These chocolate chip mini muffins are like a homemade version of the Little Bites® Chocolate Chip Muffins I grew up with! They're perfect for busy mornings or whenever you need a bite-sized snack 😋. Ready in under 30 minutes, these tiny treats pack a big flavor with mini chocolate chips in every bite!
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The secret ingredient here is kefir, which adds moisture and helps create an incredibly tender crumb. Just like my kefir pancakes and triple chocolate muffins, this recipe is sponsored by my friends at Lifeway!
Looking for another taste of nostalgia? Give my brownie bites and mini muffins with blueberries a try!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- These mini treats come together in less than 30 minutes.
- It's an easy muffin recipe that uses only 9 basic ingredients that are probably already in your pantry!
- They're perfectly poppable and great for kids' lunchboxes.
- Each bite has just the right amount of chocolate chips.
Recipe Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients to make this mini muffin recipe:
Ingredient Notes:
- All-purpose flour: The foundation of our mini muffins. For best results, weigh this in grams using a kitchen scale. If using measuring cups, carefully spoon the flour into the cup and level it off to avoid over-packing.
- Baking powder: Essential to get them to rise with the best fluffy texture.
- Salt: Just a pinch enhances all the flavors and balances the sweetness.
- Lifeway's Organic Plain Lowfat Kefir: Adds moisture and creates an incredibly tender texture.
- Egg: Bring a large one to room temperature so it mixes well with the other ingredients. You can do this quickly by placing the whole egg in a cup with lukewarm water.
- Vegetable oil: Creates a moist, tender crumb that stays fresh for days.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the chocolate flavor and adds warmth.
- Mini chocolate chips: Ensure every bite has the right amount of chocolate!
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Replace mini chocolate chips with regular semi-sweet chocolate chips or a chopped chocolate bar, if that's what you have on hand.
- Can't find Lifeway kefir? Feel free to substitute it with buttermilk or slightly watered-down Greek yogurt.
- Fold in chopped nuts or dried fruit for extra texture and flavor.
- Add a sprinkle of turbinado sugar on top of the muffin batter for a sweet crunch.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Equipment
For the cutest little muffins, you'll need a mini muffin tin! I got my hands on a USA Pan one at Goodwill a few years ago and it's held up so well. That said, if you want to make these into regular-sized muffins, feel free to use a normal muffin pan!
I also recommend using mini muffin liners, but you can go without and just grease the pan with non-stick baking spray instead!
How to Make Mini Chocolate Chip Muffins
Quick Recipe Video
Step-by-Step Instructions
Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Wet Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg, kefir, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Combine
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until a few flour streaks remain. Be careful not to over-mix!
Chocolate Chips
Gently fold in the mini chocolate chips until they're evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Scoop
Line a mini muffin pan with paper liners and scoop the batter into each cup, filling them about ⅔ full.
Bake
Bake at 350°F until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 13-16 minutes.
Expert Baking Tips
- Don't over-mix the batter! This can cause too much gluten to form, making them dense and gummy. Mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated to get tender, fluffy muffins.
- Use a small cookie scoop to easily transfer the batter into the mini muffin cups.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Common Questions
Of course! Bake them at 375°F for about 15-20 minutes.
This usually happens from over-mixing the batter or over-measuring the flour. I highly recommend weighing your dry ingredients in grams using a scale.
Absolutely! These muffins freeze really well, making them a perfect make-ahead treat that you can take on the go!
It's available in many grocery stores nationwide. Check lifewaykefir.com to find a store near you.
Storage
Room Temperature
These mini muffins are best eaten within 5 days when they're stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Refrigerator
I don't recommend refrigerating the baked muffins, but you can refrigerate the batter for up to 1 day before scooping & baking them.
Freezing Instructions
Place the cooled muffins in a freezer-safe container. Freeze them for up to 2 months. Thaw them at room temperature or pop them into the microwave for a few seconds!
Did you try this recipe?
Let us know what you thought by leaving a comment below and sharing it on Instagram, Facebook, & Pinterest!
Thank you!
-Kayla
📖 Recipe
Easy Homemade Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins
Equipment
- Mini muffin pan with liners or non-stick baking spray
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Spatula
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (66.67 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ½ cup (120 ml) Lifeway Organic Plain Lowfat Kefir room temperature
- ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup (120 g) mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Fill a mini muffin pan with mini liners or grease cups with non-stick baking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.1 cup all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, kefir, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.1 large egg, ½ cup Lifeway Organic Plain Lowfat Kefir, ¼ cup vegetable oil, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ones until just a couple of flour streaks remain.
- Gently fold in the mini chocolate chips.⅔ cup mini chocolate chips
- Fill the muffin liners evenly (about ⅔ full).
- Bake on the oven's middle rack until a toothpick comes out clean (about 13-16 minutes).
- Let the mini muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
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Kayla Burton says
I'm so excited to bring you these mini chocolate chip muffins! If you try them, I'd love to know what you think!