These irresistible Pumpkin Muffins with chocolate chips are velvety and moist, with just the right amount of sweet and spice. They can be easily customized and are packed with nutritional benefits, making them a delightful autumn treat. Vegan-adaptable!
Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree.
Emily Bronte
Ready for a nearly perfect Pumpkin Muffin recipe? We are calling these muffins but they could almost be called pumpkin cupcakes. Filled with a delightful balance of flavors and a tender crumb that melts in your mouth, these pumpkin muffins capture the essence of autumn in every bite. We kept the sugar low and bumped up the spices just a bit. Make your own pumpkin puree or use canned pumpkin. Enhance with chocolate chunks or nuts or keep them simple and pure!
For more cozy pumpkin treats check out our popular Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies with Hazelnuts and Double Spice Pumpkin Bread.
Table of Contents
Why you will Love these pumpkin Muffins!
- Moist and velvety texture: The combination of ingredients create a tender and moist texture that is incredibly satisfying to bite into. Stays fresh for several days stored at room temperature.
- Perfect balance of sweetness and spice: The blend of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves infuses the muffins with warm and cozy flavors. Not overly sweet allowing the pumpkin flavor to shine through.
- Rich flavor profile: The addition of chocolate chunks and orange zest takes these muffins to the next level. The chocolate adds a decadent element, while the orange zest brings a refreshing brightness to the overall flavor profile.
- Versatile and customizable: These muffins can be easily adapted to suit various dietary preferences. You can use different types of flour, such as whole wheat pastry flour or gluten-free flour, and even make them vegan by using flax eggs instead of regular eggs.
- Nutritional benefits: Pumpkins are packed with vitamins A and C, potassium, B vitamins, and other minerals. Olive oil provides healthy fats, while the spices offer antioxidants and metabolism-boosting properties, according to Ayurvedic medicine.
Ingredients for Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredient Notes
- All-purpose flour: You can also use whole wheat pastry flour or a gluten-free flour blend.
- Spices: Cinnamon, ginger, and cloves are the key spices that add warm and cozy flavors to the muffins.
- Eggs: If you prefer an egg-free option, you can substitute with 2 flax eggs and 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder. Please refer to the recipe notes for more details.
- Pumpkin puree: You can use store-bought pumpkin puree or make your own using homemade pumpkin puree. You’ll need about 1 1/2 cups for this recipe.
- Oil: Olive oil or avocado oil work well in this recipe.
- Sweetener: Brown sugar or coconut sugar can be used to add sweetness to the muffins.
- Maple syrup: Adding real maple syrup enhances the flavor and adds a touch of natural sweetness.
- Vanilla extract: This ingredient adds depth to the flavor profile of the muffins.
- Chocolate chunks: Use your favorite type of chocolate, whether it’s 70% dark chocolate, semi-sweet, or extra dark chocolate.
- Orange zest: A little bit of orange zest takes the muffins to the next level, adding a refreshing bright aroma.
- Pumpkin seeds: Sprinkle some pumpkin seeds on top of the muffins for an added crunch and visual appeal.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make Pumpkin Muffins
Step One- In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves.
Step Two- In a seperate medium bowl whisk eggs until smooth, add pumpkin puree, olive oil, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla and orange zest. You can use a mixer for this, however it goes pretty quickly by hand.
Step Three- Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients along with chocolate chunks. Stir together until just combined; do not over-mix.
Step Four- Scoop the batter into an oiled muffin tin filled mostly to the top. If using paper liners, oil them really well. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds if desired. Bake at 350F degrees for 25 minutes.
FAQS For Pumpkin Muffins
Pumpkins are naturally high in vitamins A and C, potassium, B vitamins, copper, manganese, iron, and E. Olive oil is high in polyphenols, maple syrup is high in minerals, and the warming spices are antioxidants and help boost metabolism according to Ayurvedic medicine. Moderation is the key here!
Yes, absolutely! Use flax eggs instead of real eggs and add 1/2 teaspoon baking powder.
Pureed squashes such as butternut, Hubbard, buttercup, honey nut, and yams.
More favorite recipes
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Maple-Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats with Pumpkin and Walnuts
- Pumpkin Butter
Enjoy!
Love this recipe? Please let us know in the comments and leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below the recipe card.
