Double Chocolate Muffins

Chocolate fanatics will love these irresistibly decadent double chocolate muffins. Made with a moist chocolate sponge, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips, they aren't just packed with chocolatey flavor but also have a melt-in-your-mouth texture that you won't forget. Once you try this recipe, you will never want to go back to store-bought muffins again!

Best Double Chocolate Muffins Recipe

If you've tried my moist chocolate sponge cake recipe, you will be delighted to know that you can have the same delicious dessert in handheld form and with even more chocolate! This easy recipe adds just a bit more flour and rich chocolate chips to make the muffins double chocolate, a perfect treat for breakfast, a snack, or dessert.

This is hands down one of the best chocolate muffin recipes you will ever try. Unlike some other recipes for double chocolate chip muffins, I use oil instead of butter or sour cream, making the muffins incredibly soft and moist, even after refrigeration. I also add freshly brewed coffee to the mixture, bringing out the chocolate flavor in a way you never experienced before.

All the ingredients you need are easy to find in your local grocery store–no special ingredients or equipment are used in this recipe! In fact, you likely have most of what you need already at home in your kitchen pantry. 

It is also one of the easiest recipes to make. Not only do I provide step-by-step instructions, but I also provide extra tips and tidbits that dive into the science behind the process, so that you can end up with flawless results, even if it is your first time making it.

Once you gather everything together, it only takes five minutes to prepare and 25 minutes or less to bake, giving you a wonderful chocolatey treat to enjoy with your friends and family in just half an hour!

How To Whip Up the Double Chocolate Muffin

Before starting the recipe, make sure the eggs, coffee, and milk are at room temperature. Otherwise, they will not properly blend into the batter. To quickly bring the eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes.

Next, preheat your oven to 175℃ / 347℉ (without the fan) and prepare your cupcake tin with muffin liners. 

Then, using an electric hand mixer, whip together the eggs, vegetable oil, brown and white sugar, freshly brewed coffee (a stronger roast is best), milk, and pure vanilla extract. 

The coffee will enhance and bring out the delicious chocolate flavor, but do not worry; it will not have enough caffeine to notice! However, you can use decaf coffee instead if you prefer not to consume caffeine.

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process cocoa, which has lower acidity and a beautiful dark color), and salt. Use a sifter to ensure that no lumps end up in the batter. Once thoroughly combined, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to fold them together until just combined.

Lastly, gently fold in about ⅔ of the chocolate chips using the rubber spatula. You can also use chocolate chunks. Whether you use chips or chunks, make sure that they are semi-sweet so you do not add way more sugar to the recipe. The higher the quality, the better. I like to use Callebaut or Lindt in my double chocolate chip muffins recipe.

Bake The Muffins

Once the oven is preheated, spoon the muffin batter into each cupcake tin cavity until approximately ¾ full. Then, evenly sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips over each muffin.

Bake your double chocolate muffins for approximately 25 minutes, or until they pass the "toothpick test" (when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean). Avoid overbaking, unless you want dry muffins!

Once thoroughly baked, move them to a cooling rack to cool. Serve them fresh and enjoy!

Storing & Freezing

Like most baking recipes, these double chocolate muffins are best served the same day they are made. However, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Once the muffins have completely cooled, you can store them in the refrigerator in a ziplock bag between paper towels for 5-7 days or in the freezer individually wrapped in plastic food wrap and aluminum foil. Allow the muffins to come back to room temperature before enjoying them again.

For more tips on storing muffins so that they maintain the same delicious taste and texture, see my guide, How to Store Muffins to Keep Them Fresh.

Flavor Variations

You can customize and take these double chocolate muffins to the next level in many ways! Try one of these flavor variations the next time you make your double chocolate muffins:

Other chocolate chips: You can use different chocolate chips, such as milk chocolate or white chocolate. You can also try it with butterscotch chips or peanut butter chips. Mix and match them for an even more exciting flavor!

Biscoff or Nutella: Add a layer of my homemade Biscoff spread or Nutella to the center of the batter in the muffin tins for a creamy surprise that pairs wonderfully with chocolate.  

With Fruit: For a fruity flavor that pairs perfectly with chocolate, stir in fresh lemon or orange zest, dried cranberries or apricots, or fresh strawberries or raspberries, similar to my raspberry brownie recipe.

With Chopped Nuts: Before baking, add your favorite finely chopped nuts to the batter. Walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, or pistachios are all tasty additions that add a delicious crunch!

With Spices: Warm things up with a dash of ground cinnamon, cardamom, or ginger in the batter. Or, if you want a little heat with your chocolate, add a dash of cayenne pepper!

Ingredient Substitutions

I recommend following the recipe as-is for the best results. However, if you want to make the recipe vegan-friendly, you can try one of these egg substitutes and use dairy-free products. To make these cupcakes gluten-free, you can use one of the substitutes mentioned in my flour guide.

Each ingredient in these double chocolate chip muffins plays a specific role, which can make it difficult to substitute ingredients without changing the flavor or texture or reformulating and adjusting the other ingredients in the recipe. Unfortunately, I cannot provide specific instructions to accommodate every diet.

Expert Tips To Make Double Chocolate Muffins

1. Use high-fat milk and the highest-quality vanilla extract for the best texture and flavor. I recommend using 3% whole milk. Remember, the milk (as well as the eggs and brewed coffee) must be at room temperature before being used!
2. This recipe calls for a small amount of salt. Salt is an essential ingredient that helps to balance the muffins' sweetness and enhance the flavors. Don't skip it!
3. When combining the wet and dry ingredients, it is important to only use a rubber spatula. A rubber spatula helps prevent overworking the muffin batter, which increases gluten levels and results in dry, dense muffins.
4. Never skip preheating the oven. The proper oven temperature is critical to thoroughly baking the muffins and achieving the best results. 
5. To avoid overbaking your muffins, judge their doneness based on their texture, not solely on the time. Oven temperatures can vary depending on the model. For example, my oven only takes 22 minutes to bake. The toothpick test is best for determining whether the muffins are ready to be removed.

What Equipment To Use

There are several pieces of equipment that you will want to have handy to make your double chocolate muffin experience a good one:

A digital scale is highly recommended to ensure the most accurate and consistent baking measurements that measuring by volume cannot provide. Since some oven models can vary by a degree or two, you will also want a digital oven thermometer to ensure your oven has reached the proper temperature for baking.

An electric hand mixer is helpful for whipping together the wet ingredients. However, you can also whip them by hand if you don't mind the extra effort!

When folding the wet and dry ingredients together and adding the chocolate chips, use a rubber spatula to avoid overmixing. 

You will need a 12-cup muffin pan to bake the muffins and a cooling rack to cool them sufficiently without worrying about a soggy bottom!

Try Some Of My Other Muffin Recipes

If you love these rich chocolate muffins, you won't want to miss my other fun and flavorful muffin recipes. Here are just a few to try:

• Vanilla Muffins
• Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
• Red Velvet Muffins
• Pistachio Muffins
• Coconut Muffins

You can find even more unique and delicious muffins in my Top 35 Muffin Recipes roundup!

Have You Tried This Recipe?

Please leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment as well! I would love to hear about how your dessert turned out and your feedback also helps other Readers!