Rich Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Muffins

Indulge in the ultimate breakfast delight: irresistibly moist and buttery Sour Cream Muffins studded generously with rich chocolate chips. These bakery-style treats are simple to make and promise a perfect start to any day.

There’s a special kind of comfort that only a freshly baked muffin can bring. If you share our love for these delightful quick breads, you’ve come to the right place. We regularly feature a variety of muffin recipes designed to brighten your mornings and sweeten your snack times. From classic Brown Sugar Muffins to comforting Oatmeal Raisin Muffins, our kitchen always has a new batch baking.

But when a craving for something truly special strikes, something more decadent than your everyday muffin, these Sour Cream Muffins with Chocolate Chips are our go-to. While we cherish our traditional Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe, this sour cream variation elevates the experience, offering an unparalleled level of richness and a truly tender crumb that melts in your mouth.

What makes these muffins stand out? It’s the sour cream, a secret ingredient that transforms an ordinary muffin into an extraordinary one. It imbues each bite with an incredible moisture and a delicate tang that beautifully complements the sweetness of the chocolate chips. The result is a muffin that’s not just buttery and soft, but also incredibly fluffy and packed with decadent chocolate flavor. These aren’t just breakfast muffins; they’re a delightful treat that blurs the line between breakfast and dessert, and you won’t hear any complaints from us!

Imagine waking up to the aroma of freshly baked muffins, knowing that a batch of these glorious sour cream chocolate chip muffins awaits. They’re perfect for a leisurely weekend breakfast, a thoughtful brunch contribution, or a comforting afternoon pick-me-up. Get ready to impress your family and friends with these easy-to-make, utterly delicious homemade muffins!

The Magic of Sour Cream in Muffins

Sour cream is a true hero in baking, especially when it comes to creating exceptionally moist and tender muffins. Its high fat content and acidic nature work wonders, reacting with baking soda to create a light, airy texture and a fine crumb. The acidity also helps to tenderize the gluten in the flour, preventing the muffins from becoming tough or dry, a common pitfall in muffin making. Beyond texture, sour cream imparts a subtle tanginess that balances the sweetness, adding depth and complexity to the overall flavor profile. It’s this secret ingredient that elevates these chocolate chip muffins from good to utterly unforgettable, making them taste like they came straight from your favorite bakery.

Ingredients for Perfect Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Muffins

Crafting these delectable muffins requires a few simple, everyday ingredients. Each plays a vital role in achieving that perfect buttery, moist, and chocolate-filled outcome. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need and why:

• All-Purpose Flour: This forms the primary structure of your muffins. We’ve specifically tested this recipe with all-purpose flour to ensure consistent results, providing the ideal balance of strength and tenderness. Accurate measurement is key here; spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off for best results.
• Granulated Sugar: Beyond simply adding sweetness, sugar contributes to the muffins’ tender texture and helps with browning, giving them an appealing golden crust. It also works as a humectant, helping to keep the muffins moist for longer.
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These are your leavening agents, crucial for creating the muffins’ rise and airy structure. Baking powder provides an initial lift, while baking soda reacts with the acidic sour cream to create additional bubbles, resulting in a beautifully fluffy texture. Using both ensures optimal rise and crumb.
• Salt: A small amount of salt is essential. It doesn’t just add flavor; it balances the sweetness of the sugar and chocolate, enhancing all the other ingredients and preventing the muffins from tasting bland.
• Egg: The egg serves multiple purposes. It acts as a binder, holding the ingredients together, and contributes to the muffin’s structure. Its fat content also adds to the richness and moistness, while providing a subtle eggy flavor that rounds out the profile.
• Sour Cream: The star ingredient! Full-fat sour cream is highly recommended for its richness, which translates directly into the muffins’ ultimate moistness and tender texture. Its acidity is key for activating the baking soda and contributing to the fluffy crumb. While full-fat is preferred, you could experiment with low-fat, but expect a slight difference in richness.
• Unsalted Butter: Melted butter adds incredible flavor and richness. It also helps with the overall texture, making the muffins more tender. Be sure to melt the butter and allow it to cool slightly before incorporating it into the wet ingredients to avoid cooking the egg.
• Vanilla Extract: A splash of pure vanilla extract is a flavor enhancer that complements the chocolate and adds warmth and depth to the muffins. Don’t skip it; it truly makes a difference.
• Chocolate Chips: We love semi-sweet chocolate chips for their classic flavor balance, offering a delightful contrast to the sweet muffin base. However, feel free to use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even a mix to suit your preference.

