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.
Could I substitute butter with veggie oil? Thanks!
Yes, you can. Enjoy!
I added lime juice to regular milk as you said instead of butter milk but the mixture has curdled…should I continue using it or throw it away….
It’s suppose to thicken and curdle similar to buttermilk, so I hope you went ahead and used it.
Delicious!! 10/10
Are you using a large muffin pan with these specs or just regular? Seems like a lot of batter for regular and the recipe doesn’t state either way. Thanks!
Regular size muffin pan. I know it might seem like a lot of batter but that’s how you get those huge muffins tops. Trust the recipe and I promise you you’ll be pleased with the results:)
So simple yet so amazing! I didn’t have buttermilk so I used the lemon juice/milk and they turned out perfect!
These are fabulous! Love the muffin tops on these –where the muffin breaks away from the pan and they have a delicious crunch to the top. They rose beautifully & taste delicious. I used mini chocolate chips and my homemade vanilla (vanilla beans in vodka for 6+ weeks)! Love this recipe. Thank you for sharing it.
You’re very welcome and thank you so much for your kind words!
I don’t normally leave reviews but I had to on these. They were YUM!!! I folded in the flour mixture instead of mixing it in with the kitchen aid just to avoid over mixing. They came out perfect!
Is there something I could substitute for the egg? We have an egg allergy here. Thanks in advance!
flax eggs would probably be the best substitute for this recipe
The first time i made them they came out great! However, i made them again and all the chocolate chips fell to the bottom and they came out with a sort of mountain shape (a weird kind)…. I dont know what i did wrong
Did you do anything different?
I was looking for a high-top muffin recipe and this recipe worked out great that way. Going to freeze some for my kids’ school lunches.
It might be a good idea to give the specs for baking with a convection oven as well as non-convection. My oven can do either, but I went with convection this time and lowered the temp by 25 degrees; however, they still got a bit too dark on the tops, and some of the chips on top got a little burnt. I made notes to use regular bake for next time but might save someone else from having too-dark muffin tops. 🙂
Thank you, Jess. I appreciate your feedback. Yes, convection can be tricky. I find it great for browning, but sometimes I find it can over bake or dry thing out. What I personally do is bake non-convection (better for moisture) then if it’s still pale on top near the end of bake time, convert to convection the last few minutes to get that golden brown on top. That’s my little trick.
These muffins came out delicious! Only switch I made was gluten free flour. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
My batter was very dry I had to add almost another cup of milk…where did I go wrong?
Was the butter melted? Perhaps you accidentally added an extra cup of flour. It’s very strange that it was that dry and needed another whole cup of milk.
The butter was only partially melted. I’ll melt it properly next time and hopefully that will help!
Delicious!! The chocolate chips were dispersed all throughout the muffins .. SO good!
Hello! Just wondering if I can substitute the unsalted butter for plant-based butter? What about plant-based margarine? Would it be the same amount?
Thanks!
Yes, you can sub for plant-based butter or margarine and yes, it would be the same amount. Enjoy!
So fluffy and moist !! A keeper for shore .
Easy and really tasty! Everyone loved it!
Can we use the same base recipe for other muffin variety? Or do you have a base recipe we could use?
Thank you
Hi Jessica,
Thank you and yes, you can use this muffin recipe as a base and add other flavorings and mix-ins for many different variety of muffins. Enjoy!
Thank you for the recipe. They were so tasty.
The consistency of these muffins is great but EVERY choc chip fell to the bottom. I’ve never had this before when baking.
Interesting…did you toss the chocolate chips with the dry ingredients before combining or fold them in at the end?
Do you have calorie info on bakery style chocolate chip muffins
yes, it’s at the bottom of the recipe card.
My husband and I love this recipe! Been making these muffins for a couple years and they’re delicious every time. Thank you for sharing!
I’m so happy to hear that and you’re very welcome!