whisk together the butter and oil and sugar. Add the egg and egg white, plus the vanilla. Stir this until it is very well combined, then add the buttermilk and stir well.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then carefully fold them into the wet ingredients.
- Pause when the ingredients are about halfway mixed and add in the chocolate chips. Continue folding until everything is just combined.
- Cover your bowl with a towel and let the batter rest for 15 minutes or up to one hour while your oven preheats
Resting the batter is optional, but doing so gives us fluffier chocolate chip muffins and taller muffin tops. If you’ve made my buttermilk pancakes, you know I like to allow that batter rest while the pan preheats for the same reason, the batter thickens and the results are fluffier!
Now comes the special technique for chocolate chip muffins that rise higher than any others! You’ll start your oven on a high temperature and then drop the temperature about a third of the way through baking–without opening the door! This little trick makes your muffin tops spring to life without burning (or drying out) your muffin bottoms. Pretty cool, right?
- Once batter has had time to rest, preheat your oven and line your muffin tin.
- Fill your muffin liners with batter, making sure to fill them almost to the top (leave about ⅛ inch)–but don’t let them overflow.
- Sprinkle each muffin with coarse sugar and bake at 425F for 8 minutes. Reduce the oven to 350F (don’t open the door!) and continue baking until they begin to turn golden brown. This can take anywhere from 7-15 minutes, so keep an eye on them!
- Remove the muffins from the pan and let them cool before enjoying.
SAM’S TIP: (Carefully) remove your chocolate chip muffins from the pan within 5-10 minutes of them coming out of the oven. If you leave them in their hot pan, the bottoms may become soggy.
Frequently Asked Questions
We’re using a varying temperature technique here, which plays a big role in helping the muffins rise. But another key step is resting your batter. The longer it rests, the thicker it will be, and thicker batter means taller muffins! I recommend letting your batter rest for at least 15 minutes, but if you can let it sit for about an hour or so, you’ll be rewarded with beautifully tall muffin tops!
Yes! They won’t need to bake as long though, so just keep a close eye on them.
Your chocolate chip muffins will stay fresh when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. You can also freeze them!
If you try these, I’d love it if you commented to let me know how they stack up against the 64 million (and counting) other chocolate chip muffin recipes out there!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Muffins
Equipment
- 6-count Jumbo Muffin Tin (see note for making 12 muffins)
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled at least 5 minutes
- ¼ cup (60 ml) avocado oil or vegetable oil or canola oil, may substitute vegetable oil
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg white, room temperature preferred
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature preferred
- 1 ¾ cup (220 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup (175 g) chocolate chips, I used a mix of mini and regular sized, but you can use either or a combination
- ⅓ cup (67 g) additional granulated sugar, coarse sugar preferred, for topping
Instructions
- Combine butter, oil, and sugar in a large bowl and whisk together.4 Tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, ¼ cup (60 ml) avocado oil or vegetable oil or canola oil, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- Add egg, egg white, and vanilla extract. Whisk together thoroughly, until all ingredients are well-combined, then stir in buttermilk until combined.1 large egg + 1 egg white, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, ½ cup buttermilk
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, corn starch, and salt.1 ¾ cup (220 g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons corn starch, ½ teaspoon table 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.1 cup (175 g) chocolate chips
- Cover bowl with a dry towel and allow batter to sit while your oven preheats (see note).
- Preheat oven to 425F (215C) and line a 6-count jumbo muffin tin with paper liners.
- Once your oven has preheated (maybe give it a few extra minutes or check your oven thermometer, my oven often says it's reached temperature when it really hasn't yet!), portion batter into prepared muffin tin, filling each tin all the way to the top with batter (without overflowing).
- Sprinkle tops generously with additional sugar and place muffin tin in preheated oven.⅓ cup (67 g) additional granulated sugar, coarse sugar preferred
- Bake on 425F (218C) for 8 minutes and then, without opening the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 350F (175C) and bake another 15 minutes, or until tops are just beginning to turn golden brown Note: if you are using a standard 12-count muffin tin rather than jumbo-sized, they will not need to bake as long, check your muffins after 7-8 minutes on 350F (177C)).
- Allow muffins to cool in the muffin tin for 5-10 minutes then carefully remove from muffin tin and enjoy!
