Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Muffins
These are the BEST bakery-style chocolate chip muffins—soft, fluffy, and loaded with chocolate chips. No need to rest the batter or space them out—just mix, bake, and enjoy sky-high muffin tops every time. They’re quick, easy, and taste like they came straight from a bakery.
Originally published in 2014, this chocolate chip muffin recipe has remained a reader favorite with millions of views every year.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Incredibly easy to make – There is no mixer or resting time required, so you can easily whip up a batch of delicious muffins in a matter of minutes. Simply mix, scoop, and bake!
- Perfect every time – With this tried-and-true chocolate chip muffin recipe, you’ll get perfectly fluffy, moist muffins with sky-high, crispy tops and loads of melty chocolate chips, every single time.
- A go-to recipe for any bakery-style muffins – This recipe also serves as a fantastic base for creativity. You can customize your muffins any way you want by adding your favorite mix-ins.
If you are a fan of bakery-style muffins like I am, try my Blueberry Streusel Muffins, Banana Nut Muffins, and Lemon Crumb Muffins.
Or if you are in the mood for chocolate, try my Chocolate Chip Scones (they’re like giant chocolate chip cookies for breakfast!) and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars.
Ingredients you’ll need:
Substitutions & variations:
- For healthier muffins: Swap half the flour for whole wheat and reduce the amount chocolate chips.
- Dairy-free option: Use plant-based milk and replace butter with a neutral oil.
- Flavor boosts: Add orange zest, cinnamon, or espresso powder for a unique twist.
How to make chocolate chip muffins:
(The full written and printable recipe is further below.)
Step #1) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then toss in the chocolate chips and set aside.
Step #2) In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter and granulated sugar. Then whisk in the eggs, followed by the buttermilk and vanilla until combined.
Step #3) Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and stir together until just combined.
Step #4) Divide the batter evenly into a greased muffin pan. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F and continue baking for another 15 minutes.
🌟 Expert tips:
- Use fresh leavening agents. Baking powder and baking soda lose their effectiveness over time. A good rule of thumb? Replace them every 6 months.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Gently fold wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Overmixing can lead to dense, tough muffins.
- Start hot for a high rise. Begin baking at a higher temperature to help the muffins rise quickly and form those bakery-style domes.
- Don’t overbake as this will dry out the muffins. Keep a close eye during the last few minutes and as soon as a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, the muffins are done.
Storing & freezing instructions:
These chocolate chip muffins can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To freeze, place the muffins in a freezer-safe ziplock bag or container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds or so to warm them up before serving.
Recipe FAQs:
This is usually due to the batter being too thin because there wasn’t enough flour, too much milk, or the melted butter was too hot. The latter is usually the main error I find, so make sure to let your melted butter cool down to lukewarm.
If your muffins didn’t rise very high, it could be due to several reasons:
Old baking powder or baking soda: Leavening agents lose their effectiveness over time. If your baking powder or soda is expired or not fresh, the muffins won’t rise properly.
Incorrect oven temperature: Preheating and baking at the initial high temperature (425°F) is crucial for creating a quick rise. If your oven wasn’t hot enough, or if the temperature wasn’t maintained, the muffins won’t get that high rise.
The batter was too thin: When the batter is not thick enough, it lacks the structure to hold its shape as it rises, resulting in flat or uneven muffins. See the answer to the question above for more on this.
This often comes from overbaking or too much flour. Spoon and level the flour and keep a close eye at the 15-minute mark.
Yes, use oil instead of butter, flax eggs instead of regular eggs, plant-based milk instead of dairy milk, and vegan chocolate chips
If you’ve tried this Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 & ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (114g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 5 minutes (see notes*)
- 1 cup (200g granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, (see notes**)
- 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 & ½ cups (265g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
optional toppings:
- more chocolate chips
- sparkling or coarse sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray a standard 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray or line with paper liners (if using paper liners, grease the rims of the pan to prevent the muffin tops from sticking).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then toss in the chocolate chips and set aside.2 & ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour, 1 Tbsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt, 1 & ½ cups (265g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- In medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter and granulated sugar.½ cup (114g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (200g granulated sugar
- Then whisk in the eggs, followed by the buttermilk and vanilla until combined.2 large eggs, 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and stir together until JUST combined.
