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    Home » Sweets

    Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins with Orange Zest

    August 31, 2020 by Chenée Lewis

    254 shares
    Simple Homemade Orange and Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins Recipe | Chenée Today

    What's better than a batch of muffins on a weekend morning, or as an afternoon snack on a busy weekday? I'll tell you what's better: a batch of adorable little mini muffins. Especially these lovely orange chocolate chip mini muffins topped with turbinado sugar!

    As you'll see below, these orange chocolate chip mini muffins are the perfect mini muffins, upgraded with the classic flavor combination of orange and chocolate! This is one of my all-time favorite flavor pairings -- I feature it in my Chocolate Orange Slice-and-Bake Shortbread Cookies and also in my No-Bake Cannoli Tart! They're so perfect together, and in these mini muffins the orange zest just takes the flavor to another level!

    Ingredients

    You'll love how easy these mini muffins are! Just a few ingredients with a bowl and a whisk and you've almost got these delectable orange chocolate chip mini muffins! Here's what you'll need to gather together:

    • all-purpose flour - Measured using the spoon-and-level method, but ideally measured by weight using a food scale -- you'll need 160 grams
    • baking powder - gives the muffins a lift for that perfect domed top!
    • salt - in addition to using salted butter, adding a little salt helps bring out the flavors in these muffins and cut the sweetness a bit.
    • semi-sweet mini chocolate chips - I love mini chocolate chips! They're such cute little bursts of chocolate flavor! For this recipe I used Tollhouse Semi-Sweet Mini Morsels.
    • butter - I like to use salted butter because, along with the salt in this recipe, it helps cut the sweetness a bit and bring out the flavors. But if you prefer to use unsalted butter, just add an extra ⅛ of a teaspoon of salt.
    • granulated sugar - gives our muffins a little sweetness!
    • light brown sugar - adds a rich sweetness and helps our muffins stay moist.
    • orange zest - my favorite ingredient! It adds so much orange flavor that you can taste, smell, and see in these orange chocolate chip mini muffins!
    • eggs - binds our muffin batter together!
    • turbinado sugar - my favorite muffin topping! It easily takes any muffin recipe to a more elevated level, adding sparkle, crunch, and sweetness. The perfect finishing touch!
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    Equipment

    This is a mini muffin recipe, so you definitely need a 24-cup mini muffin pan! I like this one from Wilton -- it's super easy to clean! But to make clean up even easier, I like to use these mini muffin pan liners brushed with a little cooking oil. Also, as you'll see below, I have an easy trick to get neat, evenly filled muffin cups that involves a pastry bag!

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    Step by Step

    1. Whisk together flour, baking powder and chocolate chips.
    2. Cream together butter and sugars, then mix in orange zest, vanilla, and egg.
    3. Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, mixing just until everything is combined!
    4. Fill your muffin cups and bake!

    Tips for the best mini chocolate chip muffins

    Use a food scale to measure your flour. I am fully converted to using a food scale for as many ingredients as possible. You may know that precision is so important in baking, and getting the precise amount of flour, or baking soda, or any other ingredient is essential. In these cupcakes, too much flour will make them dense and chewy, while too little will make them flat and mushy. In this recipe, as in all my recipes, the flour is listed in grams so that you can be sure you're using the right amount. I'm working on getting all my ingredients in metric measurements as well!

    Spray or brush your muffin cups with oil. This is not required, but I like how easily the muffins come out of the muffin cups when they're brushed with a little oil. It's hard to get cooking spray into such small liners, but a little cooking oil on a pastry brush is perfect!

    Use a pastry bag to pipe batter into muffin cups. This is the best tip! Just grab the pastry bag you normally use for decorating cakes and cupcakes and pipe, swirling batter to the top of each little liner! It's so neat and easy, and helps to keep the mini muffins evenly filled!

    Don't overbake. These chocolate chip mini muffins cook in about 10-12 minutes. The first time I made them, I cooked them for 14 minutes, and they were a little dry. Learn from my mistake! Your results may vary slightly, but be sure to check them after 10 minutes and take them out once a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean!

    Related Recipes

    This orange chocolate chip mini muffins recipe is a favorite of mine because of that unforgettable flavor combination, orange and chocolate! It's one of my all-time favorites, and I love to use it in my baking! If you like this recipe, you'll enjoy my No-Bake Cannoli Tart, a take on the Sicilian pastry in a no-bake tart with a graham cracker crust!