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Pumpkin Muffins Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
- Category: baked, dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These irresistible Pumpkin Muffins are velvety and moist, with just the right amount of sweet and spice. They can be easily customized and are packed with nutritional benefits, making them a delightful autumn treat.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (feel free to use a GF flour blend)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 extra large eggs (or sub 2 flax eggs, plus 1/2 teaspoon baking powder– see notes)
- 15–ounces canned pumpkin puree ( or homemade pumpkin puree, you’ll need 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 cup mild olive oil (can use avocado oil or melted coconut oil)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, or coconut sugar (see notes)
- 1/2 cup real maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 cup chocolate chunks or chocolate chips (optional)
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (optional- for topping muffins)
Optional Additions: nuts such as walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, dried cranberries, dates… you get the idea!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Oil a muffin pan.
- In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves.
- In a seperate bowl whisk eggs until smooth, add pumpkin puree, olive oil, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla and orange zest.
- Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients along with chocolate chunks. Fold in until just combined, do not over mix.
- Scoop the mixture into an oiled muffin tin, fill mostly to the top. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top if desired.
- Bake for 20- 25 minutes until the internal temperature is 205 F, or test by poking a toothpick in the center; it should come out clean. The muffins should spring back when touched. Let muffins cool in the tin for about 5 minutes before popping them out and cooling on a wire rack.
Notes
Vegan Option: Use flax eggs- mix 2 tablespoons ground flax with 6 tablespoons water, and let this stand 15 minutes. Add this to the wet ingredients. Add 1/2 teaspoon of baking POWDER to the dry mix (in addition to the baking soda).
If desired use pureed squashes such as butternut, Hubbard, buttercup, honey nut, and yams instead of pumpkin.
An easy way to make brown sugar: with a fork mash 1/2 teaspoon molasses with 1/2 cup granulated sugar.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 242
- Sugar: 17.3 g
- Sodium: 200.3 mg
- Fat: 10.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 34.8 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3.4 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
So yummy and flavorful! Made them for my husband’s birthday as a breakfast treat— he was most appreciative!
Yay! So happy you enjoyed.
Using the full amount of coconut sugar and just one tablespoon of maple syrup, my family loved these. I skipped adding the chocolate, but I have leftover homemade pumpkin puree, so I plan on trying the recipe with walnuts or dried cranberries as suggested.
Great to hear Jamie!
Came out great! Couple of notes from my kitchen:
1) I used a standard cupcake pan, added 1c walnuts and the yield was 19! Bonus for me.
2) I don’t usually have cloves, and have been buying the pumpkin spice blend (TJs), which works for most recipes like this. Also, cardamom! Underrated.
3) ran out of maple syrup, maybe added 1/4c, barely. Do I need more liquid, though? They came out fine!
Love your site, as the mom of two millennials (also vegetarian), it’s great to have so many tasty options. Way better than in the early 80s, when I was digging deep into whiskey barrels of uncooked beans and nuts, and filling my own jars … oh never mind!
Haha Elle, I totally grew up in the bulk food section, digging in those barrels with my mom! Love your notes about the muffins, so glad you are enjoying the site!
Delicious! Took longer to bake than stated. Very moist. I think I will try 1/3 cup oil and each of the sugars for the next round, along with whole wheat pastry flour to adjust moistness.
Nice Tina, love to hear how it goes!
Where do you buy pumpkin purée from please?
Hi Yvette, Our grocery stores here in the US carry various brands of pumpkin puree in a can. We have a recipe on the blog for making your own. If you do not have sugar pie pumpkins available you can use butternut squash or other types of squash will work too.
I made these vegan and Oh Em Gee they’re soooo good!
Easy, fail proof recipe. Thank you <3.
P.s.. as already stated..the part about 'flax egg' is missing from the recipe notes..
hooray! So great to hear Jennifer. Recipe is updated. 🙂
Please post if you have tried these with a bit less sweetness.
Looks great.
I have made them less sweet, they start to lose flavor in my opinion. You should experiment tho!
I am definitely going to try these soon.😊
Just wondering though, about the flax eggs and baking soda. The recipe says, “see notes”, but I don’t see anything related to those ingredients. By the way, I absolutely love your recipes!!! They never disappoint! Thank you so much!
Opps! Thanks Heather- it is in the notes now. 🙂
Could I use almond flour?
We have not tried it with almond flour- some adjustments may need to be made.