Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (Fall Breakfast Recipe)

Name: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 23 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon nutmeg; ½ teaspoon cloves; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 1 cup canned pumpkin; ½ cup maple syrup; ½ cup plain greek yogurt; ¼ cup milk; 2 eggs; ½ cup chocolate chips

Muffins are the best shareable treat, so loading them up with chocolate chips just makes them more lovable. These easy pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are always a crowd hit with pumpkin lovers! Make a double batch so you don't run out too quickly.

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Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins on a plate.

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe

Moist pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are a great sweet treat for the fall season. If you're looking for something that will satisfy your sweet tooth, then you've got to give this recipe a try.

With warm spices and the perfect amount of chocolate chips, you'll love these tender pumpkin muffins. Pair with an affogato for the most irresistibly delicious combo.

We embrace pumpkin season head on in our home. Our kitchen is always filled with the aroma of pumpkin muffins and pumpkin cookies baking. And we of course always add in some apple recipes like apple spice cupcakes.

But a family favorite are these delicious muffins filled with melty chocolate chips. Sweetened with maple syrup, this recipe is a much healthier option than a lot of other muffin recipes you'll find.

It's truly our favorite muffin recipe to make. They're moist and tender pumpkin muffins that will give pastry chefs at a bakery a run for their money. So skip store-bought muffin mix or overpriced bakery goods and make these muffins with warm pumpkin spices all on your own!

Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins on a silver plate.

Why You'll Love this Recipe

These pumpkin treats are just to die for. Gooey chocolate chips are probably the main reason I love them, but they're great for so many different reasons!

This pumpkin chocolate chip muffin recipe is low in refined sugar, kid-friendly, and only contains real food ingredients. You can feel confident about what you are consuming and what you are feeding to others.
Muffins are a fabulous make-ahead treat since they store so well. Make extras of this great recipe and save them for later.
If you are hosting a party or know that guests are coming to visit, make a big batch of muffins. They're a great way to easily share a sweet snack.

A delectable recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip muffins that will satisfy your sweet tooth.

Ingredients

Make more healthy pumpkin chocolate chip muffins without refined sugar. This simple recipe uses simple ingredients! Here is what you will need:

all-purpose flour
baking soda
nutmeg
cloves
cinnamon
canned pumpkin
maple syrup
plain greek yogurt
milk
eggs
chocolate chips

Substitutions and Variations

You can use a gluten-free 1:1 flour substitute, such as King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour, to make gluten free pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. Make sure to use gluten free chocolate chips too.

While I most often bake with semi-sweet chocolate chips, you can use dark chocolate or milk chocolate if you prefer.

Make this recipe dairy free by using a dairy-free yogurt, and a dairy free milk substitute. Almond milk and coconut milk are my favorites to bake with.

I do not recommend using pumpkin pie filling in place of pumpkin puree. 100% pure pumpkin purée is what you need for these tasty muffins!

If you do not have maple syrup, you could try using honey, agave syrup, or another natural sweetener in its place.

Feel free to add extra chocolate chips or other fillings like pecans. Even some candied pecans on top of these lovely muffins would be heavenly. Or a streusel topping for a little something extra!

How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Follow these steps and you'll make the best pumpkin chocolate chip muffins in no time:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and then prep a muffin tin with paper liners or grease the muffin pan well.

A bowl of flour, eggs, milk, and other ingredients on a table.

A bowl with eggs, flour and sugar in it.

Mix together flour, baking soda, and spices in a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula.

Then mix the wet ingredients in a separate mixing bowl and pour them into the dry ingredients. Fold the muffin batter ingredients together until just incorporated.

A bowl with flour and a whisk next to it.

A bowl of pumpkin batter with a wooden spoon.

Then add the chocolate chips and gently fold them in with a silicone spatula.

Scoop the muffin batter into the previously prepared muffin cups, filling each cup about ¾ of the way full.

Bake the pumpkin chocolate chip muffins for 15-18 minutes until tops of the muffins bounce back to the touch.

Cool in the muffin pan for about 3 minutes and then transfer the chocolate chip pumpkin muffins to a wire rack.

Serve muffins immediately or store for later!

muffins in a sealed tupperware with paper towels

How to Store Leftover Muffins

Muffins are best fresh, but they can be just as good a day or two later - and even a month later - if stored properly.

I have a whole post with the best tips and tricks on how to store and freeze muffins, but here's a few pointers:

Store leftovers of our favorite pumpkin muffin recipe an airtight container, lined with paper towels to help collect condensation from residual heat. Make sure the muffins are completely cooled to room temperature for best results.

The best way to store muffins depends on how soon you want to eat them:

Within 3 days of baking them: Store leftover pumpkin muffins on the countertop at room temperature.
In the next few days: Store moist pumpkin muffins in the fridge, but with the risk of a change in texture. Alternatively, store what you'll eat in the next few days using the countertop method, then freeze the rest.
Within the next 3 months: Store leftovers in the freezer - just reheat when you get a muffin craving!

Tips for Success

Here's a few tips to make these pumpkin muffins a smashing success:

For the most chocolatey results, add extra chocolate chips to the top of each muffin before baking.
Do not over-mix your muffin batter or these light and fluffy treats will end up really dense. This is especially important in this recipe since pumpkin is a very moist and heavy ingredient.
If you add extra fillings to the muffin batter, ensure you do not overload it with too many things. You'll need an even amount so that the muffins bake thoroughly!

Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins on a plate with chocolate chips.

FAQ

Can I use a muffin recipe in a loaf pan?

The general answer is yes. However, you will likely have to experiment with bake time and oven temperature. The oven temp will need to go down 25-50°F and you'll likely need to add on a significant amount of baking time. But if you are willing to experiment, you could easily make pumpkin chocolate chip bread!

Why are there tunnels in my muffins?

When you bite into a muffin and it has giant holes and tunnels in the middle, that is often a result of over-mixing the batter. It means there was an overdevelopment of gluten and there were too many air bubbles in the batter. Try again and ensure you mix the ingredients until just combined.

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Did you make this recipe?

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