I perfected a rich, moist sour cream batter studded with chocolate chips to make Double Chocolate Muffins with chips scattered inside and out.

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I have a confession, I made these Double Chocolate Muffins on a dare and they went sideways in the best way. The batter stays intense and tender thanks to sour cream, and semisweet chocolate chips hide in every bite melting into little pockets.

I don’t mean your usual muffins, these are denser, more mischievous and kinda impossible to stop eating. Folks call them Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Muffins when they want comfort, but honestly they feel like a weekday secret you keep for yourself.

You’ll want one right out of the tin, I know I do.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour: gives structure and carbs, a bit of protein but mostly starchy filler.
Unsweetened cocoa powder: deep chocolate flavor, low fat, adds antioxidants and slight bitterness.
Granulated sugar: sweetens, adds moisture and browning, mainly empty carbs and high calories.
Sour cream: makes muffins tender tangy, adds fat and a little protein, keeps them moist.
Eggs: bind and lift, provide protein and richness, they also help set crumb.
Vegetable oil: keeps crumb soft and moist, adds fat but no extra flavor.
Chocolate chips: melt into pockets of sweet, adds sugar and some cocoa butter.

Ingredient Quantities

1 3/4 cups (220 g) all purpose flour

1/2 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 cup (240 g) sour cream full fat if you can

1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips plus about 1/4 cup extra for the tops

Optional 2 tablespoons coarse sugar for sprinkling

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners or spray with oil, and let your eggs and sour cream sit out for 10 minutes so they come closer to room temp.

2. In a large bowl whisk together 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all purpose flour, 1/2 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt until uniform. If cocoa clumps, sift or press through a fine mesh.

3. In a separate bowl beat 2 large eggs, then add 1 cup (240 g) sour cream (full fat if you can), 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and slightly glossy.

4. Make a well in the dry mix and pour in the wet mixture. Stir with a spatula until just combined, dont overmix. The batter will be thick and a little lumpy, thats fine.

5. Toss 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips with a tablespoon of the flour mixture to help them not sink, then fold them gently into the batter.

6. Using an ice cream scoop or two spoons, fill muffin cups about 3/4 full. Sprinkle the tops with the reserved 1/4 cup chocolate chips and if you like a little crunch, sprinkle the optional 2 tablespoons coarse sugar on top.

7. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, rotating the pan once halfway through if your oven is uneven. Muffins are done when tops are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs not wet batter.

8. Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool the rest of the way. Leaving them too long in the pan can make the bottoms soggy.

9. Serve warm or at room temp. Store airtight at room temp up to 3 days, or freeze cooled muffins up to 2 months, thaw at room temp when you want one.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 375°F / 190°C)
2. 12-cup muffin tin
3. Paper liners or nonstick spray
4. Two mixing bowls (one large for dry, one medium for wet)
5. Whisk (for dry mix and beating eggs)
6. Spatula (for folding batter gently)
7. Fine mesh sieve or small sifter (press cocoa through if it clumps)
8. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale if you like precision
9. Ice cream scoop or two spoons for filling cups evenly
10. Wire cooling rack and toothpicks (to test doneness and cool muffins)

FAQ

Q: Can I use low fat sour cream? A: Yes but low fat makes them a bit less rich and moist, full fat gives best texture.

Q: Can I substitute butter for the oil? A: Melted butter works fine, use the same volume. It gives a slightly richer flavor.

Q: How do I avoid sinking centers? A: Dont overmix the batter and make sure baking powder is fresh. Also dont open the oven in the first 12 minutes.

Q: Can I make these dairy free? A: Use a dairy free yogurt or sour cream substitute and dairy free chocolate chips, results will be close but slightly different texture.

Q: How do I know when they're done? A: Toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs not wet batter, tops spring back lightly when touched.

Q: Can I double the recipe and bake in a jumbo muffin tin? A: Yes, but bake time will increase. Check after 20 minutes and then every 5 minutes until done.