How to Make the Best Sour Cream Muffins with Chocolate Chips

Making these delightful muffins is a straightforward process, perfect for bakers of all skill levels. Follow these steps for bakery-quality results:

STEP 1: Prepare Your Muffin Tin and Preheat Oven. Start by preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C). This initial high heat helps create those coveted domed muffin tops. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or generously spray it with nonstick cooking spray. This prevents sticking and makes for easy cleanup.

STEP 2: Combine Dry Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisking ensures that the leavening agents and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour, which is crucial for a consistent rise and flavor in every muffin.

STEP 3: Mix Wet Ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg, sour cream, cooled melted butter, and vanilla extract until well combined. It doesn’t need to be perfectly smooth, but ensure all liquid ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.

STEP 4: Gently Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. With a spatula or wooden spoon, gently mix them together. Mix just until the ingredients are moistened; a few lumps are perfectly fine. Do not overmix, as this is the key to tender muffins.

STEP 5: Fold in Chocolate Chips. Add the chocolate chips to the batter. Continue to fold gently until no dry patches of flour remain and the chocolate chips are evenly distributed. The batter will be quite thick and sticky, which is exactly what you want.

STEP 6: Fill Muffin Cups and Bake. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups. For an extra bakery-style touch, you can sprinkle a few additional chocolate chips on top of each muffin before baking. Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven.

STEP 7: Bake Until Golden. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. The tops should be golden brown and spring back lightly when touched. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips and Tricks for the Best Muffins

Achieving bakery-quality muffins at home is easier than you think with a few key techniques:

• Do Not Overmix the Batter: This is arguably the most crucial tip for moist, tender muffins. Overmixing develops gluten in the flour too much, leading to tough, chewy muffins. Mix only until the dry ingredients are just moistened. A few lumps are perfectly acceptable and even desirable. This is why you add the chocolate chips when the batter is still slightly lumpy; the final folds will finish mixing the batter without overworking it.
• Properly Measure Flour: Scooping flour directly from the bag can pack it down, resulting in too much flour and dry muffins. Instead, spoon flour into your measuring cup and then level it off with the back of a knife.
• Ingredient Temperature Matters: Ensure your egg and sour cream are at room temperature. Room temperature ingredients emulsify better, creating a smoother, more uniform batter and a finer crumb in your finished muffins.
• Achieve Domed Muffin Tops: Baking muffins at an initial high temperature (400°F/200°C) for the first 5 minutes, then reducing the temperature (to 375°F/190°C) for the remainder of the baking time, can help create beautiful, domed tops. The sudden burst of heat helps the batter rise quickly before the structure sets.
• Creative Variations: Don’t limit yourself to just chocolate chips! Switch things up by adding white chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, peanut butter chips, or even a handful of chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans. For a fruity twist, fold in fresh blueberries or raspberries (toss them in a little flour first to prevent sinking).
• Storage for Freshness: Store leftover muffins at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. While they will last, the tops might become slightly sticky over time. To revive them, a quick 10-15 seconds in the microwave can make them warm and soft again.
• Freezing for Later: These muffins freeze beautifully! Once completely cooled, place them in a single layer in an airtight freezer-safe bag or container. They can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature or gently reheat in the microwave or oven.

More Muffin Recipes to Love

If you’ve fallen in love with these sour cream chocolate chip muffins, you’ll adore our other delicious muffin creations:

• Cinnamon Muffins: Warmly spiced and wonderfully aromatic.
• Blueberry Muffins: A timeless classic bursting with fresh berries.
• Banana Muffins: Moist and flavorful, perfect for using up ripe bananas.
• Cake Mix Muffins: An incredibly easy and versatile option for quick muffins.

Sour Cream Muffins with Chocolate Chips

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars (4 votes)

Author: Deborah Harroun
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American

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A buttery, moist muffin, studded with chocolate chips, these Sour Cream Muffins with Chocolate Chips are the perfect breakfast treat!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup sour cream
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line 12 muffin cups with liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, sour cream, butter, and vanilla.
4. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. Fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared muffin tins.
6. Bake in the preheated oven until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean, 18-20 minutes.

Recipe Notes:

If desired, place a few extra chocolate chips on top of the muffins before baking.

Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guide.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1 muffin, Calories: 282kcal (14%), Carbohydrates: 35g (12%), Protein: 4g (8%), Fat: 13g (20%), Saturated Fat: 8g (50%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 48mg (16%), Sodium: 177mg (8%), Potassium: 33mg (1%), Fiber: 2g (8%), Sugar: 23g (26%)

Keywords: chocolate chip sour cream muffins, muffin recipe, moist chocolate chip muffins, easy breakfast recipe, homemade muffins

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