There’s something so satisfying about the simple muffin.
I love that it can be enjoyed for breakfast, as a snack, or as a dessert.
These chocolate chip muffins use an extra dose of brown sugar to give it that slightly butterscotch taste that pairs so well with the chocolate.
They also have a generous amount of butter which not only makes them taste amazing, but helps to create those slightly crispy muffin tops.
This recipe is simple and unassuming but absolutely satisfying. I first published a version of this recipe almost TEN years ago and it’s actually evolved a fair amount since then. I think that just goes to show that the most minor tweaks and changes can make a big difference in the final result when it comes to baking.
How to Make The BEST Chocolate Chip Muffins
How do I make MOIST muffins?
In addition to the tips below, be sure to measure your ingredients properly. Especially your flour. It’s ridiculously easy to accidentally add too much flour when using measuring cups. I like to use the spoon and level method or better yet, a digital kitchen scale. Learn more about the importance of measuring flour correctly here.
This recipe uses a generous amount of butter which helps produce slightly crispy edges on the muffin tops. That’s my FAVORITE part. However if you like a paler muffin then feel free to shave a couple minutes from the baking time. Just note that the darker your muffin tin the more brown your muffins will get while baking. This is my favorite muffin tin to use.
Do I have to use buttermilk?
For best results, yes. Real buttermilk makes a difference. If you don’t have it on hand, you can use whole milk instead.
In my Ultimate Guide to Muffins I tested side-by-side muffins made with milk vs. buttermilk. What I found was that the buttermilk created a more moist, tender, and flavorful muffin.
If you’d like to learn more about the science of buttermilk in an easy visual way, including buttermilk substitutions, check out my Buttermilk 101 article.
Why you should never overmix muffin batter!!
This will create dense or rubbery muffins which no one wants. Once the dry ingredients are combined with the wet, gently stir with a rubber spatula *just* until it’s combined. Since we’re adding in chocolate chips next, I actually like to leave a few streaks of flour. They’ll get stirred into the batter with the chocolate chips.
How to Bake Tall Muffins
You may have seen that trick for getting muffins to bake up nice and tall? The one where you start the oven out on a high temperature for a few minutes then reduce the temperature? That technique definitely works, but I almost always forget to lower the temperature so I went ahead of simplified things for this recipe with just one temperature.
I recently experimented with the science of muffins and how to achieve beautiful, TALL muffins that look like they belong on the shelf of a fancy bakery. Check out my 3 tips for baking tall muffins here!
Hint: Chilling your muffin batter overnight makes for the BEST ever muffins!!
Why Do My Muffin Liners Stick?
Oftentimes this is due to the brand of liners. This is my favorite brand that I order in bulk from Amazon. If you find your liners still get stuck and end up ruining your muffins, don’t worry. I’ve actually written an entire article about how to prevent muffin or cupcake liners from sticking here.
How to Store and Make Muffins Ahead of Time
Store in an airtight at room temperature for 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for about 15 seconds if desired to get the chocolate chips nice and gooey. Muffins can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost on the counter or in the microwave.
this is exactly what I have been looking for! so we can make from home. thanks
Can we leave out the brown sugar?
Hi Dede! We haven’t tried it without the brown sugar, but I wouldn’t recommend it! Sugar doesn’t just sweeten baked goods; it moistens, provides tender structure, assists with gluten formation, extends the shelf-life (meaning it will be fresh and moist longer) – just to name a few things! Brown sugar does even more things, including providing a source of acid to help activate the leavening agent and create a taller, lighter muffin! Reducing the sugar content in a recipe doesn’t just lower sweetness; it messes with the recipe’s chemistry and creates a totally different baked good. I hope that helps! Happy baking 🙂
These were delicious! My husband was in the mood for muffins and we didn’t have buttermilk and had ran out of eggs so we used an egg replacer and made buttermilk with milk + cream of tartar. Would definitely make again (with or without the substitutions!)
Glad your substitutions worked well!
I chilled the batter for 8 hrs but they baked up like the ones you showed were baked right after making the batter. Any ideas as to what may have gone wrong for me?
Hi Grace! Be sure to read our tips in the pink box above the recipe as there are quite a few reasons muffins might not rise well. Double check your baking powder’s expiration date and check its freshness (how to do that detailed here). Also be sure to not overmix your batter! If you haven’t already, check out our article on How to Bake Tall Bakery Style Muffins. Sometimes, even a small adjustment such as filling your muffin tin cavities with more batter can make all the difference. Hope that helps!
Turned out great!! Love the crunch on the top, definitely making again. The kids devoured these!
This makes me so happy to hear!
Can i replace the buttermilk with something else?in Italy i can’t find it
Can I substitute egg?
how full do we fill the cupcake liners so it rises just like yours?
but a tablespoon is not too much
I made these! They were really easy to make and they turned out perfectly—couldn’t stop eating them.
Can these be made with gluten free flour? Are there any other adjustments that would have to be made?
I just made these now and they are AMAZING! I didn’t have buttermilk so I used whole milk like you suggested. They are so good.
They will definitely be a regular in my muffin baking rotation
I don’t have real buttermilk but use buttermilk substitute using this recipe, still tasted delicious. I especially like the use of brown sugar. If you are a chocolate lover, I would recommend the double chocolate muffin though
I made these! They came out great! Everyone loved them! How many calories each? Thank you!
These were a hit with my family. So delicious.
