Bakery-Style Chocolate Chunk Muffins

     Remember my Bakery-Style Blueberry Muffins? These are a lot like those - the same big, crunchy top, the same buttery flavor and tender crumb. In my opinion, though, these are even better than blueberry muffins. Because these have chocolate instead of fruit. And that kinda always makes breakfast better.
    I just realized how many muffin posts I have had recently, but these muffins were kind of necessary (please understand that when I say necessary, I'm saying that as a 15-year-old girl who really likes chocolate). I spent Easter in Brazil with my mom's side of the family, and Brazilians have an Easter tradition of giving each other giant chocolate eggs. By giant I literally mean about the size of my head - and, due to the fact that I have quite a big family, I came home with 8 giant chocolate eggs. Thank you airport security for not taking away my Easter candy, even when one of my suitcases was devoted entirely to chocolate.
    When I got home, I realized that I needed to find some recipes to use up the chocolate, and fast - my parents and I couldn't possibly eat all of that chocolate! I decided to start with a classic, and I'm so glad I did.
    Enjoy!

Bakery-Style Chocolate Chunk Muffins

(slightly adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction)

 3 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 eggs, room temperature preferred

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk (skim, 1%, almond, rice, soy are all ok – room temperature preferred)

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 and 1/4 cup milk chocolate chunks

coarse or pearl sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat oven to 425F degrees. Spray 18 muffin cups with non-stick spray or line with muffin liners. Set aside.

In a large bowl, gently toss together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix until all dry ingredients are combined. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until combined. Mix in milk, oil, and vanilla. Mixture will be pale and yellow. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix everything together by hand with a wooden spoon. Avoid over-mixing. Gently mix until all the flour is off the bottom of the bowl and no big pockets of flour remain. The batter will be VERY thick and somewhat lumpy. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour batter into prepared muffin tins, filling all the way to the top. Top with a sprinkle of coarse or pearl sugar, if preferred. Bake at 425F degrees for 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 and continue to bake for 18 minutes until tops are lightly golden and centers appear set.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes in pan before enjoying.

     -Makes 18 muffins