Matcha White Chocolate Muffins

Name: Matcha White Chocolate Muffins
Prep time: 18 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 38 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour; 3 tablespoons (20 g) matcha powder (culinary grade), sifted; 1½ teaspoons (7 g) baking powder; ¼ teaspoon (1 g) kosher salt; 6 ounces (170 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature, cut into cubes; ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar; 2 (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract; ½ cup (120 ml) sour cream; 1 cup (170 g) white chocolate, chopped

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Delicate muffins that pair earthy matcha powder with sweet white chocolate. The matcha is carefully sifted to avoid lumps, creating a tender crumb with a beautiful pale green hue. Baked until golden with pockets of white chocolate throughout, these muffins are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon treat. Sour cream adds subtle tang and keeps them moist for days.

Prep: 18 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 53 min
Makes: 12 muffins

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) so it's ready when you finish mixing.
Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners before you start.
Bring your eggs to room temperature (20–30 minutes) for the smoothest batter.
Use culinary-grade matcha powder and store it in a cool, dark place to preserve its vibrant green color.

1
Preheat oven and prepOven 375°F / 190°C
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Set the tin aside.
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Tip: Start preheating while gathering ingredients so the oven is ready when you finish mixing.
2
Sift dry ingredients
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, matcha powder, baking powder, and salt.
- Sifting removes any lumps from the matcha and aerates the flour for a tender crumb.
- Set the bowl aside.
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Ready when: No visible lumps in the mixture; matcha is fully broken up
Tip: Sifting matcha is crucial—it lumps easily and won't distribute evenly if not sifted.
3
Cream butter and sugar
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2–3 minutes.
- The mixture should be light, fluffy, and pale yellow in color.
- This incorporates air and helps create tender, light muffins.
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Ready when: Mixture is pale, fluffy, and approximately doubled in volume
Tip: Use softened butter (not melted). If too cold, it won't whip properly; if too warm, the muffins may be greasy.
4
Incorporate eggs and vanilla
- Add the eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated.
- Then add the vanilla extract and beat until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous, about 30 seconds.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth and pale; no streaks of egg remain
Tip: Room-temperature eggs incorporate better than cold ones, resulting in a smoother, more cohesive batter.
5
Fold in dry and wet ingredients
- Reduce mixer speed to low (or switch to folding by hand).
- Add one-third of the dry ingredient mixture to the egg mixture and fold or stir gently until just barely combined.
- Then add half of the sour cream and fold gently.
- Repeat with another third of the dry mix, the remaining sour cream, and finally the last third of the dry mix.
- Stop mixing as soon as you don't see streaks of flour.
- A few lumps are fine—they'll smooth out during baking.
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Ready when: No visible streaks of dry flour remain; batter is slightly lumpy
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and creates tough, dense muffins. Stop as soon as you see no dry flour.
6
Add white chocolate
- Gently fold the chopped white chocolate into the batter using a rubber spatula.
- Use about 20 gentle strokes to distribute the chocolate evenly without deflating the batter.
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Ready when: White chocolate is evenly distributed throughout the batter
Tip: Gentle folding preserves the airy texture you created during mixing.
7
Fill muffin cups
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 lined muffin cups using an ice cream scoop or spoon, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Wipe any drips from the rim of the tin with a damp paper towel to prevent burning.
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Ready when: All 12 cups are evenly filled to about the same level
Tip: Uneven filling leads to uneven baking. Slightly overfilled cups will produce very large, irregular muffin tops.
8
Bake until goldenOven 375°F / 190°C
- Place the filled muffin tin in the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven.
- Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
- The muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out with just a few moist crumbs—not wet, but definitely not completely dry.
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Ready when: Golden-brown tops; toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs
Tip: Don't overbake. Muffins continue to cook slightly as they cool. An extra minute or two makes a big difference in dryness.
9
Cool and serve
- Let the muffins rest in the tin for 5 minutes, which allows the structure to set.
- Then carefully turn them out onto a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
- They can be eaten warm or at room temperature.
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Ready when: Muffins can be turned out without breaking; a toothpick is no longer hot
Tip: A wire rack allows air to circulate underneath and prevents soggy bottoms. Don't skip this step!

Good to know

Tips

Sift matcha carefully before mixing to remove any lumps. Matcha's fine powder clumps easily and won't incorporate evenly if sifted incompletely.
Don't overmix the batter. Once you combine wet and dry ingredients, fold gently until just combined. Overmixing develops gluten and leads to tough, dense muffins.
Use room-temperature eggs for the smoothest batter. Cold eggs don't incorporate as smoothly, which can affect texture. Remove eggs from the fridge 20–30 minutes before mixing.
Matcha is best stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Exposure to light, heat, and air causes it to lose its vibrant color and delicate flavor quickly.

Make ahead

The batter can be made up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Bake directly from the fridge without thawing—add 1–2 minutes to the baking time.

Storage & reheating

**Room temperature**: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. **Refrigerator**: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes. **Freezer**: Wrap individual muffins in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature (1–2 hours) or reheat from frozen in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 12–15 minutes.

Substitutions

sour cream → plain Greek yogurt (full-fat or 2%). Use the same amount (½ cup). The muffins will be slightly less tangy but still delicious. Avoid non-fat yogurt as it can make them dry.
white chocolate, chopped → white chocolate chips. Use the same amount. Chips will distribute more evenly throughout the batter and melt slightly during baking.
unsalted butter → salted butter. If using salted butter, reduce the kosher salt to ⅛ teaspoon to avoid over-salting.
white chocolate, chopped → milk chocolate or dark chocolate (chopped). The flavor will be bolder and less delicate. Dark chocolate is especially good if you prefer less sweetness.