If there’s one thing I love, it’s a big ol bakery muffin. The ones that look all puffed up and golden on top. For the longest time, I thought that was some kind of magic only professional bakers possessed. Spoiler alert: it’s not. It’s actually a pretty straightforward trick, and I’ve used it here to create my bakery-style matcha white chocolate muffins.
And let me tell you, these have everything you could want. These matcha muffins have a super soft, tender crumb with that umami earthy matcha flavour, sweetened by white chocolate chips. The colour, if you use good matcha (more on that in a minute), is a really beautiful green. They look so lovely, and the flavour combination is just perfect.
About the Matcha
Matcha is a very particular ingredient, and its quality can make a big difference in these muffins. When you’re picking out your matcha powder, you’re looking for a bright, almost vibrant green powder.
Why does this matter? A good quality matcha will give your muffins a fresh green colour and a clean, slightly grassy, earthy flavour. Lower quality matcha, on the other hand, can sometimes lean towards a duller, more brownish green, and the flavour can be a bit bitter or muddy. It’s not the end of the world if that’s all you have, but if you want that authentic matcha muffin, invest in some decent matcha.
Getting That Tall, Domed Muffin Top
So, the main trick to those domed muffins isn’t some fancy ingredient or a hidden method. It’s actually a simple temperature trick that works every single time.
You start by blasting the muffins with really high heat for the first few minutes of baking. We’re talking 425°F (218°C). This sudden burst of heat does two things:
- It creates a lot of steam from the moisture in the batter, which forces the muffins to rise rapidly.
- It quickly sets the outside of the muffin, locking in that upward growth.
After that initial high-heat period, you reduce the oven temperature to let the insides bake through gently. This ensures the muffins cook evenly and stay soft and tender.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Matcha powder
- Unsalted butter
- Vegetable oil
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs
- Sour cream or plain yogurt
- Milk
- Vanilla extract
- White chocolate chips
*These are the main ingredients. The full list of ingredients and measurements can be found at the bottom of this post!*
Equipment
- Kitchen scale (I like to weigh out most of my ingredients for accuracy, I also think it’s more efficient when measuring things out over measuring cups!)
- Large and small mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- 12-cup muffin pan
- Muffin liners
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
Tips for The Best Matcha Muffins
- Room temp eggs: This is a small thing that makes a difference. Room temperature eggs combine more easily and evenly with the other wet ingredients, leading to a smoother, more uniform batter. If you forgot to take them out, you can quickly warm them in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for about 5-10 minutes.
- Fill to the top!: For that high dome, you actually want to fill your muffin cups all the way to the top. This gives the batter more to climb and create that wonderfully tall shape.
- Cool completely: While it’s tempting to dive into a warm muffin, letting them cool on a wire rack allows the internal structure to set properly. This means they’ll be less crumbly and have a better texture when you finally do get to bite into one (I usually give it at least 20 minutes before I even consider it).
If you make these bakery-style matcha white chocolate muffins, please tag me @theflournook on socials or leave a review below. You can save this recipe using the button on the recipe card, the buttons around the post, or any of the photos.
Happy baking!
Print
Matcha White Chocolate Muffins
- Total Time: 50 mins
- Yield: 10 muffins 1x
Description
These bakery-style matcha white chocolate muffins have a soft, tender crumb and a delicious earthy green tea flavour. With a beautiful domed top, each muffin is studded with sweet white chocolate chips throughout!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp (8 g) baking powder
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) baking soda
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
- 3 tbsp (40 g) matcha powder
- 1/4 cup (56 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3 tbsp (53 g) sour cream or plain yogurt
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) milk
- 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (180 g) white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or grease well.
- In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and matcha powder.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk melted butter, vegetable oil, sugar, eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add wet ingredients to the dry. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Fold in two-thirds of the white chocolate chips. Do not overmix.
- Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each to the top. Sprinkle remaining white chocolate chips over each muffin.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F (218°C). Without opening the oven, reduce oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Continue baking for 15 minutes, or until tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Let muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- I find the quality of your matcha powder really matters here. A good quality matcha will give you a vibrant green colour and a clean, earthy flavour. Lower quality matcha can sometimes taste bitter or muddy.
- Do not overmix the batter. This is key for a soft, tender muffin. Mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated, and stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour.
- The initial high heat bake helps create those beautiful domed tops. Make sure your oven is fully preheated before the muffins go in.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Muffins
- Method: Baking
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