A simple recipe to make repeatedly, these pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips have a soft, moist crumb with a wonderful crackly crust. They are easy to make, freeze beautifully, and you can use other add-ins, such as walnuts or pecans. A fantastic recipe made from scratch.
Perfect Fall muffin
Finally, I have a favorite pumpkin muffin recipe, my go-to from now on, with or without the chocolate chips I might add.
It took me some testing to find one I considered so good it bore posting. And here it is. Just in time for pumpkin season, that time of year has us craving new recipe ideas.
I like muffins for breakfast, and there are great options like the healthier version of morning glory muffins or the fantastic oatmeal muffins. Well, I'm adding these to the list.
This blog got a lot of new and improved pumpkin recipes these past years, but a solid pumpkin chocolate chip muffin recipe was still due, and this is it. A much-needed addition to our muffin recipes.
The pumpkin flavor is great by itself, and combined with gooey chocolate chips, it's even better, as we all know.
Ingredient list
- Pumpkin purée: use canned fresh pumpkin or make fresh pumpkin puree. Please don't mistake it for pumpkin pie filling, which is a different product. Butternut squash puree can also be used.
- Chocolate chips: use your favorite semisweet chip.
- Sugar: brown sugar is my first choice because it's moist and has a caramel undertone. But white sugar works if that's all you have.
- Spices: we use a combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Sometimes, I add the smallest pinch of cloves. But use your favorite blend or a store-bought mix. As long as you like it, it's fine.
- Vegetable oil: sunflower oil is our first choice. But you can use canola oil, coconut oil or even a light olive oil.
- Eggs: large, fresh.
- All-purpose flour.
- Baking powder and baking soda: make sure they aren't expired.
- Salt.
Quantities are listed in the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
Steps to make pumpkin muffins
These moist muffins are very simple to make. No fancy equipment is needed, just a bowl and a whisk.
- Oil: it's used instead of butter, so there's no creaming step.
- No beating: you only need to integrate the ingredients well.
- Sifting: it adds air to the batter. This recipe has baking soda, which can clump during storage and be hard to dissolve once during baking. So sifting it is highly recommended.
The oil and sugar are mixed first, and then the pumpkin puree.
Use homemade or a store-bought pumpkin pie spice mix.
Don't beat. Especially after adding the dry ingredients. Stir to combine with a whisk or spatula.
Final batter: it's thick, unctuous, and shiny. Fold the chocolate chips, and you're ready to bake.
Vintage Kitchen Tip
Don't overmix after adding the flour. We don't want the gluten to start developing as it will render tougher muffins.
Preparing the muffin pan
- Paper liners: also called paper cups, muffin liners or muffin cups. This is the easiest way, but the muffin tops are the only part that will be crusty.
- Butter or baking spray: it's messier, and you have to wash the muffin tin afterward, but the crust forms all around the muffins because the whole surface touches the metal.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, utensils and equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: remember that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Pans: I use regular-sized tins, but you can also make mini muffin tins (it will yield a larger quantity, and they will need less baking time) or jumbo (you will have fewer muffins, and they will take longer to bake).
- Filling the muffin pans: make sure you don't pass ¾ of the capacity. It's the easiest way to avoid overflow when baking them.
- Add-ins: I love chocolate chips or chunks, but you can also add chopped nuts, raisins, and cranberries.
- Freezing: wrap in plastic and keep frozen for up to a month. I defrost them directly in a medium oven, but you can let them come to room temperature first.
- Double batch: this recipe can easily be doubled if making them for a large crowd or if you want to make ahead and freeze.
Variations & substitutions
- Sweet potatoes: you can easily substitute sweet potato puree for the pumpkin. Same amount. As for spices, they also go well with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice.
- Oil: any vegetable oil can be used in theory, the same amount in volume. Coconut oil will make them a tad healthier and less moist IMHO. But still great. Don't refrain from making them if you want to use coconut oil.
- Sweeteners: you can use white sugar, making them a little sweeter and less moist. A tablespoon or two of maple syrup can be added for a different flavor; reduce the same amount of sugar.
- Flours: you can substitute some white flour for almond flour, whole wheat or coconut flour. Make sure they are finely ground. It will change the texture slightly, making the muffins more rustic.
- Add-ins: use other chocolates like milk or white chocolate chips. Add walnuts or pecans instead of, or in addition to, the chips. Maintain the same total volume of add-ins.
- Small muffins: make mini pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. It'll yield about double the amount and the baking time will be less. Use a mini muffin pan.
Related recipes you might like:
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Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins (easy recipe)
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Ingredients
- ¾ cup sunflower oil, or other neutral vegetable oil
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree, canned or homemade pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- pinch of ground nutmeg
- pinch of ground allspice
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Butter or spray 12 regular muffin tins or line with paper cups.
- Add 2 eggs Add 2 eggs, one by one, beating until fully incorporated, but don’t overbeat.
- Sift 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, pinch of ground nutmeg and pinch of ground allspice.
- Add in 2 parts to the pumpkin mixture, integrating well but do not beat too much. I do it by hand with a spatula.
- Add ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract if using and stir with a spatula.
- Fill the paper liners up to ¾ of their capacity. But do not fill more than three quarters so they don’t overflow while baking.
- Bake about 25 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out dry.
- Let cool on a wire rack.
- Store covered at room temperature for two days and then refrigerate or freeze, covered or well wrapped. Warm lightly in the oven before eating.
Marlena says
Hi Paula! I halved the recipe to make a small batch of mini muffins for my kid's preschool. The kids LOVED them. They were just sweet enough, deliciously soft & moist. The kiddies have requested more! Thank you!
Paula Montenegro says
SO happy to know this Marlena! We eat them regularly with different add-ins and they never disappoint.
Erika says
I doubled the recipe and made it exactly as written using Libby’s canned pumpkin purée. Two dozen muffins disappeared in one day (we are a family of 4 with 2 teenage sons). The teenage sons were particularly huge fans. Subtle flavors, well balanced, with just the right amount of chocolate. Mine didn’t have the “crackling crust”, not sure why - instead they were moist throughout (inside and out). But that didn’t seem to be a problem. The kids asked these be part of the regular fall rotation!
Paula Montenegro says
So happy to know they turned out well despite the un-crackly crust! And that the whole family loved them. Happy holidays to you all Erika!
angiesrecipes says
These muffins look awesome! I love the easy preparation and flavour.
Ritz M. Olaño says
I am very interested and i knowcyou can help me more with your yummy recipe