These may be the world’s best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins. This simple recipe yields soft, fluffy muffins with pumpkin, warm cinnamon, and pockets of chocolate—muffins that stay moist for days.
The Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe
This easy muffin recipe produces ultra-soft, moist pumpkin muffins scented with cinnamon and studded with chocolate chips—perfect for breakfast, snacks, or lunchboxes.
- Yields about 24 large, bakery-style muffins or 30 medium muffins.
- Reheat quickly in the microwave—I warm them upside-down for about 20 seconds, then right-side-up for another 20.
- Great for on-the-go breakfasts and they thaw in 30 minutes or less at room temperature.
Here’s What You Need
Gather these ingredients to make fluffy pumpkin chocolate chip muffins:
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin Ingredients
- Pumpkin purée: Use pure canned pumpkin (not pie filling) or well-drained fresh pumpkin.
- Buttermilk: Adds subtle tang and keeps muffins moist.
- Vegetable oil: Neutral oils like sunflower, safflower, or canola work best; avoid coconut oil.
- Brown sugar: Adds molasses richness and helps retain moisture.
- Eggs: Use large eggs, room temperature if possible.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and sweetness.
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure for a light, airy crumb.
- Granulated sugar: Balances flavor and contributes to texture.
- Cinnamon: Essential fall spice—swap for pumpkin pie spice if desired.
- Baking powder & baking soda: Ensure leavening agents are fresh for a good rise.
- Chocolate chips: Dark, milk, or white chips work; mini chips create small bursts of chocolate.
Variations and Substitutions
Ways to adapt the base muffin recipe:
- Gluten-free: Use a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend in place of all-purpose flour.
- Vegan: Replace buttermilk with dairy-free milk plus 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice; use dairy-free chocolate chips and an egg substitute.
- Whole wheat: Swap half or all-purpose flour for whole wheat for a nuttier, denser muffin.
- Spice blend: Use pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon for more complex fall flavors.
- Add-ins: Fold in chopped walnuts, pecans, dried cranberries, or raisins instead of—or in addition to—chocolate chips.
Grab these Tools
Have these kitchen tools ready:
- Muffin tin and paper liners (or grease the tin well).
- Mixing bowls for wet and dry ingredients.
- Whisk and spatula to combine ingredients gently.
How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins: An Easy Guide
This recipe comes together quickly and simply. Follow these steps for best results:
Preheat the oven and prepare the muffin pan
Preheat to 375°F. Line muffin pans with paper liners, grease, or spray with nonstick spray. The recipe yields about 30 muffins, so use multiple pans or cool pans between batches under lukewarm water.
Mix wet ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, buttermilk, oil, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well combined. Set aside.
Combine dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice), baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center, add the wet ingredients, and stir gently until almost combined—leave a few flour streaks to avoid overmixing.
Fold in chocolate chips
Gently fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed and no large dry pockets remain.
Fill muffin cups and bake Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Spoon batter into prepared cups, filling about 3/4 full. Bake 20–25 minutes, until tops spring back when lightly pressed or an instant-read thermometer reaches around 190°F. Cool on a wire rack.
Common Mistakes + Pro Tips
Small adjustments make a big difference:
- Oil vs. butter: Oil keeps muffins moister than butter because it coats flour proteins and limits gluten development.
- Know when they’re done: An internal temperature of about 190°F is reliable. Otherwise, the tops should feel springy and not leave an indent when lightly pressed.
- Don’t refrigerate: Refrigeration speeds staling. Store at room temperature for short-term use and freeze for longer storage.
- Don’t overmix: Stir just until the dry ingredients are incorporated to keep muffins light and tender.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Store freshly baked muffins in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze them for up to 3 months.
- I often bake a large batch, cool them, then freeze most to preserve that just-baked texture.
How to Freeze Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Freeze muffins in a single layer on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container to prevent sticking. Freeze up to 3 months.
How to Thaw Frozen Muffins
Thaw at room temperature in about 30 minutes, or reheat in the microwave—about 20 seconds upside-down, then 20 seconds right-side-up—for a warm, fresh-baked taste.
FAQs About Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Helpful answers to common questions:
Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned purée?
Yes. Use well-drained fresh pumpkin purée so the batter isn’t too watery.
Can I add other mix-ins?
Absolutely. Chopped nuts, dried cranberries, or a sprinkle of oats on top work well—just avoid overloading the batter.
Other Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Love
If you enjoy these muffins, try other pumpkin treats like pumpkin loaves, pumpkin zucchini muffins, pumpkin cookies, cheesecake bars, roll cake, or easy pumpkin pie.
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins (Soft + Fluffy for DAYS!)
Ingredients
Wet ingredients
- 4 cups pumpkin puree
- 1 ¼ cup buttermilk
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dry ingredients
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tbsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips regular or mini
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line muffin pans with paper cups or grease well. (The recipe makes about 30 muffins—use multiple pans or cool pans between batches.)
-
In a large bowl, stir together all wet ingredients until well combined. Set aside.
-
In a separate bowl, whisk all dry ingredients. Make a well in the center, pour in the wet ingredients, and stir gently until almost combined, leaving some flour streaks to avoid overmixing. Fold in chocolate chips until no large dry pockets remain.
-
Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling about 3/4 full. Bake 20–25 minutes, until tops spring back when lightly pressed. Cool on a wire rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and should be used as a guideline.