These Chocolate Nutella Muffins are everything a chocolate lover could want in a homemade muffin: tall, fluffy, deeply chocolatey, and filled with a creamy Nutella center.
Each jumbo muffin has a soft chocolate crumb, plenty of chocolate chips, and a generous spoonful of Nutella hidden inside. A little extra Nutella on top makes them even more tempting.
The texture is rich without being heavy, with slightly crisp muffin tops and a tender, moist center. They are perfect for breakfast, an afternoon treat, weekend baking, or a special dessert.
This Nutella Muffins Recipe is also surprisingly simple. The batter comes together in one bowl with basic pantry ingredients, making these muffins a great choice for beginner bakers.
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Muffin Batter
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (180 g) sour cream or plain full-fat yogurt
- ½ cup (120 ml) hot water or hot coffee
- 1 cup (170 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the Nutella Filling
- ¾ cup (225 g) Nutella or halal-friendly chocolate hazelnut spread
For the Topping
- ½ cup (85 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 6 tablespoons Nutella
- 2 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts, optional
Tools and Equipment
- Jumbo 6-cup muffin pan
- Jumbo paper muffin liners
- 2 large mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Toothpick or cake tester
- Wire cooling rack
How to Make Chocolate Nutella Muffins
1. Prepare the Oven and Muffin Pan
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Line a jumbo 6-cup muffin pan with jumbo paper liners. A light coating of nonstick spray around the top of the pan can help prevent the muffin tops from sticking.
The initial high oven temperature helps create tall, bakery-style muffin tops.
2. Mix the Dry Ingredients
Add the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl.
Whisk until everything is evenly combined and the cocoa powder is distributed throughout the flour.
3. Mix the Wet Ingredients
In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and sour cream.
Whisk just until smooth. Avoid overmixing, as too much mixing can make the finished muffins dense.
4. Combine the Batter
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients.
Use a rubber spatula to gently fold everything together until the flour is almost incorporated.
Add the hot water or hot coffee and gently fold again. The batter will become fairly thick and glossy.
Do not worry if the batter looks slightly looser after adding the hot liquid. This helps create a soft, moist chocolate crumb.
5. Add the Chocolate Chips
Fold the chocolate chips into the batter.
Reserve a small handful for sprinkling over the tops before baking.
The chocolate chips add little pockets of melted chocolate throughout the muffins, making every bite extra rich.
6. Fill the Muffin Cups
Spoon a small amount of batter into each jumbo muffin liner.
Add approximately 1½ tablespoons of Nutella to the center of each muffin.
Keep the Nutella away from the edges so it stays surrounded by batter during baking.
Cover the Nutella completely with the remaining muffin batter.
Each liner should be filled close to the top, leaving only a small amount of space for expansion.
7. Add the Toppings
Sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips over the batter.
For an extra bakery-style finish, add a few chopped hazelnuts.
The muffins are now ready for the oven.
8. Bake Until Tall and Set
Place the muffin pan in the preheated 425°F (220°C) oven.
Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) without opening the oven door.
Continue baking for another 18–22 minutes, or until the muffin tops are set and a toothpick inserted into the chocolate portion comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Avoid inserting the toothpick directly into the Nutella center, as the filling will remain creamy.
9. Cool the Muffins
Remove the pan from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
Transfer them to a wire rack and allow them to cool further.
The Nutella center will be very hot immediately after baking, so give the muffins time to cool before eating.
10. Add Extra Nutella
For an especially indulgent finish, warm the 6 tablespoons of Nutella for a few seconds until slightly softer.
Drizzle it over the cooled muffins or spread a small amount over each muffin top.
A sprinkle of chopped hazelnuts makes the finished muffins look even more like bakery-style chocolate hazelnut muffins.
Tips & Variations for Chocolate Nutella Muffins
Use Room-Temperature Ingredients
Room-temperature eggs, milk, and sour cream blend more easily into the batter.
This helps create a smoother mixture and a more even muffin texture.
Do Not Overmix the Batter
Once the dry and wet ingredients are combined, mix only until no large streaks of flour remain.
A few small lumps are perfectly fine.
Overmixing develops too much gluten and can turn soft muffins into chewy, dense ones.
Measure Flour Correctly
Too much flour can make chocolate muffins dry and heavy.
For the most accurate results, use a kitchen scale. If measuring with cups, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level the top instead of scooping directly from the flour bag.
Keep the Nutella in the Center
Nutella should be surrounded by muffin batter.
If the spread touches the edges of the liner, it may leak out during baking and create sticky spots around the muffin.
