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About This Recipe
Looking for the perfect snack that is both sweet and satisfying? These Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins are the best copycat version of the infamous Little Bites.
Not only are these homemade muffins delicious but they’re made with better ingredients so you can feel good about giving them to your kids for a quick breakfast or healthy treat for snack time! These muffins use greek yogurt to keep the light and fluffy crumb you love about the store-bought version while also giving them 3x the amount of protein!
And what’s up with only three mini muffins per package? When you make this homemade version you not only save a ton of money but can enjoy as many muffins as you (or the kiddos) want without breaking the bank!
Looking for more copycat recipes? Try my new healthy McGriddle Bites for more bite-size deliciousness. I’m also in love with these Heavenly Hunks and Chips Ahoy cookies!
Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins
- Better ingredients: These muffins tastes just like Entenmann’s mini muffins but made with simple ingredients you can pronounce!
- Total cost saver: Make these little muffins for less than half the cost of store-bought.
- Not limited to 3: Enjoy as many muffins as you want since you’re not limited to 3 mini muffins per pouch.
- Perfect for little hands: A great breakfast or lunch box treat for your little ones!
- Higher protein: Each serving has 6 grams of protein (compared to 2 grams in the store-bought).
- Flour: I used regular all-purpose flour. Use gluten free flour like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur if needed.
- Baking essentials: Baking powder, salt, and vanilla extract.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter when baking. If you are using salted butter, just omit the additional salt.
- Sugar: Can also sub for pure maple syrup or honey. Or, you can use your favorite granulated sweetener like Truvia or Swerve.
- Light brown sugar: You can also use coconut sugar.
- Egg: Essential for helping bind the muffins together and keep them moist.
- Greek yogurt: I used 2% plain greek yogurt. Fat-free or full fat will also work.
- Milk: Any type of milk you have on hand! Skim milk, 2%,whole milk or any milk alternative like almond milk, cashew milk, etc.
- Mini chocolate chips: I recommend using mini chocolate chips over regular chocolate chips since these bites are small and that helps guarantee chocolately deliciousness in each bite! However, regular chocolate chips will work fine!
Different mix-ins: Swap the chocolate chips for sprinkles, fresh fruit or freeze-dried fruit.
How To Make
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when you’re making it!
1. Prepare two mini muffin pans (to make 24 mini muffins total). Line with mini paper liners and/or grease. Add the flour, baking powder and salt to a medium mixing bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients together and set aside.
2. In a separate large bowl, whisk the melted butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg, Greek yogurt, milk and vanilla.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stir with a rubber spatula until combined. Then fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Let muffin batter sit for 10-20 minutes (for fluffier muffins).
5. Then use a small cookie scoop to evenly scoop the muffin batter into a mini muffin pan (about a tablespoon each). Sprinkle with extra chocolate chips if desired.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Once preheated, bake for 10 minutes, then immediately remove from the oven. Let muffins cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container (or gallon size bag) in the refrigerator for a few hours to get a taste similar to Little Bites. Enjoy chilled or warm up for a few second in the microwave.
To freeze: store in freezer-safe bag and remove as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in 15 second increments in the microwave.
Helpful Tips
- Don’t overmix the muffin batter. Mix the wet and dry ingredients until just combined, without over mixing. Over mixing the muffin batter can cause denser, gummy muffins instead of the light and fluffy texture we are going for.
- Let the batter sit. Letting the batter to sit for 10 minutes before baking will give these mini muffins a fluffier texture. The extra time allows the ingredients to come together more effectively and gives you the best flavor and texture.
- Use fresh baking powder. This is a biggie for so many! For best results, use baking powder that hasn’t been open for more than 3 months. I like to write the date on top of the can whenever I open a new one to ensure I know when to start fresh!
- Don’t overfill mini-muffin pan. Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full (or about a tablespoon) or the muffin tops will rise too much and fall to the sides.
- Remove from oven a smidge early to keep moist and prevent over-baking. Muffins will continue to bake in the hot pan once removed. A toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin should come out with a few wet crumbs (not completely clean). As soon as muffin are cool enough to handle, transfer to a cooling rack to prevent over-baking and dry muffins.
Can I make these mini muffins into regular-sized muffins?
Yes to make regular sized muffins spray a regular 12-muffin cup pan with non-stick cooking spray and/or line with a liners. Divide batter evenly and bake for at 375 degrees F for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Can I use a stand mixer to mix this mini muffin recipe?
To avoid overmixing, I highly recommend you mix these muffins by hand using a whisk or wooden spoon. If you want to use your stand mixer, I recommend using it on the lowest setting and only mixing the ingredients until they are just combined. Over mixing the muffin batter can cause denser, gummy muffins instead of the light and fluffy muffins we are trying to achieve.
Do I have to use muffin liners for this chocolate chip muffin recipe?
Using muffin liners is totally up to your preference! If you don’t want to use muffin liners, just grease your mini muffin tin well with nonstick cooking spray. If you want to use muffin liners, I still recommend spraying with cooking spray to avoid sticking.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins (Little Bites Copycat)
Ingredients
- 1.25 cup all-purpose flour (150g) GF all purpose if needed
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp melted butter (84g)
- 1/4 cup sugar (50g)
- 2 Tbsp light brown sugar (24g) packed or coconut sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt (170g) I used 2%
- 1/4 cup milk (60g) dairy or nondairy
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (80g)
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Instructions
- Prepare two mini muffin pans (to make 24 mini muffins total). Line with mini cupcake liners and/or grease.
- Add the flour, baking powder and salt to a medium bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients together and set aside.
- In a separate larger bowl, whisk the melted butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg, Greek yogurt, milk and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stir with a rubber spatula until combined. Then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Let muffin batter sit for 10-20 minutes (for fluffier muffins), then use a small cookie scoop to evenly scoop the muffin batter into a mini muffin pan (about a tablespoon each). Sprinkle with extra chocolate chips if desired.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Once preheated, bake for 10 minutes, then immediately remove from the oven. Let muffins cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container (or gallon size bag) in the refrigerator for a few hours to get a taste similar to Little Bites.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the muffin batter. Mix the wet and dry ingredients until just combined, without over mixing. Over mixing the muffin batter can cause denser, gummy muffins instead of the light and fluffy texture we are going for.
- Let the batter sit. Letting the batter to sit for 10 minutes before baking will give these mini muffins a fluffier texture. The extra time allows the ingredients to come together more effectively and gives you the best flavor and texture.
- Use fresh baking powder. This is a biggie for so many! For best results, use baking powder that hasn’t been open for more than 3 months. I like to write the date on top of the can whenever I open a new one to ensure I know when to start fresh!
- Don’t overfill mini-muffin pan. Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full (or about a tablespoon) or the muffin tops will rise too much and fall to the sides.
- Remove from oven a smidge early to keep moist and prevent over-baking. Muffins will continue to bake in the hot pan once removed. A toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin should come out with a few wet crumbs (not completely clean). As soon as muffin are cool enough to handle, transfer to a cooling rack to prevent over-baking and dry muffins.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
