These chocolate chip muffins are a family favorite for a reason! Thanks to the sour cream in the batter, they’re quick, simple, and incredibly moist. If you are wondering, you can substitute sour cream for yogurt! Both achieve the same results: big, tall, fluffy, moist, and delicious muffins. I’m such a fan of baking muffins. They are beginner-friendly, and you can enjoy them for breakfast, as a snack, or anytime a craving hits. For more muffins, see our highly rated blueberry muffins, these banana muffins with chocolate chips, or these strawberry chocolate muffins!
Key Ingredients
Flour: I use all-purpose flour, but this recipe works with whole wheat flour, spelt flour, and even an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend (like Bob’s Red Mill). Sugar and Vanilla: I use brown sugar to keep these muffins super moist inside. It also adds a toasty caramel flavor, enhanced even more with a generous amount of vanilla extract. Baking Powder and Baking Soda: This muffin batter is thick, so we need a good amount of leavener. That’s why I use both baking powder and baking soda in this recipe. Oil: I love how oil makes muffins nice and light in the middle. Vegetable or avocado oil is great, but olive oil also works nicely. Egg: Adds structure and flavor to our muffins. If you do not eat eggs, use one flax egg. Milk: I usually use whole milk for these muffins, but reduced-fat milk works fine, too. If you are making these non-dairy, you can substitute your favorite non-dairy milk. Sour Cream: As I mentioned above, sour cream or plain yogurt is the secret to these muffins. I slightly prefer sour cream over yogurt, but both make really delicious muffins! To make this dairy-free, use a plant-based yogurt or sour cream. Chocolate Chips: I use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but feel free to use what you love. If you have them, a combination of mini chips and regular chips is amazing. I use them to make chocolate chip banana muffins and love how the mini chips melt into the muffin.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Muffins
Once you try this easy chocolate chip muffin recipe, you’ll want to make them again and again! The batter is easy. Whisk flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Then, mix vegetable oil, one egg, milk, and vanilla extract for the wet ingredients. Stir them and the sour cream into the dry ingredients, add chocolate chips, and you’re done. I told you it was easy. I bake my chocolate chip muffins at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes. The higher oven temperature helps them rise quickly, activating the baking powder in the batter.
3/4 cup (150g) lightly packed brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable oil, safflower oil, or avocado oil 1 large egg 1/3 cup (80ml) milk, use more as needed 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 cup (113g) sour cream or plain Greek yogurt 3/4 cup (127g) chocolate chips, plus 2 tablespoons more for tops 2Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until well blended. 3Choose a measuring jug that holds at least 1 cup. Add the oil to the jug, and then crack in the egg. Pour in enough milk to reach the 1-cup line on the jug (this should be about 1/3 cup of milk). Add the vanilla extract and whisk until everything is combined. 4Add the milk mixture and sour cream to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir gently until the batter comes together. The batter will be on the thicker side, but if it is hard to stir, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk. 5Fold in the chocolate chips. 6Divide the batter between the muffin cups. (The batter will reach the tops of the paper liners.) Press 3 to 4 extra chocolate chips into the top of each muffin. 7Bake muffins for 15 to 20 minutes or until the tops are no longer wet and a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out with crumbs, not wet batter. Transfer to a cooling rack.
