I perfected a Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe using a simple pantry swap that makes ordinary ingredients yield bakery-quality muffins studded with chocolate chips.

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I make these Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins when I want something that’s surprisingly quick but not boring. The pumpkin puree keeps them unbelievably moist while semisweet chocolate chips give little melty surprises in every bite, and somehow they still feel a little fancy.

I’ve played around with speedy versions, you’ll see things called 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Choc Chip Muffins, and I’ve also tested the classic Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe that folks rave about. They aren’t perfect every time, sometimes tops crack a bit, but they disappear fast so I must be doing something right.

Ingredients

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pumpkin puree: Adds moisture and fiber, mild sweetness and earthy flavor, packed with vitamin A.
light brown sugar: Adds deep caramel sweetness, gives chewiness and moisture, mostly simple carbs.
all purpose flour: Provides structure and bulk, mostly carbohydrates, can make muffins tender or dense.
eggs: Bind ingredients add protein and richness, help with lift and color.
vegetable oil: Keeps crumb moist and soft, adds fat but no dairy, neutral flavor.
semisweet chocolate chips: Sweet pockets of chocolate, add fat and sugar, contrast pumpkin spice.
pumpkin pie spice: Blends warm spices for aroma, small amount goes a long way.
coarse sugar optional: Adds crunchy top and sparkle, purely decorative and extra sweetness.

Ingredient Quantities

2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour

1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 cup (240 g) pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling

1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1/4 cup (60 ml) milk or buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips

Coarse sugar for sprinkling, optional

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12 cup muffin pan with liners or grease the cups well so muffins release easy.

2. In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour, 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar, 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice; spoon and level the flour when measuring so you dont end up with too much.

3. In a separate bowl whisk 1 cup (240 g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling), 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk or buttermilk, and 1 tsp vanilla extract until smooth; room temperature eggs and milk mix easier but its not required.

4. Pour the wet into the dry and stir gently until just combined, its okay if there are a few streaks of flour left because over mixing makes muffins tough.

5. Fold in 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips, but reserve a handful to sprinkle on top so the muffins look pretty.

6. Fill each muffin cup about three quarters full using a big spoon or an ice cream scoop for even size, then scatter the reserved chips on top and sprinkle coarse sugar if you want a little crunch.

7. Bake on the middle rack for 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.

8. Let muffins cool in the pan for about 5 to 10 minutes so they set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool more; they finish firming up as they cool.

9. Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature up to three days, refrigerate up to five days, or freeze for up to two months; to refresh, warm gently in the microwave for a few seconds.

Equipment Needed

1. oven (preheat to 350°F, use the middle rack)
2. 12 cup muffin pan and paper liners or nonstick spray
3. large mixing bowl and a medium one for wet and dry, youre happier with two bowls
4. whisk for blending the wet and dry ingredients
5. measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale if you want exact grams
6. rubber spatula or wooden spoon for folding and scraping the bowl
7. ice cream scoop or big spoon to portion batter evenly
8. wire cooling rack and a toothpick to check doneness
9. oven mitts and a timer or phone alarm

FAQ

Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree?

Try to use pure pumpkin puree, not pie filling. Pie filling has added sugar and spices so it will make muffins sweeter and can change the texture. If you only have pie filling, cut the sugar by about half and skip the pumpkin pie spice.

Any good swaps for the oil, milk or eggs?

Yes. Melted butter works 1:1 for oil for richer flavor, or use applesauce 1:1 for lower fat but muffins will be denser. Milk can be buttermilk or any plant milk. For eggs use flax eggs: 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg, let sit 5 mins. They work but texture is slightly different.

How do I keep the muffins moist and not dry out?

Don't overmix the batter, measure flour by spooning into the cup then leveling, and start checking at 18 minutes. The pumpkin and oil keep them moist so avoid overbaking. Cool in the tin 5 mins then move to a rack so they dont steam and go soggy.

My chocolate chips sink to the bottom, how do I stop that?

Toss the chips with a tablespoon of flour before folding in, or fold them in at the very end using gentle strokes. Chill the batter 10 minutes if it's very loose, that helps too.

