Greek Yogurt Chocolate Chip Muffins
You will love these healthy Greek Yogurt Chocolate Chip Muffins that are packed with protein from a whole cup of Greek yogurt and sweetened with pure maple syrup. I make these a few times a week and they never last long as my kids devour them. This recipe is so simple to make and they're not too sweet at all with only ½ cup of maple syrup for a whole dozen muffins. I love using olive oil because I enjoy how the flavor pairs with maple and chocolate. You can adapt this recipe any way you'd like with other mix-ins or keep them plain without the chocolate - but, really... what isn't better with chocolate? If you love making healthy muffins, try my Sugar Free Banana Muffins, and if you want a classic, try these popular Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Muffins.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy to make - this recipe is super simple to make with a bowl and a whisk. You only need a few simple ingredients and they're ready in less than 30 minutes.
- Not too sweet - just enough maple syrup adds the perfect amount of sweetness and moisture to make these delicious muffins ideal for breakfast or snacking any time of the day.
- Moist chocolate chip muffins - these muffins are moist with a fluffy open texture just the way muffins should be. They are best enjoyed warm and freeze very well for later.
- Mini dark chocolate chips - I use a blend of regular and mini chocolate chips because they go further and will distribute more evenly throughout the batter so that you get bits of chocolate in every bite.
- Packed with protein - I use a whole cup of Greek yogurt and 2 eggs which adds a decent amount of protein to make these muffins extra satisfying.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MUFFINS AND CUPCAKES?
The difference between muffins and cupcakes is the mixing method. Muffins fall in the category of "quick breads" which are simple batters that involve mixing wet ingredients separately to dry ingredients and then combining them together with minimal stirring to form the batter. They have a more open texture and spongy bouncy crumb texture.
Cupcakes generally follow the "creaming" method where you mix soft butter and sugar until pale and fluffy before mixing in eggs, dry ingredients and any other liquid ingredients. Cupcakes have a finer, tighter crumb structure with a delicate and tender texture.
INGREDIENTS FOR HEALTHY GREEK YOGURT MUFFINS
- All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour works great for open-textured muffins. If you have bleached cake flour, then you can replace half of the unbleached all-purpose flour with cake flour and it will actually give you an even more exaggerated muffin top. That's because bleached flour absorbs moisture more readily and sets more quickly.
- Olive oil - you can use any type of liquid oil for this recipe, and I really love using a light-tasting olive oil. It keeps these muffins soft since it is liquid at room temperature.
- Pure vanilla extract - vanilla is the main flavor in these muffins so use your best one. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
- Eggs - two whole eggs will set the batter into a nice soft spongy texture.
- Greek yogurt - full fat Greek yogurt ads rich dairy notes and so much flavor and body.
- Milk - I always bake with full fat whole milk. You can also use 2% milk.
- Maple syrup - I sweeten the batter with pure maple syrup which ads wonderful flavor and moisture.
- Dark chocolate chips - I love using some mini dark chocolate chips in my muffins, and you can use all regular chips if that's all you can find. Semisweet chocolate works great.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS: HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY GREEK YOGURT CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS
- STEP 1). Combine dry ingredients. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
- STEP 2). Combine wet ingredients. Combine the wet ingredients. Combine Greek yogurt, maple syrup, olive oil, eggs, vanilla and milk in another large bowl and whisk until smooth and evenly combined.
- STEP 3). Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir together gently with a large spatula until mostly incorporated. Before all of the flour is combined, add the chocolate chips and fold them through until evenly distributed.
- STEP 4). Scoop the batter. Use a large cookie scoop or two spoons to divide batter evenly into the prepared muffin liners, filling them so they are all the way full.
- STEP 5). Sprinkle! Sprinkle extra chocolate chips and a generous sprinkle of coarse sugar over top.
- STEP 6). BAKE. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden on top and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. They should feel firm to the touch. Do not over-bake. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer muffins individually to a wire rack to cool.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Sift the dry ingredients. Sifting the flour will eliminate any lumps and separate all of the flour particles which means it will incorporated into the wet ingredients more easily and more quickly. This will minimize the amount of mixing required so that you ensure the muffins are soft.
