Where are all my chocolate lovers? There’s nothing better than chocolate for breakfast, and these bakery-style Double Chocolate Muffins are an indulgent, easy-to-make treat.
Inspired by the oversized muffins from Costco, this copycat version recreates that bakery texture and rich chocolate flavor at home—no membership required. After testing the recipe multiple times, I’m confident these muffins are moist, deeply chocolatey, and loaded with melty chips in every bite.
Perfect for a decadent breakfast or a sweet afternoon pick-me-up, these muffins deliver bakery-quality results from your own kitchen.
Table Talk with Tawnie
The first time I tried one of Costco’s chocolate muffins I was hooked. It’s basically dessert for breakfast, and after perfecting my copycat recipes, I finally nailed this double chocolate version. These muffins are moist, rich, and even better than the store-bought ones—plus I like having the option to make them at home whenever the craving strikes.
Ingredient Notes
(Full recipe card is below)
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour and spoon and level it into the cup to avoid packing too much, which can make muffins dense.
- Cocoa powder: Regular unsweetened cocoa works well. For a deeper chocolate flavor, try Special Dark or Dutch-processed cocoa.
- Baking powder & baking soda: Using both helps create a high rise and fluffy texture. Make sure your leavening agents are fresh.
- Espresso powder: Optional. It doesn’t make the muffins taste like coffee; it simply intensifies the chocolate flavor.
- Sour cream: Adds moisture and richness. Full-fat Greek yogurt is an excellent substitute.
- Buttermilk: Gives a softer texture than regular milk. If you don’t have it, you can make a quick substitute by adding 1 Tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup milk and letting it sit 5 minutes.
- Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet chips are used here, but milk, dark, or white chips all work depending on your preference.
Step by Step Directions
(Full recipe card below)
Stir together dry ingredients
Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder (if using).
Combine butter and sugar
Whisk the slightly cooled melted butter with the sugar until combined.
Add remaining wet ingredients
Add the eggs one at a time, then vanilla, sour cream, and buttermilk; whisk until combined.
Combine ingredients and bake
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet along with most of the chocolate chips, scoop into liners, and bake.
Enjoy!
Serve warm with a cold glass of milk and enjoy.
Expert Tips
- Don’t overmix: Stir until the dry ingredients are incorporated; a few small lumps are fine. Overmixing makes muffins tough.
- Room-temperature wet ingredients: Let eggs, sour cream, and buttermilk sit at room temperature about 30–60 minutes to help the batter come together smoothly.
- Measure flour correctly: Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off to avoid adding too much. A kitchen scale yields the best accuracy.
- Fill liners nearly full: To achieve jumbo bakery-style domes, fill the liners to the top. This recipe yields six jumbo muffins.
- Start hot, then lower the temperature: Begin at a higher temperature for a short time to encourage a strong rise, then reduce heat so the muffins bake through without overbrowning.
Variations / Substitutions
- Gluten-free: Swap in a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and add ½ tsp xanthan gum if the blend lacks it.
- Chocolate chips: Use milk, dark, or white chocolate chips to change sweetness and flavor.
- Nuts: Fold in chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds for crunch.
- Cocoa: Try Dutch-processed cocoa for a richer, smoother chocolate note.
Storage / Freezing
- Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for 2–3 days.
- Refrigerator: Keeps up to 1 week in an airtight container.
- Freezer: Cool completely, wrap individually, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw or warm in the microwave before serving.
FAQs
Can I make standard-sized muffins with this recipe?
Yes. Use a 12-count muffin pan and reduce baking: about 5 minutes at 425°F, then ~10–12 minutes at 350°F (total ~20 minutes). Expect roughly 12–14 standard muffins.
Why did my muffins sink in the middle?
Common causes: overmixing the batter, underbaking, or opening the oven door too early. Avoid these and test doneness with a toothpick—there should be a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
Why are my muffins sticking to the liners?
Use high-quality parchment liners, let muffins cool about 10 minutes before peeling, or lightly spray liners with nonstick spray before filling.
Does espresso powder make these muffins taste like coffee?
No. Espresso powder is used in small amounts to boost chocolate flavor—it won’t make the muffins taste like coffee. It’s optional.
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Jumbo Muffin Pan
Espresso Powder (optional)
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Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating so others know how it turned out.
Copycat Costco Double Chocolate Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (sift if clumpy)
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. espresso powder (optional)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (divided)
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating to let others know how it turned out.
Instructions
- Preheat and prep: Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a 6-count jumbo muffin pan with jumbo parchment liners and set aside. (For smaller muffins, use a standard 12-count pan; see notes.)
- Whisk dry ingredients: In a medium bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder (if using).
- Melted butter & sugar: In a large bowl whisk together the slightly cooled melted butter and sugar until combined.
- Add wet ingredients: Add eggs one at a time, whisking after each. Stir in vanilla, then whisk in sour cream and buttermilk until combined.
- Add dry ingredients: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture along with 1 1/2 cups of the chocolate chips. Reserve 1/2 cup of chips for topping. Do not overmix—the batter will be thick. Let batter rest 10–15 minutes at room temperature.
- Scoop into muffin pan: Divide batter into the prepared jumbo muffin pan and top with reserved chocolate chips. You should get six jumbo muffins; if fillings get too close to the top, make a few smaller muffins to avoid overflow.
- Bake: Bake 5 minutes at 425°F, then without opening the oven reduce temperature to 350°F and bake another ~19–25 minutes. Muffins are done when risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Cool and enjoy: Let cool in the pan for a few minutes, then remove and enjoy warm.
Notes
- Storage: Room temperature in an airtight container for 2–3 days; refrigerated up to 1 week.
- Freezing: Cool completely, wrap individually, and freeze up to 2–3 months.
- Buttermilk substitute: Mix 1 Tbsp. white vinegar or lemon juice into 1 cup milk and let sit 5 minutes, or use whole milk if preferred. Sour cream can be replaced with full-fat plain Greek yogurt.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1 jumbo muffin • Calories: 793 kcal • Carbohydrates: 116 g • Protein: 14 g • Fat: 33 g • Sugar: 67 g
Nutritional information is an estimate and should be used as a guideline only.
📸 Photography by Creating Kaitlin