Citrusy Chocolate Muffins

A Perfect Blend of Sweet and Tart

Fresh, zesty, and loaded with melty chocolate chips, these muffins are sunshine in every bite. If you’ve never tried orange chocolate chip muffins before, you’re in for a treat. The tangy sweetness of juicy oranges pairs beautifully with rich, semi-sweet chocolate chips, creating a flavor combo that’s refreshing, indulgent, and downright irresistible.

These bakery-style muffins are soft, tender, and so easy to make. It makes them perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet snack with your afternoon coffee. Bonus: the batter comes together in minutes with simple pantry staples, so you can whip up a batch anytime.

Even if you're new to baking, fear not, because this recipe is designed to be simple and fuss-free. You'll be amazed at how a handful of basic ingredients can come together to create such delectable treats.

These Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins are perfect as a delightful addition to your weekend brunch spread, a tasty treat for an afternoon snack, or a surprise lunchbox treat, these muffins are the way to go. Their bright, sunny flavor brings a touch of cheer to any gathering, making them a hit among friends and family.

Why This Orange Muffin Recipe Wins

• Fresh orange flavor two ways: You’re using both juice and diced orange flesh. That means you get sweet bursts of fruit plus a bright citrus aroma that you just can’t get from extract alone.
• Chocolate that melts into pockets of joy: Semi-sweet chips balance the tanginess of the orange perfectly.
• They’re easy: You can have a batch cooling on your counter in under an hour from start to finish.
• They freeze like a dream: Make a double batch and stash some away for a rainy day (or, you know, tomorrow).

Gather Your Ingredient Goodies

• Coarse sugar for a coffee-shop crunchy top
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour – trusty base for light but sturdy muffins
• 1 tsp baking powder – lifts those domes
• ¾ tsp fine sea salt – because flavor needs balance
• 1 large egg – the binder, and room temperature egg works best
• ½ cup granulated sugar – just sweet enough
• ½ cup milk – whole or 2% keeps crumbs tender
• ⅓ cup melted butter – buttery richness in every nibble
• 2 fresh oranges – one juiced, one diced (discard seeds & pith)
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips – the classic counterpoint that adds the yum

Tips for Making the Recipe Perfectly

• Sift the dry ingredients before blending, especially if you've had them sitting in the cupboard for a while and they aren't very fresh. This helps you have a smooth and evenly textured batter without lumps.
• Gently fold in the chocolate chips at the end to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins.
• For extra zesty flavor, you can add some grated orange zest to the batter.
• Instead of using a hand mixer, just stir this recipe together. Overmixing muffin batter leads to tough muffins without enough rise. So just stir carefully.
• Fill your muffin cups about 2/3 of the way full for the best size.

Make Them Your Own

• Make mini muffins and bake for 12–14 minutes if you want bite-sized treats.
• Add chopped walnuts for a crunch.
• Swap the chocolate chips for dried cranberries for a holiday twist.

How to Make Bakery Style Muffins (Without Bakery Stress)

Heat things up.
Preheat oven to 380°F (195°C) and line or lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.

Dry team.
Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a roomy bowl.

Citrus prep.
Juice one orange (about ¼ cup). Peel and dice the second into small pieces.

Wet team.
In a separate bowl, whisk egg, sugar, milk, orange juice, and melted butter until smooth. Fold in diced orange.

Combine.
Pour wet mix into the dry. Gently fold just until you still see a few streaks. Hint: lumpy batter = tall, fluffy muffins.

Chip in.
Sprinkle chocolate chips over batter and fold twice more to distribute.

Fill & bake.
Divide batter ¾ full in each cup. Sprinkle coarse sugar if using. Bake 23–25 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool momentarily.
Rest pan on a rack 5 minutes, then lift muffins out to finish cooling. (Or bite in while chips are still lava hot. Zero judgment here.)

Storage Tips

• Counter: Airtight container, up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Wrap individually, freeze 3 months. Thaw room temp or zap 25 sec in the microwave.
• Overnight batter: Cover bowl, refrigerate up to 12 hours; stir once, add 2–3 extra minutes bake time.

More Fruity Dessert Recipes to Enjoy

• Starbucks Copy Cat Blueberry Muffins
• Blueberry Lemon Dessert Cake
• Instant Pot Bananas Foster Cheesecake
• Air Fryer Pear Tarts

Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins

These orange and chocolate muffins are the perfect combination of sweet and tart.

Course: Recipes
Cuisine: Breakfast
Keyword: baking, breakfast, chocolate chip muffins, dessert, muffins, orange chocolate chip muffins, orange muffins
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 12 Muffins
Calories: 252 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 2 whole oranges
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. In a bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. Take one orange, cut in half and press the juice out of it, reserve.
3. You will need to peel the other orange, then slice it into chunks.
4. Add egg, sugar, milk, oranges pieces, juice, and butter in another medium bowl. With a hand mixer or a whisk, mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
5. Pour the liquid mixture over the dry ingredients, mixing as little as possible, just enough to obtain a moist batter.
6. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
7. Spoon the batter into silicone or paper-lined muffin pans and bake at 380°F for about 25 minutes.

Notes

• Do not open the oven door or you run the risk of ending up with flattened muffins.
• Do not beat the dough like a cake, which prevents the muffins from rising and makes them heavy.
• Never fill the muffin molds more than three-quarters full and place them in the center of the oven.
• Using vegetable oil results in lighter muffins because it prevents gluten formation in the flour. On the other hand, butter adds more fluffiness to the dough.
• Silicone molds give better results than paper molds, which burn easily.
• You can replace cutting up an orange with 1/2 cup canned/drained mandarin orange segments.

Nutrition

• Serving: 1 g
• Calories: 252 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 33 g
• Protein: 4 g
• Fat: 12 g
• Saturated Fat: 7 g
• Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g
• Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g
• Trans Fat: 0.2 g
• Cholesterol: 29 mg
• Sodium: 232 mg
• Potassium: 166 mg
• Fiber: 2 g
• Sugar: 16 g
• Vitamin A: 250 IU
• Vitamin C: 12 mg
• Calcium: 57 mg
• Iron: 2 mg

Reader FAQs

• Can I cut the sugar? Yes—drop to ⅓ cup. Texture stays light, flavor gets ever-so-slightly tart.
• Plant-based option? Use oat milk, melted coconut oil, and a flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flax + 3 Tbsp water).
• How do I keep muffins tall and fluffy? Room-temp ingredients + hot oven + minimal mixing. Over-mixed batter turns gummy and flat.