Soft Chocolate Muffin Tops (Printable)

Soft, rich chocolate muffin tops with crisp edges and moist, tender centers loaded with chocolate chips.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1/2 cup whole milk
10 - 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
11 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
12 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

→ Add-Ins

13 - 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, milk, sour cream or yogurt, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
04 - Add wet ingredients to the dry mixture and gently fold until just combined without overmixing.
05 - Fold the semisweet chocolate chips into the batter evenly.
06 - Using a large cookie scoop or 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop mounds of batter onto prepared sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
07 - Bake for 11 to 13 minutes until tops are set and a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs.
08 - Let the muffin tops cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You get the best part of every muffin—crispy edges and a tender crumb—without any waste or fussy liners.
  • They bake in under fifteen minutes, which means warm chocolate in your mouth before the coffee gets cold.
02 -
  • Measure your cocoa powder by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off—scooping directly from the container compacts it and you'll end up with way too much dry powder.
  • Sour cream is non-negotiable here; yogurt works in a pinch, but sour cream's tang creates a subtle complexity that plain milk never achieves.
03 -
  • Cool your melted butter before mixing it with the eggs; warm butter can scramble the eggs and create an unpleasant texture.
  • Use a cookie scoop instead of a spoon for perfectly uniform muffin tops that bake at exactly the same rate.

Return