Tulo

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe

Canned pumpkin puree adds moisture and body without thinning the batter the way fresh pumpkin can, and a hot 425°F start followed by a lower finish temperature gives the muffins that tall, domed bakery top before the centers overbake.

Prep
15 min
Cook
20 min
Total
35 min
Servings
12

Ingredients

Servings12
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Nutrition per serving

Calories
300
Protein
4g
Carbs
42g
Fat
14g

Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.

Need different units or a different yield? Try our Conversion Calculator →

Instructions

  1. 1Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or grease it well.
  2. 2In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth and fully combined.
  3. 3In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
  4. 4Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir with a spatula just until no streaks of flour remain.
  5. 5Fold in the chocolate chips, reserving a small handful to press onto the tops of the muffins.
  6. 6Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each all the way to the top. Scatter the reserved chocolate chips over the tops.
  7. 7Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 5 minutes, then, without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 14-16 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
  8. 8Cool the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips & variations

  • Fill the muffin cups all the way to the top, not the usual two-thirds; a fuller cup is part of what produces the tall, domed shape.
  • Toss the chocolate chips with a teaspoon of the dry flour mixture before folding them in to keep them from sinking to the bottom of each muffin.
  • Swap half the chocolate chips for chopped pecans or walnuts for added crunch and a less sweet muffin.
  • For mini muffins, fill a mini muffin pan and reduce the bake time at 350°F to about 9-11 minutes after the initial 5-minute hot blast.

Storage & reheating

Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. Freeze fully cooled muffins in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature or microwave from frozen in 20-second bursts. A few seconds in the microwave right before serving revives the melted-chip texture.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • Use plain canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which already contains sugar and spices and will throw off the batter's sweetness and consistency.
  • Spraying the toothpick with a little nonstick spray before testing keeps melted chocolate from making it look underbaked.

FAQ

Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?

Yes, but roast and puree it first, then strain it through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove excess water; fresh pumpkin puree is noticeably wetter than canned and can make the muffins gummy if not drained.

Why did my muffins turn out flat instead of domed?

This usually means the oven wasn't fully preheated to 425°F before baking, or the batter sat too long before going in; the initial hot burst is what forces the quick rise that creates the dome.

Can I make these muffins without eggs?

Substitute each egg with 1/4 cup of additional pumpkin puree; the texture will be slightly denser but still moist.

Can I reduce the sugar?

The sugar can be cut by about a quarter without major texture changes, but reducing it further will also reduce browning and how domed the tops turn out, since sugar helps the batter set structure while rising.