Do Not Overbake
Chocolate muffins can be difficult to judge by color because the cocoa naturally makes them dark.
Check for moist crumbs with a toothpick rather than waiting for the muffins to look completely dry.
A few moist crumbs mean the muffins are ready.
Use Coffee for Deeper Chocolate Flavor
Hot coffee does not make the muffins taste strongly like coffee.
Instead, it can intensify the chocolate flavor. Hot water works perfectly well if coffee is not preferred.
Make Regular-Sized Muffins
The same batter can be used for standard muffins.
Fill standard muffin cups about three-quarters full and start checking them after approximately 16–20 minutes.
The exact baking time will depend on the size of the muffin cups.
Add White Chocolate
For a sweeter variation, replace some of the semi-sweet chocolate chips with white chocolate chips.
The creamy sweetness pairs beautifully with the hazelnut filling.
Add Extra Hazelnuts
Chopped toasted hazelnuts give the muffins a pleasant crunch and reinforce the classic chocolate-hazelnut flavor.
For more hazelnut flavor, sprinkle them over the muffins just before serving.
Make Them Extra Chocolatey
For an even richer muffin, add a handful of dark chocolate chips to the batter.
A mixture of semi-sweet and dark chocolate gives the muffins a more intense chocolate flavor without making them overly sweet.
Storage & Serving
How to Store Chocolate Nutella Muffins
Store completely cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature.
They stay soft and enjoyable for approximately 2–3 days.
Keep the container away from direct sunlight and heat.
Refrigerator Storage
For longer storage, place the muffins in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Allow refrigerated muffins to sit at room temperature for a short time before serving, or warm them gently in the microwave.
Freezing Instructions
These muffins freeze well.
Wrap each cooled muffin individually in plastic wrap or freezer-safe wrapping, then place them inside a freezer bag or airtight container.
Freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw at room temperature, then warm for a few seconds before serving.
Best Way to Serve Them
These jumbo muffins are delicious slightly warm when the Nutella center is soft and creamy.
Serve with a glass of cold milk, a cup of coffee, or hot tea.
For dessert, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of warmed Nutella.
A light dusting of powdered sugar also gives the muffins a simple, elegant finish.
FAQ
Can Nutella be baked inside muffins?
Yes. Nutella works very well as a muffin filling. It becomes warm, creamy, and slightly softer during baking while remaining rich and chocolatey.
Why are the muffins not tall?
Overmixing, underfilling the muffin cups, or using an oven that is not fully preheated can result in shorter muffins.
The high initial baking temperature also helps encourage tall muffin tops.
Can milk be used instead of sour cream?
Plain full-fat yogurt is the best simple substitute for sour cream.
It provides similar moisture and acidity while keeping the muffin crumb tender.
Can these muffins be made without coffee?
Absolutely. Hot water works perfectly in this recipe.
Coffee is simply an optional ingredient that can make the chocolate flavor taste deeper.
Can Nutella be replaced with another spread?
Yes. A chocolate hazelnut spread or another thick chocolate spread can be used.
Choose a spread with a similar thick consistency so it stays mostly in the center while baking.
Why did the Nutella disappear into the batter?
If the Nutella is too soft or placed too close to the bottom of the muffin, it can blend into the batter during baking.
Keep the filling in the center and cover it completely with muffin batter.
Can chocolate chips be left out?
Yes. The muffins will still have a rich chocolate flavor because of the cocoa powder and Nutella.
However, chocolate chips add extra melted chocolate pockets and a more indulgent texture.
Can this recipe make mini muffins?
Yes, but the baking time needs to be significantly reduced.
Mini muffins can overbake quickly, so begin checking them early and remove them as soon as the centers are set.
How can the muffins stay soft?
Avoid overbaking and store completely cooled muffins in an airtight container.
The sour cream or yogurt and vegetable oil in the batter also help keep the crumb soft.
Are these muffins freezer-friendly?
Yes. Once cooled, wrap the muffins individually and freeze them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Conclusion
These Chocolate Nutella Muffins bring together everything that makes homemade chocolate muffins irresistible: fluffy texture, rich cocoa flavor, melted chocolate chips, and a creamy Nutella center.
The jumbo size makes them feel extra special, while the simple one-bowl batter keeps the recipe beginner-friendly.
Whether served for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or an easy chocolate dessert, these muffins are best enjoyed slightly warm with the Nutella center still soft and creamy.
For anyone who loves chocolate and hazelnut flavors, this Nutella Muffins Recipe is an easy bake worth making again and again