I wanted to eat a soft, fluffy, and chocolatey muffin, but didn’t want to go to a bakery or a cafe to grab a muffin. So, I made bakery style oatmeal chocolate chip muffins in my home.
Before making it, I didn’t think that it would turn out that good, but actually it did. It was very similar to the one that we see behind the glass counter in bakeries.
It had crispy tops, a moist center, and melted chocolate in every bite.
In this post, I will give you this bakery style muffin recipe so that you can make it at home.
One more thing, you won’t need fancy ingredients or equipment.
Why These Muffins Are Bakery-Style?
There is something special about the bakery style oatmeal chocolate chip muffins, and it’s not just about flavor, but also their look and texture.
These oatmeal chocolate chip muffins have a kind of doomed top, a golden crisp surface, and they are soft and fluffy from inside.
And, all these things come from a technique, not just from ingredients, but many people know ingredients but not the technique (I will share with you)
One more thing that makes these bakery style oatmeal chocolate chip muffins special is that there is a mix of oats and flour which make them wholesome.
Plus, you would also need to use buttermilk and brown sugar for a moist texture and a slight caramel flavor, which we get in store-bought muffins.
And lastly, the chocolate chips. You can’t just sprinkle a few.
You need to load it up to get proper bakery-style oatmeal chocolate chip muffins at home.
Also read: 3 Ingredient Avocado Chocolate Pudding with Cocoa Powder Recipe
Ingredients for Bakery Style Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins
Here are all the ingredients that you need to make Bakery Style Hot Milk Chocolate Chip Muffins at home.
And I am sure most of these ingredients would already be in your kitchen:
- 1 cup rolled oats: You should go with old-fashioned oats and not with quick oats. They will soak up liquid and give you a soft bite.
- 1 cup buttermilk: This will make your oats soft and give your muffins a tender texture.
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted): Butter will make your muffins rich and flavorful. I use Amul or President. Amul is available in most grocery stores, and it’s also a good quality butter, so you can also have any available in your neighboring store, just make sure it’s a good quality butter.
- 2 large eggs: Make sure they’re at room temperature so you can mix them well.
- 1/2 cup brown sugar: You wanna use brown sugar, it will give a soft, chewy texture and a hint of molasses flavor.
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar: It will add extra sweetness to balance the oats.
- 1 tsp vanilla extract: Just a small touch, will give your homemade muffins a bakery aroma. I recommend you use Nielsen-Massey Bourbon Vanilla for this recipe.
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour: Don’t overpack the cup. Lightly spoon and level it.
- 1 tsp baking powder + 1/2 tsp baking soda: You want to use both for the perfect rise.
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional): If you like a warm touch (I have used it, and suggest you to try).
- 1/4 tsp salt: You can’t skip this one; it will bring out the flavors.
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips: I recommend you use Ghirardelli or Callebaut. You can also use chopped chocolate bars if you want melty pools.
Optional:
- Turbinado sugar (for topping): It will give the crunchy muffin top like bakery ones.
- More chocolate chips for topping: Yeah, you can use them too.
Ingredient Substitutes You Can Use
If a few ingredients aren’t available at home or you want to make this chocolate muffins recipe a bit different, here are a few swaps that will work:
- No buttermilk? You can add 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of milk. And then let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. It will work exactly like store-bought buttermilk.
- Need dairy-free? You should use melted coconut oil instead of butter, and almond milk with vinegar instead of buttermilk.
- Want to use whole wheat flour? Go with half all-purpose and half whole wheat, it will be more dense but still moist.
- No brown sugar? You can use all white sugar, but the flavor won’t be the same. Or you can also add a tsp of molasses to white sugar.
How to Make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins
Here is my step-by-step process of how I make these bakery style oatmeal chocolate chip muffins. And how you can do it too.
Step 1: Soak the Oats
You want to take a mixing bowl and combine the following ingredients:
- 1 cup oats and
- 1 cup buttermilk.
And then stir well and let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes.
This step is non-negotiable, as it will make your oats soft and not chewy or hard.
Step 2: Preheat and Prep
Meanwhile, when your oats are soaking, add buttermilk. You have to preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C)… Yep, high temp for a quick rise and domed top.
Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease it well.
Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients
Take a large bowl, whisk these ingredients together:
- Melted butter
- Brown sugar + white sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
You want to whisk it until it’s smooth and becomes a little creamy. Then, you can add the soaked oat-buttermilk mixture to this.
Step 4: Mix Dry Ingredients Separately
Now take another bowl, mix:
- Flour
- Baking powder + baking soda
- Salt
- Cinnamon (if using)
You don’t want to dump everything together; otherwise, it will clump.
You have to stir the dry ingredients into the wet in batches and slowly fold using a spatula.
Do not overmix. A few lumps are okay.
Step 5: Add Chocolate Chips
Now, you can fold in the chocolate chips slowly. But, don’t put it all here, save a handful to sprinkle on top.
Step 6: Scoop & Top
Scoop the batter into muffin cups.
Fill each cup almost full (not 2/3, not 3/4); you should go nearly full for bakery style rise.
Then, you have to sprinkle some turbinado sugar and extra chocolate chips on top.
Step 7: Bake
- Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, which will give the dome (making it bakery style)
- Then, reduce oven temp to 350°F (175°C) and bake for 15 to 18 minutes more until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
After that, you wanna let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes at least, then you can transfer them to a wire rack.
