by 
These Chocolate Chip Cupcakes are soft vanilla cupcakes filled with mini chocolate chips in every bite. They're made completely from scratch and can be topped with your favorite frosting for an easy homemade dessert.
At a Glance: Makes 30 cupcakes • From scratch • Mini chocolate chips • Ready in about 40 minutes • Freezer friendly
Homemade cupcakes are easier than you think
I know grabbing a boxed cake mix is easy peasy, but making cupcakes from scratch doesn't take that much more work. I make homemade cupcakes often for birthdays and parties, but they're easy enough to make for a regular ol' Monday, too.
These start with a simple vanilla cupcake batter with mini chocolate chips folded in at the end. The mini chips are just the right size for cupcakes and give you little bits of chocolate throughout without taking over the cake.
Once the cupcakes are completely cool, add your favorite frosting and a few extra mini chocolate chips on top.
Key ingredients
This section reviews the best ingredients and substitutions for this recipe. For an exact list of ingredients and quantities, check the recipe card below.
- Mini chocolate chips: Their small size distributes the chocolate throughout the cupcakes without overwhelming the vanilla cake.
- Butter: I use softened salted butter. Make certain it's fully softened so it creams properly with the sugar.
- Milk: Whole or 2% milk both work well.
- Eggs: Let the eggs sit at room temperature for a bit before mixing them into the batter.
How to make cupcakes with mini chocolate chips
- Cream butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl
- Add eggs one at a time
- Mix in vanilla
- Combine flour, baking powder, and salt together. Mix half the mixture into the butter mixture.
- Add the milk and combine
- Add the remaining flour mixture. Mix just until mostly combined.
- Add chocolate chips and fold in along with any remaining unmixed flour
- Place batter into paper-lined cupcake tins
- Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 18-20 minutes
- Cool on a baking rack for about 5 minutes, then remove from the pan and continue cooling.
- Frost cupcakes after they are fully cool
Chocolate chip cupcake tips
- Start with softened butter: The butter should be soft enough to cream easily with the sugar.
- Cream the butter and sugar well: Mix for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture becomes lighter in color and fluffy.
- Don't overmix: Once the final portion of flour is added, mix just until mostly combined. Fold in the chocolate chips along with any remaining flour.
- Use a cookie scoop: This makes it easier to divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners.
- Check for doneness: Insert a toothpick into the center of a cupcake. It should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Let them cool completely: Make certain the cupcakes are fully cooled before adding frosting.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, these cupcakes can be frozen. Allow cupcakes to fully cool and then place a single layer in an airtight freezer container and then into the freezer. Cupcakes are best used in 30 days.
Yes, regular-sized chocolate chips may be used. You may want to decrease the chocolate chips to one cup.
Frostings to use
Top these cupcakes with your favorite frosting. Some options include:
More delicious cupcakes
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious dessert recipes!
Chocolate Chip Cupcake Recipe
Equipment
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter, salted (softened)
- 1 ¾ cup sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 ¾ cups flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 ½ cups mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Cream butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy¾ cup butter, salted, 1 ¾ cup sugar
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition4 eggs
- Mix in vanilla2 teaspoons vanilla
- Combine flour, baking powder and salt together. Mix half the mixture into the butter mixture. Stir well.2 ¾ cups flour, 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add the milk and combine1 ½ cups milk
- Add remaining flour mixture. Mix just until mostly combined.
- Add chocolate chips and fold in along with any remaining unmixed flour1 ½ cups mini chocolate chips
- Place batter into paper lined cupcake tins
- Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 18-20 minutes
- Cool on a baking rack for about 5 minutes, then remove from pan and continue cooling.
- Allow cupcakes to fully cool before adding your favorite frosting. Sprinkle with a few additional chocolate chips right after frosting.
Notes
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- Make certain your butter is soft
- When measuring flour, don't overpack the measuring cup. Fluff up flour first with a spoon or scoop and then gently scoop it into the measuring cup and then level the cup.
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- Use a stand mixer or a handheld mixer. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.
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- Cream the butter and sugar until the color begins to lighten and the mixture is fluffy
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- Only mix half the flour mixture in first and then add the second half after the milk has been added
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- Use a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop to get evenly sized cupcakes
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- Test cupcakes with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean with just a few crumbs, the cupcakes are done.
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- Baking time varies depending on your oven
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Cate says
More like a muffin than a cupcake, kinda dense.
Kathy Berget says
Thanks for your feedback! These cupcakes should be light and tender rather than dense. A few things can cause a denser texture, including adding a little too much flour, overmixing the batter after adding the flour, or using baking powder that is no longer fresh. Be sure to measure the flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off, and mix just until everything is combined. I hope that helps!
Sam says
Hi,
Does anyone know if this would bake ok as a cake. I made cupcakes already and they were delicious. So, I really wanna try this as a cake, could anyone help me with that!(I’d make it in an 8 or 9 inch cake pan)
Thanks
Kathy says
Hi Sam,
I haven't tried making this as a cake. In theory, it should work. You'd just need to increase the baking time. However, I'm never absolutely certain until I actually try it.
Kathy
Lauren says
Just made this. I think the only difference I used buttermilk and only 1 cup of mini chocolate chips. My kids gave them 11 stars out of 10 😆 will keep this recipe handy as a base! Thank you
Kathy says
Yay!!! Thanks so much! 🙂
Susan says
I made these yesterday. Very delicious. No frosting needed, they’re perfectly fine as is. I’m going to try to make this into a Bundt cake. I had a recipe from Nestle that tasted incredible. I lost it, and they say they don’t have it in their archives. The flavor of this recipe is as close as I’ve ever found. Thank you!
Kathy says
Keep me posted! I'd love to hear how it turns out as a bundt cake! 🙂
Abigail says
Thanks so much! Wonderful recipe and easy to make.
I made these vegan and they turned out great! I misread and used 1/2 cup of butter instead of 3/4 cup and they still turned out nicely. I think I ended up baking them at 350F for 22 minutes, but I'd call that oven related differences as mentioned in the recipe notes.
Substitutions:
eggs = 4 TBS flaxseed meal + 10 TBS of water (mix together and let stand at least 5 minutes)
butter = Violife plant based butter
milk = 1 1/2 cups of Silk unsweet coconut milk
chocolate chips = Enjoy Life 100% real chocolate mini chips
Kathy says
Hi Abigail,
I'm so glad you enjoyed the cupcakes! Thank you so much for providing your vegan substitutions! I'm certain this will be helpful to many!
Kathy 🙂
Bethany says
I loved these
Kathy says
Thanks so much! 🙂
Nancy J Stark says
I am just making these now but I wanted to let you know how great it is that you put the quantities next to the instructions. So helpful to not have to scroll up and down.
Kathy says
Thanks so much! I'm so glad the format is helpful and I hope you enjoy the cupcakes! 🙂
Renchea Davies says
Cupcake is light. Mixed in chocolate ganache with vanilla frosting. It leaves the frosting light and fluffy. Topped with choc-chips and a pinch on salt of every cupcake.
Lovely snack but a little too sweet.
Kathy says
Thank you. The chocolate ganache sounds lovely, but is that what made the cupcakes too sweet?