Double Chocolate Muffins

Rich double chocolate muffins are made using cocoa powder and chocolate chips for twice as much chocolatey goodness! Make these for a special breakfast or enjoy them as a snack with a cup of coffee for an afternoon reset.

I might not be the world’s biggest chocolate fanatic, but there are times that I have a seemingly insatiable craving for its delectable goodness.

When these urges occur, an ordinary chocolate chip cookie simply won’t cut it. I’ve come to terms with the idea that when these cravings hit, I’ve got to pull out all the stops. 

I’m talking chocolate ice cream with homemade hot fudge sauce, a slice of black magic cake, or these double chocolate muffins.

I’m a little obsessed with muffin recipes in general – they are my go-to breakfast for lazy Sunday mornings. In my opinion, there’s nothing better than a freshly baked muffin, fresh fruit and a cup of hot tea to welcome you to a new day. 

Double chocolate muffins? Ecstasy on my breakfast plate. You’re sure to have a good day when you start it out this way.

Why you’ll love these double chocolate muffins

If you’re hungry for the perfect chocolate bite, this is the recipe for you.

Something I love about these double chocolate muffins is that they feel decadent, but they aren’t over-the-top sweet. You can totally still indulge in one for a weekend breakfast or mid-morning snack. 

Just like with the best chocolate cake recipe, there’s a little bit of espresso in the batter. This doesn’t make the muffins taste like coffee at all, it just ups the chocolate flavor. 

And don’t forget the melty chocolate chips studded throughout the muffins. I also like to sprinkle a few on top!

If you like a little crunch in your breakfast, feel free to add some walnuts or pecans. They’d be a wonderful addition to an already pretty phenomenal breakfast experience.

If you love this recipe, be sure to try my chocolate zucchini muffins, too!

How to make my double chocolate muffins

This double chocolate muffin recipe is easy to make, so you’ll find yourself want to make this one over and over again.

Ingredients you’ll need

To make these muffins, you will need:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder (such as Hershey’s Special Dark)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 semisweet chocolate chips (divided use)
• 1 cup milk
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso granules dissolved in 2 teaspoons hot water
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Before you start baking, make sure you know how to measure flour correctly. You want to get this step right so that your chocolate muffins turn out perfect every time. 

This recipe calls for unsweetened cocoa powder, aka natural cocoa powder. I like to use dark cocoa powder, such as Hershey’s Special Dark, but regular unsweetened cocoa powder works, too.

If you aren’t clear on the difference between types of cocoa powder, check out my cocoa powder 101 post. 

Feel free to use chocolate chunks in place of the chocolate chips for more of a “bakery” vibe.

As I mentioned above, the instant espresso granules simply make the chocolate taste even richer. They won’t make the muffins taste like coffee. You can omit them, though, if you really don’t want to use them.

Making these muffins

This recipe makes 12 standard-size muffins. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or spray with nonstick spray. Set aside. 

Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, sugar, and 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips in a large bowl.

In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: milk, oil, egg, the dissolved espresso granules, and vanilla. Once this is well combined, add the mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until just combined. 

Don’t worry if the batter has a few lumps.

Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. I like to use a large (3-tablespoon) cookie scoop to easily fill muffin wells. 

Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips over the top. Bake at 400°F for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the muffins cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes, or until cool enough to handle and move to a wire rack to finish cooling. 

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