Fluffy Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe

When it comes to portable, handheld desserts, cupcakes (any flavor, really) tend to get all the love and attention. And, hey, we're not mad about that, because cupcakes are delicious! But there's another portable, handheld sweet treat that tends to get overlooked, and we're talking about the humble muffin. Sure, many people may not classify a muffin as a dessert, but that's the true beauty (and versatility) of the baked good: It works as a breakfast item, snack, or, yes, dessert. 

While we are undoubtedly devout fans of a good muffin, it's also true that not all muffins are created equally. There are sad, dry, flat, and flavorless muffins, then there are muffins like recipe developer Jessica Morone's fluffy chocolate chip muffins: moist, light, and perfectly sweet. "I love these muffins because they are so soft and airy, and the flavor is really good," Morone says. "I set out to make the fluffiest muffins I could with this recipe, and I really think I achieved that goal." It's a pretty ambitious goal, but we definitely think that Morone accomplished it. Follow this recipe to find out for yourself. 

These muffins, like any baked good, will require a certain amount of pantry and fridge staples. For this recipe, you'll need all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, salt, an egg, sour cream, melted butter, vanilla extract, and mini chocolate chips. "I use mini chips because I think they end up more evenly distributed in the muffins than the bigger chocolate chips, and you end up with a lot of chocolate chips in every bite," Morone explains. "But you can use regular sized chocolate chips if you would prefer."

As for her secret to getting these muffins extra fluffy? Morone says that it's the cornstarch, which "makes these muffins incredibly soft and fluffy."

To get started, preheat your oven to 350 F and line a cupcake tin with paper liners. Alternatively, you could grease the tin with nonstick spray and forgo the liners.

Now, it's time to make some muffin batter. Start with the dry ingredients; in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients: the egg, sour cream, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Whisk the wet mixture into the dry one until just combined. Finally, gently fold in those mini chocolate chips. 

With the batter all mixed up, you can pour it into the prepared tin. Fill each up about ¾ of the way full, then pop the dish into the oven. Bake the muffins for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Cool the muffins in the tin for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to finish the cooling process. 

It's time to enjoy the fruits — er, muffins — of your labor. Once the muffins are adequately cooled, feel free to dive right in to one of these fluffy delicacies. "These are so good on their own, but you could also split them in half and top them with butter, peanut butter or chocolate spread for additional flavors," Morone suggests. "Drinking some coffee or milk with them also goes well."

One final benefit of muffins is the fact that they store pretty well. "You should store leftover muffins in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature, or even freeze them for up to 3 months," Morone says. And yes, even after sitting for a few days, these muffins will still retain that perfect level of fluffiness.