Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins ~ A Fall Ritual

I start baking these amazing pumpkin chocolate chip muffins every September, and we always have a big basket of them on Halloween night to lure the kids away from their candy.

➡ Pumpkin muffin batter is made in one bowl with a whisk, switching out to a silicone spoon to fold in the chips.

➡ They’re super moist, but light and fluffy at the same time.

➡ The spicing is not heavy, which allows the pumpkin to shine through.

I love what pumpkin does to baked goods

Pumpkin gives these muffins moisture and body, while oil keeps the crumb soft and buttermilk keeps it tender. That combination is what gives them their cakey texture without making them heavy.

I’ve found that pumpkin is a magical ingredient in so many fall foods, from pumpkin cornbread and pumpkin sheet cake to bundt cake to doughnuts!

Heap your muffin cups for taller muffins (and other tips)

With a thick muffin batter you can heap the batter into those cups. Your pumpkin chocolate chip muffins won’t spread as they bake, they’ll rise.

Use an ice cream scoop to make them even and mess free.

Pop extra chocolate chips into the tops of the muffins for a super tempting look. Don’t forget to press them down into the batter a bit for the most natural look.

Let the filled muffin pan sit on the counter for up to an hour for the highest rise.

Use whole grain flour for higher-fiber pumpkin chocolate chip muffins

Swapping in some whole grain flour adds fiber and nutrients, but it also makes the muffins more interesting, so feel free to experiment. Whole wheat adds nuttiness, while oat flour keeps the crumb soft. Even replacing 1/4 to 1/2 of the flour gives you the benefits without turning them into health food.

Here are a few combinations to get you started:

1 1/2 cups AP + 1/2 cup oat flour → very low-risk if you just want a little whole-grain boost.

1 cup AP + 1 cup white whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour → safest, least noticeable change.

1 cup AP + 1/2 cup whole wheat + 1/2 cup oat flour → softer, slightly more tender, nice with pumpkin.

Yes, you can store the leftover pumpkin right in the can

The USDA specifically says it’s totally safe to refrigerate leftover canned food in the opened can. Simply cover it and refrigerate. Use it up within 4 days.

You might use the leftover puree to make pumpkin pancakes (or single pumpkin pancake bowls) or a batch of pumpkin spice cookies or biscuits.

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

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Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are soft, moist, and lightly spiced, with plenty of chocolate and a tender, cakey crumb.

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Prep Time:20 minutes minutes

Cook Time:25 minutes minutes

resting, optional:1 hour hour

Total Time:45 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Equipment

• muffin pan
• muffin liners

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

wet ingredients

• 1/2 cup neutral oil
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or your own blend
• 1 tsp vanilla

dry ingredients

• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

• Line a muffin pan with paper liners and set aside. Preheat your oven to 350F (if you are doing the optional 1 hour rise before baking, you can wait to preheat until later.)
• In a large mixing bowl whisk together the 1/2 cup neutral oil, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, making sure to get out any lumps of brown sugar.
• Whisk in the 2 large eggs, 3/4 cup pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or your own blend, and 1 tsp vanilla.
• Whisk in the 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt. Then whisk or fold in the 2 cups all-purpose flour, and when it is almost incorporated, add the 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips to the bowl and continue folding until there is no dry flour left and the chips are well distributed.
• Use an ice cream scoop to fill each muffin cup nice and full. I like to press in a few extra chocolate chips into the surface of each muffin, which makes them super tempting after they bake up. Tip: press the chips gently into the batter for the most natural look.
• This is optional but I let the pan sit on the counter for an hour. This results in a higher rise in the muffins. Meanwhile preheat your oven to 350F.
• Bake the muffins for about 25-28 minutes, or until done throughout. Check the tops for signs of uncooked batter and bake for a few minutes longer if necessary.
• Let the muffins cool on a rack, but they are absolutely irresistible when eaten warm.

Notes

Add 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter if you like.

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Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Author: Sue Moran

Keyword: baking, chocolate chip, fall, Halloween, muffins, pumpkin

Nutrition

Serving: 1 muffin · Calories: 335 kcal · Carbohydrates: 43 g · Protein: 4 g · Fat: 16 g · Saturated Fat: 4 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 8 g · Trans Fat: 0.1 g · Cholesterol: 29 mg · Sodium: 169 mg · Potassium: 226 mg · Fiber: 2 g · Sugar: 24 g · Vitamin A: 2447 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 61 mg · Iron: 2 mg

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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