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This recipe is for a delicious morning muffin that features pumpkin, chocolate chips and plenty of pumpkin spice. My chocolate pumpkin muffins come together so quickly, and you only need one bowl! It makes 6 muffins, but you can double the recipe so easily.

A dark brown chocolate pumpkin muffin topped with chocolate chips on white board.

About 9 months out of the year, I make my chocolate banana muffins. My kids love them, because they think theyโ€™re getting chocolate chips for breakfast. And while they definitely are, I love the incredible reduced amount of sugar in that recipe because of the sweetness of the banana.

Today, weโ€™re using pumpkin, pumpkin spice, and an extra tablespoon of sugar to make up for the missing overripe banana. If youโ€™re never tried chocolate and pumpkin together (like in my chocolate pumpkin cupcakes), you are in for a fall treat!

How to Make Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

If you have leftover pumpkin after making my pumpkin brownies, this is a great way to use it because this recipe only uses 1/3 cup of pumpkin! If youโ€™re doubling this recipe to make a full dozen muffins, use 2/3 cup.

Youโ€™ll need a muffin pan, muffin liners, and a bowl to make this chocolate pumpkin muffins recipe.

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The Ingredients

Small bowls with pumpkin, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, oil and egg on white surface.
  • Pumpkin Puree. When youโ€™re buying canned pumpkin, ensure itโ€™s pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
  • Granulated Sugar.
  • Oil. Any type of neutral oil, like canola oil, vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, or even avocado oil. I donโ€™t recommend coconut oil for this recipe, as the muffins will be slightly too firm at cool room temperatures.
  • Egg. One large whole egg, both the egg white and egg yolk.
  • Vanilla.
  • Flour.
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice. Store-bought pumpkin pie spice contains cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ground ginger.
  • Cocoa Powder. All-natural unsweetened cocoa powder makes the richest, most chocolatey muffins ever!
  • Baking Soda. This acidic leavener reacts with the acid in the cocoa powder and makes the chocolate pumpkin muffins rise in the oven while baking.
  • Chocolate Chips. Reach for your favorite chocolate chipsโ€“semisweet, dark chocolate or even milk chocolate all work well here. Whatever you use in my pumpkin chocolate chip cookies is great here, too!

The Directions

First, preheat the oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit, and place six muffin liners in a muffin pan.

Cream bowl with pumpkin puree, egg, sugar and vanilla extract.
Stirring flour and cocoa powder into chocolate pumpkin muffin batter.

In a medium bowl, add the pumpkin, sugar, oil, egg and vanilla. Stir this mixture together very well until homogenous.

Next, evenly sprinkle the flour, pumpkin pie spices, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt on top. Gently fold this into the pumpkin mixture until almost no streaks of flour remain.

Folding chocolate chips into chocolate batter with spatula.
Six portion muffin tray with chocolate muffins about to be baked in oven.

Finally, stir in the chocolate chips with a spatula, which will eliminate any remaining streaks of flour. However, please be sure not to overmix, because this activates the gluten and could result in a tough baked good.

Divide the mixture into 6 muffin cups, and bake for about 18 minutes, until the muffins are done. Test the centers with a toothpick before removing from the oven to ensure the muffins are fully cooked. Under-baked chocolate pumpkin muffins tend to sink when cooling, so be sure to test.

Close up of chocolate pumpkin muffins cut in half to show soft interiors.

How to Store Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

These muffins keep for 2 days on the counter at room temperature in an airtight container. Beyond that, itโ€™s a good idea to refrigerate them. You can also lay them flat on a baking sheet and freeze them individually. Once frozen, move them to a freezer storage bag or stacking container.

Other Pumpkin Recipes You Might Love:

Yield: 6

Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

Close up of chocolate pumpkin muffins cut in half to show soft interiors.

Moist and tender chocolate muffins with pumpkin puree are a great fall breakfast treat.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup (75 grams) pumpkin puree
  • 1/3 cup (67 grams) sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (30 mL) canola oil
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (68 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 cup (25 grams) cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ยผ teaspoon salt
  • ยผ cup semisweet chocolate chips, plus extra for top

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350, and line a muffin pan with 6 cups.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin with the sugar, oil, egg and vanilla extract. Whisk very well until combined.
  3. In the same bowl, sprinkle the flour, pumpkin spice, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt on top. Using a spatula, stir until well-combined.
  4. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips.
  5. Divide the batter between the muffin cups evenly, and sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top of each muffin.
  6. Bake for 18 minutes, or until the muffins are done. They're done when they spring back when pressed gently on the top and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.

Notes

Pumpkin Puree: Be sure to buy pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
Oil: Any type of neutral oil, like canola oil, vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, or even avocado oil. I don't recommend coconut oil.
Pumpkin Pie Spice: Store-bought pumpkin pie spice contains cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ground ginger.
Cocoa Powder: All-natural unsweetened cocoa powder for baking.
Chocolate Chips: Reach for your favorite chocolate chips--semisweet, dark chocolate or even milk chocolate all work here.

How to Store Leftovers: These chocolate pumpkin muffins keep for 2 days on the counter at room temperature in an airtight container. Beyond that, it's a good idea to refrigerate them. You can also lay them flat on a baking sheet and freeze them individually. Once frozen, move them to a freezer storage bag or stacking container.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 128Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 311mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 2g

Did you make this recipe?

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About Christina Lane

Christina Lane is the author of 5 cookbooks all about cooking and baking for two. She has scaled down hundreds of recipes into smaller servings so you can enjoy your favorite dishes without the leftovers! Valentine's Day is her favorite holiday.

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6 Comments

  1. Crystal says:

    My kids and I made these a few days ago. They were easy to make and delicious!

  2. Susan says:

    These were good โ€“ very chocolatey! I was wondering what the pumpkin would do to the texture (if it would make them heavy) but it was fine.

  3. Help says:

    How to substitute with almond flour?

    1. Christina Lane says:

      I would use google to find an almond flour recipe instead. This isnโ€™t that.

  4. I K says:

    followed this recipe to the T. Amazing cupcakes. Absolutely divine! Thank you

  5. Julie says:

    These look and sound really good โ€“ and make a nice carb choice coming in at 13g for a delicious muffin. I canโ€™t tell from the pictures โ€“ is this a โ€œregularโ€ size muffin tin or one of those larger ones, sometimes referred to as โ€œTexasโ€ size or jumbo muffins?