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The Olympic Village Chocolate Muffin is more than just a viral trend—it’s a celebration of rich chocolate, Olympic spirit, and the joy of recreating something unforgettable in your kitchen. It is family-approved in our house!
Olympic Chocolate Muffin: The Viral Muffin That Won Gold on TikTok
When we think of Olympic moments, we usually picture record-breaking swims, high-flying gymnastics, or emotional medal ceremonies. But at the 2024 Paris Olympics, something unexpected took center stage: a chocolate muffin.
It all started with Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen, who took to TikTok after devouring a particularly decadent muffin at the Olympic Village. In his now-viral video, he raved about this rich, chocolate-filled masterpiece, calling it the “best thing I’ve ever eaten.” The internet did what it does best—ran with it. Before long, the “Olympic Chocolate Muffin” was trending across social media, and home bakers around the world tried to recreate it.
While I never got to taste the original myself, I couldn’t resist the challenge. Using my favorite triple chocolate muffin recipe as a base, I developed my own take on the Olympic Chocolate Muffin. It’s dense in the best way, loaded with chocolate, and filled with a silky dark ganache. I didn’t go for the jumbo size like the original might’ve been—I think these are just right. If you’ve been curious about recreating the muffin Henrik Christiansen made famous, this version is a great place to start.
Why You’ll Love This Muffin
My husband and kids gave this muffin a solid gold medal of approval. Let’s just say, there weren’t many leftovers. It’s:
1. Deeply chocolatey from Dutch cocoa powder, high-quality dark and semi-sweet chocolate, and rich ganache.
2. Moist, dense, and fudgy—especially after a chill in the fridge.
3. They are easy to make too
Olympic Village Chocolate Muffin
Ingredients
Wet ingredients:
- 2 large eggs
- 170 g sour cream
- 120 g hot milk
- 60 g Dutch-process cocoa powder I highly recommend Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 tsp instant espresso powder
- 120 g neutral oil
- 200 g brown sugar
Dry ingredients:
- 210 g all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
Add-ins:
- 170 g semi-sweet chocolate
- 170 g dark chocolate (70%)
Ganache:
- 80 g semi-sweet chocolate (60%)
- 80 g heavy cream
Instructions
Fold your own tulip-shaped muffin liners (the easy way):
- To mimic the olympic chocolate muffin look, use the tulip-shaped muffin liners. You will need them because the muffin will rise taller than the regular size muffin liners.
- Use brown color parchment paper if you have some. I just use regular white parchment paper. Cut 12 pieces of 6 x 6 inch square parchment
- Choose a cup that has a diameter roughly about the same size of the base of the muffin tin. Flip the cup upside down and place one piece of parchment paper on the center of the base of the cup
- Fold the edges of the paper down to create creases on the paper. Press them hard so the creases are more "define".
- Place the liner inside the muffin tin. Use the base of the cup to press it into the tin so they stay in better
Prepare muffin batter:
- In a large bowl, stir together hot milk, cocoa powder, and espresso powder into a thick paste. More details in my post below on why this is important
- Add eggs, sour cream, oil, and brown sugar. Whisk until smooth.
- Reserve about 80 grams of the chocolate for topping. For the topping, I cut the chocolate into larger chunks to mimic the Olympic chocolate muffin look. The rest that are folded into the muffin batter, I cut into smaller chunks
- A quick note on the chocolate. I recommend using high-quality European chocolate if you have access to some. More details in the post below
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold into the wet mixture along with the chocolate chunks until just combined—do not overmix.
Rest and preheat the oven:
- Cover the batter and let it rest while you preheat the oven to 425 F (220 C) for conventional oven. For convection oven, lower the temperature by 20 F (15 C)
Bake:
- Fill the muffin tin with the batter, all the way to the rim of the muffin tin (not the paper). It can be a bit tricky trying to fill the cups with the batter because the tulip-shaped parchment paper extends tall, kinda get in the way, but just take your time. Some batter may smear the parchment paper on the side, but it will bake into crusty bits and can be easily removed after baking
- Top with the reserved chocolate chunks, avoiding the center where we will pipe in or cut out some chunks to fill up the chocolate ganache
- Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then lower to 350°F (175°C) and bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean (some melted chocolate smears are okay).
Cool completely:
- Let muffins rest in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling them with ganache.
Make the ganache:
- Heat heavy cream to a simmer. Pour over chopped chocolate. Let sit 5 minutes, then stir until smooth.
- The ganache is still too runny to be used as a filling at this time. Chill in the fridge for 15-20 minutes until it is firm enough but not too hard. If it gets too hard, just let it sit at room temperature for few minutes to soften and then stir it and it is ready to be used
Fill the muffins:
- I use a piping bag fitted with nozzle. Gently poke the nozzle into the center of the muffin, going in about 1 inch deep and gently squeeze the ganach out until it push out slightly to the top
- Alternatively, use a knife to cut out a 1-inch deep, 1½-inch wide hole in each muffin. Spoon the ganache into the center to fill the hole. Replace the muffin top piece, gently push it down a bit and cover the seam with a little extra ganache for a smooth finish.
