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    Home » Recipes » Muffins

    Easy Chocolate Orange Muffins Recipe

    Published: Jun 28, 2021 · Modified: Jan 28, 2023 by Beth Sachs · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 5 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Chocolate orange muffins pin image.

    Soft and fluffy chocolate orange muffins, loaded with Terry's chocolate orange pieces and extra orange zest! A quick and easy bake for the festive season and beyond!

    These muffins are perfect for snacks, festive bake sales, and even Christmas Day breakfast (you're allowed chocolate for breakfast on Christmas Day, right?).

    Chocolate orange muffins in a baking tin.

    We do love a good muffin in this house, which you can probably tell by the number of easy muffin recipes I have on the blog! Current favourites include biscoff muffins and blueberry white chocolate muffins, but these Terry's chocolate orange muffins might just have become my new favourite.

    Intensely chocolaty with chunky pieces of Terry's chocolate orange segments hidden inside...what's not to LOVE?

    👩‍🍳 Love chocolate orange? You'll want to try my Terry's Chocolate Orange Tiffin and Chocolate Orange Cookie Bars too!

    Jump to:
    • ✔️ Why should you try it?
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 💭 Top tips
    • 🍴 Serving suggestions
    • 📖 Variations
    • 🥡 Storage
    • ❓ FAQs
    • 😋Related recipes
    • More baking recipes
    • Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    ✔️ Why should you try it?

    • Quick and easy muffin recipe.
    • Soft and fluffy in texture.
    • Festive chocolate orange flavour combination.
    • Freezer-friendly.

    🥘 Ingredients

    Ingredients for chocolate orange muffins.
    • Chocolate Orange - 1 standard Terry's milk chocolate orange plus 12 chocolate orange minis segments for the topping.
    • Plain Flour - white plain flour, or use wholemeal for extra fiber.
    • Bicarbonate of Soda - the raising agent which makes the muffins light and fluffy.
    • Caster Sugar - or substitute with granulated sugar or light brown sugar if you prefer.
    • Cocoa Powder - for a chocolaty flavour.
    • Orange - you'll need the zest of 1 large orange or 2 clementines.
    • Eggs - 2 large free-range eggs at room temperature.
    • Butter - unsalted butter that has been melted and cooled.
    • Yogurt - use a plain natural yogurt or Greek yogurt.
    • Chocolate - 50g of melted dark chocolate is needed to stick the chocolate orange minis onto the tops of the muffins.

    🔪 Instructions

    The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post

    One: Place the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa powder, and sugar in a large mixing bowl.

    Two: Whisk together the melted butter, eggs, and natural yogurt and gently mix into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon.

    Three: Add the orange zest.

    Four: Fold in the chopped Terry's chocolate orange pieces.

    Step by step photo instructions for making chocolate orange muffins.

    Five: Divide the muffin batter between 12 muffin cases.

    Six: Bake in a preheated oven for 16-18 minutes. Once cool, melt the chocolate for the topping and use it to stick the 12 chocolate orange minis onto the top of each muffin.

    Chocolate Muffins in a muffin tin.

    💭 Top tips

    • Don't overmix the muffins. Overmixing will result in tough chewy muffins! Gently fold in the ingredients and don't worry if there are a few lumps remaining.
    • If you can't get hold of Terry's chocolate orange just use the equivalent amount (157g) of dark chocolate and use the zest of 2 oranges rather than just 1.
    • Make mini chocolate orange muffins instead by using a mini muffin tin and mini muffin cases. Perfect bitesize muffins and great for kids! You could also make chocolate orange cupcakes!

    🍴 Serving suggestions

    The chocolate orange muffins are delicious as a snack with a glass of milk or a cup of tea. They also make a quick and easy pudding served with no-churn honeycomb ice cream!

    I've also served them for Christmas morning breakfast, along with mince pie blondies and chocolate orange brownies! My house is sugar rush central!

    📖 Variations

    • Make double chocolate orange muffins by adding 100g of chopped white chocolate orange pieces to the muffin batter.
    • Decorate the muffins with a simple chocolate butter icing and dust with icing sugar.
    • Add a handful of dried cranberries to the muffins for extra flavour.
    • Use orange-flavoured yogurt rather than natural yogurt.
    Chocolate orange muffins on a cooling rack.

    🥡 Storage

    Store: Muffins are best eaten fresh on the day they are made, but they can be stored in an airtight container or cake tin for up to 3 days.

    Freeze: The muffins can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Cool the muffins completely before placing them in a freezer-safe container or into freezer bags. Defrost the muffins at room temperature before serving.

    ❓ FAQs

    Why are my muffins dry and tough?

    The main cause of dry, tough muffins is over-mixing the batter and overcooking the muffins. Be gentle when mixing the batter (a few lumps won't matter!) and make sure your oven is at the correct temperature.

    Why haven't my muffins risen?

    Firstly, check that your raising agent is in date or that you haven't forgotten to use it. Secondly, don't let the muffin batter sit for too long before putting it in the oven.

    What makes muffins light and fluffy?

    Make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature before using them, particularly the eggs. Then make sure your raising agent is evenly distributed through the dry ingredients before adding the wet ingredients to it. It's also worth noting that it's important to allow the melted butter to cool slightly before adding it to the other wet ingredients.

    A chocolate orange muffin in a white paper case.

