Chocolate Chip Cherry Muffins

Homemade muffins are a baking 101 type assignment, but if you’ve learned anything here in the Great Island kitchen you know that simple is usually always best. I got the idea for these chocolate chip cherry muffins from our favorite out to breakfast spot, but I have to say my version is even better. There’s something stodgy about the best bakery muffins, but mine are light and moist with a tender crumb and a delicate almond flavor. It’ll be my new base for muffin recipe for the foreseeable future.

See all my muffin recipes here

ingredient notes for chocolate chip cherry muffins

• chocolate chips ~ I used mini chocolate chips here, but feel free to use any shape or style you like.
• dried cherries ~ I tested this recipe both with sweetened dried cherries and unsweetened dried cherries, and I recommend sticking with sweetened dried cherries for the best flavor pop.
• almond extract pairs well with the chocolate and the cherry here, but feel free to replace with vanilla extract if you prefer.
• real buttermilk ~ the acidity breaks down gluten strands in muffin batter, resulting in a tender crumb and enhanced rise. Look for cultured buttermilk right in your dairy section.
  • In a pinch, you can make your own by adding 1 Tbsp lemon juice to 1 cup of milk and letting the mixture sit for about 10 minutes before using in the recipe, but I find this doesn’t quite give the same final texture as a cultured buttermilk from the store.

why I rest this muffin batter

Letting muffin batter rest for at least an hour, or up to overnight allows the flour to fully absorb the liquids, resulting in a thicker batter that produces taller, more tender chocolate chip cherry muffins. Double-acting baking powder is designed to work in two stages: first when mixed with wet ingredients and again when heated. This means that even if you let your muffin batter chill overnight, the baking powder will still have leavening power left for baking.

This is a convenient technique because it allows you to prep the muffins ahead and bake when you’re ready. Who doesn’t love a muffin fresh from the oven?

more muffins for your recipe box

• orange and cardamom muffins
• triple berry muffins
• chocolate chip peanut butter muffins
• pumpkin doughnut muffins
• double chocolate muffins
• carrot cake muffins

Cherry Chocolate Chip Muffins

5 from 1 vote

Treat yourself to a batch of homemade chocolate chip cherry muffins. Moist, fluffy, and full of sweet and tart flavors, they're the perfect way to start your day.

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Prep Time:15 minutes minutes

Cook Time:25 minutes minutes

Total Time:40 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 muffins

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Equipment

• muffin pan and paper liners

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips, plus a couple tablespoons for topping (optional)
• 1 1/4 cup dried cherries, plus a few extras for topping (optional)

Instructions

• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the vegetable oil, sugar, eggs, and almond extract. Whisk well to combine.
• Add the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, and fold the batter together, I like to use a silicone spoonula. Mix just until there are no large streaks of dry flour left and don't overmix.
• Briefly fold in the mini chocolate chips and dried cherries.
• Cover the batter bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for 1 hour or up to overnight.*
• Preheat oven to 400F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with muffin-tin liners.
• When the oven is preheated, divide the batter into the 12 muffin cups, filling them all the way to the top. This is a lot of batter and will make 12 large muffins. I like to pop a few extra chips and cherries into the tops of my muffin batter before baking, but this is optional.
• Place in the oven and immediately turn the oven temperature down to 375F. Bake for 25-30 minutes until risen and just starting to turn golden around the edges.
• Remove from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the pan for a couple minutes before carefully removing them and allowing them to finish cooling on a baking rack.

Notes

*Chilling muffin batter overnight enhances texture, flavor, and rise. The rest period allows flour to absorb moisture, resulting in a thicker batter that gives you taller, more tender muffins. This technique is commonly used in bakeries to achieve fabulous results.

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Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Author: Sue Moran

Keyword: baking, breakfast, cherries, chocolate chips, muffins

Nutrition

Calories: 328 kcal · Carbohydrates: 47 g · Protein: 5 g · Fat: 13 g · Saturated Fat: 4 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 5 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g · Trans Fat: 0.1 g · Cholesterol: 32 mg · Sodium: 326 mg · Potassium: 84 mg · Fiber: 2 g · Sugar: 27 g · Vitamin A: 554 IU · Vitamin C: 0.1 mg · Calcium: 68 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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