- Divide the batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan, filling to the top. Sprinkle with more chocolate chips and/or coarse sugar if desired.
- Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes. Then keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F and continue to bake for another 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5-10 minutes and transfer the muffins to a cooling rack. Now is the best time to enjoy the muffins while they are fresh and still warm!
Notes
Baking Soda: Reduced from 1 teaspoon to ½ teaspoon to prevent over-leavening, which can cause a bitter aftertaste.
Oven Temperature: Lowered the second baking temperature from 375°F to 350°F to minimize the risk of overbaking, as oven temperatures can vary.
The best muffins ever,, my kids are very picky about sweets, but they loooovvveeee this muffins,, thank you for the recipe,,
You’re very welcome, Marinela. I’m glad you’re kids loved the muffins. My kids picky eaters as well. Thank you for your kind words, and have a lovely week!
If I wanted to make the batter chocolate too, so its double chocolate chip. How much cocoa powder and extra liquid would you recommend?
I would reduce the flour by 1/4 cup, add 1/2 cup of cocoa powder, add keep everything else the same. I hope that helps and feel free to email me back if you have any other questions. Enjoy!
Hello! I’m planning to bake these this weekend but I have a question. When you reduce oven temperature do you leave the pan of muffins in the oven or take them out while the oven is lowering its temperature? Thank you!
Hi Chelsea,
You leave the muffins in the oven to continue to bake while the temperature is lowering. I hope you enjoy the muffins, and feel free to email me back if you have any other questions.
Thank you so much for the quick reply!! One last question I had forgotten to ask, if I wanted to add a swirl of biscoff or nutella to each muffin, would that work okay with this recipe? Is there anything I would need to change as far as baking temperature or time? Thank you!!
Yes you can swirl some nutella or biscoff in each muffin, and just bake as instructed. Enjoy!
Thank you so much for sharing this great recipe! It’s rare that I find a recipe that works first time and does not need altering but my muffins turned out a success! Thank you xx
You’re very welcome, Aniqah! I’m glad you enjoyed them so much, and thank you for your kind words:)
I have made many a muffin in my day but I came across your recipe today for my 14 year old daughter to make. These muffins are perfect, the best we have ever made. This recipe is great. Well done. Will now be a staple in my monthly baking for lunches. Will also give it a go with Dairy free products for my Lactose daughter and see how they go. Thanks
You’re very welcome Deborah, and thank you for your kind words. Have a lovely week!
These were amazing. First time making muffins, and they were great. Thanks for the recipe.
You’re very welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed them:)
My family said these were the best muffins ever. They looked exactly as pictured. Here’s what I did:
-I’ve learned to weigh my ingredients for the best results in baking. I used to always under/over-flour the batter no matter what I made. Scales are a lot cheaper nowadays, and it’s worth buying one.
-I used buttermilk (the full 1 cup) and also kept the amount of sugar the same (200g)
-I used semi-sweet chocolate chips. 100g of regular and 200g of mini. Next time I’ll just use the 275g mini.
-I added in (somewhere between) 1/2 – 1 tsp of almond extract, along with the 1 tbs of vanilla. I also do this with blueberry muffins! YUM.
-I used cupcake liners and took your advice when you said to use up ALL of the batter between the 12 muffin tins. I seriously thought they’d overflow or spread too much because i really filled each tin up to the top or more. Nope, this just created the perfect, crunchy, domed muffin top.
-Instead of topping with extra chocolate chips, because I added more to the batter, I found some raw turbinado sugar & sprinkled the tops with it. Cover the tops before baking for some extra crunch!
So i didn’t branch far from the recipe at all, but i just wanted to share my experience for those who research recipes as heavily as I do. These were the best ever. Thanks for sharing with us! 🙂
You’re very welcome, Marie! And thank you for your detailed feedback and kind words. I’m really glad you enjoyed the muffins as much as you did. Have a lovely weekend!
