Dark Chocolate Raspberry Muffins
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Soak Time: 0 minutes
Cook Time: 18–22 minutes
Total Time: 35–40 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (45 g) natural cocoa powder
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine salt
- ¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk, room temp
- ½ cup (120 ml) neutral oil (or melted butter)
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 ml) sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 1 cup (175 g) dark chocolate chips (60–70% cacao)
- 1¼ cups (150 g) fresh raspberries (or frozen, unthawed)
- Optional: coarse sugar for tops
Directions
- Heat & prep: Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with papers (or grease lightly).
- Dry mix: In a large bowl whisk flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until uniform. Cocoa tends to clump—break it up thoroughly so the crumb bakes evenly.
- Wet mix: In a second bowl whisk milk, oil, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream until smooth. The dairy adds tenderness and moisture while oil keeps the crumb soft even after cooling.
- Combine: Pour wet into dry. Using a spatula, fold gently just until a few streaks of flour remain—overmixing toughens muffins. Sprinkle in chocolate chips and 1 cup raspberries, then fold 3–4 more strokes to distribute. Reserve remaining raspberries for the tops so they stay bright and intact.
- Pan & crown: Divide batter evenly (a heaping scoop per cup). Nestle a few of the reserved raspberries on each and sprinkle with coarse sugar for a crackly lid.
- Bake hot, then finish: Bake 8 minutes at 400°F to drive rapid oven spring (high domes), then reduce to 350°F (175°C) without opening the door and bake 10–12 minutes more, until a tester comes out with a few moist crumbs (melted chocolate may streak).
- Cool: Rest in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Serve warm for molten pockets of chocolate and jammy berries.
Tips & swaps
- Frozen berries: Use frozen raspberries straight from the freezer; don’t thaw. Dust them lightly in a spoonful of the measured flour if you want to minimize sinking.
- Double chocolate: Swap ¼ cup flour for cocoa and add an extra ¼ cup chips for ultra-fudgy muffins.
- Whole-grain boost: Replace up to ½ cup flour with fine whole wheat pastry flour; add 1–2 tbsp milk if batter thickens.
- Make ahead: Muffins freeze beautifully up to 2 months; rewarm at 300°F (150°C) for 8–10 minutes.
- Shinier crumb: Stir 1 tsp espresso powder into the dry mix to amplify chocolate without making the muffins taste like coffee.
Why it works
A two-stage bake (hot start, lower finish) encourages tall crowns while preventing dry interiors. Sour cream (or yogurt) contributes acidity to react with baking soda, boosting lift and tenderizing gluten. Keeping the batter slightly lumpy protects tenderness; fully smoothing it overdevelops gluten. Finally, folding berries at the end preserves their shape, yielding pockets of tartness that balance dark chocolate’s richness.
References
- King Arthur Baking — Muffin mixing method and high-domed techniques: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2017/07/10/how-to-make-high-domed-muffins
- Serious Eats — The science of muffins and quick breads (mixing, leavening, tenderness): https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-make-muffins-quick-breads
- Cook’s Illustrated — Using yogurt/sour cream for moisture and tenderness in baking: https://www.americastestkitchen.com
- The Culinary Institute of America — Baking and Pastry: Mastering the Art and Craft (technique reference): https://www.ciachef.edu
- Harold McGee — On Food and Cooking (Harvard Book Store): https://www.harvard.com/book/on_food_and_cooking/
