Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Last Updated on September 20, 2022 by Annie
Moist and tender pumpkin spice muffins studded with chocolate chips make the perfect fall treat. These easy to make, dairy-free muffins come together in 30 minutes for a delicious breakfast, coffee snack, or sweet fall dessert!
When I first set out to make these muffins I wanted something with more of a snickerdoodle flavor. This probably comes as no surprise to you since I have truly gone off the rails with snickerdoodle treats. From the Snickerdoodle Baked Oats to Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles, I truly enjoy a treat with a cinnamon sugar coating.
As I began testing this recipe, the muffins just fell flat of my expectations. The topping just didn’t work and it looked like they were burnt when in reality it was just too coated in a wet cinnamon topping. When I thought all hope was lost, I decided to switch gears and add in my second favorite flavor, chocolate.
With a quick addition of chocolate chips these muffins turned into the right balance of soft and tender with a pop of melty chocolate in each bite. While I’m not giving up on the pumpkin spice snickerdoodle muffin idea, I thought it might be nice to kick off pumpkin season with a sweet chocolate studded pumpkin treat!
Why We LOVE these Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Chocolate Chips
As if anything could beat the warm flavors of pumpkin in the fall, here are just a few more reasons to love these moist and delicious pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips.
- Ultra moist. These tender pumpkin muffins are utterly moist and perfect for anytime snacking!
- One dairy-free swap. With a quick swap for dairy-free chocolate chips these muffins are great when you don’t have tons of extra dairy-free products on hand.
- Easy to make. Simply mix the wet ingredients with the dry, scoop, and bake! It doesn’t get much easier than that.
- Full of fall flavors. From the warm cinnamon to the pumpkin pie spice, these easy muffins are loaded with fall flavor!
How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Flour– All-purpose flour provides structure to the pumpkin chocolate chip muffins.
- Spices– A blend of cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt give these muffins the warming flavors of fall.
- Leavening agents– Baking powder and baking soda work together to help these fresh muffins dome up as they bake.
- Canola Oil– Keeps the batter moist and helps prevent the muffins from drying out after a few days.
- Sugar– A blend of granulated and brown sugar work to sweeten the muffins and keep them soft and tender.
- Eggs– Helps bind the muffin batter together.
- Vanilla– Boosts the flavor of the moist muffins.
- Pumpkin Puree– Canned pumpkin, 100% Pure Pumpkin, or Pumpkin Puree work perfectly to provide that quintessential fall flavor to the muffins.
- Chocolate Chips– Dairy-Free semi-sweet or DF dark chocolate chips work perfectly for these muffins.
Directions for Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Chocolate Chips
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Prepare muffin tin. Line a standard muffin tin with cupcake wrappers and spray with non-stick spray. (Don’t mess around with muffins sticking to wrappers, you want every last crumb of these muffins).
- Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl whisk together flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Whisk wet ingredients. In a medium sized bowl whisk together sugar, brown sugar, canola oil, eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin puree.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Add chocolate chips. Next add 1 cup of dairy-free chocolate chips to the batter and fold until mixed in.
- Spoon into muffin tin. Using a cookie scoop or large spoon, fill the cups about 3/4 of the way full.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 450°F then reduce the heat to 400°F and bake for an additional 13-15 minutes.
- Cool completely. Remove from the oven and allow to cool about 3 minutes before removing from the pan and cooling on a cooling rack.
Dairy-Free Changes to Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Spice Muffins
Honestly the only product you will need to check and make sure is dairy-free for these muffins is the chocolate chips. Another ingredient I used to keep these delightfully dairy-free is canola oil.
- Canola oil– This keeps the muffin moist for days without having to use a butter or butter substitute.
- Chocolate Chips– Be sure to use a dairy-free chocolate chip such as Enjoy Life, Simple Truth Organic (Kroger Brand), or Great Value Free From Chocolate Chips (Walmart Brand). If you have found other dairy-free chocolate chip brands, feel free to drop a comment below to share!
Helpful Kitchen Tools
Here are a few kitchen tools you might find helpful as you make these chocolate chip pumpkin muffins.
- 12-Cup Muffin Pan– A simple, kitchen staple tool perfect for muffins, cupcakes, mini-tarts, and more!
- Large Cookie Scoop– Holds roughly 3 Tablespoons of batter as it scoops and fills the cups.
- Glass Mixing Bowls– Ultra-durable and perfect for whipping up muffins.
Serving Suggestions for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
You truly can’t go wrong any way you want to dive into these delicious muffins! Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy them.
- Fresh from the oven as is, these muffins are absolutely divine.
- Warmed and topped with a little non-dairy butter, maybe with a side of coffee or cold oat milk.
- Sliced in half and smeared with a bit of maple syrup for an extra dose of fall comfort.
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating Pumpkin Muffins
Before storing these fresh, fall muffins you will want to make sure they have fully come to room temperature. Then follow the suggestions below for the best way to store.
- Storing– Keep these pumpkin chocolate chip muffins in an air-tight container for up to 5 days after baking.
- Freezing– To keep longer than 5 days, freeze the cooled muffins in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. I have found that I can typically freeze 16 muffins easily in a gallon sized ziplock bag.
- Reheating– Remove the number of muffins you want from the freezer and allow to come to room temperature on the counter. Alternatively you can heat the muffin in the microwave for about 15 seconds to thaw.
Pumpkin Muffin FAQs
Why do you decrease the temperature after the first 5 minutes of baking?
By popping the muffins into the oven at a higher heat, it allows them to rise quickly. Then when you decrease the heat, it prevents the muffins from drying out for the remainder of the baking process. It’s the initial blast of heat that truly gives them that beautiful rise.
How do you keep muffins moist?
Two important factors help keep these muffins fresh and moist. First, having oil in the batter helps the baked muffin remain moist well after baking. Second, proper storage helps prevent these pumpkin muffins from drying out. I would recommend keeping them stored in an air-tight container for up to 5 days.
Is canned pumpkin the same as pumpkin puree?
Yes. Canned pumpkin and pumpkin puree are the same and can both easily work in this recipe. You will want to avoid cans labeled pumpkin pie filling when you are making these muffins as it will already contain spices and sweeteners.
More Pumpkin Recipes for Fall
If you tried these ultra-moist Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins and enjoyed them feel free to leave a comment below! I would love to hear how it went! Or, snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy to share all your life after dairy adventures!
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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
This easy recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins makes ultra-moist, dairy-free muffins perfect for the fall season!
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup Flour
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Canola Oil
- ½ cup Sugar
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- 15 ounces Pumpkin Puree
- 1 cup Chocolate Chips dairy-free
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
-
Line a standard muffin tin with cupcake wrappers and spray with non-stick spray. (Don't mess around with muffins sticking to wrappers, you want every last crumb of these muffins).
-
In a large bowl whisk together flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
-
In a medium sized bowl whisk together sugar, brown sugar, canola oil, eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin puree.
-
Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.
-
Next, add 1 cup of dairy-free chocolate chips to the batter and fold until mixed in.
-
Using a cookie scoop or large spoon, fill the cups about 3/4 of the way full.
-
Bake for 5 minutes at 450°F then reduce the heat to 400°F and bake for an additional 13-15 minutes.
-
Remove from the oven and allow to cool about 3 minutes before removing from the pan and cooling on a cooling rack.
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