Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You need to know, right off the bat, that I feel slightly guilty calling these muffins. If you’ve ever had the Costco version, you know what I mean. They aren’t fooling anybody. Because these so-called “muffins” are actually rich, moist, chocolate cupcakes….without frosting.
- Just like the store version—maybe better: If you love those oversized, ultra-chocolatey muffins from Costco, this homemade version brings that same rich flavor, with even more love baked in.
- Shortcuts make it so easy: This recipe starts with a cake mix and pudding mix, so you get bakery-style results without the fuss. No complicated steps—just mix, scoop, and bake!
- Bakery-style results: Thanks to the addition of sour cream, these muffins come out incredibly moist and tender with a perfect, soft crumb.
- Great for meal-prep: Double the recipe and stash some in the freezer for a quick breakfast or snack on-the-go.
After you preview the recipe card, be sure to look below for ingredient substitutions, recipe and storage tips, and suggestions for pairings and tasty variations!
Double Chocolate Muffins (Costco Copycat Recipe)
These homemade double chocolate muffins are just as rich and moist as the originals, but even better because they’re fresh from your own oven. With simple ingredients and a shortcut cake mix base, you’ll have bakery-style muffins in no time.
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Servings: 24
Calories: 246kcal
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 package Devil’s food cake mix
- 1 3.9 oz package instant chocolate pudding mix
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffins tins with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, lightly beat 3 eggs. Mix in 1/2 cup canola oil, 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup water, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
- Stir in the 1 cup sour cream, 1 package Devil’s food cake mix, the1 3.9 oz package instant chocolate pudding mix and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Mix well. Stir in 2 cups of the chocolate chips.
- Fill muffin tins 3/4 full. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips over the batter. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 192mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g
Keep scrolling for tips, ingredient substitutions, answers to frequently asked questions and more!
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overmix! Once you add the dry ingredients, mix until everything is just combined. Overmixing can make the muffins dense.
- Use a spring-loaded ice cream scoop to fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full. This will help achieve those beautiful domed muffin tops.
- Check for doneness early: Ovens can vary, so start checking at the 15-minute mark. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs.
- Make jumbo or regular sized muffins: You’ll get about 2 dozen regular sized muffins from this recipe. Or one dozen if you make them in a jumbo muffin pan.
Storing and Freezing
Tips for Storing
- Cool completely before storing to prevent condensation and sogginess.
- Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days. Try placing a paper towel underneath and on top of the muffins to absorb excess moisture and keep the tops from getting sticky.
- Pop your muffins in the microwave for 10–15 seconds to bring back that fresh from the oven goodness.
Tips for Freezing
- Freeze individually: Wrap each muffin tightly in plastic wrap or foil, then place in a freezer-safe zip-top bag or container. This helps prevent freezer burn and makes it easy to grab just one at a time. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Let muffins thaw at room temp for about an hour, or microwave straight from frozen for 30–40 seconds for a warm, fresh-baked taste.
Variations and Fun Twists
- Chocolate Hazelnut: Swirl a spoonful of Nutella into the center of each muffin before baking.
- Triple Chocolate: Use a combo of semisweet, milk, and white chocolate chips for added variety.
- Chocolate Orange: Add a few teaspoons of orange zest to the batter for a bright contrast to the rich chocolate.
- Banana Chocolate Muffins: Replace the sour cream with mashed banana.
34 comments
Carol Gazzam
Just made these for the first time…probably the best double chocolate muffin I’ve ever eaten. I was leery about using the cinnamon and almost left it out…glad I didnt! These muffins are delicious just as written! Thanks so much for posting this fabulous treat!!
M
Just have to say, I just made these. It’s 10.30pm on November 23rd 2022. They’re objectively great. I’m across the pond in the UK, so sourced our versions of the ingredients (i.e. Angel’s Delight for the instant chocolate pudding), and it still came out great. I think it’s the devil’s food cake mix.
I have to say though, it’s been a while since I tasted the costco chocolate muffin, so I may not remember its taste EXACTLY. But, this is a great chocolate muffin. So if you’re in doubt about that, don’t be.
Lynn in Beaver Ville
Works great as a chocolate cake mix muffin with chocolate pudding and chocolate chips. Does not work well as a strawberry cake mix muffin with strawberry pudding and white chips (and dried Valencia orange peel instead of cinnamon.) It comes out too cake-like as the strawberry variation. With the chocolate you can still pretend it’s not cake for some reason. (Side note, the chocolate not only freezes well, they taste great sliced straight from the freezer.)