Chocolate Chip Muffins

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: My fluffy Chocolate Chip Muffins deliver everything you love about a bakery-style muffin—generously sized, with a tender crumb and with melty chips in every bite—fresh and warm from your own oven! This easy recipe comes together quickly, making it perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon treat, and a great recipe for beginner bakers.

• Packed with chips. Semi-sweet chips are my favorite, but you can use whichever you like best!
• Moist, soft crumb. Yogurt and oil in my homemade muffin recipe keep them moist for days.
• Coffee-shop size. I bake these in 9 muffin cups instead of 12, giving them an ample size and beautifully rounded tops.
• Perfect for the freezer. Bake an extra batch and freeze for muffins whenever the craving hits.
• Made with everyday ingredients. 10 simple ingredients, and no butter required (no mixer is needed, either!).

As a professional baker, I guarantee that if you bake a batch of my Chocolate Chip Muffins, everyone (including you!) will be happy. Between the cozy aroma filling your kitchen and the warm, tender muffins packed with melty chips, they’re nostalgic, satisfying, and every bit as delicious as your favorite coffee shop muffin. Enjoy them with a hot cup of coffee or tea or a cold glass of milk.

My best tip for this recipe is to bake these in just 9 muffin cups and not 12. You may be tempted to use all 12 cups, but using all the batter in 9 cups creates generously sized muffins with larger, rounder domes. For more chocolate chip treats, you’ll love my Easy Chocolate Chip Scones, Chocolate Chip Pound Cake, Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 8/23/2026, to include NEW step-by-step photography, explanations and substitutes of key ingredients, make-ahead and storage instructions, answers to the most frequently asked questions, and Pro Chef Tips. 

Table of Contents

• What are Chocolate Chip Muffins?
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients and Substitutes
• How to Make Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
• FAQs
• More Bakery-Style Muffins

Bold Bakers Loved This!

“I made these today and they turned out superb! I followed your advice didn’t overmix and they were perfect. Thanks for all the great recipe, Gemma!” —Heidi

“These muffins are very tasty! I was totally amazed by the results.”—Babu

“I came upon your recipe this morning and decided to bake them for breakfast. My girls said they looked like a bakery, but tasted much better.—Daphne

What are Chocolate Chip Muffins?

Chocolate Chip Muffins are tender, lightly sweet muffins filled with chocolate chips. This American bakery staple is beloved for its soft crumb, generous size, and ample amount of chips. After the invention of the chocolate chip cookie in the early 20th century, chocolate chip cakes and quick breads became popular and are still a café favorite today.

Tools You Need

• Mixing bowls
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Glass measuring jug
• Muffin tin
• 9 paper muffin liners
• Whisk
• Spoon

Key Ingredients and Substitutes

All-purpose flour

• All-purpose flour provides the structure for the muffins while still creating a soft crumb.
• Substitutes: For gluten-free muffins, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend like my Easy Almond Flour Baking Mix or another gluten-free flour.

Baking powder

• Baking powder helps the muffins rise, contributing to their light texture and rounded tops.

Salt

• Salt balances the sweetness and enhances the chocolate flavor.

Granulated sugar

• Granulated sugar sweetens the muffins.
• Additionally, sugar attracts and holds moisture, which helps keep the muffins moist.

Vegetable oil

• Vegetable oil creates an exceptionally moist, tender crumb so the muffins stay softer and fresher than those made with butter.
• Substitutes: Use canola oil, avocado oil, or another neutral-flavored oil, or use melted, cooled coconut oil.

Whole milk

• Whole milk gives the muffins moisture.
• Additionally, whole milk contributes to a tender crumb and to browning.
• Substitutes: Use the same amount of 2% milk or your favorite unsweetened plain non-dairy milk

Plain yogurt

• Yogurt helps create a tender, moist crumb.
• Additionally, yogurt adds a subtle tang.
• Substitutes: Use the same amount of sour cream or Greek yogurt if you prefer (thin it with a splash of milk if it’s very thick).

Egg

• The egg brings all of the ingredients together into a cohesive batter.
• Importantly, the egg adds moisture, richness, and flavor.
• For the best results, use a room-temperature egg, as it will make it easier to create a smooth, even batter.
  • See my guide to getting room-temperature eggs. 
• Substitute: You can use ¼ cup (2 oz/57 g) plain Greek yogurt in place of the egg in this chocolate chip muffins recipe.
  • Note that using this substitute will make the muffins slightly denser.

