It is very easy to make chocolate cherry muffins with fresh, sweet cherries: Just mix a few ingredients and bake.
Make these moist and delicious chocolate cherry muffins to celebrate the short and delightful cherry season. They are easy to make, chocolatey, and extremely satisfying.
Muffins are always good! I have rarely had a muffin I didn't like, whether it's sour cream muffins, strawberry white chocolate muffins, apple oil muffins, or anything else.
Muffins are simple, not overly sweet, and always so comforting and satisfying. They are perfect whenever you feel like eating cake but don't want to spend a lot of time baking.
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Recipe ingredients
Fresh cherries: I weighed the cherries after pitting them, so I had 9 oz/ 250 g/ about 1 ⅛ cup of pitted cherries. To get that amount of pitted cherries, you will probably need about 12 – 14 oz/ 350 - 400 g/ 2 ½ -3 cups unpitted cherries, depending on their size.
- Alternatives: You can also make these tender chocolate cherry muffins with sour cherries, frozen and defrosted cherries, or cherries from a jar (well drained and preferably not too sweet). I often make this recipe using my Preserved Cherries.
Sugar: Use granulated sugar for the batter and a little brown sugar to sprinkle on top of the chocolate cherry muffins before baking them.
Unsweetened cocoa powder and chocolate chips (or chunks) for the chocolate taste. Check out another choc-cherry delights: Chocolate Cherry Bundt Cake, Cherry Chocolate Brownies, or Cherry Chocolate Cake.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make cherry muffins?
Preparations: Preheat the oven and line the tin with paper cases. Pit the cherries with a cherry pitter (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab). Chop them roughly and let them drain in a sieve while you prepare the batter.
Step #1: Place the soft butter, sugar, vanilla extract, eggs, and milk in a large mixing bowl and mix well with a hand mixer.
Step #2: Mix the dry ingredients in another bowl: all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and unsweetened cocoa powder. Fold them into the butter mixture using a spatula.
Step #3: Once you have added the flour mixture about halfway, add about ⅔ of the cherries as well. Mix again, but don't overmix; a few streaks of flour in the batter are OK.
Step #4: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin molds. Add the remaining cherries and sprinkle with a little sugar.
- Step #5: Bake for about 25 minutes, checking after about 22 minutes already. A toothpick inserted in the middle of one muffin should come out clean. Let the chocolate cherry muffins rest in the pan for about 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Tips for making good muffins
Measure the ingredients the right way, which is using a digital kitchen scale (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab). A scale is cheap, and you will use it for years. A measuring cup can be useful in cooking, but it's not reliable in baking, so measuring flour correctly will always remain a challenge.
Don't over-mix the batter; that results in dense muffins, they will lose their softness and airiness. After mixing the wet ingredients, add the mixed dry ingredients and gently fold them in with a whisk or a plastic spatula. You don't even have to mix in the flour entirely; a few streaks here and there are fine.
- Here is the best article on mixing and over-mixing (the link opens in a new tab) that I have ever read
Baking the muffins: Bake them in muffin liners (paper liners). In my experience, no matter how well you butter the molds, some will always stick.
- Always preheat the oven. Only a few recipes, like our favorite spelt bread, don't require preheating. If baking powder waits for the oven to heat up, it loses its effectiveness, and your baked goods won't rise properly.
- Don't bake them for too long: Check the baked goods about two minutes earlier than the recipe suggests. This helps prevent overbaking, as ovens can vary in heat. To check if muffins are done, insert a toothpick into the center of one. It should come out clean or with just a crumb or two, but it shouldn't be wet.
Cooling the muffins: Let them cool in the pan for 2 or 3 minutes. This allows them to set and makes transferring them easier. Carefully remove them from the molds and let them cool completely on a wire rack. If you leave them to cool completely in the pan or on a surface where they can't breathe, they will become soggy.
- If the muffins' edges stick slightly to the pan, run a small knife around the sides to loosen them. Be careful not to scratch the muffin pan.
How to store them?
Don't keep them at room temperature for more than one day; they are made with fresh fruit, and they might start to mold quickly, especially if the weather is warm.
Refrigerate them in an airtight container for 2-3 days; they will become slightly denser, but they will still be delicious.
Freeze the muffins
As these delicious muffins have no glaze whatsoever, they are very suitable for freezing.
Let them get completely cool before freezing. To prevent freezer burn, wrap each muffin individually in freezer wrap or foil. Packing them individually also allows you to defrost only one or two muffins at a time when needed.
Place them in airtight containers, such as plastic containers or freezer bags, and freeze them for up to three months.
Keep the wrap on the muffins while they are defrosting.
You can heat up defrosted (and unwrapped) muffins at 140 degrees Celsius/ 280°F/ 140°C for about 10 minutes (it's not mandatory, but nice).
