Soft Rich Chocolate Tops (Printable version)

Soft, rich chocolate tops with crisp edges and moist centers, loaded with semisweet chocolate chips.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1/2 cup whole milk
10 - 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
11 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
12 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

→ Add-Ins

13 - 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, milk, sour cream or yogurt, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
04 - Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and gently fold until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Carefully fold in the semisweet chocolate chips evenly into the batter.
06 - Using a large cookie scoop or 1/4 cup measure, drop batter mounds onto baking sheets spaced approximately 2 inches apart.
07 - Bake for 11 to 13 minutes until tops are set and a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs.
08 - Let muffin tops cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • All crispy edges and no dense bottom means every bite tastes intentionally designed rather than accidentally baked.
  • These come together in under 30 minutes from craving to cooling rack.
  • Your kitchen smells like chocolate and butter without the commitment of a full cake.
02 -
  • Do not overbake these chasing a clean toothpick—underbaked is better than dry, and the residual heat keeps cooking them as they cool.
  • Sour cream is worth its weight in chocolate chips; yogurt works in a pinch but won't add quite the same tang and moisture.
03 -
  • Room-temperature sour cream and milk mix more smoothly than cold ones, so pull them from the fridge 10 minutes before you start.
  • If you notice the toothpick pulling up batter rather than crumbs, give them 30 more seconds—every oven is slightly different.

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