Name: Double Chocolate Chunk Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 22 min
Ingredients: 6 tablespoons unsalted butter. European style if you have some ((84 grams)); 2 ounces chopped chocolate ((56 grams)); 2 cups all purpose flour,stir and aerate before measuring ((260 grams)); 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 tsp. salt; 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder; 2/3 cup sugar ((130 grams)); 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder ((30 grams)); 1 large egg; 1 1/4 cups buttermilk ((280 grams)); 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chunks or bittersweet chips ((84 grams))

Since posting the Double Chocolate Chunk Muffins recipe in 2009, I've made it maybe six times. The muffins are good -- not too sweet and definitely muffins rather than cupcakes. These are originally from Dorie Greenspan (via Epicurious), but I've made little changes here and there. Not too many! The amount of baking powder is not a mistake. There's a lot of it, so you may want to use a non-aluminum containing type such as Rumford.

Ingredient Notes

Melted chocolate makes these a little richer than my other chocolate muffin recipes. You only need 2 oz, or you can use ⅓ cup of semisweet chips or chunks. in addition to the 2 oz of melted chocolate, you'll use 2 oz more (or the equivalent chunks) unmelted in the batter. For the flour, be sure to weigh or measure carefully so that your muffins won't be dry. The leavening agents are both baking powder and baking soda, so for the cocoa powder you can use natural (which is acidic) or Dutch (alkaline) and still get a good rise. I prefer natural in these. Since these are called Double Chocolate Chunk Muffins, you may want to use chunks rather than chips. I recommend the Belgian chocolate chunks from Aldi.

Half Batch Version

Here's the older version of the recipe. I've halved it since I usually halve the recipe. The full version is in the recipe card below. In the past I have used yogurt or part yogurt in place of the buttermilk, but the muffins are much better with buttermilk.

Half Batch Double Chocolate Chunk Muffins

3 tablespoons unsalted butter (42 grams), European style works really well
1 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped (28 grams)
1 cup all purpose flour (130 grams) – spoon and sweep if no scale
½ tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
⅓ cup granulated sugar (65 grams) OR use half granulated and half brown
2 tablespoons plus 2 tsp unsweetened natural cocoa powder (14 grams)
5 oz buttermilk (½ cup plus 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons lightly beaten egg
½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks (handful)
1 teaspoon cinnamon sugar

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 6 muffin cups with paper liners or use a silicone muffin tin and skip that.

Melt butter and chocolate together in a microwave-safe bowl.

Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, espresso powder, sugar and cocoa powder together in a large bowl. Make sure they’re thoroughly mixed.

Mix the buttermilk, egg and vanilla together in another bowl; add yogurt mixture and melted chocolate/butter mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until just until ingredients are mixed, but don’t over-mix the batter or attempt to remove lumps.

Stir in the chocolate chips/chunks. Divide batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups and sprinkle tops lightly with cinnamon sugar (optional).

Bake on center rack for about 22 minutes or until done. -- Makes 6.

Recipe