    😋Related recipes

    More delicious muffin recipes to try!

    • White Chocolate & Cherry Muffins
    • Nutella Muffins
    • Chocolate and Banana Muffins
    • Blackberry & Lemon Muffins
    • Fresh Cranberry Muffins
    • Chocolate Courgette Muffins
    • Raspberry & White Chocolate Muffins
    • Christmas Cake Muffins

    More baking recipes

    • Easy Chocolate Nutella Muffins Recipe
    • Easy Smarties Cookies Recipe
    • Easy Mint Aero Brownies Recipe
    • Easy Frangipane Mince Pies Recipe

    Tried this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating in the comments!

    Recipe

    Terry's chocolate orange muffins.
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    5 from 3 votes

    Chocolate Orange Muffins

    Soft and fluffy chocolate orange muffins, loaded with Terry's chocolate orange pieces.
    Course Cake
    Cuisine British
    Keyword chocolate orange muffins, terry's chocolate orange muffins
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 18 minutes
    Total Time 28 minutes
    Servings 12
    Calories 283kcal
    Author Beth Sachs
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Kitchen Scales
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Mixing Bowl
    • Wooden Spoon
    • 12 Hole Muffin Tin
    • Muffin Cases
    • Microwave
    • Microplane Grater

    Ingredients

    • 140 g Caster Sugar
    • 180 g Plain Flour
    • 20 g Cocoa Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
    • 100 ml Natural Yogurt
    • 2 Eggs
    • 140 g Butter melted
    • 157 g Terry's Chocolate Orange milk or dark, chopped into small pieces
    • 1 Orange zest only

    Topping (optional)

    • 50 g Dark Chocolate melted
    • 12 Chocolate Orange Minis segments

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 190°c (170fan/ Gas 5/ 375F).
    • Put the caster sugar, plain flour, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda in a large mixing bowl.
    • Whisk together the (cooled) melted butter, yogurt and eggs and then pour the mixture into the dry ingredients. Gently mix with a spoon. Be careful not to overmix.
    • Fold through the chocolate orange pieces and orange zest.
    • Divide the mixture between 12 muffin cases and bake in the oven for 18 minutes (start checking after 16 minutes as ovens do vary).
    • Allow the muffins to cool completely.
    • For the topping, melt the dark chocolate in the microwave and smear a small amount of the melted chocolate on the back of each chocolate orange minis segment before placing on top of each muffin.

    Video

    Notes

    Top Tips:
    • Don't overmix the muffins. Overmixing will result in tough chewy muffins! Gently fold in the ingredients and don't worry if there are a few lumps remaining.
    • If you can't get hold of Terry's chocolate orange just use the equivalent amount (157g) of dark chocolate and use the zest of 2 oranges rather than just 1.
    • Make mini chocolate orange muffins instead by using a mini muffin tin and mini muffin cases. Perfect bitesize muffins and great for kids!
     
    Variations:
    • Make double chocolate orange muffins by adding 100g of chopped white chocolate orange pieces to the muffin batter.
    • Decorate the muffins with a simple chocolate butter icing and dust with icing sugar.
    • Add a handful of dried cranberries to the muffins for a fruity hit.
    • Use orange flavoured yogurt rather than natural yogurt for an extra orangy flavour!
     
    Storage:
    Muffins are best eaten fresh on the day they are made but they can be stored in an airtight cake tin for up to 3 days. The muffins can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
     
    Nutrition:
    The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
     
    Nutrition Facts
    Chocolate Orange Muffins
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    283
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    13
    g
    20
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    5
    g
    31
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    1
    g
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    Cholesterol
     
    28
    mg
    9
    %
    Sodium
     
    109
    mg
    5
    %
    Potassium
     
    161
    mg
    5
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    39
    g
    13
    %
    Fiber
     
    2
    g
    8
    %
    Sugar
     
    21
    g
    23
    %
    Protein
     
    6
    g
    12
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    80
    IU
    2
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    6
    mg
    7
    %
    Calcium
     
    43
    mg
    4
    %
    Iron
     
    2
    mg
    11
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kechi

      June 28, 2021 at 11:51 am

      5 stars
      These chocolate muffins are perfection! I would love a muffin with my cup of tea right now! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    2. Alejandra

      June 28, 2021 at 1:12 pm

      5 stars
      I also looove muffins! This one looks so chocolatey delicious, and adding some orange flavor is such a great idea!

      Reply
    3. Emily Flint

      June 28, 2021 at 1:33 pm

      5 stars
      I couldn't find Terry's chocolate orange here in OR so I used dark chocolate and orange zest instead and these muffins were a hit! Chocolate and orange are the best combo. Next time, I'm adding some white chocolate as well!

      Reply
    4. Pam Greer

      June 28, 2021 at 1:46 pm

      5 stars
      Chocolate and orange is one of my favorite flavor combinations! I can't wait to try these muffins!

      Reply
    5. Beth

      June 28, 2021 at 2:26 pm

      5 stars
      These muffins look so yummy and very delicious! Such a great combination too! The family is going to be all over this recipe. Very excited to make these!

      Reply

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    Beth Sachs Food Blogger

    Hi, I’m Beth, a Mum of three (and one crazy dog), living in Cornwall, UK. I love creating easy, delicious and fuss-free recipes, perfect for busy families, just like my own.

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