Hi!
I’ve made this recipe a few times, and it’s so simple and easy (and TASTY!). The only alterations that I’ve made is (as you suggested) lowering the amount of milk to 3/4 C., to have a higher dome and less spreading. Worked great!
However, I do have a question. What changes would I need to make to this recipe to use Swans Down Cake Flour in place of the AP flour?
Thanks so much for all of your recipes (I’m not going to admit to how many I use on a regular basis!) <3
Hi Mandy,
Thank you so much for your kind words. I’m thrilled you like many of my recipes. To substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour use 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour for every cup of all-purpose flour. I hopes that helps and please feel free to email me back if you have any other questions:)
This is my favorite recipe of all time!!! I make this so often and my entire family loves it! Thank you so much!
You’re very welcome, Naomi! Thank you for your kind words and have a wonderful week!
Hi Lily!
I have yet to make the recipe, but it looks delicious! I was wondering what kind of chocolate chips you used/would recommend (sweetness wise). Would semi-sweet/bittersweet be too bitter or okay?
Thanks,
Maria
Hi Maria,
I personally prefer semi-sweet, but you can use milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips if you’d like. I wouldn’t recommend bittersweet.
We had yet another snow day here in the Northeast yesterday and I decided to bake (all day). I made your Bakery style chocolate chip muffins and they not only tasted delicious, but they were the best looking muffins I’ve ever made! I’ve been baking for years, and never heard about baking the muffins at a high temp for 5 minutes, and then lowering it to get that high top look. Thanks for the great tip! These muffins were soooo good, I just printed out four more of your muffin recipes to try!
You’re very welcome Debbie and thank you for your kind words! I hope you enjoy my other muffin recipes as well:)
I make these once a month for my daughter to have for her analyst school. They are truly scrumptious! They are so easy to make and freeze well! Thank you for sharing!!
You’re very welcome, Melissa. I’m glad you and your daughter enjoy them so much. Have a great week!
Hello from Singapore! I just tried your recipe this morning – it’s my first time baking muffins from scratch! The muffins turned out well – muffins rose beautifully as expected; however, the top did not brown as nicely as yours. Likely due to my inexperience or oven setting. I followed your recipe exactly except I used only 1 tbsp + 1/4 tsp baking POWDER and caster sugar instead of granulated sugar. The only granulated sugar I had was raw sugar … I may try that next time. Oh, and I also used 3/4 cups of sugar instead of 1 full cup. Was plenty sweet for me because of the chocolate – I used ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate chips. One small question though, I noticed that the dough had a strong flour taste , what could be the reason for that? I used the same amount of flour as indicated , pillsbury all-purpose pre-sifted flour . Should I reduce the amount next time?
Hello Marion from Singapore!
If you want more golden-brown tops, try using your fan-forced or convection setting during the last 5 minutes. I don’t know why there would be a strong flour taste, but whatever the reason, do not reduce the flour, that will affect the recipe. The one tablespoon of vanilla and large amount of chocolate should be the main taste. I hope that helps and feel free to email me back if you have any other questions. Have a great weekend!
These are delicious and so easy to make! These muffins are so soft, but still have a great outer texture. Yum! Will definitely be making these again.
I’m glad you liked them so much, and thank you for your kind words. Have a great week!
Any guesstimate what the nutritional info per muffin is (mostly carbs)?
