Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

These healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins are moist, sweet, and delicious…and easily freezable. We pull them out of the freezer for snacks or for an easy breakfast.

Fall is obviously the time of year when everyone wants a little pumpkin in their life, but I make these muffins year round.  My kids LOVE them, so I double and freeze them for snacks and make ahead breakfasts regularly.

What makes this recipe more nutritious than most (yet still moist and delicious)? Well, here’s the line-up of ingredients…

• White whole wheat flour – Note the name of this is WHITE whole wheat flour, which is a special variety that you can now find in most grocery stores. I love baking with this 100% whole grain flour, because it’s lighter than usual store-bought whole wheat (known as the red wheat variety). It’s a great swap out for all purpose flour.

• Ground flaxseed – This ground seed packs in omega 3 fatty acids and fiber that we can all use more of. Be sure to store in the fridge or freezer to give it a longer shelf life. Read more about the health benefits here.

• Sugar – You need some sugar to make these irresistible, but I like to use coconut sugar as a bit healthier alternative. You can also reduce the amount of a sugar by 1/4 cup and still have some pretty darn tasty muffins.

• Baking soda & baking powder – These act as leaveners to help the batter rise. I like the aluminum-free baking powder from Bob’s Red Mill.

• Cinnamon – Because pumpkin and cinnamon need each other in baked goods. (It’s a healthy co-dependent relationship, I tell you.)

• Salt – A little salt in baked goods helps balance out the sweetness.

• Pumpkin puree – This recipe uses 1 full (15 ounce) can of pumpkin puree (note: NOT pumpkin pie filling), which is loaded with Vitamin A, fiber, Vitamin C, potassium and much more. Look for a BPA-free can.

• Unsweetened applesauce – For a little more moisture and all natural sweetness. You can substitute in more pureed pumpkin for this, if you like.

• Large eggs – Three eggs add a lot of protein to these muffins and help give them “lift”. I usually look for organic eggs from a local farmer, if I can find them.

• Avocado oil – If you’ve been around Thriving Home for long, you know we love this neutral cooking/baking oil with a high smoking point. The healthiest version is the extra virgin avocado oil, because there are no chemical solvents used in the processing. Read more about it here.

• Vanilla extract – Always a good idea in baked goods, IMO. Buy the real deal 100% vanilla extract or try making your own using our DIY recipe.

• Chocolate chips – I recommend using semi sweet or mini chocolate chips. Read the package and try to find a brand with as many recognizable ingredients as possible. I like Ghirardelli semi sweet chocolate chips or Enjoy Life Dairy-Free Mini Chocolate Chips.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Pumpkin Muffins

This recipe is so easy that your kids can help you or even make these themselves as they get older.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease 18-20 muffin cups or line them with paper liners. (You can make two batches back to back if you only have one 12-cup muffin tin.)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, flax, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

In another mixing bowl, stir together the pumpkin puree, oil, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla extract.

Stir the wet mixture into dry ingredients. Like most muffin recipes, it’s important to mix the wet and dry ingredients separately and then combine just until it comes together. If you over mix the batter, the gluten will develop stronger bonds and make the muffins tough.

After the batter starts to come together, gently stir in the chocolate chips.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups until each one is almost full–about 2-3 heaping tablespoons full. I use a small cookie dough scooper, but a spoon works just fine. You may want to wet your fingers to help the batter slip off the spoon.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes. Place the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes or so. Then remove the muffins and let them cool even more on the rack.

It’s incredibly easy to make these dairy-free. The only ingredient that has dairy in it would be the chocolate chips. Simply leave them out or use dairy-free chocolate chips like Enjoy Life brand. 

If you want a gluten-free muffin instead, be sure to try my Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins. Don’t worry, they still have chocolate chips in them and are super moist and delicious, too!