Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

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Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins — Easy, no mixer recipe for the SOFTEST, moistest, most ADORABLE little muffins ever!! Rich PUMPKIN flavor and CHOCOLATE in every bite!!

Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins — Easy, no mixer recipe for the SOFTEST, moistest, most ADORABLE little muffins ever!! Rich PUMPKIN flavor and CHOCOLATE in every bite!!

Mini Pumpkin Muffins with Chocolate Chips

Mini muffins are just so poppable. I really believe muffins taste better when they’re in mini form. And of course the calories don’t count then either. That’s what I tell myself when I’m reaching for the fourth muffin in two minutes.

This is an easy, no mixer base recipe that I tweaked very slightly. It’s been a favorite of mine over the years because the results always taste fabulous.

The mini pumpkin muffins are packed with bold pumpkin flavor and plenty of warming spices. I like boldly spiced pumpkin goodies and these fit the bill. They’re super soft, tender, springy, and extremely moist.

Ironically they’re vegan but you’d never guess it. No eggs, no butter, no cow’s milk, and yet they taste so rich and decadent thanks to the pumpkin. And of course plenty of chocolate in every bite. 

I find pumpkin has a way of mimicking eggs by naturally keeping baked goods fluffy and perfectly light without being airy.

Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins — Easy, no mixer recipe for the SOFTEST, moistest, most ADORABLE little muffins ever!! Rich PUMPKIN flavor and CHOCOLATE in every bite!!

Ingredients in Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins 

To make these mini chocolate chip pumpkin muffins, you’ll need: 

  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Spices (cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, allspice, cloves) 
  • Salt
  • Granulated sugar
  • Brown sugar
  • Pumpkin puree
  • Oil
  • Milk (I used cashew milk) 
  • Molasses
  • Vanilla extract
  • Chocolate chips 

What Type of Molasses Should I Use? 

You want to use a mild or medium molasses. Do NOT use blackstrap molasses as it’s too strong in flavor. 

Can I Make the Muffins Gluten-Free? 

Most likely, yes. I imagine a gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose flour substitute would work well. Since they’re mini muffins and therefore won’t be rising that much in the oven, a gluten-free flour blend should work. 

Can I Replace the Oil with Applesauce? 

I’ve never substituted the oil for applesauce in this mini pumpkin chocolate chip muffin recipe, so I can’t say for sure if it’d achieve the same results. 

Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins — Easy, no mixer recipe for the SOFTEST, moistest, most ADORABLE little muffins ever!! Rich PUMPKIN flavor and CHOCOLATE in every bite!!

How to Make Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins 

This recipe for pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips is so simple! Here’s how the mini muffins are made: 

  1. Whisk together the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry in another. Combine the two, then stir to mix.
  2. Gently fold in the chocolate chips. 
  3. Turn the batter into 24 greased mini muffin cups. 
  4. Evenly sprinkle the top of each muffin with a generous pinch of chocolate chips.
  5. Bake until the tops are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter.

Can I Make Regular Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins? 

Of course! You can likely make 10 to 12 regular sized muffins with this recipe. Be sure to increase the bake time since the muffin cups will contain more batter. 

How to Store Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins 

Muffins will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins — Easy, no mixer recipe for the SOFTEST, moistest, most ADORABLE little muffins ever!! Rich PUMPKIN flavor and CHOCOLATE in every bite!!

Other Mix-Ins to Try

I love mini pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, but the muffin batter also works with other mix-ins! Try one of the following instead of the mini chocolate chips: 

  • Finely chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans would be great) 
  • Finely chopped dried fruit 
  • Raisins 
  • Sweetened coconut flakes 
  • Add a dollop of cream cheese to the center of each muffin 
  • Add a crumb topping 

Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins — Easy, no mixer recipe for the SOFTEST, moistest, most ADORABLE little muffins ever!! Rich PUMPKIN flavor and CHOCOLATE in every bite!!

Tips for the Best Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins 

Leftover batter: I had enough batter for one mini loaf in addition to 24 mini muffins. It’s easy to keep two mini muffin pans and the mini loaf pan all on one oven rack that way, which I find is best to ensure even cooking.

Bake time: Mini muffin pans vary quite dramatically in how much batter they hold. Depending on how full I fill my pans, my baking times range anywhere between 11 to 15 minutes which is quite a range.

Bake until the centers are set and springy to the touch. All ovens, pans, and climates vary so use my suggested baking time as only an estimate. Start checking early in case your oven runs hot or your pans are smaller.

Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins — Easy, no mixer recipe for the SOFTEST, moistest, most ADORABLE little muffins ever!! Rich PUMPKIN flavor and CHOCOLATE in every bite!!