I don’t know about the nutritional info, but I remember calculating about 350 calories per muffin, which is average for a large muffin. I hope that helps:)
Hi ,could you please help me to find the correct temperature in my oven , im using a Klass electric oven , it gets hot only if I keep to 260 degree Celsius & it burns da top quickly , i’ve Baked thrice & still I find it difficult to find da correct temperature to bake cake , today morning I woke & thought to bake chocolate muffins unfortunately they look so ugly when i I see the doom it freaks me out please please help TIA
Hi Nisha,
If you’re finding that at 425F/260C is browning too quickly with your oven, then just bake at 375F/190C for the entire time. I hope that helps and good luck:)
I tried this recipe but replaced the eggs, milk & butter with vegan alternatives (ener-g egg replacer; unsweetened vanilla almond milk & earth balance butter) – turned out so well! I was looking for a crispy vegan muffin recipe and this one worked better than actual vegan recipes! Thank you so so much! I’m going to try a few more muffin recipes off this site. I also appreciate your response to comments as I got many great tips from your replies …such as using the middle rack to get an even brown; checking expiry date of baking powder; thickness of batter etc… You might want to do a post on just baking tips if you haven’t already. Thank you so much; it’s great being able to make crispy VEGAN muffins anytime!
Hi Michelle,
You’re very welcome and thank you for your kind words! That’s great to know that you can use all those vegan substitutes with great results. Thank you for your wonderful feedback:)
Have you made this recipe and used mini muffin tins instead of regular? Just wonder how they turn out?
I have, as well as many of my readers. They turn out great! Just bake at 375F for 10-12 minutes. Enjoy:)
Thank you! Love the recipe. Have made several times!
Hello, I was wondering what you can suggest to make the dome a bit higher. I just took them out and look good but I feel like it can be a high dome.
Hi Jennifer,
If you want a higher dome, try reducing the milk a bit, like 3/4 cup, and that should thicken up the batter for an even higher muffin top. Have a great weekend and I hope that helps!
If I reduce the milk, it wouldn’t cause my finish product to become dense would it?
Nope, I’ve had other readers do it with great success. Give it a try and let me know how it worked for you:)
Hi Lily,
Can these muffins be made with Whole wheat flour and oats flour. If so can you please help me with the quantities of both the flours.
Hi Anu,
I’ve had readers make this recipe with whole wheat flour and they said it turned out great. I don’t know about oat flour, I’ve never tried it and have not received any feedback about using it. I would only substitute half of the AP flour with normal WW flour. If you are using WW pastry flour, you could replace all the AP flour. I hope you enjoy the muffins!
Hello Lily,
My sister turned me on to this recipe and I love it! I’m a chocolate fanatic and was wondering if you knew how I could make them as double chocolate chip muffins with chocolate batter? I don’t know how I would change the measurements for the flour and cocoa powder. I hope you can help, thanks!
~Abigail
Hi Abigail,
I would substitute 1/2 cup flour with unsweetened cocoa powder, reduce the milk to 3/4 cup and reduce the vanilla to 2 tsp. I hope that helps and let me know what you think. Have a great day!
I don’t know if I’ve ever commented on a recipe but I had to with this one. I was nervous about filling the muffin pan so full but I was pleasantly surprised when they turned out really nice looking. I make a lot of muffins and these look the best and taste great. My five year old said they are the best muffins he’s ever tasted.
Hi Kristy,
Thank you for your kind words. I’m so happy you and your little one enjoyed the muffins. Have a great weekend!
Ahhh lie got the best chocolate chip muffin recipe ever! Loved it!
Just got these out of the oven! I baked them a day ago and had to make some more…put off revision for them…so worth it. However, I’ve noticed that today, instead of flowing over the sides so they look like the ones in your picture, my ones just keep rising up. Looks like a mountain (yummy mountain) – is there a reason for this? I halved the recipe.
Hi Tay,
Your batter must be a tad bit thicker the second time around. I’ve noticed the thinner the batter, the more it spreads. The thicker the batter, the more it rises. Thank you for your question and have a week!
These are amazing! I couldn’t stop eating the batter! This is a new family favorite. Thanks so much for the recipe:)
You’re very welcome Naomi and thank you for your kind words. I’m so happy you like the recipe so much. Have a fantastic day!
Hi I just made these and were delicious but it says you get 12 muffins I ended up with 20, should I have put more dough in each cup instead ? They didn’t come out as big , more like mini muffins !
Yes, you should have divided your whole batter into 12. It will fill all the way to the rim, maybe even a little above, but that’s how you get the beautifully large muffins with the sky-high tops. Try that next time and I guarantee you’ll be happy with the results.