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High Altitude Double Chocolate Muffins

November 30, 2021 by Heather Smoke 2 Comments

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Dutch-processed cocoa powder gives these high altitude double chocolate muffins their rich color and flavor, and sour cream keeps them deliciously soft, tender and moist. Dark chocolate chips add an extra hit of chocolate in every bite!

Looking for more high altitude muffin recipes? You’ll love these sweet potato maple crumb muffins, apple spice crumb muffins, banana pecan muffins and almond poppy seed muffins.

Double chocolate muffins sprinkled with chocolate chips.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Easy to Make. This is a very easy recipe that’s quick to mix up. Since our mornings are busy with two hungry little boys, I like to measure and prep my ingredients the night before. I sift together my dry ingredients, and then whisk the wet ingredients separately. In the morning, all I have to do is mix them together, and the batter is ready to be scooped into the muffin pan and baked.

Adaptable. What’s really great about this recipe is how adaptable it is to a variety of ingredients that you have on hand.  If you don’t have sour cream, you can easily substitute plain Greek yogurt, buttermilk, or even a combination of all three.  No oil in your pantry?  Use melted butter instead, or even unsweetened applesauce.  The batter is thick and the muffins rise so nicely with perfect muffin tops.  These are best served warm, and are still great the next day, re-warmed or briefly toasted.  Cherry jam goes wonderfully with these chocolate muffins.

A chocolate muffin with the wrapper pulled back.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Ingredients

  • Sour Cream + Milk. The fat in the milk and sour cream adds tenderness and moisture to these chocolate muffins.
  • Vegetable Oil. Adds moisture.
  • Sugar. Granulated sugar adds sweetness and moisture.
  • Eggs. Gives the muffins structure.
  • Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
  • Flour. All-purpose flour gives the muffins structure and strength.
  • Cocoa Powder. The chocolate flavor and deep color in these muffins comes from unsweetened, Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
  • Baking Powder. Leavening agent, so that the muffins rise as they bake.
  • Salt. Enhances the flavor of the chocolate.
  • Chocolate Chips. Adds delicious, melty pools of chocolate all through the muffins.
Ingredients for making chocolate muffins.

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line a standard-sized muffin pan with 14 paper liners, and lightly spray the paper liners with non-stick baking spray.
  • In a bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and use a spatula to stir the batter together just until moistened, being careful not to over-mix.
  • Step 2 for making double chocolate muffins.
  • Step 1 for making double chocolate muffins.
  • Step 3 for making double chocolate muffins.
  • Step 4 for making double chocolate muffins.
  • Divide the batter between the muffin cups, filling them full. Sprinkle the top of the batter with the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips.
  • Chocolate muffin batter sprinkled with chocolate chips in a muffin pan.
  • Just baked double chocolate muffins sprinkled with chocolate chips in a muffin pan.
  • When you put the muffins in the oven, immediately turn the heat down from 425 to 375. Bake for about 18-20 minutes, just until a toothpick comes out clean or with moist crumbs clinging to it. Be careful not to over-bake the muffins, or they can dry out.
  • Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool for about 10 more minutes. Enjoy the muffins warm.
Chocolate muffins topped with chocolate chips on a vintage baking pan.

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use natural cocoa powder instead of Dutch-processed?

The acidity level is different, which affects how the muffins rise. I haven’t tested this recipe with natural cocoa powder, and I recommend using Dutch-processed for the best results.

Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?

Yes, sour cream and unsweetened plain Greek yogurt are pretty much interchangeable in recipes, although I like the flavor of the sour cream more.

How long do these stay fresh?

Leftover muffins should be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.  While they are best the day they’re made, they’re still delicious leftover, and should be rewarmed for 10-15 seconds in the microwave, or for several minutes in a toaster oven. These are fantastic served with butter and cherry preserves.

Why do you change the temperature from higher to lower?

By preheating the oven to 425, you give the muffins an initial burst of high heat to help the muffins rise and set the tops. So as not to burn the muffins, you need to immediately turn the heat down to 375, so the muffins can finish baking at a more moderate temperature.

A chocolate muffin split in half.

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Did you love today’s recipe? Please rate the recipe and let me know in the comments what you thought! Also, be sure to follow Curly Girl Kitchen on Instagram, and tag me when you try one of my recipes so I can see all your delicious creations!

Double chocolate muffins sprinkled with chocolate chips.

High Altitude Double Chocolate Muffins

Heather Smoke
Dutch-processed cocoa powder gives these double chocolate muffins their rich color and flavor, and sour cream keeps them deliciously soft, tender and moist. Dark chocolate chips add an extra hit of chocolate in every bite!

All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.

5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings14 muffins

Equipment

  • Muffin Pan

Ingredients
 

  • ¾ cup (180g) full-fat sour cream
  • ½ cup (135g) whole milk
  • ¾ cup (168g) vegetable oil
  • ¾ cup (162g) granulated sugar
  • 2 (110g) large eggs
  • 2 tsp (8g) vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • ½ cup (41g) unsweetened, Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 2 ½ tsp (10g) baking powder
  • ¼ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
  • 1 cup (181g) dark chocolate chips, divided

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line a standard-sized muffin pan with 14 paper liners, and lightly spray the paper liners with non-stick baking spray.
  • In a bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and use a spatula to stir the batter together just until moistened, being careful not to over-mix.
  • Divide the batter between the muffin cups, filling them full. Sprinkle the top of the batter with the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips.
  • When you put the muffins in the oven, immediately turn the heat down from 425 to 375. Bake for about 18-20 minutes, just until a toothpick comes out clean or with moist crumbs clinging to it. Be careful not to over-bake the muffins, or they can dry out.
  • Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool for about 10 more minutes. Enjoy the muffins warm.

Notes

If you don’t have sour cream, plain unsweetened Greek yogurt can also be used, or even full-fat buttermilk.  Or try it with a combination of all three!
Leftover muffins should be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.  While they are best the day they’re made, they’re still delicious leftover, and should be rewarmed for 10-15 seconds in the microwave, or for several minutes in a toaster oven.
These are fantastic served with butter and cherry preserves.
 
Keyword Chocolate Muffins, High Altitude
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
https://curlygirlkitchen.com/

Filed Under: Breads, Biscuits, Muffins and Doughnuts

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Beth Kringlie

    August 22, 2022 at 4:59 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Heather…I made 3 of your muffin recipes this weekend for my church’s worship team’s breakfast…the blueberry crumble, the chocolate chip, and the double chocolate…all 3 were amazing! The blueberry are some of the best I’ve ever tasted. I added a quick powdered sugar glaze to the chocolate chip (powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla while the muffins were still warm-ish) like your photo shows…yum! The double chocolate ones I did gluten free using a 1-1 flour. Wanted to let you know they came out really great in case you or anyone that bakes GF wanted to know. I upped the fat in the recipe about 10% and let the batter rest in the muffin cups about 15 minutes before baking (important GF baking tip) and you’d never know they were GF. Your recipes are seriously top notch!

    Reply
  2. Leslie B

    December 2, 2022 at 5:51 am

    5 stars
    Finally found the one!! I’ve got a go-to recipe for other varieties but my chocolate muffins never came out quite right until I tried your recipe! I am in Bolivia at 11,500 feet. Thanks for a great recipe, these are moist and flavorful. The search is over 😄

    Reply

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