Cherry Chocolate Chip Muffins
These cherry chocolate chip muffins are light, fluffy, and packed with flavor. The sweetness of chocolate balances beautifully with tart dried cherries, while a hint of almond extract adds warmth. They bake up tall and golden, making them perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a snack on the go.
Equipment
- 1 muffin pan (12-cup)
- 12 paper muffin liners
- 2 mixing bowls (1 small, 1 large)
- 1 whisk
- 1 silicone spatula or spoonula
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Plastic wrap or lid (for chilling batter)
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk
- ¾ cup mini chocolate chips plus 2–3 tablespoons for topping, optional
- 1 ¼ cups dried cherries plus a few extras for topping, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, sift or whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until fully blended. This ensures that the leavening agents are evenly distributed, which helps the muffins rise evenly. Set this bowl aside while you work on the wet ingredients.
- Whisk the Wet Base: In a large mixing bowl, add the vegetable oil, sugar, eggs, and almond extract. Using a whisk, beat the mixture until the eggs are well incorporated and the sugar begins to dissolve. The mixture should look slightly thick and glossy—this is the foundation of your muffin batter and gives the muffins a soft texture.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet base, alternating with the buttermilk. Start with a portion of the flour, then pour in some buttermilk, mixing gently after each addition. Continue this process until both the dry ingredients and buttermilk are fully incorporated. Avoid overmixing—stop stirring as soon as there are no large streaks of dry flour left. Overmixing will make the muffins dense instead of fluffy.
- Fold in Chocolate and Cherries: Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips and dried cherries into the batter. Using a silicone spatula or spoonula, fold them in with broad, gentle strokes. Make sure they are evenly distributed throughout the batter so each muffin gets a balance of tart cherries and sweet chocolate in every bite.
- Rest and Chill the Batter: Cover the bowl of batter with plastic wrap or a fitted lid and place it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight. This resting time allows the flour to fully hydrate and the batter to thicken slightly, resulting in taller, more tender muffins once baked. Many professional bakeries use this step to achieve consistently fluffy muffins.
- Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Pan: When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). While the oven is heating, line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper muffin liners. This prevents sticking and makes cleanup much easier.
- Portion the Batter into Liners: Once the oven is fully preheated, take the chilled batter out of the refrigerator. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling them right to the top. This recipe is designed to make generously sized muffins. For an extra bakery-style touch, press a few extra chocolate chips and dried cherries onto the top of each portion of batter before baking.
- Adjust the Oven and Bake: Place the muffin tin into the hot oven and immediately lower the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the muffins have risen, the tops are golden around the edges, and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out mostly clean with only a few moist crumbs.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to sit in the pan for about 2–3 minutes to set. Then carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling completely. Enjoy warm, at room temperature, or lightly reheated the next day.
Notes
- Chilling the batter is key to tall, bakery-style muffins—don’t skip this step.
- Mini chocolate chips work best since they distribute evenly without sinking.
- Dried cherries add a tart pop, but fresh or frozen can be swapped if adjusted properly.
- Fill muffin cups to the very top for big, domed muffins.
- A touch of almond extract enhances cherry flavor beautifully.
