Easy pumpkin muffin anyone? These chocolate chip pumpkin muffins with cranberries are jam-packed with warming fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and ginger. Plus, there are pumpkin seeds for added oomph and texture. They’re sure to be a fall favourite!
So, I’ve already made this chocolate chip pumpkin muffin recipe about a million times. I’ve been testing them out before I shared with you guys. Okay, not a million times but a lot.
And at some point I didn’t have to ‘test’ anymore, but I think I just wanted to keep eating them. The struggle is real. Can you blame me?
These easy pumpkin muffins have lots of iconic fall players, like cinnamon, nutmeg and pumpkin puree and they’re topped with pumpkin seeds for a little texture. An added bonus of making these muffins is that they make your home smell amazing!
What is Pumpkin Puree?
If you ever find yourself pondering some of life’s serious questions, like ‘Why is the earth round?’ ‘Where did I come from’ or ‘What is pumpkin puree?’ (ha), the answer is a simple one.
It’s literally what the name says, ‘pure pumpkin.’ Pumpkin is roasted and then blitzed up until nice and smooth.
Don’t think ‘OMG, Dawn, now I gotta make my own pumpkin puree?!’
No, no. The stuff is readily available in your grocery store where you would typically find baked goods.
The puree is what’s used in these pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. Don’t be tempted to use ‘pumpkin pie filling’. It’s not the same thing. That stuff is sweetened and has added spices.
Can I Use Scratch Made Pumpkin Puree?
Absolutely! Making homemade pumpkin puree will add more prep time, but if you don’t mind that, go right ahead.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
Full details are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:
Whisk together dry ingredients, including both flours, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and clove. Set aside. Preheat oven at this point too.
Mix together wet ingredients:
- First blend together butter and sugar until combined and nice and fluffy using a stand mixer or hand mixer.
- Add vanilla extract.
- Add eggs, one at a time, blending in.
- Blend in pumpkin puree and almond milk.
- Slowly add reserved flour mixture, blending in.
- Finally, blend in chocolate chips and cranberries.
Portion and bake:
Line muffin pan with liners and grease with baking spray. Distribute batter among liners and fill right up! Bake!
Cool & enjoy!
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More Tips and Variations
This recipe yields a lot of batter. Use it all! Fill up the muffin liners completely; each muffin has a full standard ice-cream scoop plus a little bit.
If you’d rather you can skip the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and clove and add about 2 teaspoons or so of pumpkin pie spice.
Dark chocolate chips are used in this recipe, but feel free to use milk, semi-sweet or even white chocolate chips. I also tested with chocolate chunks; while they gave the same taste, I preferred the look of chips.
Bake until a wooden skewer comes out free from wet batter. These take about 18 to 20 minutes; check on at 18 minutes since ovens vary.
More Ways to Use Leftover Canned Pumpkin
Find yourself with lots of leftover pumpkin puree? Some of those cans are huge (usually 3 cup’s worth). No worries! I got ya covered with some other pumpkin recipes:
Hope you love this easy pumpkin chocolate muffin recipe as much as we do!
If you make this pumpkin muffin recipe, be sure to leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed!
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Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins (with cranberries)
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground clove
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (packed)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ⅓ cup vanilla almond milk
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips (plus more for top before baking if you like)
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- baking spray (to grease muffin liners)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, and ground clove. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a mixing bowl with a hand mixer), blend (on medium-high speed) butter with both sugars until combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes (stop to scrape sides of bowl, as necessary, with a rubber spatula).
- Add vanilla extract and blend in. Reduce speed and add eggs, one at a time, and blend until combined. Add pumpkin puree and almond milk and blend about 30 seconds.
- Add reserved flour mixture and blend until just combined and there are no streaks of dry flour remaining, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add chocolate chips and cranberries and blend until incorporated.
- Line a 12-count muffin pan with muffin liners and grease with baking spray. Scoop muffin mixture into liners.
- Top with pumpkin seeds and extra chocolate chips (if desired).
- Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the muffins comes out clean.
- Allow muffins to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then remove and allow to cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes or so. Enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe yields a lot of batter. Use it all! Fill up the muffin liners completely; each muffin has a full standard ice-cream scoop plus a little bit.
- If you’d rather you can skip the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and clove and add about 2 teaspoons or so of pumpkin pie spice.
- Dark chocolate chips are used in this recipe, but feel free to use milk, semi-sweet or even white chocolate chips. I also tested with chocolate chunks; while they gave the same taste, I preferred the look of chips.