    You should also definitely check out my Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins! They use the same base muffin recipe as these chocolate chip mini muffins, but they're bursting with fresh blueberries and lemon zest! The perfect morning snack.

    No-Bake Cannoli Tart Recipe - So Easy! | Chenée Today
    No-Bake Cannoli Tart

    📖 Recipe

    Simple Homemade Orange and Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins Recipe | Chenée Today

    Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins with Orange Zest

    Print Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Easy chocolate chip mini muffins recipe brightened with orange zest! These moist chocolate chip muffins are made with buttermilk, brown sugar, and mini choc chips!
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 27 minutes minutes
    Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine :American
    Servings: 24 muffins
    Calories: 62kcal
    Recipe Source: Chenée Lewis

    Equipment you may need

    • measuring cups and spoons
    • mixing bowls
    • hand mixer
    • rubber spatula
    • whisk
    • stand mixer
    • food scale
    • cooling rack
    • 24-cup mini muffin pan
    • mini muffin liners
    • pastry bag and tips

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour - 160g
    • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ⅔ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips - plus more for topping
    • ¼ cup unsalted butter - room temperature
    • ¼ cup granulated sugar
    • ¼ cup light brown sugar
    • 2 teaspoon orange zest
    • 1 large egg - room temperature
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • ⅓ cup buttermilk - room temperature
    • ¼ cup turbinado sugar – for topping

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 400°F and line a 24-cup mini muffin pan with liners. If you like, spray or brush the liners with cooking oil.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda,
    • In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugars until fluffy. Add orange zest, egg, and vanilla, mixing well after each addition.
    • Add ⅓ of flour mixture and gently fold into batter. Follow with ⅓ of buttermilk. Repeat alternating until all flour mixture and buttermilk is added, mixing gently after each addition.
    • Using a piping bag or mini cupcake scoop, fill lineers to just above ¾ full. Drop pan onto counter once or twice to eliminate air bubbles.
    • Bake in preheated oven for 10-11 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool slightly and remove from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

    Video

    Notes

    Storage: These orange chocolate chip mini muffins are perfect for freezing! Just allow them to cool completely, and pop them in a freezer bag! When you're ready to serve them, let them thaw inside the closed freezer bag at room temperature, or heat them in the microwave for a few seconds.
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 muffin | Calories: 62 kcal | Carbohydrates: 9 g | Protein: 1 g | Fat: 2 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Cholesterol: 13 mg | Sodium: 71 mg | Potassium: 50 mg | Sugar: 4 g | Calcium: 22 mg
    Nutrition Disclaimer
    Tags: best chocolate chip muffins, choc chip muffin recipe, choc chip muffins, choc chip muffins recipe, chocolate chip mini muffins, chocolate chip muffin recipes, chocolate chip muffins, chocolate chip muffins mini, chocolate chip muffins reciepe, chocolate chip muffins recipie, chocolate orange cupcakes, chocolate orange muffins, easy chocolate chip muffins, homemade chocolate chip muffins, mini choc chip muffins, mini chocolate chip muffins, mini muffins, moist chocolate chip muffins, orange chocolate chip muffins, orange chocolate muffins
    Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can't wait to see (and share) your results! Follow me on Instagram at @chenee_today and tag #cheneetoday!

    PIN this orange and chocolate chip mini muffins recipe for later!

    Simple Homemade Orange and Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins Recipe | Chenée Today

    Last Updated on April 6, 2021 by Chenée Lewis

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    254 shares

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    1. rebecca

      March 07, 2023 at 8:02 pm

      5 stars
      ok brilliant idea to add orange zest. such great flavor addition!

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis

        March 08, 2023 at 10:14 pm

        So glad you liked them!

        Reply
    2. Sharon

      March 07, 2023 at 7:04 pm

      5 stars
      Chocolate and orange is a combination I love and they are the perfect combo in these soft bakery-style muffins.

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis

        March 09, 2023 at 10:39 am

        I love it too! Glad you enjoyed them!!

        Reply
    3. Justin

      March 07, 2023 at 5:53 pm

      Loved the added zest and fresh fruit flavor on these!! So good

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis

        March 09, 2023 at 10:38 am

        Thank you! Glad you like them!

