The Ultimate Milk Chocolate Muffin With Walnuts.

This is the ultimate milk chocolate lover’s muffin, with real milk chocolate bars baked right into the soft muffins. Each mouthful is a delightful trip to milk chocolate heaven, with rich milk chocolate chips melting in your mouth and crunchy walnuts adding a rich texture and earthiness that complements the muffin. They bake up in under an hour for the biggest milk chocolate indulgence with a secret ingredient. 

My partner asks me so often to bake muffins. He’s hooked on chocolate and wanted chocolate muffins, but I was bored making the same old ones. So, I asked him to challenge me with a new chocolate muffin idea. That’s when he requested a muffin flavored like milk chocolate. In all my years of baking, I hadn’t encountered a milky chocolatey muffin before. Deep chocolate, yes, but that creamy flavor and sweetness that milk chocolate has. So I brainstormed. Typically, a chocolate muffin has cocoa powder, which makes them dark chocolate, and using less would produce a weak flavor.

What sets this muffin apart from the rest? It’s the secret ingredient that gives it that unique flavor-chocolate milk. Yes, you heard it right. Instead of regular milk, we infuse the batter with the rich, chocolatey goodness of chocolate milk. And that’s not all. We also melt two full-size Lindt milk chocolate bars into the mix. The result? A muffin that’s a chocolate lover’s dream come true!

As if all that milk chocolate flavor wasn’t enough to satisfy the sweet tooth challenger, I added more milk chocolate with creamy chocolate chips. The walnuts are almost necessary when you have that much chocolate flavor. I debated using pecans but thought we didn’t need another sweet component, so I settled on the earthiness of the rich walnut. 

Looking for more chocolatey goodness? We love this no bake chocolate cherry cheesecake waffle bowl.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

It’s unique. This muffin is a rare gem in the world of chocolate muffin recipes. It stands out with its unique, uncompromising milk chocolate flavor, making it a must-try for any chocolate lover. 

It’s an easy recipe. It doesn’t take much more effort to make than a regular chocolate chip muffin. The only extra step is melting the milk chocolate bars. 

​A baker’s dozen. Because I amended another muffin base recipe for this recipe with all the extra add-ins, it makes more than a dozen. Using this recipe to make tasty mini muffins is also an excellent way to fill lunches with a little sweet snack. 

Let’s make this ridiculously delicious walnut chocolate chip muffins.

We start by grabbing a large bowl. You don’t need a power mixer when making muffins; they can be easily whipped up by hand. I like using a regular fork instead of a spoon for mixing because it allows the lumps of flour to pass through, breaking them up as you stir the batter. 

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar into the bowl and blend all your dry ingredients into the bowl. You will then want to make a well in the center and add the wet ingredients. It’s the best way to make muffins all in one bowl. Crack the egg carefully into the center so you don’t get any shells. Or, if you are not an expert at cracking eggs, go ahead and crack it into a glass or bowl. That way, you can scoop out any shell that may happen to get added. This trick is perfect when teaching the kids to bake. I learned the hard way, picking shells out of my batter with worried kids staring at me. 

Next, blend the chocolate milk, oil, and egg into the flour mixture and be careful not to over-mix. Blend just enough to remove all the lumps of flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you mix with a rubber spatula to get all the flour incorporated into the muffin batter. 

The next step is to break the full-sized chocolate bars (candy bars, as I call them) into a microwaveable measuring cup or bowl. I used the best Lindt milk chocolate bar, second only to Callebaut chocolate. The Swiss milk chocolate bars are rich and luxurious when melted at 30-second intervals in the microwave. If it’s your first time melting chocolate in the microwave, stop it in between each 30-second interval to check the melt. Over-melting can cause the chocolate to seize or burn. 

Add the luxurious melted milk chocolate to the chocolate muffin batter and mix it well. The last step is to add the milk chocolate chips. I found that President’s Choice came out with these milk chocolate pieces, which are so melty and delicious when melted compared to the regular store varieties that are sold. The chocolate chips are well worth the higher price tag. We are using the entire bag in muffin batter. Yummy. Now add the last remaining ingredient- the walnut pieces. Stir the muffin batter until all the chips and walnuts are well distributed throughout. 

A note about preparing the muffin tin: These muffins are filled with extras and have such a soft, airy cake texture that you will want to use paper liners. You should also spray or oil the surface of the muffin pan, as the muffin tops will grow onto it like a bakery-style muffin. If you don’t, you need them to cool the muffins before removing them from the pan to avoid ripping them apart. 

We fill each muffin cup right up to the top because there are so many add-ins, so filling the cups is easy. The batter is thicker than average and holds its shape after filling the cups rather than relaxing. No worries, it’s going to bake to perfection. We have preheated the oven to a higher temperature of 450F because cooking muffins for a short time on high heat allows them to form domes better. After that initial ten-minute bake time, reduce the baking temperature to 350F and continue to bake for 15-20 more. 

Test the muffins for doneness after that. They will look done and be a beautiful lighter brown in color. Don’t mistake melted chocolate chips for wet batter. Test more than one muffin to be sure they are finished baking. Remove it from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool. The muffin tops will have spread out onto the pan, so that’s okay. My tip for removing them is to gently insert a butter knife around the top, then ease down beside the muffin liner to pop them out of the pan. If not thoroughly cooled, the muffin tops will rip off. 