Also read: Chocolate Lava Cakes In Muffin Tins Recipe (Easiest Way)
What to Serve or Pair With These Muffins
I personally love these bakery style oatmeal chocolate chip muffins for breakfast or snacks, sometimes with another recipe and sometimes plain.
However, here is how you can pair them:
- With a cup of hot coffee or latte: If you like café-style pairings, you can try these oatmeal chocolate chip muffins with something like a Frappuccino or a cinnamon latte. It complements the cinnamon in muffins really well.
- With peanut butter or almond butter: You can split the muffin in half and spread nut butter. It will be Super filling.
- With fruit smoothie: You can pair your muffins with a banana almond smoothie or mixed berry smoothie for a balanced breakfast.
- Warmed with butter: You can just warm it for 10 seconds in the microwave and put in a pat of butter. Melts in.
Customizations and Flavor Variations
After making this bakery-style oatmeal chocolate chip muffins recipe once, if you like it, and you make it next time, you can try other variations and flavors.
Here are some twists that I recommend you try.
- Add chopped walnuts or pecans: It will give your muffins a crunchy and nutty flavor.
- Swap chocolate chips with raisins or dried cranberries: Especially if you want it less sweet.
- Add mashed banana or applesauce: You wanna use it when you want moisture and natural sweetness.
- Coconut twist: You can fold in shredded coconut and use white chocolate chips.
- Espresso powder: Add 1 tsp espresso powder if you want mocha-style muffins.
These variations will help you keep trying the same base bakery style oatmeal chocolate chip muffins recipe in a different way.
Also read: Easy Banana Bars without Frosting – Soft, Sweet & Simple
Storage and Reheating Tips
If you are making a batch and don’t want to eat all of them at once (though you might), here is how you can store them.
- Room temp: You can store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerate: They will last for up to 1 week, but you will have to reheat for 10 to 15 seconds before serving.
- Freeze: You should wrap each muffin in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. Next time, you’d have to keep it outside overnight or microwave it frozen for 30 seconds.
Pro Tip: If you’re freezing your bakery style oatmeal chocolate chip muffins, you can skip the toppings like whipped cream or fresh fruits.
You can keep it as a basic muffin, then you can top it later.
Conclusion
This was my bakery-style oatmeal chocolate chip muffin recipe that you can easily make at home.
These muffins are soft on the inside, a little crispy on the outside, and filled with chocolate in every bite. When you make them and eat them, you will feel exactly like cafe or bakery-style muffins.
One more thing that makes it even better than Bakery-Style muffins is that you can customize them with nuts, raisins, bananas, or whatever you like, and they still turn out amazing.
Plus, you can have them for breakfast, a snack, or even serve them to guests with coffee.
So now, go to your kitchen, grab oats and chocolate chips, and make this easy oatmeal muffins recipe today.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are a few questions and their answers about this bakery style chocolate chip muffin recipe:
Can I make these muffins without eggs?
Yes, you can make these bakery-style oatmeal chocolate chip muffins without eggs.
You just have to use 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana per egg. They both will work well, and your muffins will still turn out moist and fluffy.
Why are my muffins not rising like bakery-style?
There are two reasons why your muffins may not rise like bakery style.
Number one, you haven’t preheated your oven properly. And second, that you have overmixed the butter.
Therefore, you want to start baking at a high temperature, at 425°F, for the first five minutes. And after that, you can reduce it.
And secondly, do not stir the butter too much. You need to fold the butter slowly until everything is properly combined.
Can I use quick oats instead of rolled oats?
Yes, you can use quick oats instead of rolled oats, but I do not recommend it.
Because if you use quick oats, they will break down too quickly and turn mushy.
On the other hand, if you use rolled oats, they will give you a better texture and bakery-style bite.
If quick oats are the only option you have, you should reduce soaking time and keep the rest the same.
But for this bakery style oatmeal chocolate chip muffins, my first choice is rolled oats and not quick oats.
Best Bakery Style Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon optional
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Optional:
- Turbinado sugar for topping
- Extra chocolate chips for topping
Instructions
Step 1: Soak the Oats
- In a bowl, combine 1 cup rolled oats and 1 cup buttermilk. Stir well and soak for 10–15 minutes to soften.
Step 2: Preheat and Prep
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line or grease a muffin tin.
Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk 1/2 cup melted butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup white sugar, 2 eggs, and 1 tsp vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Stir in the soaked oat-buttermilk mix.
Step 4: Mix Dry Ingredients
- In another bowl, combine 1 1/4 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon (if using). Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mix using a spatula. Do not overmix.
Step 5: Add Chocolate Chips
- Gently fold in 1 cup chocolate chips, saving some to sprinkle on top.
Step 6: Scoop & Top
- Fill muffin cups nearly full. Top each with extra chocolate chips and turbinado sugar.
Step 7: Bake
- Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F (175°C) and bake another 15–18 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool 5 mins in pan, then transfer to wire rack.
Notes
I’m a self-taught home cook who turns everyday ingredients into comforting, café-style recipes. I test everything in my own kitchen (sometimes more than once), tweak flavors how I like them, and share only what I actually enjoy.
Most of my recipes are chocolate-based or have a creative twist, and I keep them preservative-free, beginner-friendly, and fun to make.
If you love cozy drinks, healthier desserts, or bold flavor combos — you’re in the right place. [Read full story]
