Amazing 12 Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

There is nothing quite like that first whiff of cinnamon mixing with warm pumpkin when the weather starts to turn crisp. It just signals that it’s time to bake! I’ve tried so many fall recipes, but these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins? Oh, these are the ones that stuck around. Seriously, I’m not exaggerating when I say these are the absolute moistest and easiest muffins you will ever manage to whip up. I finally nailed this exact version last October after burning three batches trying to get the texture exactly right. Trust me, we’ve hit the jackpot here!

Why You Will Love These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

If you need a reason to put on your apron today, here are the top things I keep coming back to with this recipe:

• They are ridiculously moist! That pumpkin puree does heavy lifting, keeping them soft for days.
• Dump and stir! We are keeping things simple here; no fancy stand mixer required for this quick bread.
• The spice blend is perfect. Not too heavy on the clove, just enough warmth from the cinnamon and nutmeg.
• They freeze beautifully! Bake a batch now and have quick breakfasts locked down for weeks.
• Chocolate chips are non-negotiable, obviously, but they melt just enough without turning the whole muffin brown.
• They bake up perfectly dome-shaped. Seriously, they look exactly like the ones in the bakery window, only better!

If you’re curious about getting even better in the kitchen, check out some of my general baking tips right here. But honestly, just making these muffins will make you feel like a baking pro!

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Listen, the beauty of these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins is that they use things you probably already have lurking in your pantry, especially during the fall! We are talking mostly pantry staples, which keeps the cleanup easy too.

You absolutely must use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling—that stuff is loaded with sugar and flavorings we don’t want here. The puree brings that incredible moisture and color. Don’t skimp on the spice blend either; that trio of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves is what screams ‘Autumn!’

Here is what you need to gather before you get started:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (Just regular flour is fine!)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (The brown sugar adds chewiness!)
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (Make sure it’s 100% pumpkin!)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (This keeps them so tender.)
• 2 large eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli if I’m feeling fancy.)

If you ever need a quick substitute for buttermilk or similar dairy items in other recipes, I have a great guide on swap ideas, but for these muffins, stick to the oil for maximum fluff!

Expert Tips for Making the Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Baking muffins seems simple, right? Just mix it and bake it! But if you’ve ever ended up with sad, dense little hockey pucks that nobody wants to eat, you know the struggle. When I first started making these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, I always overmixed the wet and dry ingredients. That resulted in muffins that were tough and shrunk as they cooled. Oops! Now I treat that mixture gently, like I’m folding laundry, not stirring concrete.

The main thing that sets mine apart from the rest is paying attention right at the very end. If you want that fluffy, bakery-style result, follow these pointers closely!

The Secret to Moist Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins: Do Not Overmix

This is the most important rule, seriously! When you mix flour with liquid, gluten starts forming. If you beat it hard and long, you develop too much gluten, and your beautiful muffins turn into chewy bread. You want to stop mixing the moment you no longer see streaks of dry flour. It might look a tiny bit lumpy, and that is totally okay! Lumps survive baking better than tough gluten strands.

Spice Adjustments for Your Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

The blend listed tastes warm and classic—the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves are non-negotiable for that iconic hug-in-a-muffin feeling. But here’s where you can show off a little! Try throwing in just 1/8 teaspoon of ground ginger or even ground allspice. It doesn’t overpower the pumpkin, but it gives the flavor roots, making people ask, “What is that amazing earthy note?” Trust me, it elevates the whole experience.

For more baking insights, take a look at my general guide on improving your technique here!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Putting these together is so quick, which is perfect for those mornings when you wake up craving something sweet but don’t have hours to spend baking! You’ll be amazed how fast these go from raw ingredients to that beautiful, warm oven scent filling your kitchen.