Enjoy these moist chocolate muffins any day of the week for a perfect treat. The nutty muffin makes a great addition to school or work lunches!

Ingredients:

All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour provides the structure that results in a soft and tender crumb. Its gluten content helps trap air bubbles during baking, resulting in a light texture.

Baking Powder: This pantry ingredient is the leavening agent, resulting in the muffins rising and becoming fluffy.

​Salt: This common ingredient enhances the flavor of the muffins, balancing the sweetness of the chocolate and sugar. It also strengthens the gluten in the flour, contributing to the muffins’ overall structure.

White Sugar: In addition to being a sweetener, sugar helps create a light and tender texture by creaming the fat during mixing and incorporating air into the batter.

Chocolate Milk: This secret ingredient adds moisture and richness to the muffins, intensifying their milk chocolate flavor. It also contributes to the tender texture of the muffins and enhances their overall sweetness.

Oil: This adds moisture to the muffins, making them soft and keeping them from drying out.

Egg: This binding agent helps hold the muffins together and gives them structure. Eggs also add moisture and richness to batters, resulting in tender crumbs.

Melted Swiss Milk Chocolate Bar: The quality of the milk chocolate used is essential to intensify the creamy milk chocolate flavor of the muffins.

​Milk Chocolate Chips: These extra melty chips bring a more intense level of milk chocolate to the muffin recipe while adding texture.

Walnut Pieces: These bring a nutty crunch to the muffins, contrasting the soft texture of the muffin base and the melty chocolate chips.

​Substitutions and Add-Ins For This Great Recipe:

All-Purpose Flour: Subbing in some whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour blend for all-purpose flour will work to cater to dietary preferences or restrictions. Note that using alternate flour will change the muffins’ texture and flavor.

Baking Powder: If you’re out of this staple ingredient, you can substitute baking soda with regular white vinegar. Use one-quarter teaspoon of baking soda plus one-half teaspoon of acid to equate 1 tsp of baking powder.

Salt: For a similar flavor enhancement, substitute kosher salt or sea salt. Adjust the amount according to taste, considering finer salts are saltier by volume than coarser ones.

White Sugar: Brown sugar, coconut sugar, or maple syrup can be substituted for white sugar, each imparting a unique flavor profile. Adjust the quantity to taste, keeping in mind that brown sugar and liquid sweeteners may affect the texture of the muffins.

​Chocolate Milk: This secret ingredient is much needed to do its milk chocolate flavor. If you must switch it out, try using a milk chocolate kefir or milk chocolate protein shake. If you prefer a denser muffin, try using a chocolate Greek yogurt instead of the milk. (Although that last one can be harder to find.) 

Vegetable Oil: Melted butter, melted coconut oil, or even unsweetened applesauce can be substituted for oil in muffin recipes. However, each substitution may impart its own flavor and texture to the muffins.

Egg: Flaxseed meal or chia seeds mixed with water to form a flax chia seed egg can be used as a substitute. For the egg called for in the recipe, use one tablespoon of flaxseed meal or chia seeds with three tablespoons of cold water.

​Melted Swiss Milk Chocolate Bar: If you prefer to use a different flavor of chocolate bar in the recipe just be sure to keep the amounts equal. 

​Milk Chocolate Chips: For a variation on the milk chocolate muffin, white or dark chocolate chips can be substituted. 

​Walnut Pieces: You can omit the nuts if you have a nut allergy. If you want to use a different nut, try slivered almonds instead. 

​Expert Tips, Serving Suggestions And Storing:

​Tip #1: Measure Ingredients Accurately: Precision in measurement is crucial for consistent and successful baking. This ensures that your muffins have the right texture and rise properly.

Tip #2: Mix Batter Gently: Overmixing the batter can produce tough, dense muffins. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until combined, using a gentle hand and avoiding overworking the batter. A few lumps are okay; they usually disappear during baking, resulting in a tender crumb.

Tip #3: Control Oven Temperature: Proper oven temperature is critical to achieving perfectly baked muffins. Set the timer so that you reduce the oven temperature at the right time for baking these muffins. Remember, overbaking the muffins may result in dry muffins.

Pair these delightful milk chocolate muffins with a coffee or a glass of cold milk for a lovely treat any day. For added indulgence, garnish with confectioners’ sugar or a drizzle of melted chocolate.

Store leftover muffins in airtight food storage at room temperature for 2-3 days to maintain freshness. To prolong shelf life, place the muffins in the refrigerator, which can last up to a week.

For longer-term storage, wrap individual muffins in plastic wrap and put them in a large freezer bag. Freeze them for up to 2-3 months. Be sure to date them if you are freezing. If you don’t wish to freeze individually wrapped to save on plastic wrap, try flash-freezing the muffins. Flash-freeze the muffins on a tray before transferring them to a freezer bag to prevent sticking.

Have you tried making these delicious muffins yet? We’d love to hear about your baking adventures in the kitchen and how they turned out! Share your feedback, tips, or any delicious variations you’ve tried in the comments below. Let’s inspire each other to create more sweet moments in the kitchen!