Air Fryer Chocolate Chip Muffins have become my favorite way to make a quick, cozy treat without turning on the oven. The batter is deeply chocolatey with buttermilk making every bite unbelievably soft and tender, and those melted chocolate chip pockets throughout are just everything. That perfectly, slightly crisp domed top fresh out of the air fryer looks like it came straight from a bakery.
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I make these for bake sales, afternoon snacks, office treats, and weekend breakfasts because a good chocolate muffin is something everyone genuinely gets excited about. They’re just as good with a morning coffee as they are as an after-dinner treat, and the air fryer gets them done so much faster than the oven. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.
How to Make Air Fryer Chocolate Chip Muffins with Step-By-Step Instructions
Scroll down for the full recipe card containing a full printable recipe and measurements in both US customary and metric units.
You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can whip up chocolate chip muffins in the air fryer that are soft, tender, and loaded with melty chocolate.
Line Your Muffin Tins
Line two 6-cup tins (or one 12-cup tin) with paper liners and lightly coat with non-stick cooking spray. Having everything ready before the batter comes together matters here because once you mix it, you’ll want to get it into the cups quickly.
Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until fully combined. Whisking rather than stirring helps break up any clumps in the cocoa powder and distribute the leavening evenly, which is what gives you a consistent rise across every muffin.
This set of glass mixing bowls is ideal here because they make whisking dry ingredients so easy. The ingredients blend smoothly, giving muffins a consistent rise and light, fluffy texture.
Combine the Wet Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk the granulated sugar (white sugar), brown sugar, oil or melted unsalted butter for a richer flavor, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. I always reach for my stainless steel balloon whisk here because the wide wires quickly create a smooth, glossy mixture and make the whole step feel effortless.
Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring gently just until combined to form the muffin batter. Don’t overmix or the muffins will turn out tough.
Add the Buttermilk and Boiling Water
Slowly alternate adding the buttermilk and boiling water to the batter, mixing on low until smooth. The batter will look thinner than you expect, and that’s exactly right. The boiling water blooms the cocoa and loosens the batter in a way that creates an incredibly soft, moist crumb once baked. A heat-safe liquid measuring cup makes pouring the boiling water in a slow, controlled stream much easier.
DO MORE WITH YOUR
AIR FRYER
This eBook is a collection of 86 recipes I make again and again in my own kitchen. If you love good food and easy instructions, this book was made for you.
Immediate eBook download. No physical book available.
Includes ad-free recipes like:
∙ Cheesy Egg Bites
∙ Broccoli Cheddar Soup
∙ Asparagus Casserole
∙ Crack Chicken Casserole
∙ Coffee Cake
...and much more!
Fold In the Chocolate Chips
Gently stir in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the batter. You can use semi-sweet for a classic chocolate flavor, milk chocolate chips for a milder, creamier taste, or white chocolate chips for a sweeter, creamier twist. I switch to a flexible silicone spatula for this step since it lets you fold without deflating the batter or overworking the gluten.
Fill the Cups and Air Fry
Line your muffin cups with paper cases (or use silicone muffin cups as an alternative) and fill each about ¾ full. If you reserved chocolate chips, sprinkle a few on top of each muffin for extra melty chocolate in every bite.
Place the muffins carefully in the air fryer basket and bake at 350°F (176.7°C) for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. This will yield fluffy muffins with a light, tender texture. A digital kitchen thermometer can help you confirm doneness if your air fryer runs hot.
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes so the crumb sets and firms up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving. Enjoy!
If you’re taking this to a potluck, let them cool completely before packing, then stack them in a hard-sided muffin carrier or a sturdy lidded container with a sheet of parchment paper between layers to keep them from sticking. They hold their texture and don’t crumble or fall apart in transit, so they arrive looking just as good as they did coming out of the air fryer.
Air Fryer Chocolate Chip Muffins
Add Preferred SourceIngredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line two 6-cup muffin tins (or one 12-cup tin) with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.2 cups all-purpose flour, ¾ cup cocoa powder, 1½ teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a separate bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, stirring gently just until combined.1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, ¾ cup vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Slowly alternate adding the buttermilk and boiling water to the batter, mixing on low speed until smooth. The batter will be slightly thin. Gently stir in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.1 cup buttermilk, 1 cup boiling water, 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Fill each muffin cup about ¾ full. Bake in the air fryer at 350°F (180°C) for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Whisk the cocoa thoroughly: Make sure the cocoa powder is fully incorporated into the dry ingredients before combining with the wet. Clumps of cocoa can leave bitter, uneven spots in the finished muffin.
- Don’t skip the boiling water: It looks like a lot, and the batter will seem too thin, but the boiling water is what blooms the cocoa and creates that soft, moist crumb. Trust the process and don’t add more flour to compensate.
- Stir gently once combined: Overmixing once the dry and wet ingredients meet develops gluten and leads to dense, tough muffins. Mix just until no dry streaks remain, then stop.
- Fill cups to exactly ¾ full: Underfilling gives you flat muffins. Overfilling causes overflow and uneven baking. A large cookie scoop makes portioning fast and consistent.
- Check early and often: Air fryers vary in how they run, so start checking at 12 minutes. You want a toothpick to come out with a few moist crumbs, not completely clean, which means the center has set without drying out.
- Flash freeze for perfect storage: If you’re freezing a batch, set the cooled muffins on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze for 1 hour before transferring to a container. They won’t stick together and will keep their shape when you pull one out later.
Nutrition
DO MORE WITH YOUR
AIR FRYER
This eBook is a collection of 86 recipes I make again and again in my own kitchen. If you love good food and easy instructions, this book was made for you.
Immediate eBook download. No physical book available.
Includes ad-free recipes like:
∙ Cheesy Egg Bites
∙ Broccoli Cheddar Soup
∙ Asparagus Casserole
∙ Crack Chicken Casserole
∙ Coffee Cake
...and much more!
How to Store Leftovers
These air-fried muffins keep well at room temperature for about 3 days when stored in an air tight container on the counter. I usually place a small sheet of paper towel inside the container to help absorb extra moisture and keep the tops from getting sticky.
For longer storage, place the muffins in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze them for up to 2 months. I wrap them tightly with plastic wrap or place them in a heavy-duty freezer bag, then store them in a glass freezer-safe container so they keep their shape and texture. Let frozen muffins thaw at room temperature or warm them briefly in the microwave.
What to Serve With Air Fryer Chocolate Chip Muffins
Chocolate muffins pair nicely with simple breakfast favorites. I often serve them with fresh fruit, yogurt, scrambled eggs, or a savory egg casserole so you can enjoy a variety of flavors and tastes in a balanced morning meal.
Coffee or cold milk also works perfectly with the rich cocoa flavor, and for a decadent twist, I sometimes enjoy a warm muffin topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream as a quick snack. Warm muffins alongside a hot latte or cappuccino feel like something you’d pick up from a neighborhood bakery.
More Easy Recipes for You to Try at Home
If you love easy air fryer baking, these are next on your list.
