This recipe yields six delicious chocolate chip muffins which are moist and fluffy. The muffin tops are crispy and loaded with gooey mini chocolate chips, so you may want to make an extra batch as these muffins won’t last long.

Table of Contents

Ingredients

Butter: I use regular unsalted butter but you can do 2 tablespoons of melted butter and 2 tablespoons of canola oil if you prefer a more moist muffin.
Sugar: Granulated white sugar sweetens the muffin perfectly. I recommend not lowering the sugar content in this recipe as it will impact the overall structure of the muffin.
Egg: 1 large egg at room temperature.
Vanilla: Muffins need a splash of vanilla to tie in the flavours.
Buttermilk: The acidity of buttermilk creates a moist and tender crumb so definitely don’t skip out! You can make your own buttermilk at home by combining 1 teaspoon of vinegar or apple cider vinegar with 1/3 cup whole milk.
Sour cream: Use either 5% or 14% sour cream for extra moisture. If you don’t have sour cream, increase the total amount of buttermilk to 1/2 cup.
Flour: all you need is 1 cup of flour.
Baking powder + Baking soda: I chose to use two leavening agents to create a fluffy muffin with a large dome.
Salt: A pinch of salt helps balance out the sugar.
Chocolate chips: Use either mini or regular chocolate chips.
Turbinado sugar: To make these real bakery worthy muffins, sprinkle some turbinado sugar on top for an extra crunch.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1: Line a muffin tray with 6 liners and set aside. Combine all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients and set aside. In a different bowl, whisk together melted butter and sugar.

Step 2: Add an egg, vanilla, sour cream and buttermilk to the bowl. Mix until everything is incorporated. Then add the dry ingredients to the bowl and fold the batter until everything is combined (Avoid overmixing-if a few streaks of flour remain in the batter it’s okay!).

Step 3: Cover the bowl with a kitchen cloth and allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes. While waiting for the batter, preheat the oven to 425℉ (218℃).

Step 4: Divide the batter equally into each tin and bake for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature of the oven to 350℉ (176℃) and bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

How can I get high muffin domes?

If you want to make bakery-style muffins with a perfect dome, there are some key steps to follow. First, let the batter rest for around 15 minutes to activate the starches and thicken it up. When lining your muffin tray, make sure to leave a gap between each muffin insert to increase the surface area for the muffin to dome. During the baking process, you’ll need to use two different temperatures to achieve the desired result. Start with a high temperature to allow for a significant rise, and then switch to a lower temperature to ensure that the inside of the muffin bakes through without becoming too hard.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes! Just double up on each ingredient.

More Small-Batch Recipes

Small Batch Chocolate Chip Muffins

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Total Time 50

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 6 muffins

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter (melted)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg (room temperature)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/3 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips + extra for topping
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

Instructions

Line a 12-cup muffin tray with only 6 liners. Leave a space between each liner to allow the muffin to rise higher. Set the tray aside.
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt
In another bowl, add the melted butter and sugar into a bowl. Whisk until combined. Then add an egg, vanilla, sour cream and buttermilk. Mix until everything is incoporated
1/4 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons sour cream, 1/3 cup buttermilk
Add the flour mixture to the bowl and gently fold the batter until combined. (Avoid overmixing- a few streaks of flour in the batter is fine). Add mini chocolate chips and fold.
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
Cover the bowl with a kitchen cloth or plastic wrap and allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425℉ (218℃).
Evenly distribute the batter into 6 muffin tins. Sprinkle turbinado sugar and extra mini chocolate chips on top.
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
Place the muffin tray into the oven and bake for 5 minutes, then lower the heat to 350℉ (176℃) for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Notes

Replace the sour cream by increasing the total amount of buttermilk to 1/2 cup
To make your own buttermilk, combine 1/3 cup of whole milk with 1 teaspoon of vinegar.

Keyword Chocolate chip muffins, mini chocolate chips, Small batch chocolate chip muffins