Chocolate Chip Muffins

Moist and slightly sweet sour cream muffin batter paired with semi-sweet mini chocolate chips makes these the perfect chocolate chip muffins. Top them with a bit of turbinado sugar for some extra texture and crunch!

time commitment:
Prep Time: 25 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes

special equipment: a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, a 12-count muffin tin, muffin liners (optional)

yield: 12 regular-sized muffins

The recipe for my classic blueberry muffins went over so well, that I thought I’d tweak the recipe a bit so that I had a chocolate chip muffins recipe that was just as good.

I love a chocolate chip muffin…specifically one with mini chocolate chips so that you’re sure to get a perfectly balanced bite of slightly sweet, moist muffin and just enough chocolate so that it’s not overpowering.

To add a little bit of texture and crunch, I also like to top these muffins with a bit of turbinado or raw sugar. But that part is totally optional.

• A Note on Ingredients
  • Choosing Your Flour
  • Choosing Your Chocolate Chips
  • Substituting the Sour Cream
• How to Make Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Can You Freeze Chocolate Chip Muffins?

A Note on Ingredients

These chocolate chip muffins use ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry, but there are a couple of specific ingredients I wanted to comment on so that when you make these muffins, they come out as good as possible.

Choosing Your Flour

These muffins use all-purpose flour to give them that perfectly moist texture while also holding their shape. The best all-purpose flour to use is the kind you already have on hand. But if you’re out and trying to pick one to buy, I always reach for King Arthur’s Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (not sponsored) if it’s available.

It’s a versatile flour that is great for general uses, or anywhere that doesn’t specify what type of flour to use. I also personally love that it’s unbleached, but that’s just me.

Choosing Your Chocolate Chips

I intentionally use mini-chocolate chips in this chocolate chip muffin recipe because I feel like they evenly disperse within the batter, and they provide enough chocolate in each bite without overpowering the batter.

I’ve only ever managed to find semi-sweet mini chocolate chips, so that’s what I’ve used. But a dark chocolate would also be good.

Substituting the Sour Cream

If you’re in a pinch and don’t have full-fat sour cream available, you can also use full-fat Greek yogurt. It’s important that it’s full-fat if you want the muffins to be moist.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Muffins

This chocolate chip muffin recipe uses the creaming method to combine the butter and sugar. You can read more about it in this article by Bake or Break, but the summary is that you’re beating the butter and sugar together and creating an aerated mixture.

You’re looking for an airy mixture that’s lightened in color.

Properly creaming the butter and sugar together is essential for getting the sought-after rise and puff of classic chocolate chip muffins.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

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Moist and slightly sweet sour cream muffin batter paired with semi-sweet mini chocolate chips makes these the perfect chocolate chip muffins. Top them with a bit of turbinado sugar for some extra texture and crunch!

• Author: Sierra of ficklebeabakehouse.com
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 12 1x
• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

8 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter – softened to room temperature

1/2 cup Granulated Sugar

1/3 cup Light Brown Sugar – packed

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

1/4 teaspoon Almond Extract (optional) – encouraged if you’re looking for more of a “bakery” flavor

3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

2 Large Eggs

2/3 cup Full-Fat Sour Cream – you can substitute with full-fat Greek yogurt in a pinch

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

2 cups All-Purpose Flour – spooned and leveled, see note*

1 and 1/4 cups + 2 Tablespoons Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – you’ll use 1 and 1/4 cup of the chips in the batter and the remaining 2 Tablespoons will top the muffins before they go in the oven

1.5 Tablespoons Turbinado Sugar – optional, but encouraged for a crunchy texture

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Instructions

Prepare the Oven and Baking Tins

1. Begin preheating the oven to 400°F.
2. Either grease the muffin pan or use muffin liners.

Make the Batter

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, Add the unsalted butter (8 Tablespoons), granulated sugar (1/2 cup), light brown sugar (1/3 cup), vanilla extract (2 teaspoons), optional almond extract (1/4 teaspoon), kosher salt (3/4 teaspoon), and baking powder (2 teaspoons).

   Set the mixer to medium speed, or speed 4 on a KitchenAid, and allow to beat until lightened and fluffy – about 5 minutes. It may take longer if your butter isn’t totally softened.

2. With the mixer still on medium speed, add the large eggs (2) one at a time. Allow the first egg to fully incorporate until there are no shiny streaks in the batter before adding the second egg.

   Allow the second egg to fully incorporate until there are no shiny streaks before moving on to the next step.

3. Stop the mixer and add the sour cream (2/3 cup) then mix on low until combined. You may need to pause the mixer and scrape down the bowl at some point.
4. With the mixer still on low, slowly drizzle in the vegetable oil (2 Tablespoons) – it should take about a minute to add all of the oil, then mix on low until combined.
5. Stop the mixer and remove the bowl, then add the all-purpose flour (2 cups).

   Using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the flour into the batter by hand until almost combined.

6. Add the mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 and 1/4 cup) to the batter and continue folding together until no flour patches remain and the chocolate chips are evenly distributed through the batter.
7. Evenly distribute the batter between the 12 prepared muffin tins. I find using a large cookie scoop to be the easiest way to do this.

   Evenly op the muffins with the remaining chocolate chips (2 Tablespoons) and turbinado sugar – optional (1.5 Tablespoons)

Bake the Muffins

1. Bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes or until the tops are puffed and no longer shiny.
2. Allow to cool slightly before enjoying. Allow to cool completely before freezing.

Notes

* If you’re not measuring flour by weight, to get the most accurate measurement, use a whisk or spoon to break up any dense pockets of flour in its container, then spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with the handle of the spoon or the spine of a knife.

To help with your grocery shopping, I’ve listed below the ingredients used in this recipe as well as where they can generally be found in the grocery store:

Ingredient List

Dairy

• Unsalted Butter
• Full-Fat Sour Cream
• Large Eggs

Pantry

• Granulated Sugar
• Light Brown Sugar
• Vanilla Extract
• Almond Extract (optional)
• Kosher Salt
• Baking Powder
• Vegetable Oil
• All-Purpose Flour – I prefer to use King Arthur’s Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Can You Freeze Chocolate Chip Muffins?

Yes, definitely! Just allow them to cool completely before placing them in a sealed plastic bag or container. If you wrap and freeze them before they are completely cooled, you run the risk of condensation forming in the container, which will result in soggy muffins once they thaw. And no one wants soggy muffins.

Allow them to thaw at room temperature before enjoying.