Description
These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins are moist, flavorful, and perfectly spiced with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom. Loaded with semisweet chocolate chips and made with pumpkin puree, these muffins offer a delightful balance of sweetness and autumn warmth. With an easy prep and bake method, these muffins are ideal for breakfast, snacks, or dessert, boasting a bakery-style height and a tender crumb.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed (dark brown is fine too)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup light olive oil (or any vegetable oil)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (use 1/2 teaspoon if using table salt)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (if available)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
Add-ins
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (for pressing into the top of the muffins)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare muffin tin: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and spray the flat tops of the tin with nonstick spray to prevent sticking from overflow. Set aside.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the entire can of pumpkin puree, white sugar, and packed brown sugar until thoroughly combined.
- Add eggs, oil, and vanilla: Whisk in the two large eggs, light olive oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and homogeneous.
- Add flour (do not stir yet): Spoon and level the all-purpose flour, then add it on top of the wet mixture without stirring.
- Add leavening agents and salt: Sprinkle baking powder, kosher salt, and baking soda evenly over the flour layer.
- Add spices: Add ground cinnamon, ground ginger, freshly grated nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom to the bowl. Use a small spoon to gently mix the spices, salt, and leavening agents together slightly.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients: Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients gently. Mix just until combined, taking care not to overmix to avoid tough muffins. Break up any lumps but keep the batter light.
- Fold in chocolate chips: Gently fold in 1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips evenly throughout the batter.
- Portion batter: Use a cookie scoop or spoon to fill each muffin liner evenly, ideally in two scoops to create tall, bakery-style muffins.
- Adjust chocolate chips: Press down any visible chocolate chips below the surface of the batter to prevent burning during baking.
- Bake in two stages: Bake at 425°F for 7 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature immediately to 350°F and continue baking for an additional 9 to 13 minutes.
- Test for doneness: Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin; it should come out clean with no wet batter. The muffin tops should spring back when gently tapped with a finger.
- Cool briefly: Remove muffins from the oven and let them cool in the tin for about 2 minutes.
- Transfer to cooling rack: Carefully remove the muffins from the tin and place them on a wire rack to cool further. Use caution to avoid burns.
- Add topping chocolate chips: Press 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips into the tops of the muffins while they are still warm.
- Cool completely and serve: Let the muffins cool fully for the fluffiest texture, or enjoy warm for a fudgy, brownie-like experience paired perfectly with milk.
Notes
- Do not use pumpkin pie filling, only pure pumpkin puree for best texture and flavor balance.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter to avoid dense or tough muffins.
- The two-step baking temperature method ensures a tall rise without burning the muffins.
- If you don’t have all the spices listed, cinnamon and nutmeg are the most essential.
- You can substitute vegetable oil for olive oil if preferred.
- Make sure to cool muffins completely before storing to maintain moisture and freshness.
- Use paper liners for easy removal and cleanup.
- Pressing chocolate chips on top after baking adds extra chocolate flavor and a pretty presentation.
