Mary Berry Chocolate Chip Muffins​ Recipe

Mary Berry Chocolate Chip Muffins are a classic British bake that makes a brilliant after-school snack. These tall, golden sponges are packed with melty chocolate and have that signature domed top you usually only find in a professional bakery.

I’ve made these dozens of times and the trick is to keep the batter lumpy. If you try to whisk it until it’s perfectly smooth, you’ll end up with tough, rubbery muffins instead of the light and airy peaks everyone wants.

The first time I tried this, all my chocolate chips sank right to the bottom and stuck to the paper cases. Now I always toss the chips through the dry flour before adding any liquid, which coats them and keeps them suspended throughout the muffin. It’s a small detail, but it’s the difference between a plain sponge and getting a hit of chocolate in every single bite.

Try More Muffins Recipes:

• Mary Berry White Chocolate And Raspberry Muffins​ Recipe
• Mary Berry​ Lemon Drizzle Muffins Recipe
• Mary Berry​ Lemon And Blueberry Muffins Recipe

Jump to Recipe

Why You Will Love This Mary Berry Chocolate Chip Muffins​ Recipe:

• Proper bakery tops. Starting the bake at a higher temperature ensures you get those tall, mushroom-shaped domes rather than flat, sad-looking cupcakes.
• Melty chocolate hits. Reserving a handful of chips to sprinkle on top means you get a gorgeous, professional finish with visible chocolate before you even take a bite.
• Rapid results. The two-bowl mixing method is incredibly fast, so you can go from a craving to a warm, fresh muffin in just over half an hour.
• Perfectly moist. Using sunflower oil instead of butter keeps the sponge springy and soft for days, even if you don’t eat them all immediately.
• No special kit. You don’t need a heavy stand mixer or any fancy attachments; a simple bowl and a metal spoon are all it takes to get the right texture.
• Kid-approved flavour. The classic combination of vanilla sponge and milk chocolate is a guaranteed winner for lunchboxes or a quick after-school treat.

Mary Berry Chocolate Chip Muffins Ingredients

• 280g (10oz) self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 175g (6oz) caster sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 250ml (9fl oz) full-fat milk
• 100ml (3.5fl oz) sunflower oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 150g (5oz) chocolate chips, milk or dark
• Salt and pepper, to taste (omit for this sweet recipe)

How To Make Mary Berry Chocolate Chip Muffins

1. Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6). If you’re using a fan-assisted oven, drop the heat to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4). Line a standard 12-hole muffin tin with deep paper cases so the batter has plenty of room to climb up the sides.
2. Combine dry ingredients: Sift the self-raising flour and baking powder into a large bowl to get rid of any lumps. Stir in the caster sugar and most of the chocolate chips, keeping a small handful back in a cup to use for the tops later.
3. Mix wet ingredients: Pour the milk, sunflower oil, eggs, and vanilla extract into a separate jug. Whisk them together with a fork until the yellow of the eggs is fully broken up and the liquid looks like a pale, thin custard.
4. Make the batter: Pour the wet mixture into the well of the dry ingredients all at once. Use a metal spoon to stir the two together, stopping the very second you can’t see any more white streaks of flour. Do not over-mix this batter. It should still look quite rough and lumpy, as those little pockets of unmixed flour are what help the muffins rise quickly in the hot oven.
5. Fill the muffin cases: Spoon the thick batter into the paper cases, filling them almost right to the brim. Scatter the reserved chocolate chips over the top of each one so they sit on the surface as the muffins rise and expand.
6. Bake until golden: Slide the tin into the middle of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. They’re ready when they’ve risen high above the paper and the tops feel springy and firm when you give them a gentle poke with your finger.
7. Cool the muffins: Take the tin out of the oven and let the muffins sit for five minutes so the structure can settle. Move them onto a wire rack to finish cooling, though they’re arguably at their best when they’re still slightly warm and the chocolate is still soft.

Recipe Tips

• Use room temperature eggs. Cold eggs can sometimes make the sunflower oil and milk mixture look curdled. Taking them out of the fridge an hour before you start ensures the batter stays stable and rises evenly.
• Don’t over-fill. Only fill the cases about three-quarters of the way to the top with the final layer of batter. If you fill them right to the brim, the muffins will spill over the edges and stick to the tin instead of rising upwards.
• Sift the flour. Since you only stir the batter briefly, you won’t have a chance to knock out any large clumps of flour later. Sifting is a non-negotiable step here to make sure you don’t find a dry pocket of flour inside your muffin.
• Swap the oil. If you don’t have sunflower oil, any neutral-tasting vegetable oil or melted (but cooled) butter will work. Avoid using olive oil, as the strong flavour will clash with the delicate chocolate and vanilla.
• Check your powder. Muffin batter is heavy, so it needs a good kick from the raising agents. Make sure your baking powder is in date, otherwise the muffins will stay flat and dense instead of reaching that classic mushroom shape.
• Try different chips. Dark chocolate chips give a more grown-up flavour that isn’t too sweet. If you’re making these for children, milk chocolate or even white chocolate chunks usually go down much better.

What To Serve With Chocolate Chip Muffins?

Serve Chocolate Chip Muffins with a cold glass of milk or a strong cup of tea is the perfect partner for these sweet treats. The creamy milk helps balance out the rich chocolate chips inside the muffin. If you’re serving these for a weekend brunch, some fresh strawberries on the side are a great addition. You can even spread a little salted butter on a warm muffin if you want something even more indulgent.

