Dark Chocolate Vanilla Muffins

Jul 17, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Muffins Origin: Ugandan Vanilla: Beans Easy

Dark chocolate muffins flavored with a whole vanilla bean. An easy recipe: 15 minutes of prep and 22 minutes of cooking; makes 12 muffins. Best vanilla for this: Ugandan (bold, chocolatey, smoky), or Mexican (spiced, warm, woodsy). Any pure vanilla works.

Prep 15 min

Cook 22 min

Total 37 min

Yield 12 muffins

Diet —

Ingredients

Adjust yield

muffins

2.0 cups (240.0 g)all-purpose flour
¾ cup (150.0 g)granulated sugar
½ cup (120.0 ml)vegetable oil
2.0large eggs
¾ cup (180.0 ml)whole milk
2.0 tsp (8.0 g)baking powder
½ tspfine sea salt
1.0vanilla bean, split and scraped
¾ cup (130.0 g)chopped dark chocolate

Make it at home

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla until evenly combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold gently with a spatula just until no dry flour remains; a few lumps are fine, and overmixing makes tough muffins.
Gently fold the chopped chocolate into the batter.
Divide the batter among the lined cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 to 24 minutes, until domed and golden and a tester comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.

Tips

Use chocolate between 60% and 70% cacao so its bitterness balances the vanilla's sweetness.
Don't toss the scraped pods: tuck them into a jar of sugar for homemade vanilla sugar.
No vanilla bean? Use 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla powder instead. Add it where the recipe adds the seeds; if the bean is steeped in hot milk or cream, stir the swap in after cooking, off the heat.
Choosing vanilla: Ugandan vanilla (bold, chocolatey, smoky) suits this recipe best; Mexican (spiced, warm, woodsy) is a great alternative, and any pure vanilla works.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make vanilla muffins?

Plan on 15 minutes of prep and 22 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes 12 muffins.

How should I store vanilla muffins?

Store airtight at room temperature for 2 days, or freeze for up to 3 months and rewarm briefly.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This version uses 1 split vanilla bean. You can swap in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste, or 1 teaspoon of vanilla powder instead; they're interchangeable at these amounts. Beans give the most visible specks and the fullest aroma.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 12 servings this recipe makes.

274 Calories / serving

13.8g Fat

35.2g Carbs

3.4g Protein

18.4g Sugar

Whole recipe (12 servings): ~3288 cal · 166g fat · 422g carbs · 41g protein · 221g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 274 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 52 min·3.0 mi·~6100 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 37 min·1.9 mi·~3700 steps
Moderate cycling 28 min·5.6 mi
Swimming laps 38 min
Jogging 27 min·2.3 mi·~4300 steps
Stair climbing 25 min·~2250 steps
Dancing 45 min
Bodyweight circuit training 28 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 64 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.