How should I store and reheat leftovers?

Store at room temp in an airtight container up to 2 days, refrigerate up to 4 or 5 days. Freeze individually wrapped up to 3 months. Reheat frozen in microwave 20-30 seconds or in oven 325F for 8 to 12 minutes until warm.

Can I cut the sugar or use different chocolate without wrecking them?

You can reduce total sugar by about 20 to 25 percent and they still taste fine, but less sugar changes browning and texture. Dark chocolate or chopped chocolate chunks work great, white chocolate will be sweeter so cut sugar a bit more.

Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All-purpose flour: swap for a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose blend (use 240 g). Make sure the blend already has xanthan gum or add 1/2 tsp, otherwise muffins can be crumbly and fall apart.
Vegetable oil: use melted unsalted butter 1:1 (120 ml) for a richer flavor, you’ll get a slightly firmer crumb. If you want lower fat, use unsweetened applesauce 1:1 but expect a denser, more moist muffin.
Light brown sugar (1/2 cup): replace with 1/2 cup coconut sugar (100 g) for similar sweetness and color, or use 1/2 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tbsp molasses if you want that caramel note.
Eggs (2 large): use flax eggs for each egg mix 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water, so for two eggs combine 2 tbsp flax + 6 tbsp water, let sit 5-10 minutes until gelled; good binder, gives a slight nutty taste.

Pro Tips

1) Weigh the flour if you can, otherwise fluff it up and use the spoon and level method. I always end up packing it down otherwise and the muffins turn out dry.

2) Let the eggs and milk warm up a bit, it mixes way smoother, but whatever you do dont overmix once the wet hits the dry. A few flour streaks are fine, overworking the batter = dense, chewy muffins.

3) Toss the chocolate chips in a tablespoon of flour or pop them in the freezer for a few minutes before folding so they dont all sink to the bottom. Save some chips to press on top so the muffins look nicer when they come out.

4) If you dont have buttermilk make it quick by adding 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice to 1/4 cup milk and wait 5 minutes, it helps the rise and makes a tender crumb. Sprinkle coarse sugar on top for crunch and let muffins sit in the pan 5 to 10 minutes before moving to a rack so they set up.

Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe

Recipe by Tina Bueller

0.0 from 0 votes

I perfected a Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe using a simple pantry swap that makes ordinary ingredients yield bakery-quality muffins studded with chocolate chips.

Servings

servings

Calories

320

kcal

Equipment: 1. oven (preheat to 350°F, use the middle rack)
2. 12 cup muffin pan and paper liners or nonstick spray
3. large mixing bowl and a medium one for wet and dry, youre happier with two bowls
4. whisk for blending the wet and dry ingredients
5. measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale if you want exact grams
6. rubber spatula or wooden spoon for folding and scraping the bowl
7. ice cream scoop or big spoon to portion batter evenly
8. wire cooling rack and a toothpick to check doneness
9. oven mitts and a timer or phone alarm

Ingredients

2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup (240 g) pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk or buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips
Coarse sugar for sprinkling, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12 cup muffin pan with liners or grease the cups well so muffins release easy.
In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour, 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar, 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice; spoon and level the flour when measuring so you dont end up with too much.
In a separate bowl whisk 1 cup (240 g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling), 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk or buttermilk, and 1 tsp vanilla extract until smooth; room temperature eggs and milk mix easier but its not required.
Pour the wet into the dry and stir gently until just combined, its okay if there are a few streaks of flour left because over mixing makes muffins tough.
Fold in 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips, but reserve a handful to sprinkle on top so the muffins look pretty.
Fill each muffin cup about three quarters full using a big spoon or an ice cream scoop for even size, then scatter the reserved chips on top and sprinkle coarse sugar if you want a little crunch.
Bake on the middle rack for 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
Let muffins cool in the pan for about 5 to 10 minutes so they set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool more; they finish firming up as they cool.
Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature up to three days, refrigerate up to five days, or freeze for up to two months; to refresh, warm gently in the microwave for a few seconds.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.