1. First things first, get that oven roaring! You need the heat right at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). While it’s heating up, grab your 12-cup muffin tin. Line it with paper liners—it saves scrubbing later, and liners make them look super professional. If you skip the liners, be sure to grease those cups really thoroughly!
2. In your biggest mixing bowl, this is where your dry crew hangs out. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves together really well. Whisking dry stuff is just like sifting, really, but faster!
3. Now for the wet team in a separate, medium-sized bowl. Just mix the granulated sugar, brown sugar, that beautiful pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. You don’t need a mixer here; a sturdy fork or whisk works just fine until everything looks unified.
4. Time to combine! Pour the wet mixture right into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Here’s that crucial moment: mix gently! Use a spatula and fold until almost everything is wet. Seriously, stop mixing way before you think you should. A couple of dry pockets are fine.
5. Gently fold in those chocolate chips. Remember what I said about overmixing? Treat these chips like they are fragile glass ornaments! We just want them tucked in, not pummeled.
6. Spoon the batter out evenly into your prepared muffin cups. Don’t fill them past about two-thirds full—we need room for these beauties to rise up high!
7. Bake them for about 18 to 22 minutes. The way I check? The toothpick test is your best friend. Stick a wooden pick right into the center of a muffin; if it comes out clean (maybe with a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter!), you’re done!
8. Let them sit in that hot pan for about five minutes to firm up a little before carefully transferring them straight onto a wire rack to cool completely. That cooling step prevents them from getting soggy on the bottom.

Ingredient Substitutions for Your Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Okay, life happens! Sometimes you run out of an ingredient mid-bake, or maybe you’re trying to sneak a few veggies in disguised as breakfast. Don’t panic if you’re missing something. With these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, we can get really creative with swaps while keeping that perfect moist texture.

The biggest swap people ask about is the oil. Vegetable oil is great because it keeps things really tender and moist, but if you need to cut back on fat or just don’t have any, you can try swapping it out 1:1 with unsweetened applesauce. Just know that using applesauce might make the final muffin a little more cake-like than oily-tender, but it works in a pinch!

If you want more flavor and don’t mind keeping the fat, melted butter at a 1:1 ratio instead of oil is heavenly. Honestly, butter makes everything better, doesn’t it? Also, if you happen to be out of pumpkin, sweet potato puree works almost identically, though the flavor is slightly different.

If you ever run into trouble substituting dairy elsewhere in your baking life, I have a guide about different dairy swaps that might help!

Can I Use Different Chocolate in My Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins?

Absolutely! The recipe calls for semi-sweet, which is my go-to because it balances the sweetness of the sugars and the pumpkin perfectly. But if you’re a dark chocolate fanatic like my husband, use dark chocolate chunks instead. It gives you these beautiful deep pops of richness that contrast wonderfully with the mild pumpkin flavor!

If you prefer something sweeter, white chocolate chips are fantastic additions, too. They melt up gooey and just add pure sugary goodness to every bite. Honestly, you could even mix them—half semi-sweet and half white chocolate—if you can’t decide. Just make sure the amount of chocolate chips stays around that one cup mark so you don’t throw off the batter balance we worked so hard to achieve!

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

This is where these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins really shine because they are fantastic for making ahead of time! Who wants to wake up and bake every morning? Not me!

If you are planning to eat them within a couple of days, keeping them fresh is super easy. Once they are completely cool—and I mean totally cool, otherwise you’ll trap steam and make them soggy—just pop them into an airtight container. I usually leave mine right on the counter at room temperature. Because of the sugars and the oil in the recipe, they stay wonderfully soft for about three days. If your kitchen is super hot, you might risk pushing it to four days in the fridge, but I find the fridge dries them out just a tad, which I hate.

Freezing These Wonderful Muffins

My favorite trick, especially when the pumpkin spice craving hits hard, is making a double batch solely for the freezer. This way, you always have a portable pumpkin snack ready to go!

Here’s how I handle the freezing process to keep them tasting fresh-baked:

• Make sure the muffins are completely cooled—this is crucial!
• Wrap each individual muffin tightly in plastic wrap first. This prevents freezer burn.
• Then, place the wrapped muffins together into a large freezer-safe zip-top bag or an airtight container. They should last up to three months this way!

When that craving strikes, seriously, don’t thaw them on the counter for hours! Just pull one or two out, unwrap them, and microwave it for about 15 to 20 seconds. They come out steaming hot, soft, and tasting like you just pulled them out of the oven five minutes ago. It’s magic, pure and simple!

Serving Suggestions for These Wonderful Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

I get it. Sometimes you just want to grab a muffin as you run out the door, and these are absolutely perfect for that quick bite. They taste incredible plain, warm coffee in hand, right out of the cooling rack. But honestly, taking just two extra minutes to dress them up really takes these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins to the next level of cozy comfort!

