It Took Three Tries to Make a Muffin I’d Look For
Muffins aren’t my favorite. I’ll eat one if it happens to be in front of me, but I don’t usually go looking for one—and when given a choice, I almost always pick chocolate chip.
I also rarely finish a regular-size muffin, which is why I prefer making them mini. They’re easier to eat, apparently irresistible to both kids and adults, and you get more of those golden, slightly crunchy edges in every bite. They also make a good lunchbox treat for all ages. Everybody wins—except perhaps the person hoping there will still be some left tomorrow.
It took me three tries to arrive at a version I genuinely liked. The buttermilk gives the muffins a subtle tang, helps keep the crumb tender, and provides the acidity needed to react with the baking soda. But the biggest improvement came from giving the batter a 30-minute “marinating time.”
Of course, muffin batter doesn’t technically marinate. During that short rest, the flour has time to absorb more of the liquid, which thickens the batter and helps it rise upward instead of spreading. The gluten also relaxes, contributing to a softer, more tender crumb. After resting, the batter should be scooped gently without stirring so you don’t knock out the air it has developed.
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Ingredients
- 160g (1¼ cups) all-purpose flour if measuring by cup, use the scoop & level method
- 115g (½ cup plus 1 tablespoon) granulated white sugar
- 5g (1¼ teaspoons) baking powder
- 1.2g (¼ teaspoon) baking soda
- 1.5g (¼ teaspoon) fine salt
- 130g (¾ cup) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
- 50g (1 large) egg, at room temperature
- 33g (2 tablespoons) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 5g (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 14g (1 tablespoon) vegetable oil or any neutral tasting oil like canola
- 55g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 133g (½ cup plus 2½ teaspoons) buttermilk, at room temperature
- Coarse sugar for sprinkling, optional
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix in 90g (approximately ½ cup) of the mini chocolate chips. Reserve the remaining 40g (approximately ¼ cup) for topping.160g (1¼ cups) all-purpose flour115g (½ cup plus 1 tablespoon) granulated white sugar5g (1¼ teaspoons) baking powder1.2g (¼ teaspoon) baking soda1.5g (¼ teaspoon) fine salt130g (¾ cup) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
- In another bowl, whisk the egg and sour cream until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla and vegetable oil. Add the melted butter, followed by the buttermilk.50g (1 large) egg, at room temperature33g (2 tablespoons) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature5g (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract14g (1 tablespoon) vegetable oil or any neutral tasting oil like canola55g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled133g (½ cup plus 2½ teaspoons) buttermilk, at room temperature
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold gently just until no dry flour remains. The batter should be thick and scoopable, with a few small lumps remaining. Do not overmix.
- Cover and rest the batter at room temperature for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, the batter should look slightly puffier and thicker. Do not stir it down—we'll gently scoop through the batter and portion it into the pan later in Step 6.
- Near the end of the resting time, preheat the oven to 425°F conventional/no fan. Grease or line a metal mini-muffin pan.
- Do not stir the rested batter. Portion approximately 28–30g into each cavity. Top with the reserved chocolate chips and, optionally, a very light sprinkle of coarse sugar.Coarse sugar for sprinkling, optional
- Bake at 425°F for 3 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake for another 6–8 minutes. Start checking at 9 minutes total. For my oven, it took a total of 11 minutes. Remove when the tops spring back lightly and the centres reach approximately 200–205°F.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack.