Super easy recipe and the lid on these muffins is just perfect, it’s crisp and craggy and if you eat the muffins when they’re still warm, you’ll have melty chocolate chip goodness too! It’s a keeper!
But the day you come back in my life, I will definitely spread the flower mat
I love chocolate chip muffins. On my birthday back in elementary school, my mom would make chocolate chip muffins for the class instead of cupcakes because they were my favorite. These are the best chocolate chip muffins I have ever made. Hands down.
If you’re looking for a go-to muffin recipe, this is the one. Whether you use a jumbo (recommended!), standard, or mini size muffin pan, these chocolate chip muffins bake up incredibly soft, fluffy, and moist. I have no tolerance for dry baked goods, so you won’t find any of that nonsense in my kitchen!
I LOVE these muffins! Great for mini muffins in a lunch bag for a sweet treat (or rather they don’t make it to lunch, for I have one with my morning tea at the office). My hubby also likes blueberry muffins, so I tried swapping out the chocolate chips for wild blueberries. Yum!! A very close second to the chocolate chips.
Hi Tessa I’m from Mexico and recently I use your buttercream recipe for a Cake Battles contest and I got the 4th place from 10 teams. That’s very good because it was my first time doing this recipe. Thank you so much it was super easy for a mexican girl like me follow your instructions. Thank you have a wonderful day
Tried this recipe and it turn out to be so amazingly beautiful. Tx Tessa for the recipe
I made the recipe and it was super was super easy to put together. I was also happy with the texture with the muffin. It was super light. I just found it lacked a little in flavour. I might just bump up the vanilla next time or might even try browning the butter to see if that will elevate it to greatness (In my eyes at least). Don’t get me wrong it was a good muffins just not as great as I think it could be.
this is amazing love love. it’s perfect please don’t add more sugar as i saw a comment up on top this is the prefect muffin thanks for sharing love it
Came out great! I love this recipe!
Loved the muffins but I agree with Gila, the consistency is a bit of. They are delicious but not dense like muffins should be. They are a tad “airy”. What can I change to make it even better? Use cake flour?
I liked the muffins, but something about them was not right – maybe the consistency.
How about using mini muffin tin? Anyone tried it? Just wondering if they would turn out just as good as regular.
I just made these muffins and they are absolutely delish!!! Will definately be making these again ~ maybe tomorrow – because I don’t think these will last long in my house!!
I just made these tonight for a snack and they r fabulous. I sprinkled sugar on top just before they went in the oven and they are a hit. Thanks for the recipe!
I just made these muffins and they are to die for!! So light and fluffy and so yummy!
how many do they make?
I just made these and they were delicious and a big hit at my house!
I am now making these muffins a fourth time! It is a great recipe. We also like it with blueberries in it instead of chocolate chips!
My 8 year old asked for chocolate chip muffins this morning. I made this recipe and the kids had them for their after school snack. They devoured them! Yummy muffins.
I read somewhere else that if you dredge ever so lightly the chocolate chips before adding to the dough it helps “lift it up”.
jus made these…came out perfect except for the sweetness in the muffins…i think the recipe requires more sugar.
These look so goood!! I'm actually drooling haha.
The muffins are baking as we speak! I used buttermilk instead of milk because I find it makes the batter more moist and I used dark brown sugar instead of the light brown sugar (because I ran out of light brown sugar hehe) and they look perfect (so far) hehe
Thanks for the recipe Tessa!
Also, I must say that when I look for recipes online and the picture isn't nice, I tend to not even look at the recipe.. your picture taking is AMAZING. May I ask you what camera you use? Keep it up and I hope culinary school is going well! (going to culinary school is my dream but I am finishing up medical school first!)
Take care,
Lara
You can never have too many muffins!
Tessa these muffins looks delicious!
By the way this is Lauren A from TJB!
Pamela- Thank you!!
Jen- Yeah greasing and flouring is the best way, it just takes so much extra time when I'm craving something sweet 😉
Sara- Hahaha I think we both need counseling. Good idea on the mini muffins! I don't have a mini muffin pan at the moment 🙁
Joanne- Thanks! I will 🙂
If all your muffins look like that, keep making them. Yum!
okay, so clearly you are also having a bit of a muffin obsession yourself. You know what, this post made me realize that I have never actually baked chocolate chip muffins myself. I think I am going to make these into some mini muffins. Nice!
Yum! Your muffins sound delicious! The chocolate might have stuck with the PAM depending on the type of coating on the pan. I find that greasing and flouring the pan typically works better than sprays when it comes to baked goods.
I love chocolate chip muffins and these look fabulous!
I have made this before and loved it! I was wondering why there is no baking soda in the recipe since there is buttermilk used? I’m enhancing my knowledge about leaveners and I keep reading you are supposed to add baking soda when using buttermilk. This recipe is delicious and I wouldn’t change a thing but if anyone can explain the baking soda/ buttermilk rule I’d love to know.
Hi Andrea! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed these muffins!! To answer your question, Tessa uses baking powder in this recipe because the overnight rest helps develop flavor so much, as well as giving the bake so much height and delightfully light structure. If we were to use baking soda in this recipe, we couldn’t let the batter rest overnight. When baking soda meets acid, the reaction begins right away and can fizzle out if it sits too long before baking. Baking powder, on the other hand, is typically double-acting; its first reaction occurs when it meets the liquid in the recipe, but its second reaction occurs when it meets the heat of the oven! Tessa talks about the science behind leavening agents in this article here! I hope that answers your question!! Happy baking 🙂