These easy pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are moist, tender, and filled with pumpkin spice. Combining two kinds of chocolate chips gives them a special touch—perfect for fall breakfasts, snacks, or a simple dessert.
Looking for more pumpkin ideas? Try pumpkin coffee cake muffins, pumpkin scones, pumpkin chocolate marble muffins, or pumpkin cream cheese cinnamon rolls.
This recipe was first published on 09/05/2022.
September is the perfect time to dive into everything pumpkin. These muffins are a versatile fall favorite—great for breakfast, a mid-day snack, or a simple dessert. They’re quick to make and don’t require any special equipment: just a bowl, a whisk, and a muffin pan.
If you enjoy a classic pumpkin muffin, this version is a little extra indulgent thanks to a mix of semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips. Because the recipe uses less than a full can of pumpkin puree, save the remainder for another batch of pumpkin treats.
Why I Love These Pumpkin Muffins
- No special equipment: No stand mixer required—mix by hand in a single bowl.
- Pumpkin flavor: Uses 3/4 cup pumpkin puree and warming spices for classic pumpkin spice taste.
- Extra moist: Oil and pumpkin puree keep these muffins tender and moist.
- Quick: The recipe comes together fast and bakes in about 20 minutes.
- Freezable snack: These muffins freeze and reheat well—great for busy mornings or after-school treats.
Ingredients
Below is a summary of the ingredients used. Refer to the recipe card for exact amounts and the full instructions.
- Neutral oil: Sunflower, canola, or vegetable oil keeps muffins moist—avoid olive oil.
- Brown sugar: Adds sweetness and a hint of molasses depth.
- White cane sugar: Balances sweetness and texture.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances overall flavor.
- Eggs: Provide structure.
- Buttermilk: Keeps muffins tender and adds a subtle tang; whole milk can be used if needed.
- Pumpkin puree: Use plain pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling).
- All-purpose flour: The base; use a 1:1 gluten-free blend if needed.
- Baking powder & baking soda: Leavening for lift.
- Pumpkin pie spice & cinnamon: Warming spices for pumpkin flavor.
- Chocolate chips: A mix of semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips adds richness.
How To Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Prep: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Starting at a higher temperature for a few minutes helps the muffins develop a domed top. Gather all ingredients before you begin.
Make the batter: In a large bowl whisk together the oil, brown sugar, cane sugar, vanilla, eggs, buttermilk, and pumpkin puree until smooth. Sift the dry ingredients—flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon—over the wet mixture and gently fold until just combined. Stir in the semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips.
Bake: Line a muffin tin with paper liners and fill each cup with about 1/4 cup batter (a large cookie scoop works well for even portions). Bake at 400°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (176°C) and bake another 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven, let cool slightly, then transfer muffins to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Storing, Freezing and Re-Heating
Storing: Keep muffins in an airtight container or a large zip-top bag at room temperature or in the fridge. They’re best within five days.
Freezing: Cool completely, then double-bag in freezer-safe bags to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to three months.
Reheating: From thawed: microwave for 15–20 seconds. From frozen: let thaw briefly at room temperature, then warm for 15–20 seconds in the microwave.
Pro Tips
Years of muffin baking taught a few useful tips that help produce consistent results:
- Avoid over-mixing: Mix until ingredients are just combined to prevent tough, dense muffins.
- Oil vs. butter: Oil yields a moister muffin; butter adds flavor. For a reliably moist texture, oil is recommended.
- Cookie scoop: Use a 3-tablespoon spring-loaded scoop for uniform muffin tops and even baking.
- Oven temperature trick: Starting hot for a few minutes then lowering the heat encourages a tall, rounded muffin top.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
12 muffins
10 minutes
20 minutes
30 minutes
Moist, fluffy pumpkin muffins studded with both semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips—an easy fall treat.
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp neutral flavored oil (82 grams)
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup cane sugar (or white sugar)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup buttermilk (about 135 grams)
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree (about 185 grams)
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup milk chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
- In a large bowl whisk together the oil, brown sugar, cane sugar, vanilla, eggs, buttermilk, and pumpkin puree until smooth.
- Sift the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon over the wet ingredients. Fold gently until just combined, then stir in both kinds of chocolate chips.
- Line a muffin tin with paper liners and add about ¼ cup batter to each liner.
- Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (176°C) and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from oven, cool briefly in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Measuring the pumpkin: Use a dry measuring cup for pumpkin puree. Chocolate chips: Use your preferred brand; larger chips create nice pockets of chocolate. Oven temp trick: Start hotter for a short time, then lower the temperature to encourage a domed top. Mixing: Do not overmix the batter—stop when dry streaks disappear. Cookie scoop: A 3-tablespoon spring scoop yields even muffins.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 298
Total Fat: 13g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 8g
Cholesterol: 31mg
Sodium: 209mg
Carbohydrates: 44g
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 24g
Protein: 5g
Nutrition values are estimates from online calculators.