These Chocolate Cherry Muffins are packed with fresh cherries and chocolate chips. The muffins are super soft and are made without a mixer. They are perfect for breakfast and brunch!
Cherries are one of those fruits that go so well with chocolate. I’m so glad I decided to use some of our fresh cherries to make these moist, buttery cherry muffins.
If you’re looking for more muffin recipes, try my delicious Lemon Chia Seed Muffins, Pumpkin Banana Muffins and Lemon Blueberry Muffins!
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Why We Love This Recipe
- These muffins are super soft, moist and rich.
- Chocolate with cherries makes these chocolate chip cherry muffins so delicious.
- They’re flavored with cinnamon, ginger and vanilla!
- Everyone will love the buttery, crunchy and delicious cinnamon streusel on top.
- There’s no mixer needed.
- You can enjoy these muffins for breakfast, a snack or dessert.
Ingredients
- Sugar: Use a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar. Use either light or dark brown sugar. Make sure the brown sugar is fresh.
- Cherries: I recommend using fresh, ripe cherries. I wouldn’t recommend using frozen cherries. Use a cherry pitter to remove the pits then slice cherries in half. If you love baking with cherries, try my cherry pie bars!
- Chocolate chips: I like to use semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter. Melt the butter then allow it to cool slightly.
- Ground cinnamon and ginger: Cinnamon and ginger add a hint of warm flavor.
- Buttermilk: Use room temperature buttermilk. Buttermilk adds a delicious, slightly tangy flavor, and a moist, tender texture to muffins.
Please see recipe card below for full list of ingredients and their measurements.
Substitutions
- Dark chocolate chips can be used in place of semi-sweet.
- You can use extra cinnamon if you don’t have ground ginger.
- Swap in chocolate chunks or chopped chocolate in place of the chocolate chips.
- If you do not have buttermilk, you can make your own buttermilk substitute.
- You can also use whole milk or plain, full fat yogurt in place of buttermilk.
- Almond extract can be used in place of vanilla extract.
- Feel free to swap in turbinado sugar in place of streusel.
Instructions
Below are step by step directions for making this recipe for cherry muffins.
Step 1: (Picture 1 above). Combine the melted butter, flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a bowl butter in a small bowl. Mix together with a fork.
Step 2: (Picture 2 above). Whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt.
Step 3: (Picture 3 above). In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the add the melted butter, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and eggs.
Step 4: (Picture 4 above). Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a spatula. Add the cherries and chocolate chips and stir until just combined.
Step 5: (Picture 5 above). Use an ice cream scoop to evenly distribute the batter into the prepared cupcake tin. Sprinkle the streusel on top.
Step 6: (Picture 6 above). Bake at 425 F for 5 minutes then reduce heat to 350 and bake for an additional 17-19 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Fill the muffin cups to the tops. I use an ice cream scoop to do this because it results in even muffins and it makes scooping the batter a little less messy.
- Avoid overmixing the ingredients. Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Enjoy these muffins at room temperature or warm. Warm muffins in the microwave or in the oven at 300 F for 5 about minutes.
Recipe FAQs
Stick a toothpick into the center of one. If it comes out clean (i.e. without any wet crumbs), they’re done. Another way to check is to press a muffin lightly with your finger. If it springs back, they’re finished baking.
Cherry muffins are best enjoyed the same day they’re made. Store leftover muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at room temperature for up to 3 days. Muffins can be frozen for up to 3 months.
I don’t recommend using frozen cherries. Frozen cherries release water as they bake and will change the texture of the muffins. Fresh cherry muffins tend to have more flavor as well.
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Chocolate Cherry Muffins
Ingredients
Cinnamon Streusel
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar or granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
Chocolate Cherry Muffins
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted, cooled slightly
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar light or dark, packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ⅔ cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1 cup cherries pitted, halved
- ½ cup chocolate chips semi-sweet or dark
Instructions
Cinnamon Streusel
- Combine the melted butter, flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a bowl butter in a small bowl. Mix together with a fork. Set aside in the fridge to chill while you prepare the batter.
Chocolate Cherry Muffins
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- Melt the butter in the microwave. Set aside to cool slightly. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners or grease muffin tin with butter.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the add the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and eggs.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a spatula. Add the cherries and chocolate chips and stir until just combined.
- Use an ice cream scoop to evenly distribute the batter into the prepared cupcake tin. Sprinkle the streusel on top.
- Bake at 425 F for 5 minutes then reduce heat to 350 and bake for an additional 17-19 minutes or until a toothpick comes out without wet crumbs when inserted in the middle of a muffin.
- Let cool in tin for 10 minutes then transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Stella
With chocolate and cherries as ingredients I had to make these muffins! They were so moist & delicious. Will make them again and again!
Natalie
So happy you enjoyed these chocolate cherry muffins Stella! Chocolate and cherries are so good together! Excited for you to make them again. Have a great night! Natalie