By: Jill Mills Posted: Jan 24, 2026

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Make bakery style muffins at home with this Chocolate Chip Muffins recipe. Extra moist with a tender crumb and dotted with chocolate chips, they bake extra tall in the oven and look like something straight from a bakery display.

A bakery style chocolate chip muffin with the liner pulled down

These chocolate chip muffins are my dream muffins. Every bite is dotted with chocolate chips, they have a tall bakery-style dome, and they’re super moist. I’ve shared my pumpkin chocolate chip muffins and banana chocolate chip muffins before, but this recipe is all chocolatey goodness. Not to mention that they’re easy to make and store very well. Like my apple streusel muffins, they do double duty as a sweet treat to start the day or a yummy dessert in the evening. I love to bake a batch on the weekend and enjoy them for a quick breakfast throughout the week.

Why This Is My Favorite Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe

Tender, moist crumb. Dry muffins are not for me. I want every bite of muffins to be soft and moist, which is exactly what these chocolate chip muffins offer. Ingredients like sour cream, oil, and milk ensure they stay moist for days.
Chocolate in every bite. These muffins use mini chocolate chips, which I’ve found distribute more evenly throughout the batter and ensure there’s chocolate in each and every bite. I like to add more on top, too.
Bakery style. To me, bakery style means that muffin tops are a bit bigger than normal, with a tall, puffy dome and that little extra “something”. Several techniques go into achieving that dome, which I share below, and then it’s topped with extra chocolate chips and coarse sugar.

Overhead view of ingredients needed to make chocolate chip muffins

Key Ingredients

Here’s an overview of the ingredients needed to make these muffins. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.

Flour – I recommend sifting the flour first to ensure there are no lumps in the batter.
Baking soda & baking powder – Both leavening agents help create the perfect rise in these muffins while keeping a soft, tender crumb.
Granulated sugar
Salt
Mini chocolate chips – I used semi-sweet. Milk and dark chocolate chips work too, but I recommend sticking with mini chocolate chips as they distribute more evenly in the batter.
Eggs – Bring them to room temperature first, they will mix into the batter more easily.
Sour cream – It’s important to use regular, full fat sour cream. The tanginess helps to balance the sweet ingredients and it adds lots of moisture to the muffins. You can also substitute with full-fat greek yogurt.
Oil – I used vegetable oil, but sunflower oil, coconut oil, and canola oil are all great options.
Butter – Melted butter adds richness and moisture to the muffins.
Whole milk – 2% would also work, but it’s the fat in the milk that adds richness and moisture to achieve the perfect texture, so skip the skim milk. It should be at room temperature.
Raw sugar – Or coarse sanding sugar, to sprinkle on top for a bit of texture and that bakery feel.

How To Make Chocolate Chip Muffins

These bakery style chocolate chip muffins take so little effort to prepare at home. The hardest part is the waiting! The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

Prep the dry ingredients. Add the sifted flour, baking powder, and baking soda to a large bowl. Whisk in the sugar and salt.
Prep the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, vanilla, oil, melted butter, and milk until smooth.
Combine the ingredients. Create a well in the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the well. Whisk just until the butter is fully combined, with a few small lumps. Gently fold in the mini chocolate chips.
Let rest. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rest for 45 minutes on the counter.

Folding mini chocolate chips into muffin batter

Using a cookie scoop to fill muffin liners

Prep for baking. Preheat the oven to 425F. Place the rack in the middle of the oven. Line every other well of a muffin tin with paper liners.
Portion the batter. Fill each muffin liner all the way to the top, then add a bit more to the center. Top generously with more mini chips and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake. Bake at 425F for 7 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350F to 12-14 minutes. (If baking 12 muffins, bake at 425F for 5 minutes and 350F for about 15 minutes.)
Cool. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Chocolate chip muffins with tall domes in a muffin pan

Tips for Bakery Style Muffins

There are several key factors that help create that ideal bakery style tall dome in this chocolate chip muffins recipe.

Resting the batter: This allows the flour to absorb the liquids in the batter so it creates a thicker, puffier batter that results in a moist and tender muffin. You can cover and chill it overnight as well.
Overfilling the tins: It makes sense that the more batter you add to each well the larger the muffin. So literally fill the tin all the way to the top and even a little higher in the center.
Using two muffin tins: If you can give the muffins extra space in the tin it’ll allow the heat to more evenly distribute around the muffins faster creating a SUPER boost and rise with the leaveners, and it’ll ensure they won’t bake into each other. But you can also just use one tin and fill every well to the very top. You’ll have 12 muffins and they’ll be a little smaller but still have a nice dome. Just make sure to see the recipe above for the necessary adjustment to the bake times.
Baking at two temperatures: Starting at a high temperature for the first 7 minutes supercharges the baking powder, allowing it to rise quickly and form the lovely structured and domed crust before lowering the temperature for the remainder of the time.

A chocolate chip muffin with a bite missing

Proper Storage

Room temperature: These chocolate chip muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They’re best enjoyed within 4 days.
Freezer: Once they’ve cooled, wrap each individual muffin tightly in plastic wrap then place in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter and enjoy.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Why This Is My Favorite Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe

Key Ingredients

How To Make Chocolate Chip Muffins

Tips for Bakery Style Muffins

Proper Storage