Notes
Allowing the muffin batter to sit
This step is optional, but it helps the batter thicken and ultimately results in taller muffin tops. Allowing the batter to sit for up to 60 minutes also works and will yield even taller tops.Storing
Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Baked muffins may also be cooled and then frozen in an airtight container for several months.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
I followed the recipe exactly and the chocolate chip muffins turned out delicious. Instead of paper liners I buttered the muffin tin and the muffins came out very easily. I let the batter rest for 30 minutes, and got great results. Would the tops get any taller if I let the batter rest an additional 15 to 20 minutes?
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Leonard! I’m not sure if you will want the batter to rest that long. It could be bad for your end result, but I haven’t tried it to say for sure how it would work.
Not gonna lie I was a little annoyed while making these because it seemed like a lot of additional steps that I have never had to do with making muffins, BUT, they were definitely the best muffins I have ever made.
I made 12 small muffins and I did end up having to cook them for an additional 6 minutes past what’s stated here but they were not overdone, they were just perfect. Could be because I was using silicone muffin tins on top of a cookie sheet. So good. I will be making these again for sure.
I have made many recipes for muffins and I would have to say this is my absolute favourite.
This is probably the best muffin recipe out there! Made this today – instead of buttermilk I did 1/4 water with a big dollop of Greek yogurt for 1/2 buttermilk substitution and did semi sweet, dark and white chocolate chip cookies. And the changes in the oven temp was a game changer!!!
I have never commented on a recipe, EVER, before but this one…standing ovation. my oven gets super hot, so I actually bake mine on 400 for 8 minutes and then 350 for the rest, but either way, they have come out delicious and consistent each time I have made them . Thanks so much for sharing your recipe!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment! I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much. 🙂
I haven’t tasted these yet, but the directions in the recipe for making regular size muffins were not clear. Had I not read in the comments AFTER I ALREADY STARTED to bake them, I saw to start at 425 for 12 muffins, then lower to 350 for only 8 minutes. Hopefully they will still taste great.
Hi Chris! I actually have instructions for how to bake these in a 12 count muffin tin in step 9. I hope you still enjoy them. 🙂
look so good made them for my great aunt who’s husband died recently I think she will love them.
I used sour cream instead of buttermilk, and I added almond extract. added trubinado sugar on top. I did do the 12 muffins and mine needed the same time as the jumbo muffin recipe. I kept watching them though and adding time bit by bit. im never buying muffins from the bakery ever again!
So glad you enjoyed them, Rania!
Delicious better than the bakery
Can I make the batter the night before and bake it in the morning?
Hi Georgia! I haven’t personally tried it. I think it could work but i just don’t know for sure. Let me know how it goes if you try it. 🙂
What is the baking temp and time to make 12 regular sized muffins instead of 5 jumbo ones?
Hi Lindsey! The directions for the 12 count tin are in the instructions. You will want to reduce the time they bake on 350, but the 425 part stays the same.
I have not put my muffins in the oven yet, but I wanted to comment on the fact that you put the ingredients with measurements in the directions….and that is a lifesaver for me!! I am so ADD and chronically forget and have to keep scrolling back and forth. This was super helpful, thank you!
I agree and I write my recipes that way! Although I still had to bounce back up to refresh my memory, I thought that was so helpful!
i also love that measurements are included in the method. saves scrolling.
oh my goodness! i thought the exact same thing!
I make these almost every weekend. My family is always asking for them. Perfection!
LOVEEEEEEE IT! You’re my favourite Sammm 😍.
Turned our super tender and moist.
Hi! I made these muffins and they were delicious, BUT all the chocolate chips sunk to the bottom of the muffin. I followed to recipe verbatim so not sure what happened 🤷🏻♂️
I’m so sorry to hear this happened! Was the batter really thin?
Yes the batter was definitely thinner than I expected. I’ll give it another go though cause they were still delish! Not sure why the batter was so thin though?
Was your butter cooled when you added the sugars? If not it will melt the sugar. Did you weigh your flour? You may have needed a touch more flour. Did you make any substitutions along the way? These would have been the main culprits. I hope they go better next time! 🙂
I think maybe the place where he leaves the batter to rest was too hot or the room temperature, that can made the batter liquid too.
It really helps if you coat any mix ins with flour before adding it to your batter, whether it’s chocolate chips, fruit, etc.. Hoepfully it helps in the future!
Hi Payton! I have tested this multiple times and have found that coating them in flour actually doesn’t do much of anything.
Delicious! My daughter said they are better than her previously favorite bakery muffins.