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4.91 from 11 votes

Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

By Averie Sunshine
Easy, no mixer recipe for the SOFTEST, moistest, most ADORABLE little muffins ever!! Rich PUMPKIN flavor and CHOCOLATE in every bite!!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 24
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Ingredients  

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon allspice
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • ¾ cup pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
  • cup vegetable or canola oil
  • ¼ cup milk, I used unsweetened cashewmilk
  • 2 tablespoons mild or medium molasses
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips, plus extra for sprinkling

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400F. Spray two 12-count mini muffin pans (or one 12-count regular muffin pan) very well with floured cooking spray or grease and flour the pans; set aside.
  • To a large bowl add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and whisk together; set aside.
  • To a separate large bowl add the sugars, pumpkin, oil, milk, molasses, vanilla, and whisk until combined.
  • Pour the wet pumpkin mixture over the dry ingredients, and stir until just combined; don’t overmix.
  • Add the chocolate chips and stir to combine (I highly recommend using mini chocolate chips for better distribution and because they’re size-proportionate).
  • Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, add about 1 rounded tablespoon of batter (for mini muffins) to each muffin cavity, filling to 3/4-full; don’t overfill.
  • Evenly sprinkle the top of each muffin and the loaf with a generous pinch of chocolate chips.
  • Bake for about 15 minutes (start checking at 10 minutes because all mini muffins pans, ovens, and climates vary; keep a close eye on them because mini muffins cook quickly) or until tops are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter.
  • Allow muffins to cool in pans for about 15 minutes before removing and placing on a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Note – You will likely have extra batter beyond 24 mini muffins or 12 regular and with it I made one mini loaf.
Storage: Muffins will keep airtight at room temp for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Adapted from Vegan Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins and Mini Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Muffins.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 105kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 67mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 13g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

More Pumpkin Breakfast Recipes:

My FAVORITE PUMPKIN RECIPES on my blog!

My cookbook, Cooking With Pumpkin: Recipes That Go Beyond the Pie is my second cookbook and there are over 50 pumpkin recipes including sweets, savory, drinks, and a photo for nearly every recipe. I’d be super grateful if you headed over to Amazon to check it out!

Cooking With Pumpkin: Recipes That Go Beyond the Pie by Averie Sunshine

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Vegan Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins — You’ll never miss the eggs or butter! Easy, soft, fluffy and the best pumpkin muffins ever!

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Originally posted September 9, 2016 and reposted with updated text October 23, 2020.

About the Author

Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

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Comments

  1. Made these today for my kids. They tasted fantastic. Reminded me of Martha’s triple chocolate pumpkin

    1. I love that you’re cooking with pumpkin during the pumpkin ‘off season’. Glad you and your kids loved them!

  2. Just made these today and they are amazing!! My family and I loved them!! For me, the recipe made 11 regular size muffins and I baked them for 19 minutes. I did add 1 egg as well. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe – it is a keeper for sure! :)

  3. Pumpkin is my favorite, and hence, I am glad to find your post. Thank you for sharing, Averie.

    I definitely agree with you that mini muffins taste better, I really prefer them.

  4. I’ve made these twice now – these are amazing! The spices with the chocolate are fantastic! Reminds me of Martha’s triple chocolate pumpkin pie (make it for turkey day this year – you won’t regret it).
    The first time I made these I thought the muffins were a little fall-aparty, I mean by a teensy smidge. So the second time I made these, I followed the recipe just like before but added 1 egg and I feel like that added the binder I preferred. Either way – this is going in my permanent recipe book! Love love love!

    1. Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad you love it so much and glad that you found adding an egg added the binder you prefer. Glad it’s a keeper!

  5. looks like it’s pumpkin season. now I know why my kids always ask me to make them some pumpkin muffins everytime they’re back from school( just because their friends have muffins for lunch at school) haha. thanks for your recipe I’ll try it out tomorrow. my kids must be so excited.

  6. pumpkin season is coming, i don’t want to miss it. xD these look delicious, it’s gonna be great for my son’s lunch, he love muffins so much. we also can use dried grapes or dried blueberry , that would be amazing combination in a chocolate muffin. :D

  7. I love anything in mini form, because it makes me feel like a giant. These are like the fun size of muffins! I love chocolate and pumpkin together. 

  8. I want to make these and the ones where you roll the muffins in cinnamon sugar. I don’t have and don’t want to buy pumpkin pie spice. I have all the separate spices. Do you have the correct amount of the cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg and cloves without using pre made spice mix?

    1. I would just use your best judgment if you want to use individual spices. It would probably be best to google a recipe for it (or check out my pumpkin cookbook because I have a recipe for it http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1581572689/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1581572689&linkCode=as2&tag=lovvegyogruna-20&linkId=ZJXBU54ZN2H76TQ4) and make it in a larger batch rather than trying to use 1/16th of tsp of an individual spice for example.

  9. Pumpkin season is coming quickly and seeing these delicious little gems puts me in the mood. Actually, all of your recipes above are giving me a craving for pumpkin–lots of good stuff in this post!!

    1. For some reason, the formatting was placing it behind the brown sugar on the same line but it has it’s own line now.

  10. I’m so excited for pumpkin muffin season. Nothing is more moist than a pumpkin muffin or pumpkin bread, plus it’s so easy with the canned stuff. Makes autumn so happy!

  11. Hi Averie,
    You are the Best, Ask why You best

    Answer is You explain everying very clear.. And this recipe special because My Family is vegetarian so they would love to have.. thanks for sharing and Keep Writing..

    Regards
    Simran Kaur