Vanilla extract

• Vanilla adds a homey, warm flavor and enhances the chocolate chips.
• Substitutes: Use the same amount of Vanilla Bean Paste if you prefer.

Semi-sweet chocolate chips

• Semi-sweet chocolate chips create delightful pockets of melted chocolate throughout the muffins.
• Substitutes: You can use regular or mini semi-sweet chocolate chips in this homemade muffin recipe.
•  If you prefer something sweeter, use the same amount of milk chocolate chips.
• I don’t recommend using either bittersweet chocolate chips or larger-sized baking chips, as they will overwhelm this muffin.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Muffins

1. Prepare to bake. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line 9 muffin pan cups with 9 paper liners.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until combined. Set aside.

3. Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, add the sugar, oil, milk, yogurt, egg, and vanilla and whisk until smooth.

4. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients into the wet and whisk until just combined.

5. Fold in chips. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.

6. Add batter to 9 muffin cups. Divide the batter evenly among the 9 muffin cups, filling them ¾ of the way.

7. Bake muffins. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
8. Cool muffins. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before removing them from the pan.

FULL (PRINTABLE) RECIPE BELOW!

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• Use room temperature ingredients. This is important to creating a smooth, even batter, which gives you uniform muffins. To take the chill off eggs, see my tips for getting them to room temperature.
• Toss the chips with flour. Tossing the chocolate chips with a small amount of flour keeps them from sinking to the bottom.
• Add nuts for crunch. If you like, add ¾ cup 3 3/4 oz/106g) of toasted, chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter.
• Mix until just combined. Over-mixing will activate gluten and could make your chocolate chip muffin tough.
• Use just 9 muffin cups. Using more batter in fewer muffin cups will yield generously sized, bakery-style muffins.
• Add a few chips on each muffin top. For the most attractive muffins, set aside some chips to place on top of each muffin before cooking.
• Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar if you like. This will give you extra sweetness and crunch.
• Do not overbake. Bake just until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Over-baking muffins could make them dry.

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

Make-ahead tips

• To freeze unbaked muffins: Divide the muffin batter among the paper liners in the muffin pan, wrap the pan well, and freeze for up to two months.
  • When you’re ready to bake, place the frozen muffin pan directly in the preheated oven and bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time as needed, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• You can also divide the batter among the paper liners and freeze in the muffin pan until solid. Once frozen, transfer the batter-filled liners inside a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag for up to two months. When you’re ready to bake, place the frozen liners back into a muffin pan and bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.

How to store leftovers

• Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days.
• For longer storage, let them cool completely, wrap them individually, and place them in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to two months.
  • Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and refresh in a low oven.

FAQs

Can I make these chocolate chips muffins gluten-free?

• Yes, you can make these chocolate chips muffins gluten-free.
  • For gluten-free muffins, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend like my Easy Almond Flour Baking Mix or another gluten-free flour.

How do I make these chip muffins without eggs?

• To make these chip muffins without eggs,
• You can use ¼ cup (2 oz/57 g) plain Greek yogurt in place of the egg in this chocolate chip muffins recipe
  • Note that using this substitute will make the muffins slightly denser.

What’s the best way to make sure my muffins aren’t dense?

• If your muffins tend to come out dense, I would advise weighing your flour instead of using a measuring cup.
• Additionally, mix the batter until just combined. A few lumps are fine.
• Finally, don’t overbake. Take your muffins out of the oven just when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

How do I make sure my bakery-style chocolate chip muffins bake up with high tops?

• Using more batter per muffin cup is the secret to muffins with tall muffin tops.
• Use 9 muffin cups for this recipe, and add enough batter so that they are three-quarters full.

More Bakery-Style Muffins

• Best Blueberry Muffins
• Cinnamon Roll Muffins
• Blackberry Muffins with Oatmeal
• Banana Nut Muffins
• Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 8/23/2026, to include NEW step-by-step photography, explanations and substitutes of key ingredients, make-ahead and storage instructions, answers to the most frequently asked questions, and Pro Chef Tips. 

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