My absolute favorite way to eat them, especially when they are a day or two old and maybe slightly less pillowy, is to slice them right in half horizontally. Then, toast those cut sides under the broiler for just a moment until they look a little golden and smell buttery. A thin smear of salted butter melts right into those crannies? Heaven. It’s honestly like eating a tiny slice of pumpkin bread!

If you are serving these for a brunch setting instead of just a quick breakfast, try presenting them slightly differently. A little dollop of spiced cream cheese frosting on top (if you’re feeling ambitious!) or even just a light drizzle of maple syrup would be lovely complements.

For another fantastic fall treat, you have to check out my recipe for fluffy pumpkin pancakes sometime; they have that same heartwarming spice mix!

They pair perfectly with a huge mug of strong coffee or an oat milk latte. The earthiness of the spice just cuts through the richness of the coffee so nicely. Try it next time—you won’t regret turning a standard muffin moment into a little mini-treat!

Frequently Asked Questions About Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

I always get a ton of questions once people see how good these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins turn out! It’s natural; everyone wants to know if they can tweak my methods. I’ve gathered some of the ones I hear most often down here. If you have another burning question, leave it in the comments!

If you end up making some of the swirl kind of muffins, be sure to check out my recipe for those too—they are decadent! I have a great pumpkin cream cheese swirl muffin recipe if you want to level up next time!

Can I make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins without oil?

Yes, you totally can, but you have to remember that oil is what gives these muffins that amazing, almost buttery tenderness that lasts for days. If you just don’t want to use vegetable oil, the best swap is unsweetened applesauce! You can substitute it 1:1 for the oil.

However, fair warning: the texture changes slightly. Applesauce makes them a little denser and maybe a hair more cake-like instead of that lovely, light fluffiness you get from the oil. You could also use plain Greek yogurt if you have that on hand; it gives them a nice tang alongside the moisture increase. Either way, they’ll still be delicious, just slightly different!

What is the best way to check if my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins are done?

Everyone’s oven runs a little differently, so you cannot just trust the timer blindly! The toothpick test is the classic move, and it shouldn’t be ignored, but you need to be specific about where you stick that pick.

You must check the very center of the muffin—that’s the last spot to cook through. Insert the toothpick, and you want it to come out clean, or perhaps with just one or two *dry* crumbs clinging to it. If you see wet batter, stick them back in for three more minutes and check again.

Also, look at the muffin’s body! The edges should look firm and slightly pulled away from the paper liner. If the top springs back gently when you tap it with a fingertip, you’re good to go. If it leaves an indent, it needs more time!

Nutritional Snapshot for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

You know I’m all about enjoying the great taste and comfort first, but I also know some of you like to keep track of what you’re eating! These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins are a treat, so they definitely have a little bit of sugar, which is where all the fun is, right?

Here is a general look at the estimated nutrition breakdown for one standard muffin made using this recipe. Remember, these numbers are just general estimates based on using standard cupboard items and the amounts listed. If you swap in dark chocolate or use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, those numbers will shift a bit!

• Serving Size: 1 muffin
• Calories: Roughly 250
• Sugar: About 25g (Pumpkin is naturally sweet, but we’ve got those sugars in there too!)
• Fat: Around 13g total fat
• Saturated Fat: About 4g
• Carbohydrates: Roughly 32g
• Protein: A small boost at 3g
• Cholesterol: Around 35mg

We aren’t winning any health food awards with these babies, but they are packed with pumpkin goodness, which means you get a little bit of Vitamin A! Everything in moderation, I always say. Balance that muffin with a really long walk outside enjoying the crisp air!

Share Your Homemade Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Now, the absolute best part of baking for me isn’t even eating the first warm muffin—it’s seeing all the incredible versions you all create in your own kitchens! I put all my heart and every tip I learned from burning those first few batches into this recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, and I truly hope you love them.

When you give this recipe a try, please, please come back and tell me what you thought! Did you add nuts like I mentioned in the notes? Which chocolate did you use?

Five stars? Four stars? Let me know below in the comments! It helps other bakers decide to try them too. And if you’re snapping photos of your beautifully domed, fragrant muffins, tag me on social media so I can admire your hard work! I love seeing them pop up in my feed.

Happy baking, everyone, and enjoy that warm, spicy comfort!

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