To serve:
- You can serve immediately if you can't wait. If you are patient, put them in an air-tight container and store them in the fridge. They turn denser and fudgier if you like that texture. Almost like a cross between brownies and cake. Even if you don't put them in the fridge, just serving them the next day somehow makes them taste better. The flavor is deeper after overnight
More tips:
- You can read more details on ingredients, substitutions, variations, and other tips in my post that may answer your questions not covered in the recipe card
*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*
Ingredient List & Substitutions
1. Eggs – Provide structure and stability to the batter.
2. Sour cream – Adds richness, moisture, and a subtle tang.
Substitute with full-fat Greek yogurt or crème fraîche if needed
3. Hot milk – Dairy or non-dairy options like oat or almond milk work well here.
4. Dutch-processed cocoa powder – Delivers that deep, smooth chocolate flavor and dark color (more details below)
5. Instant espresso powder – Intensifies the chocolate taste without making it taste like coffee. Instant coffee can also be used, but double the amount if you use regular instant coffee.
6. Neutral oil – Keeps the muffins moist and tender. Use neutral flavorless oil like avocado oil
7. Brown sugar – Adds sweetness, moisture, and a slight molasses note. Light or dark brown sugar both work.
8. All-purpose flour – Provides the structure for the muffin crumb.
9. Baking powder & baking soda – Work together to give the muffins a good rise.
10. Salt – Enhances flavor and balances the sweetness.
11. Semi-sweet and dark chocolate chunks –Use high-quality chocolate bars and avoid the chips. More details below
12. Heavy cream– to make the ganache. For dairy-free, use coconut cream. Do not use half and half. It won’t work for ganache
Why Bloom Cocoa in Hot Milk?
1. Deepens Chocolate Flavor
Cocoa powder contains both fat and starch. When you bloom it in a hot liquid like milk, the heat helps dissolve and release the cocoa’s natural flavor compounds, intensifying the chocolatey taste. It brings out those deep, rich notes you want in a chocolate muffin.
2. Enhances Color and Aroma
You’ll notice the mixture becomes darker and more fragrant—almost like the base of a cup of hot cocoa. That’s the cocoa powder fully activating, not just sitting dry in the batter.
3. Improves Texture
Blooming prevents the cocoa from clumping later and helps it disperse evenly through the batter. That means a smoother, more uniform crumb and no dry cocoa pockets.
Budget-Friendly Good-Quality Chocolate
If the premium European brands, such as Valhorna or Callebaut are a little out of reach for everyday baking, here are some accessible and still delicious options you can easily find.
1. Trader Joe’s Pound Plus Bars (Belgian)
Dark, Milk, or 72% versions are available. They are made by Callebaut, but way more affordable! They are great for chopping into chunks or melting.
2. Ghirardelli Baking Bars (U.S., but Swiss-style)
It has high cocoa butter content, smooth texture.. Great meltability for ganache or muffins. Avoid the chips if you want a clean melt—they have stabilizers.
3. Lindt Excellence Bars
60% and 70% dark bars work well for ganache and baking. They are great chopped into chunks for this muffin recipe
4. Aldi Moser Roth Bars (German)
I use this brand. They are affordable but great quality. They are available in 60%,70%,80% (I have seen 90% before too). Good option for dark chocolate chunks or melting. Surprisingly good quality for the price.
Why Use Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder?
1. Richer, smoother chocolate flavor
Dutch-processed cocoa (also called “alkalized cocoa”) is treated to neutralize its natural acidity. This gives it a mellow, smooth, and intense chocolate flavor—less sharp or bitter than natural cocoa. Perfect for a dense, luxurious muffin like yours.
2. Deep and dark color
That gorgeous almost-black color in some chocolate cakes and muffins? That’s Dutch cocoa. It makes your baked goods look decadent and bakery-worthy, especially when paired with dark chocolate and ganache.
3. Pairs better with baking powder
Since Dutch cocoa is neutral (not acidic), it works best with baking powder, which is what we are already using in the recipe (alongside a little baking soda). This ensures proper rise and a tender crumb without any weird chemical aftertaste.
4. Better texture in moist bakes
Dutch cocoa often produces a slightly denser but softer texture, which is exactly what you want in a muffin that’s rich, brownie-like, and not fluffy like cake.
Can I Substitute Natural Cocoa?
Technically, yes—but the flavor will be tangier, and the color lighter. The texture might also be slightly drier or more crumbly. For your Olympic Chocolate Muffins, Dutch cocoa is the way to go for that luxurious, melt-in-your-mouth vibe.
Storage Tips
These muffins store beautifully—and dare I say, they taste even better the next day. Here’s how to keep them at their best:
1. Room Temperature
Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If your kitchen is warm, refrigerate instead to keep the ganache from getting too soft.
2. Refrigerator
Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. The texture becomes denser and fudgier (in a good way!), kind of like a rich brownie-muffin hybrid. Just let them sit at room temp for 10–15 minutes before eating if you want that slightly softer bite.
3. Freezer
These muffins freeze well (even filled!). Wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months. To thaw, let them sit at room temperature for a few hours, or microwave in short bursts (10–15 seconds at a time).