- Do not reduce the sweetener. The right amount of sugar sourced from maple syrup will make these muffins moist because it binds water so that it doesn't evaporate excessively during baking.
- Do not over-mix. Just mix in the flour gently until well combined, but no need to whisk vigorously. Just mix until no streaks of dry flour remain. Any lumps will continue to get worked out as you scoop the batter into the muffin pan.
- Do not over-bake. Over-baking will most definitely lead to dry muffins. Make sure you check with a skewer for doneness or press the tops - they should spring back.
- Preheat the oven. The initial baking temperature is important to jump start the leavening agents to give a big lift initially to help create that muffin top. It also helps set the edges so that the batter doesn't spill out and spread too much which can make flat tops. I don't bake these muffins at a very high temperature like I do with my Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Muffins because these are slightly smaller and have less sugar, so they are more prone to drying out.
RECIPE FAQ
Feel free to use your favorite kind of chocolate in this recipe since it doesn't rely on cocoa solids to add structure directly in the batter. You can use milk chocolate chips if you prefer. You can also use regular sized semisweet chocolate chips instead of minis and in this case I suggest reserving a tablespoon of the flour mixture to coat them in before folding into the batter so they don't sink to the bottom.
Yes! You can add up to ⅓ cup of chopped nuts or dried fruit. I'd recommend a soft variety such as walnuts or pecans.
These muffins have a soft moist texture. To ensure you get this texture, do not reduce the sugar. Sugar is important to hold moisture in. Also, be careful not to over-mix the batter. Over-mixing will initiate gluten formation which can lead to a tough crumb texture. Just mix until combined and a few small lumps are fine as they will mix through as you portion out the batter.
This muffin batter has less sugar which can result in more adhesion than usual when baked in paper liners. I use these parchment paper liners that nothing ever sticks to. You can also spray your standard paper liners with cooking spray and that works very well!
Over-mixing, over-baking or over-measuring the flour are the key reasons why muffins can turn out dry. Be sure to measure your flour correctly. Adding too much flour is the most common mistake and leads to dry and crumbly cakes and muffins. The most accurate way to measure flour is using a scale. If you don't have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, spoon it into your measuring cup and use a knife to level it off.
Yes! These muffins freeze very well. Just place them in a resealable freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Store these muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, then store in the fridge for longer. If stored in the fridge, I find they're best warmed slightly in the microwave.
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Greek Yogurt Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (240g) full fat plain Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- ½ cup (150g) pure maple syrup
- ⅓ cup (80ml/65g) liquid oil (I like to use olive oil)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60ml) whole milk, at room temperature
- ½ cup (85g) semisweet chocolate chips (I use a blend of regular and mini dark chocolate chips)
- 2 tablespoon coarse raw sugar for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Here are really great parchment paper liners that I like to use for these muffins as they won't stick at all to these ones. If you are worried about sticking (since the batter is lower in sugar), then spray the paper liners with cooking spray.
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
- Combine the wet ingredients. Combine Greek yogurt, maple syrup, oil, eggs, vanilla and milk in another large bowl and whisk until smooth and evenly combined. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir together gently with a large spatula until mostly incorporated. Before all of the flour is combined, add the chocolate chips and fold them through until evenly distributed.
- Use a large cookie scoop or two spoons to divide batter evenly into the prepared muffin liners, filling them so they are all the way full. Sprinkle extra chocolate chips and a generous sprinkle of coarse sugar over top.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden on top and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. They should feel firm to the touch. Do not over-bake. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer muffins individually to a wire rack to cool.
Delicious! I used half whole wheat flower/half all purpose, and non-fat Greek yogurt. I also used half the amount of maple syrup and added in a few spoonfuls of sugar instead. Just working with what I had on hand. I’ll definitely be making these again.
Thanks for the review Lena!
How many grams of protein and calories per muffin?
