Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Muffins

These homemade Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Muffins are a family favourite- especially when it's warm and gooey straight out of the oven on a cold day! They're big, fluffy, and buttery and are loaded with melty chocolate goodness in every bite. With overflowing crisp muffin tops and a sprinkling of sugar, these muffins are sure to rival those from your local bakery. 

The Best Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe!

This one-bowl, 15-minute chocolate chip muffin recipe is so fuss-free; your oven does all the work for you! The batter comes together in just minutes, so it's perfect for those lazy mornings when craving something sweet. All you need to do is toss everything in a bowl, place them in muffin tins and bake! You will have sky-high, deliciously moist, and chocolaty muffins in just 20 minutes. It's done in a jiffy and does not even require an electric mixer. 

What Do I Need?

All you need are a few pantry basics and a handful of chocolate chips to make these delicious treats! 

Dry Ingredients

• Plain flour / all-purpose flour: this versatile flour is perfect for these muffins, and its medium protein content will allow it to rise without collapsing.
  • Can I make this gluten-free? Yes, substitute gluten-free flour to all-purpose flour in a 1:1 ratio.
  • Can I use cake flour? Cake flour will make the muffin even more light and fluffy. Just don't forget to check on package instructions for flour to liquid ratio as cake flour has different protein content.
• Corn flour/corn starch: makes the muffins softer and fluffier by replicating cake flour. You can substitute ¼ cup of cornflour with 2 tablespoon of plain flour.
• Baking powder: Is used as the leaving agent to make the batter rise as it bakes, making it soft and fluffy!
  • Can I use baking soda? Not for this recipe. Baking soda requires additional acidic ingredients to activate.  
• Cinnamon: this warm spice has sweet and citrusy notes that add a great flavor to the muffins.
  • Are there other spices that I can use? A small pinch of nutmeg also works! It will add a slightly nutty, sweet, woody flavor that is also quite addicting!

• Caster sugar/ superfine sugar: adds sweetness and moistens the batter too.
  • Can I use white sugar? Yes, you can. They are basically the same except for their texture. Caster is more refined, making it easier to melt than granulated sugar. 
• Granulated sugar / white sugar: used for sprinkling. 
• Chocolate chips: I like using dark or semi-sweet varieties to keep the muffins from becoming overly sweet. You can substitute the chocolate chips for 250 g (9 oz.) of chopped dark chocolate.
  • Can I use other types? If you like. You can use any combination of white/milk/dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate.
• Salt: A pinch will make the chocolate flavor even more intense. 

Wet Ingredients

• Milk + vinegar: mixed to make homemade buttermilk. Acidic milk will make your muffins light and tender. Make sure to let it sit until it thickens.
  • Can I use dairy-free milk? Absolutely! I recommend soy, oat, or almond milk as they're the best for baking
  • I do not have vinegar; what else can I use? You can use lemon juice to make the buttermilk instead.
• Canola oil: It's neutral tasting; that's why I love using it in baking. It keeps the muffins moist even after a few days in the fridge!
  • Can I use butter? Surely! Your muffins will be less moist, but they will have a richer taste.
  • Can I use other oils? Any type of neutral flavoured oil will be alright. I don't recommend olive oil because it will change the flavour of the muffins.
• Vanilla extract: It's the standard flavouring for every baked treat, and you can never go wrong with a few drops of this fragrant flavouring. It gives the muffin an extra boost of flavour and yumminess.
• Eggs: it will give the batter structure to avoid it from collapsing as its rises, resulting in some dense and compact muffins.
  • Is there any vegan substitute? You can use applesauce or flax egg to make these beautiful chocolate chip muffins.

Make Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Muffins

Preparations:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C / 340°F (fan-forced/convection) or 190°C / 375°F (standard).
• Line a 12-hole standard muffin tin with a paper muffin case, then lightly grease the cases with cooking spray.

Steps:

1. Whisk the milk and vinegar in a large bowl to make the buttermilk. Allow it to stand for 5 minutes until thick before whisking in oil, vanilla, eggs, and sugar. 
2. Sift over plain flour, cornflour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Fold in gently until just combined, then fold in the chocolate chips, too.
3. Pour approx. ⅓ cup of batter into each paper case and then sprinkle granulated sugar on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes and allow cooling for 10 minutes after baking before transferring the muffins into a wire rack to cool completely.

Possible Variations

Variation makes baking a little more exciting! Here are a few suggestions you can try.

• Add some nuts for a crunchy texture to your muffins. Pecans, almonds, cashews, or macadamia will be perfect.
• You can also use cinnamon sugar on top instead of just plain sugar to add more flavors! 
• If you like to double up on the chocolate, try making my Double Chocolate Chip Muffins! 

Tips and Tricks When Making Chocolate Chip Muffins

• Ensure that all the ingredients are at room temperature, so the batter mixes evenly.
• Whisking by hand is enough. A hand mixer is unnecessary because there is no need for the batter to be mixed at speed but if you prefer using it, use low settings only.
• Do not over mix your batter, or you'll get tough and chewy muffins. Just mix until there are no visible dry ingredients. A few lumps in the batter are normal because it doesn't have to be smooth. 
• Insert a toothpick or skewer into the center of a muffin to check if it's done. It should come out clean before removing the muffin goodies from the oven.
• I use Tulip-shaped muffin liners, which can hold quite a lot of batter. If you're using regular muffin liners, you may end up with big overflowing muffin tops. If this is the case, you can put less batter in each cup and make extra 4 to 6 muffins instead if you want them to be smaller.

How to Store Leftovers?

• You can keep the cooked muffins un-refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. After a couple of days, microwave for 20 seconds before serving to keep fresh.
• To freeze the cooked muffins, bag them together in a zip-lock or freezer bag. Keep frozen for up to 6 months. Leave at room temperature for 6 hours or overnight, then eat normally. You can microwave a frozen muffin for 50 seconds to defrost instantly.

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