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.
Would the recipe stay the same if I wanted to make only muffin tops?
For muffin tops, I would just bake at 375F the whole way through. I hope this helps and enjoy!
I made the muffins using whole milk and reducing the sugar to half cup and added two bananas and I baked them in the big muffin pan I got six muffins. I got to say my son is a picky eater and he enjoyed them.
I was wondering if I can substitute the butter for oil- canola or olive oil. Which one you recommend, and what is the quantity (in cups), please?
Also, can I substitute buttermilk for 2% milk?
Thanks!
I recommend using 1/2 cup canola oil instead of butter as a substitute and yes, you can use 2% milk. Enjoy!
Wonderful recipe. Moist and delicious!
Hey! How can I make it gluten-free? Can I substitute the flour with cornstarch or maybe almond flour? Thanks!
No, cornstarch will make it gummy and almond flour will make it dense. You’re best to use a gluten-free flour blend like Bob’s Red Mill or Robin Hood brand.
Hiya.
Just found and made these Muffins however the chocolate chips sank to the bottom 🙁
Checking back through your previous comments it’s worth me noting I did mix the chocolate chips with the dry ingredients before combining with the wet. Also, I notice the batter mix wasn’t as thick as yours in the video so assume that’s the culprit (used 250ml milk with tablespoon of Lemon juice). In order to prevent in future what should I do?
Reduce the milk quantity?
Taste lovely though, just have to nipple the chocolate bits out the casing!! Lol
Thank you, only just found you so will be trying more recipes in the future x
Oh no! I’m glad it still tasted lovely and yes, reduce the milk to maybe 3/4 cup to thicken up the batter and that should do the trick. Thank you for your feedback and happy Saturday!
Thank you Lily for the getting back so promptly. I will try that next time 🙂 will let you know how it goes x
Hi, I was wondering if soy milk works for the buttermilk substitute?
Yes, you can use soy milk. Enjoy and happy Saturday!
I love making these a d was making them today but for some reason the wet mixture and turned into a rice consistency and i’m not sure if something is curdled or one of the ingredients was too hot/cold, have any idea?
Most likely the milk or eggs were too cold causing the melted butter to re-solidify. Not to worry, the recipe still works even when this happens.
I love this recipe. I stumbled upon this recipe a few months ago and haven’t turned back. I love the crispy muffin top and my kids will eat 2 at a time especially when they first come out of the oven. The only change I did was decrease the cups of chocolate chips to just 1 cup. The best recipe for chocolate chip muffins I have used!
Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Anita, and thank you for your kind words!
Delicious! I am 14 and started baking a couple years ago, and these are the best muffins I’ve ever had, let alone make! The only thing is if you are making them in regular cupcake holders it makes about 15 or so, but extras are never a bad thing! Thx for the recipe!
You’re very welcome, Addy! I’m so impressed you started baking at such a young age:)
This is the best chocolate chip muffin recipe !! I was wondering what the time difference would be if I wanted to make these in jumbo sized?
Thank you, Jessica! Jumbo muffins take about an extra 10-15 minutes to bake.
I have always made baked goods from mixes and recently started trying out making them from scratch and these did not disappoint! Makes me sad I used a mix all these years because there is zero comparison! Thanks for the recipe!
You’re very welcome, and hey, now you have a comparison:)
Hi Lily, I have tried baking it today and it turned out so well. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
You’re very welcome, Christina! So glad you like it:)
Is this for Jumbo muffins or Regular sized?
Regular sized:)
March 13, 2021
Hello Lily! Greetings from Oxnard, Ca, USA! My family loved these muffins! They came out just as you described. I was wondering how the recipe would taste if I used less sugar, like 1/4 or 1/2 cup of granulated sugar OR a sugar substitute like Agave honey? I’m thinking that the chocolate chips would add the necessary sweet taste. I’m watching my sugar and salt intake.
Hello Iggie! Thank you for your kind words. You’re better of reducing the sugar by 1/4-1/2 cup versus substituting it with a liquid sweetener. The liquid sweetener will change the texture and make it denser.
I’m desperately trying to watch the entire video for this chocolate chip muffin and it keeps skipping to the next video with almost no time to stop it. This is not a great feature. Anyway you can turn this off?
Your recipe looks delicious for the first 15 secs lol!
Hi Amanda,
You’re right, that feature does not give you a lot of time to choose if you want to keep watching. I’ll have my ad company fix that. In the meantime, if you go to the video just above the recipe, that video is specific to the recipe and will play through. Sorry for the inconvenience and thanks for letting me know.
How much sugar should I use if I only have semi-sweet chocolate chips?
The same amount. Enjoy and have a great weekend!
I made these for my moms birthday and these muffins where so good and the perfect recipe for my family.
Can light buttermilk be used? That’s all I can find in stores right now.
Yes, light buttermilk can be used. Enjoy and have a great day!
Hi! I’m making these right now. Can I put the batter in the fridge and bake in a few hours or should I bake immediately? Thank you!
Hi Melanie,
It’s best to bake it right away since the leavening agents are reacting as soon as you mix them with the wet ingredients. If you want to prepare in advance, I suggest mixing the wet and dry separately, then combining them when you are ready to bake. I hope that helps!