Chocolate hazelnut swirl muffins are tender vanilla muffins with ribbons of chocolate hazelnut spread folded through the batter and a handful of chocolate chips in every bite. They take ten minutes to prepare, bake in twenty, and make twelve muffins that taste like a bakery case favorite.
The batter is mixed in two bowls with oil and milk, so the crumb stays soft for days, and the spread is swirled in gently with a knife so that streaks remain. During baking the swirls soften into gooey pockets, and the chips melt on top, which gives each muffin a crisp dome and a rich, chocolatey center.
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What Makes Chocolate Hazelnut Swirl Muffins Special
Oil and milk give a moist crumb that lasts for days.
Swirls of spread create gooey pockets without a filling step.
The batter mixes by hand in about ten minutes.
Ingredients for Chocolate Hazelnut Swirl Muffins
- The dry ingredients are two cups of all purpose flour, one cup of sugar, one tablespoon of baking powder, and half a teaspoon of salt.
- The wet ingredients are two large eggs, half a cup of vegetable oil, half a cup of milk, and one teaspoon of vanilla extract, plus half a cup of chocolate hazelnut spread and half a cup of chocolate chips.
Chocolate hazelnut spread. It makes rich, gooey swirls.
Chocolate chips. They melt into pockets.
Oil. It keeps the crumb soft.
Eggs. They bind the batter.
Baking powder. It lifts the muffins.
Baking Chocolate Hazelnut Swirl Muffins Step by Step
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a twelve cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Mix the wet ingredients. Whisk the eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla in another bowl, then pour them into the dry ingredients and fold until just combined.
4. Swirl. Fold in the chips, drop spoonfuls of the spread over the batter, and swirl it with a knife two or three times.
5. Bake. Fill the cups three quarters full and bake for twenty minutes until a toothpick comes out clean, then cool in the pan for five minutes.
Warm the spread for ten seconds in the microwave before swirling. Cold spread is stiff and lumps into the batter, while slightly warmed spread flows into ribbons. Stop swirling after a few passes, because more stirring mixes it all in and you lose the streaks that make the muffins look special.
Fill the cups three quarters full. A fuller cup bakes into a tall dome, but spread near the edge can burn on the pan. If a little spread touches the top, that is fine, since it browns into a sticky crust. Rotate the tin halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots.
Notes and Variations for Chocolate Hazelnut Swirl Muffins
Flag the allergens. These muffins contain wheat, eggs, milk, and tree nuts from the hazelnut spread, so check every label.
Do not taste raw batter. Do not taste the raw batter, since it contains raw eggs and raw flour, and wash your hands and tools after mixing.
Check the doneness. A toothpick should come out clean from the cake, not from a spread swirl.
Do not overmix. Lumps are fine.
Use room temperature eggs. They blend more evenly.
Skip the chips. The muffins are still rich.
Add coarse sugar. It gives a crunchy top.
Check trusted guidance. Read the University of Wisconsin Extension leftovers guidance for safe storage of baked goods with eggs.
For a stronger chocolate flavor, replace a quarter cup of the flour with cocoa powder and add a little more milk. For a nutty crunch, fold in chopped hazelnuts. Both changes keep the same baking time, and the muffins stay moist because of the oil.
You can make mini muffins from the same batter, which bake in about twelve minutes and yield about thirty six. Use melted butter in place of the oil for a richer flavor. A scoop makes filling the liners quick and keeps the muffins the same size.
How to Serve Chocolate Hazelnut Swirl Muffins
Serve the muffins warm with a glass of cold milk or a cup of coffee. For more muffins and chocolate bakes, try double chocolate muffins, banana chocolate hazelnut muffins, lemon zest blackberry muffins, or chocolate chip banana loaf.
Storing Chocolate Hazelnut Swirl Muffins
Store the cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, or freeze them wrapped individually for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature, or warm a frozen muffin in the microwave for twenty seconds. A paper towel in the container absorbs moisture and keeps the tops from turning sticky.
Common Questions About Chocolate Hazelnut Swirl Muffins
How do you swirl chocolate hazelnut swirl muffins?
Drop spoonfuls of spread on the batter and swirl with a knife.
Can you make chocolate hazelnut swirl muffins ahead of time?
Yes. They keep for three days at room temperature.
Can you freeze chocolate hazelnut swirl muffins?
Yes, for up to three months.
Can I use melted butter instead of oil?
Yes, in the same amount.
Can I skip the chocolate chips?
Yes. The muffins stay rich.
Chocolate Hazelnut Swirl Muffins
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin tin
- paper liners
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate hazelnut spread
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
Cooking
- Heat. Heat the oven to 350 F and line a tin.
- Dry. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Wet. Whisk the eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla and fold into the dry mix.
- Swirl. Fold in the chips and swirl in the spread.
- Bake. Bake 20 minutes.