How To Store Leftovers Chocolate Chip Muffins?

• Fridge: You shouldn’t store these in the fridge as the cold air will turn the sponge stale and dry. Keep them in an airtight container in a cool spot in the kitchen, where they’ll stay moist for about two days.
• Reheat: These are fantastic when warmed through for 10 seconds in the microwave. It softens the chocolate chips again, making it feel like it’s freshly come out of the oven, though be careful not to overheat them or they’ll go rubbery.
• Freeze: These muffins freeze beautifully for up to three months in a freezer bag. Just make sure they’re completely cold before you pack them away, then let them thaw at room temperature for an hour before eating.

FAQs

Why are my muffins flat?

This usually happens if the batter was over-mixed or if the oven wasn’t hot enough when the tin went in. The high initial heat is what triggers the baking powder to create that dramatic rise.

Can I make the Mary Berry Chocolate Chip Muffins with plain flour?

No, you need the raising agents in the self-raising flour to lift the heavy batter. If you only have plain flour, you’ll need to add two teaspoons of baking powder for every 150g of flour used.

What if I don’t have sunflower oil?

You can use vegetable oil or even melted butter that has been allowed to cool down. Melted butter gives a richer flavour, but oil usually produces a more moist and springy texture that lasts longer.

How do I stop the chocolate chips from sinking?

The best way is to stir them into the dry flour before you add any of the wet ingredients. This light dusting of flour helps the chips grip the batter so they don’t fall to the bottom of the case.

More Muffins Recipes:

• Mary Berry Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins​ Recipe
• Mary Berry Double Chocolate Chip Muffins​
• Mary Berry Strawberry Muffins Recipe

Mary Berry Chocolate Chip Muffins Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 of 12):

• Calories: 310 kcal
• Protein: 5g
• Fat: 14g
• Carbohydrates: 41g
• Sugar: 22g
• Sodium: 115mg

Are you planning to bake these for a quick breakfast on the go, or are they a treat for a mid-afternoon tea break?

Mary Berry Chocolate Chip Muffins​ Recipe

Course: Dessert, Breakfast, SnacksCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

310

kcal

Mary Berry Chocolate Chip Muffins are a classic British bake that makes a brilliant after-school snack. These tall, golden sponges are packed with melty chocolate and have that signature domed top you usually only find in a professional bakery.

Ingredients

• 280g (10oz) self-raising flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 175g (6oz) caster sugar

• 2 large eggs, at room temperature

• 250ml (9fl oz) full-fat milk

• 100ml (3.5fl oz) sunflower oil

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 150g (5oz) chocolate chips, milk or dark

• Salt and pepper, to taste (omit for this sweet recipe)

Directions

• Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6). If you’re using a fan-assisted oven, drop the heat to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4). Line a standard 12-hole muffin tin with deep paper cases so the batter has plenty of room to climb up the sides.
• Combine dry ingredients: Sift the self-raising flour and baking powder into a large bowl to get rid of any lumps. Stir in the caster sugar and most of the chocolate chips, keeping a small handful back in a cup to use for the tops later.
• Mix wet ingredients: Pour the milk, sunflower oil, eggs, and vanilla extract into a separate jug. Whisk them together with a fork until the yellow of the eggs is fully broken up and the liquid looks like a pale, thin custard.
• Make the batter: Pour the wet mixture into the well of the dry ingredients all at once. Use a metal spoon to stir the two together, stopping the very second you can’t see any more white streaks of flour. Do not over-mix this batter. It should still look quite rough and lumpy, as those little pockets of unmixed flour are what help the muffins rise quickly in the hot oven.
• Fill the muffin cases: Spoon the thick batter into the paper cases, filling them almost right to the brim. Scatter the reserved chocolate chips over the top of each one so they sit on the surface as the muffins rise and expand.
• Bake until golden: Slide the tin into the middle of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. They’re ready when they’ve risen high above the paper and the tops feel springy and firm when you give them a gentle poke with your finger.
• Cool the muffins: Take the tin out of the oven and let the muffins sit for five minutes so the structure can settle. Move them onto a wire rack to finish cooling, though they’re arguably at their best when they’re still slightly warm and the chocolate is still soft.

Notes

• Use room temperature eggs. Cold eggs can sometimes make the sunflower oil and milk mixture look curdled. Taking them out of the fridge an hour before you start ensures the batter stays stable and rises evenly.
  Don’t over-fill. Only fill the cases about three-quarters of the way to the top with the final layer of batter. If you fill them right to the brim, the muffins will spill over the edges and stick to the tin instead of rising upwards.
  Sift the flour. Since you only stir the batter briefly, you won’t have a chance to knock out any large clumps of flour later. Sifting is a non-negotiable step here to make sure you don’t find a dry pocket of flour inside your muffin.
  Swap the oil. If you don’t have sunflower oil, any neutral-tasting vegetable oil or melted (but cooled) butter will work. Avoid using olive oil, as the strong flavour will clash with the delicate chocolate and vanilla.
  Check your powder. Muffin batter is heavy, so it needs a good kick from the raising agents. Make sure your baking powder is in date, otherwise the muffins will stay flat and dense instead of reaching that classic mushroom shape.
  Try different chips. Dark chocolate chips give a more grown-up flavour that isn’t too sweet. If you’re making these for children, milk chocolate or even white chocolate chunks usually go down much better.