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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins made with applesauce instead of oil, warm fall spices, and lots of chocolate chips. Ready in 25 minutes and freezer-friendly!
Fall means pumpkin around here, and these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins are the recipe I make on repeat all season long. They’re soft, moist, and loaded with melty chocolate chips in every bite, but they come together in one bowl with pantry staples you probably already have on hand. Best of all, they use applesauce instead of a full cup of oil or butter, so they stay tender without feeling heavy.
This recipe has been a reader favorite for years with just enough chocolate chips to make these feel like a treat. Make a batch on Sunday and stash them in the freezer, and you’ll have an easy grab-and-go breakfast or lunchbox snack ready for busy weekday mornings.
Erin’s Notes
- Made with applesauce instead of oil or butter, so they’re a little lighter without sacrificing moisture.
- Ready in 25 minutes, start to finish, in one bowl.
- Works with whole wheat or all-purpose flour — both are tested and both turn out great.
- Freezer-friendly, so you can always have a homemade muffin on hand for busy mornings.
- Loaded with chocolate chips in every single bite.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pumpkin puree – use plain canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced.
- Granulated Sugar
- Egg
- Oil
- Vanilla Extract
- Applesauce – unsweetened applesauce keeps these muffins moist and tender in place of most of the oil.
- Flour – whole wheat flour was used originally in 2012, these days I tend to use all-purpose flour.
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Spices – cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger give that classic fall flavor without needing a separate pumpkin pie spice blend.
- Chocolate chips – semi-sweet is my go-to, but any chocolate chip you like will work.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2/3 cup apple sauce, (unsweetened)
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2/3 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare a 12 cup muffin tin with non stick spray, or liners.
- In a large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Whisk until combined. Set aside.1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- In a separate bowl, mix together egg, pumpkin, apple sauce, oil and vanilla until well combined.1 large egg, 1 cup pumpkin puree, 2/3 cup apple sauce, 1 1/2 Tablespoons canola oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients, and mix until just combined (be careful not to over mix).
- Fold in the chocolate chips.2/3 cup chocolate chips
- Scoop the batter into the prepared muffins tins.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes. If you insert a tester it should come out clean.
- Remove from muffin tin, and cook on a wire rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How To Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Whisk the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, and spices) together in one bowl.
- Whisk the wet ingredients (egg, pumpkin, applesauce, oil, and vanilla) together in a separate bowl.
- Combine the two, mixing just until no dry streaks remain, then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop into a prepared muffin tin and bake at 350°F until a tester comes out clean.
- Cool in the tin briefly, then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overmix the batter — stir just until the flour disappears. Overmixing is the most common reason muffins turn out dense instead of light and fluffy.
- Measure your flour correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off, rather than scooping directly from the bag, which can pack in too much flour.
- Toss the chocolate chips in a little flour before folding them in so they stay distributed through the muffin instead of sinking to the bottom.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the batter evenly, so all 12 muffins bake at the same rate.
- Check for doneness with a toothpick a minute or two before the timer goes off, since ovens vary and overbaking will dry the muffins out.
Recipe Variations
- Chocolate Swap: I usually use semi-sweet chocolate chips for this, but really any chocolate you like works great.
- Add Nuts: Adding in 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts are a great addition.
- Mini muffins: this batter works well as mini muffins — just reduce the bake time to about 10-12 minutes and watch closely, since they bake faster.
Storage & Freezing
Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.
To freeze, let the muffins cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
To thaw, microwave a muffin for about 30 seconds — the chocolate chips get melty again and they taste fresh-baked. You can also let them thaw on the counter or pack one frozen in a lunch box, and it will be thawed in an hour or two.
No — pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, which will throw off the flavor and texture of this recipe. Look for a can labeled 100% pumpkin puree.
Yes! Reduce the bake time to about 10-12 minutes and check them a few minutes early.
Toss the chocolate chips in a little flour before folding them into the batter. This helps them stay suspended throughout the muffin instead of sinking while baking.
