FARGO — I recently learned that May 15 has been designated National Chocolate Chip Day. I have no idea how these national food days are assigned, but I took this inspiration to bake these Elevated Chocolate Chip Muffins. Deliciously tender and ultra moist, these muffins are loaded with flavor and easy enough to whip up quickly using basic pantry staples.
I call these “elevated” chocolate chip muffins due to their sky-high tops and superb taste experience. To achieve that lovely domed top, I give the muffins a blast of high heat for the first six minutes in the oven, then I reduce the heat to 350 for the remainder of the bake. This high heat at the beginning allows the tops to set, and the moderate temperature ensures that the centers will push those tops straight up as the muffins bake. I learned this trick years ago and use it now for all my muffin recipes.
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The batter is easy to make; you don’t even need an electric mixer, as you can mix everything by hand. I mix the dry ingredients first to ensure the leavening agents, salt and cinnamon are evenly distributed throughout the batter. The spice adds a lovely touch of warmth to the muffins, but you can leave it out if you prefer.
Once the dry ingredients are combined, I mix the sugar, wet ingredients and the zest of one orange in a separate bowl. Orange pairs beautifully with chocolate, and the zest provides the essence of the fruit’s flavor without adding extra liquid to the batter.
A combination of fats including vegetable oil, milk and butter gives these muffins their rich flavor and tender crumb. Melting the butter releases most of its water content so the muffin’s crumb structure is soft and dense, and sour cream and milk are also added for even more richness.
Once the liquid mixture is combined, add the dry ingredients and stir until they are just incorporated into the batter. The batter will be very thick with small lumps throughout. The chocolate chips are the final ingredient, and the batter is thick enough to support the chips so they don’t fall to the bottom of the muffins as they bake.
Bake the muffins in a standard 12-cup muffin pan and spray it well with nonstick cooking spray before filling the cups. Fill each cup with batter all the way to the top, then add a generous coating of coarse raw sugar to give the muffin tops a wonderfully caramelized and crunchy surface. The muffins store well in the fridge or at room temperature for up to one week, if they last that long, and they can also be frozen for several months.
Easy to make, ultra moist, and delicious, these Elevated Chocolate Chip Muffins are a favorite in our family, and I hope you enjoy them, too.
Elevated Chocolate Chip Muffins
Makes: 12 to 14 regular-sized muffins or approximately 3½ dozen mini muffins
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Ingredients:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup milk, room temperature
- 1/3 cup sour cream or plain yogurt, room temperature
- Zest of 1 orange
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Turbinado sugar or coarse sugar crystals, for coating the tops
Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 12-mold muffin tray with nonstick cooking spray or line with paper cups; set aside.
In a large bowl, use a whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside.
In a separate bowl, add the vegetable oil, sugar, eggs and melted butter; whisk vigorously until well combined. Add the milk, sour cream, orange zest and vanilla and whisk until the mixture is pale yellow, about 1 minute.
Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to fold the wet ingredients into the flour mixture until fully combined. The batter will be quite thick, and small lumps are normal — if there are large lumps, use a whisk to gently smooth them out. Add the chocolate chips and mix until well distributed.
Fill the muffin pan with batter all the way to the top of each cup. Add a generous sprinkling of coarse sugar to each muffin, coating the entire surface.
Bake in the center of the oven for 6 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 13 to 15 minutes. You can also press the top of a middle muffin to test for doneness — if it springs back, the muffins are ready.
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Cool the muffins in the pan for 10 minutes before serving. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
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