Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins might just be the ultimate citrus muffin recipe ~ and I’m sharing the secret to maximum fresh orange flavor!

These vibrant orange chocolate chip muffins taste unlike any you’ve had before ~ you’ll notice the difference at first bite.
these muffins have true fresh orange flavor
- My orange chocolate chip muffins are made with my signature citrus-infused sugar. It creates a vibrant natural citrus flavor unlike any other flavoring method.
- The zest delivers true fresh orange flavor ~ you can’t get that from juice, flavorings, or extracts.

how to make the orange sugar
- Peel the zest from a large orange with a vegetable peeler.
- Pulse/process the zest and sugar together in a food processor.


easy one bowl orange chocolate chip muffins
You can use this method with just about any muffin recipe like my popular Orange Cardamom Muffins or my Double Chocolate Muffins. The key is sifting the dry ingredients right into the bowl so you don’t need an extra one.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients.
- this includes the orange sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
- Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Fold everything together, along with the chocolate chips.

orange chocolate chip muffins faqs
Yes, delicious!
Sweet oranges (navel, Valencia) have a thick, more oil-rich zest layer that separates cleanly from the pith, making them ideal for this recipe.
No, the aromatic oils in the zest will evaporate over time, you want to use the orange sugar shortly after you make it for most vibrant flavor.
Yes, use nuts in addition to or in place of chocolate chips. Use up to 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans.
Many of you were taught to fill muffin cups a thrifty 1/2 to 2/3 full. A thicker muffin batter rises upward more than outward, so it holds its shape and domes instead of spreading. Because of that, you can fill the cups higher (even full) without overflow.
Yes, fill the cups and let sit for up to an hour before baking, it helps the rise!

Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins
Equipment
- standard muffin pan paper liners optional
Ingredients
Orange sugar
- 3/4 cup sugar
- zest of 1 large orange, peeled with a vegetable peeler*
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup creme fraiche, sour cream, or yogurt
- 1/4 cup orange juice, juiced from the orange you zested
- 1 Tbsp vanilla paste or extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
chocolate chips
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 and butter and flour a muffin tin, or line with muffin tin liners.
- Place the sugar and orange peel in a food processor and pulse/process until the zest has completely broken down (no chunks left) and the sugar is moist, pale orange, and fragrant.
- Add the orange sugar to a large mixing bowl and whisk in all the wet ingredients to combine well.
- Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl (you can whisk them together in a separate bowl if you prefer, and then add them.) Fold everything together gently until there is no dry flour left. Make sure you scrape the sides and very bottom of the bowl to get everything evenly incorporated, but don't over mix. I like to use a silicone 'spoonula' for this.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins, I got 10 large muffins.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until risen and starting to turn golden brown around the edges. A toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin should come out without wet batter clinging to it. Note: all ovens are different so adjust as necessary.
- Let the muffins cool for a few minutes before removing to a rack.
- Your muffins are best enjoyed the same day, but you can store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
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I made these planning to bring them into the office and they disappeared yesterday! Great recipe.