Easy Chocolate Cherry Muffins
Equipment
- Muffin tin
- Paper liners
- 2 Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ cup pitted cherries 250 g/ 9 oz, Notes 1,2
- ½ cup unsalted butter 125 g/ 4.5 oz, very soft, Note 3
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150 g/ 5.5 oz
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup milk 50 ml
- ⅔ cup cornstarch 75 g/ 2.5 oz
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 125 g/ 4.5 oz
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 25 g/ 0.9 oz
- a pinch of salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips 85 g, or chocolate chunks
- 2-3 teaspoons brown sugar or regular, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 360°F/ 180°C. Line the molds of a muffin tin with paper cases.
- Pit the cherries. Weigh the needed amount (250 g/ 9 oz/ 1 ⅛ cup) after pitting. Chop them roughly and let them drain in a sieve while you prepare the batter.1 ⅛ cup pitted cherries/ 250 g
- Mix the soft butter, sugar, vanilla extract, eggs, and milk in a bowl until combined. ½ cup unsalted butter/ 125 g + ¾ cup granulated sugar/ 150 g + 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract + 2 eggs + ¼ cup milk/ 50 ml
- Mix dry ingredients - cornstarch, flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt - in a separate bowl.⅔ cup cornstarch/ 75 g + 1 cup all-purpose flour/ 125 g + 1 teaspoon baking powder + ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder/ 25 g + a pinch of salt
- Batter: Gently start folding the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients using a spatula. Once you have mixed the dry ingredients about halfway, add about ⅔ of the cherries and the chocolate chips. Mix again, but take care not to over-mix; a few streaks of flour in the batter are OK.½ cup chocolate chips / 85 g
- Spoon the batter into the muffin tin. Place the remaining cherries on the muffins and sprinkle with the extra sugar.2-3 teaspoons brown sugar
- Bake for about 25 minutes, checking after about 22 minutes already. A toothpick inserted in the middle of one muffin should come out clean.
- Rest in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Cherries: Depending on their size, to get that amount of pitted cherries, you will probably need about 12 – 14 oz/ 350 - 400 g/ 2 ½ —3 cups unpitted cherries.
- If using frozen cherries, defrost them well and pat dry with kitchen paper.
- Measurements: Always use a digital kitchen scale to measure the ingredients; it guarantees for best results (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab). See my rant about cup measuring in the blog post.
Sherry Rickard says
So looking forward to these but they were very dry. I used the weight measurements for the first time. So disappointed.
Adina says
Hi Sherry. There are many reasons why muffins would turn dry, weighing using the metric system is not one of them; on the contrary I would say.
Michelle says
I used my own frozen cherries, carefully drained away most of the juices. Muffins actually turned out a bit dry. I also think a little more sugar wouldn't hurt--but maybe next time if I allow plenty of cherry juice in the batter that would help with the sweetness and flavour. Would also even add more cherries.
Thanks for the recipe and all the information re: freezing, etc!
Jessica Miszczak says
Hi!
I just made these and am so bummed that the taste of cornstarch is overpowering. ? The ratio of cornstarch and flour seemed off to me, but I decided to still go with it. I am from the US and have never baked with cornstarch. Does the taste of cornstarch disappear over time? I really would hate to throw these away as I spent time and money. Please advise. Thank you.
Adina says
Hi Jessica. I am sorry to hear that, I've never had that problem. I've checked the recipe again, the amount is correct. Adding cornstarch to baked goods is kind of common, it helps create a tender texture. Did you measure the starch and flour on a scale or with cups? Cup measuring could cause this kind of problem, adding too much of something without meaning to. I don't know if the taste will disappear, I never had that... wait until tomorrow and try them again. I am also not sure what kind of taste that is, cornstarch is like flour, doesn't really have a taste.
Jean says
I have read the instructions carefully, over and over, and I can’t find the temperature to cook the muffins!
Adina Beck says
@Jean, sorry, I seem to have missed that. 180 degrees Celsius or 360 Fahrenheit.
Pat Lynn says
Can you use frozen cherries
Adina says
Yes, sure. Defrost them and pat them dry with kitchen paper.
Marvellina | What To Cook Today says
I love cherry season! I've been stuffing my face with cherries everyday! LOL! To be honest with you, I hate cooking , especially, baking, using cups measurements! SO inaccurate! I prefer using scales. Besides, I ended up having to wash so many measuring cups just for one recipe! Your chocolate cherry muffins are to die for!!!!
mjskitchen says
Oh my goodness! You're killing me with all of these cherry recipes. Now it's a toss up between the scones and these muffins. Let's just go all of the way and pour some of your chocolate sauce on these muffins. Now I'm really in heaven. 🙂
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
It is definitely muffin baking season! I have been making them too, although I have never tried chocolate cherry. They look delicious!! I love all the chunks of fresh cherries! We do like to use our measuring cups in the US. My strategy is to measure the dry ingredients first, then the wet to avoid the gunky buildup and the repeatedly washing. I do use a scale to measure sometimes when I want my measurement to be precise 🙂