Turned out amazing, thank you!!
Thank you so much Rana! 🙂
These are by far the BEST healthy muffins I’ve ever made, and I’ve made a lot! Cut my own parchment liners, didn’t over mixing, and baked for 20 min! They came out SO FLUFFY and just sweet enough to pair with coffee! I’ll definitely make these again!
Thank you for the feedback Eman! Glad you enjoyed the muffins 🙂
Can I add mashed banana? My kids love banana muffins!
Hi Danielle! Yes you can. Other readers have done this.
Hi Christina ,
I love your recipes . Is there any good substitute for eggs here , would love to make this for my kid who is allergic to eggs
Thanks Gowri! This recipe has only been tested with eggs, however a few readers have had success with egg replacer powders, like Bobs Red Mill Egg Replacer.
mine stuck to the paper liners and I saw that you recommended the other kind, but I didn't have those on hand. I wanted to love them, but just didn't do it for me. Drier than I had hoped. Maybe I cooked too long. 15 min was too short and 20 might have been too long. thanks!
Thanks for the feedback Mary!
Can i use this batter and add blueberries/ raspberries etc. Instead of chocolate chips
Hi Anna! Yes you should be able to do that.
Muffins tasted good but I had to discard because paper cups got stuck on bottom. Impossible to enjoy. Followed your instructions.
Thanks Margaret. I recommend parchment muffin liners as they work the best or you can lightly spray the std. liners with oil. Because the recipe is low in sugar, they can stick more to cheaper liners.
Made these today & I added 45g of dried cranberries! Delicious! I ate one while the chocolate chips were still warm. Very easy to make.
Thank you Robin! Glad you enjoyed the muffins 🙂
Hi! Can these be stored frozen? Thanks!
Hi Madison! Yes, just place them in an airtight bag. I keep them handy in my freezer for school lunches.
Can you use honey instead of maple syrup?
Hi Steph! Yes you can, dilute honey at 2/3 the amount of maple syrup, with the remaining 1/3 water.
I made them in mini size- very fluffy
Thank you Anna!
These are chocolate chip pancakes in muffin form. So soft, so delicious!
Thank you so much Sarah! 🙂
Just made a batch of these for breakfast and I'm amazed by how light and fluffy these are! Its delicious and feels alittle healthier with the amt of greek yoghurt in it. I might try to experiment replacing the oil with butter next time as it may give more flavour.
Thanks Dawn! Glad you enjoyed the muffins. You can replace the oil, but they will not be as soft.
Wow the muffin looks good and Yummmyy...
Hi could I use honey instead of maple syrup?
Hi Dil! Yes you can, dilute honey at 2/3 the amount of maple syrup, with the remaining 1/3 water.
Could you do it with gluten free flour and almond milk?
Hi Briana! I haven't tested that but many readers have reported success with King Arthurs and Bobs Read Mill gluten free flour. I think the almond milk sub will work ok.
What oven temp please?
Hi Jazz! 375F as per step 1. in the recipe card.
Hi there! Would I be able to sub Greek yogurt for whole milk plain yogurt ?
Hi Patricia! I haven't tested that but I think they should still turn out OK.
Looks amazing! Scientifically speaking, how will these turn out if I use 2% fat Greek yogurt and 2% milk?
Hi Narisa! Yes, that should be fine. There would be minor differences in texture.
Great easy recipe!! Thank you. 🤩
I levelled them up one notch by dipping in melted light nuttlelex and then in golden castor sugar once they were baked. Naughty.. but nice!!
You are welcome Rachel! Glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂 Sounds delicious!
I definitely want to make the chocolate chip plain yogurt muffin recipe!!! I'm interested in nutritional information: protein content,carb content, fat content. I have typy 2 diabetes and would love a good protein low carb muffin recipe. Can nuts be added to the recipe ? a few crushed pecans maybe ?? I hope you can provide this information. Thank you
Do you think I could substitute almond flour?
Hi Olivia! I have not tested that, but I think the texture and volume would be quite different.