Choc chip raspberry muffins — giant, bakery-style vegan muffins that are light, tender and moist with tall domed tops. These muffins combine tangy raspberries with sweet vegan chocolate chips for a classic flavour pairing. They bake up with a soft crumb, a gentle vanilla note and plenty of fruit and chocolate in every bite.
They’re simple to prepare in one bowl, freeze well and make a fantastic breakfast, snack or dessert.
Ingredient details
Raspberries: Use fresh or frozen. If using frozen, add them straight from the freezer so they don’t bleed into the batter. Prefer whole berries rather than ones that have already broken down.
Yogurt: A thick, Greek-style vegan yogurt gives the best lift and moisture. Thicker batter helps produce taller muffin tops, but any plant-based yogurt will work.
Milk: Use an unsweetened non-dairy milk. Soy milk is ideal for texture because of its higher protein content, but almond, oat or others are fine.
Oil: Any neutral-flavoured oil such as sunflower or light olive oil works well.
Sugar: Caster or granulated sugar is recommended; light brown soft sugar can also be used.
Plain flour (all-purpose): This recipe is written for plain flour; I have not tested it gluten-free.
Baking powder and bicarbonate of soda (baking soda): Use both for the best rise and texture. Don’t swap one for the other — they perform different roles.
Vinegar: Reacts with the bicarbonate of soda to help the muffins rise and become fluffy.
Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste gives the best flavour.
Chocolate chips: Use vegan-friendly chocolate chips, or omit them for plain raspberry muffins.
How to make choc chip raspberry muffins
(Full measurements and step-by-step instructions are provided in the recipe card below.)
- Mix the wet ingredients: Whisk together the non-dairy milk, vegan yogurt, oil, sugar, vanilla and vinegar in a large bowl.
- Add leavening and flour: Stir in the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt, then fold in the flour. Mix gently until no dry streaks of flour remain — a few small lumps are fine.
- Fold in fruit and chocolate: Very gently fold the raspberries and chocolate chips into the batter, taking care not to break up the berries. Let the batter rest, covered, for 15 minutes so the flour hydrates and the mixture thickens.
- Portion the batter: Preheat the oven high to give the muffins an initial lift. Divide the batter between 8 muffin cases, filling each almost to the top. Spreading the cases across two tins with a gap between each helps produce tall domes.
- Bake: Bake at a high temperature for about 7 minutes to set the dome, then lower the oven temperature and continue baking for 22–25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre (avoiding berries or chocolate) comes out clean.
Top tips
Use scales: For reliable, consistent results use metric measurements with a digital scale rather than cups. Scales are more accurate and less messy.
Tablespoon and teaspoon references mean standard measuring spoons (1 tbsp = 15 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml), not regular kitchen spoons.
Don’t over-mix the batter — over-beating can make muffins tough. Stir just until no dry streaks remain.
Let the batter rest for 15 minutes before portioning to allow the flour to hydrate; this helps create taller muffin tops.
Fill cases to the top for bakery-style domes and, if possible, space cases across two tins with an empty cavity between each to encourage even rising.
To prevent sticking, use good quality muffin cases or spray the cases lightly with baking spray. Allow muffins to cool completely before removing from the cases.
Lightly grease the top of the muffin pan to reduce the chance of the tops sticking where they touch the tin.
Variations
- Swap raspberries for chopped strawberries, peaches, cherries or blueberries.
- Omit chocolate chips and increase raspberries to 200 g for pure raspberry muffins.
- Omit raspberries and increase chocolate chips to 200 g for chocolate-focused muffins.
- Add a streusel topping for extra crunch.
- Sprinkle the tops with demerara or sanding sugar before baking for a crunchy finish.
- Make lemon-raspberry muffins by omitting chocolate and adding the finely grated zest of 3 lemons.
FAQs
How do I get tall bakery-style muffin tops?
Key steps: rest the batter for 15 minutes, fill cases to the top, space cases across two tins if you can, and bake at a high temperature for about 7 minutes before lowering the oven to finish baking.
How should I store them?
Because of the raspberries these muffins are best eaten within 1–2 days at cool room temperature in an airtight container, or about 3 days refrigerated.
Can I freeze them?
Yes — freeze baked muffins after they have cooled completely. Place in a ziplock bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature for a couple of hours.
Recipe card
Choc Chip Raspberry Muffins (vegan)
Yield: 8 muffins • Prep time: 15 minutes • Cook time: 30 minutes • Resting time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 120 g (½ cup) unsweetened non-dairy milk (soy recommended)
- 160 g (⅔ cup) vegan Greek-style yogurt
- 110 g (½ cup) neutral oil (light olive or sunflower)
- 180 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) caster or granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp vinegar
- 2½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- ¼ tsp salt
- 300 g (2½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 150 g (scant 1 cup) vegan chocolate chips
- 170 g (1½ cups) raspberries (fresh or frozen; do not defrost if frozen)
Instructions
- Whisk together the milk, yogurt, oil, sugar, vanilla and vinegar in a large bowl.
- Whisk in the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt, then add the flour. Mix gently until no flour streaks remain.
- Very gently fold in the raspberries and chocolate chips, trying not to break the berries.
- Cover the bowl and rest the batter for 15 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) / 425°F / gas mark 7. Line two muffin tins and space the cases out so there’s a gap between each one.
- Divide the batter between 8 muffin cases, filling them to the top.
- Bake for 7 minutes at the high temperature, then reduce the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) / 350°F / gas mark 4 and bake for a further 22–25 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (avoid hitting raspberries or chocolate).
- Cool in the tin for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
More vegan muffins
Try other vegan muffin flavours such as lemon poppy seed, peanut butter, double chocolate, banana or gingerbread — these variations follow the same simple one-bowl approach and similar baking times.
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