        Reply
    4. Jean

      January 24, 2022 at 4:08 am

      5 stars
      I've made these many times, always good, always popular.
      Can I use gluten free flour instead?

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis

        January 25, 2022 at 10:37 am

        Great to hear that! I haven't tried them with gluten-free flour, but I imagine a 1-to-1 flour blend with xanthin gum would work well. Let me know how it works for you!

        Reply
    5. Jean

      September 28, 2021 at 5:27 am

      Hi. Do I need to change anything if I do the below:
      1. sub half of the AP flour for wholemeal flour?
      2. sub chocolare chips for walnuts?
      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis

        September 29, 2021 at 1:26 am

        Hi! I haven't tried this recipe with whole wheat flour, but I would think that subbing up to half of the flour should work out fine! You may want to increase the granulated sugar to 1/3 cup if you're skipping the chocolate chips, or if you prefer your muffins less sweet then just leave it at 1/4 cup. Let me know how they come out! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Jean

      August 31, 2021 at 10:10 pm

      5 stars
      Just baked, very good! I only used 1/4 cup sugar as wanted them less sweet. Thanks for sharing your recipe.

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis

        August 31, 2021 at 11:55 pm

        Wonderful! I'm glad you liked them!

        Reply
    7. Britney

      September 09, 2020 at 4:39 am

      5 stars
      I was so excited to make this when I saw it on your instagram and it was better than I could have ever imagined!! So fluffy and delicious!

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis

        September 09, 2020 at 5:17 am

        I'm so glad they worked out for you!! Thanks 🙂

        Reply
    8. Marta

      September 09, 2020 at 3:09 am

      5 stars
      These muffins made me long for the winter! They reminded me so much of Christmastime when I'd get those chocolate-covered oranges in the foil wrappers. I doubled the batch and froze half for later.

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis

        September 09, 2020 at 5:17 am

        I used to get those too! Takes me back to every Christmas morning when I was a kid.

        Reply
    9. Chef Mireille

      September 09, 2020 at 12:27 am

      5 stars
      chocolate and orange are always a great combo - and the tang from the buttermilk increased the flavor so much!

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis

        September 09, 2020 at 5:17 am

        I'm so glad you enjoyed them! Yeah I love what buttermilk adds to muffins 🙂

        Reply
    10. Tamara

      September 08, 2020 at 12:47 am

      5 stars
      Such a delicious muffin! They were easy to make, and the kids and hubby devoured them! Definitely gonna be making these again!!

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis

        September 08, 2020 at 6:26 am

        I'm so glad they were a hit! 🙂

        Reply
    11. Adri Ruff

      September 07, 2020 at 3:40 pm

      5 stars
      Chenee, I'm pretty sure I've said this before, but all of your recipes are winners! These muffins were easy and delicious. It was fun to make these with my baby over the long weekend!

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis

        September 08, 2020 at 6:26 am

        Aww you're too sweet!! That's so awesome that you two were able to spend time together making these! 🙂

        Reply
    12. Samantha

      September 07, 2020 at 5:24 am

      5 stars
      I love orange and chocolate together! These muffins are super moist!

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis

        September 08, 2020 at 6:28 am

        Thank you! Orange and chocolate are SO great together!!

        Reply
    13. Capri Lilly

      September 03, 2020 at 10:55 pm

      5 stars
      The orange flavor in this recipe was just right! Paired with the chocolate, this dessert was THE BEST! I've been enjoying these muffins for breakfast 🙂

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis

        September 08, 2020 at 6:28 am

        Me too!! Breakfast of champions 🙂

        Reply
    14. Kate

      September 03, 2020 at 10:51 am

      These look sooo yummy!

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis

        September 08, 2020 at 6:29 am

        Thank you!! They're so tasty!

        Reply
    15. Renia

      September 02, 2020 at 8:14 pm

      5 stars
      I typically don't like orange anything but these muffins were tasty. I used carob instead of chocolate and it worked well!

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis

        September 03, 2020 at 4:25 am

        Thanks for giving them a shot! Glad they worked out for you! 🙂

        Reply

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    About Chenée

    I’m Chenée (kinda rhymes with “today”) and I love all types of baking! But my favorite recipes are ones that are quick and easy, and still yield impressive results. The ones you can't help but make again and again! That's what I share here, and I hope I can make your baking life a little easier along the way. MORE ABOUT CHENÉE >>

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