Regardless of the season, I tend to add chocolate to whatever I can. What doesn’t improve with the addition of decadent chocolate? If you’ve never had chocolate and pumpkin together, it’s a delicious combination. Sweet pumpkin pairs remarkably well with the slight bitterness of chocolate. Add in pumpkin pie spice and the flavor is reminiscent of spiced Mexican chocolate. These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins combine cozy pumpkin spice with pockets of rich chocolate. They’re an easy way to add some much-needed spicy comfort to chilly mornings, but they also make a wonderful snack or dessert later in the day. This recipe doesn’t require a mixer and comes together in under an hour. All you need are two bowls and something to stir with. It uses an entire 15-ounce can of pumpkin purée so they’re incredibly moist, and you don’t have to figure out what to do with leftover pumpkin purée.
Variations on Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Spiced pumpkin and chocolate already make a delicious pairing, but there are still plenty of ways to make this recipe your own:
Add 1/2 cup of chopped toasted nuts. You could use rich and sweet pecans or mild and buttery walnuts. Toast the nuts on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and they smell nutty. Use different kinds of chocolate chips. You don’t have to use semi-sweet chocolate. If you want sweeter muffins, you can use white or milk chocolate, and if you want a deeper, earthier flavor try them with dark chocolate. You could even try cinnamon chips or a mix of your favorites. Add a topping. Before baking, top the muffins with coarse sugar, pumpkin seeds, extra chocolate chips, or finely chopped toasted nuts. Make them double chocolate. To make chocolate pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, reduce the flour to 1 1/2 cups and add 1/2 cup cocoa powder. You can use either Dutch-process or natural cocoa powder.
How to Prevent Chocolate Chips from Sinking
You are excited about the prospect of perfectly distributed chocolate chips in the muffins, only to have your heart sink as much as the chocolate. While still delicious, it doesn’t have the look you want. Unfortunately, gravity still works in the oven. There are a few techniques you can try to keep the chocolate chips evenly suspended.
Save a tablespoon or two of the flour mixture and coat the chocolate chips with it before adding them to the batter. The dry flour around the chocolate chips should help suspend them better in the batter.Use smaller chips. Larger chocolate chips or chunks are heavier, causing them to sink easier. Try using mini chocolate chips or chop the chocolate into smaller pieces.Fold some of the chocolate chips into the batter and save the rest to scatter over the top before baking. The chips on top of the batter should either stay on top or at least not sink as far.
Ultimately, the texture of the batter and the size of the chocolate chips will dictate whether the chocolate sinks. Luckily, this batter is thick and can support standard or mini chocolate chips without issue.
Serving Suggestions
Muffins are excellent for breakfast, on the go, as an afternoon snack, or even for dessert. Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins would be a festive way to start Halloween or Thanksgiving morning. I’ll be enjoying these all season long alongside a pumpkin spice coffee, or warm chai.
Storage Instructions
These muffins will keep for up to three days in an airtight container at room temperature or up to a week in the refrigerator. If you keep them in the fridge, let them come to room temperature before serving. These muffins freeze well and can be frozen for up to two months. Defrost them on the counter, or for a quick weekday breakfast, you can defrost them in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
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Fold in the chocolate chips.