Sour Cream Double Chocolate Muffins Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Eggs: Use a “flax egg” for each egg – 1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tbsp water, let sit 5 minutes. Gives structure but a bit denser. Or 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce per egg for added moisture and less fat.
Sour cream: Swap 1:1 with plain full fat Greek yogurt, same tang and texture. If you only have buttermilk use it, but it’s thinner so the batter may be a touch looser and you might want to cut a tablespoon of other liquid.
Vegetable oil: Melted unsalted butter 1:1 adds richer flavor, coconut oil 1:1 works too. To cut fat try 3/4 cup applesauce for 1 cup oil but muffins will be more cake like.
All purpose flour: For gluten free use a 1-to-1 GF flour blend that contains xanthan gum and weigh it to match 220 g. Or swap up to half the flour with whole wheat pastry flour for nuttier flavor, but avoid going all whole wheat or they’ll be heavy.

Pro Tips

– Let the eggs and sour cream warm up a bit before you mix, they make the batter smoother and the muffins rise nicer. If you forget, pop the eggs in warm (not hot) water for 5 to 10 minutes, and stir the sour cream till its glossy so it blends easier.

– Measure flour by weight or use the spoon-and-level method, dont scoop straight from the bag or you’ll get dense muffins. Also sift or press the cocoa through a fine mesh if you see lumps, cocoa loves to clump.

– Toss the chocolate chips in a tablespoon of the dry mix or freeze them for 10 minutes before folding in, that really helps them stay suspended instead of sinking. Fold gently though, overmixing will make the crumb tough so stop when you still see a few lumps.

– Bake with the pan rotated halfway if your oven has hot spots, test with a toothpick for a few moist crumbs not wet batter, and move muffins to a wire rack after 5 to 10 minutes so the bottoms dont get soggy. For longer storage, cool completely then freeze individually wrapped and reheat briefly from frozen.

Sour Cream Double Chocolate Muffins Recipe

Recipe by Louise Nightin

0.0 from 0 votes

I perfected a rich, moist sour cream batter studded with chocolate chips to make Double Chocolate Muffins with chips scattered inside and out.

Servings

servings

Calories

369

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 375°F / 190°C)
2. 12-cup muffin tin
3. Paper liners or nonstick spray
4. Two mixing bowls (one large for dry, one medium for wet)
5. Whisk (for dry mix and beating eggs)
6. Spatula (for folding batter gently)
7. Fine mesh sieve or small sifter (press cocoa through if it clumps)
8. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale if you like precision
9. Ice cream scoop or two spoons for filling cups evenly
10. Wire cooling rack and toothpicks (to test doneness and cool muffins)

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups (220 g) all purpose flour
1/2 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup (240 g) sour cream full fat if you can
1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips plus about 1/4 cup extra for the tops
Optional 2 tablespoons coarse sugar for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners or spray with oil, and let your eggs and sour cream sit out for 10 minutes so they come closer to room temp.
In a large bowl whisk together 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all purpose flour, 1/2 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt until uniform. If cocoa clumps, sift or press through a fine mesh.
In a separate bowl beat 2 large eggs, then add 1 cup (240 g) sour cream (full fat if you can), 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and slightly glossy.
Make a well in the dry mix and pour in the wet mixture. Stir with a spatula until just combined, dont overmix. The batter will be thick and a little lumpy, thats fine.
Toss 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips with a tablespoon of the flour mixture to help them not sink, then fold them gently into the batter.
Using an ice cream scoop or two spoons, fill muffin cups about 3/4 full. Sprinkle the tops with the reserved 1/4 cup chocolate chips and if you like a little crunch, sprinkle the optional 2 tablespoons coarse sugar on top.
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, rotating the pan once halfway through if your oven is uneven. Muffins are done when tops are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs not wet batter.
Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool the rest of the way. Leaving them too long in the pan can make the bottoms soggy.
Serve warm or at room temp. Store airtight at room temp up to 3 days, or freeze cooled muffins up to 2 months, thaw at room temp when you want one.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.