Nutrition estimate (if provided) is based on 1 Serving.
Nutrition information (if provided) is provided as a courtesy and should be considered an estimate only. Ingredients can vary and Girl Heart Food makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are guidelines only.
Kelly | Foodtasia
YUM! These lovely muffins have it all! I love how you have so much fall flavor packed into these! And the sweet-tangy combo with the chocolate and cranberries – so much yum! Using the pumpkin seeds with the pumpkin is brilliant!
Girl Heart Food
Thanks Kelly! They are pretty tasty 🙂
Kevin
I’m loving your recipes with all the fall flavors and I bet this one will not disappoint either! Can’t wait to give it a try!
Girl Heart Food
Thanks so much, Kevin! Definitely not 😉
Ben|Havocinthekitchen
Dawn, you’re 100% guilty! I mean, you’ve made and tasted these delicious muffins many times, and you’ve never shipped me a single muffin. That’s cruel, you know. On the other hand, these muffins look and sound so delicious that I’m willing to forgive you.
Girl Heart Food
Happy to hear that, Ben 😉 Thanks so much!
Bill
When food looks and sounds so good like this, you can’t help imagining how it tastes. These are all wonder fall flavors in a simple muffin — I love it. Especially the cranberry to round it out. Count me in, Dawn!
Girl Heart Food
You got it! Thanks Bill 🙂
Laura
Dawn – as you know, pumpkin + chocolate is the match made in heaven you never knew about when you were a kid – well, I didn’t anyway! I can’t get enough! And this recipe looks like total heaven! Thanks!
Girl Heart Food
Haha…totally know what ya mean! Thank you Laura 🙂
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
These are loaded with all the fallish ingredients I love Dawn! I’d have a hard time enjoying just one! Pinned!
Girl Heart Food
Yay! Thanks so much, Mary Ann 🙂
Milena
Love pumpkin baked goods topped with pumpkin seeds. Because I love pumpkin seeds more than any other seeds…These muffins won’t make it longer than a morning at my house. Not even past 10 o’clock in the morning. Fresh new batch for afternoon coffee:) Pinned!
Girl Heart Food
Hahaha….I hear ya!! Thank you Milena 🙂
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking
I’m loving all the pumpkin recipes this time of year! There is just something so cozy and comforting about pumpkin baked goods! I’ve been working on a pumpkin muffin recipe with dark chocolate chips too (because that combo with all the warming spices is just the best!) But I never thought to add cranberries and pumpkin seeds! Great idea Dawn. And love that these are big muffins. The best part about a muffin is the muffin top! Happy Monday!
Girl Heart Food
Me too! It is a really great combo, for sure! And I agree with ya about the muffin top 😉 Thanks Leanne and happy Monday to ya too!
Shashi at savory spin
Ha – one of my current ponderings is why oh why is there a screen between me and these glorious muffins!? I simply LOVE the combo of pumpkin and chocolate and these would make my monday marvelous! Hope you had a wonderful weekend, Dawn!
Girl Heart Food
Hahaha – right?? Thanks so much, Shashi! You too!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
Loving all the goodies you’ve packed in these pumpkin muffins! They just scream Fall and are no doubt seriously delicious, too 🙂
Girl Heart Food
Totally! Thank you Jennifer 🙂
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
Yum! I’m all about muffins and these pumpkin muffins are perfect for the fall! I love all the added goodies in these muffins. Perfect for breakfast or snack! 🙂
Girl Heart Food
Totally!! Thanks Kathy 🙂
[email protected]
Oh yum! This is my kind of pumpkin muffin! Love the iconic fall players and that little bit of crunch from the seeds! This is a winner!! Pinned! 🙂 Have a great week, my friend! XOXO
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen
YES to pumpkin muffins! Especially with chocolate chips and dried cranberries. These look SO GOOD! My favorite thing about muffins is that they’re basically cake you can spread butter on (and eat for breakfast) so they’re a regular treat around here :). I’ll have to try these! Have a great week, Dawn!
David @ Spiced
I’m all in on these muffins, Dawn! First of all, you’ve got all of my favorite Fall baking flavors going on in there…and then the cranberries + pumpkin seeds on top takes it up a notch. I don’t blame ya for needing to “test” this recipe a gazillion times! I totally need to put this on the agenda for one of these lazy weekends coming up. (Well, “lazy weekends” is relative when you have a toddler in the house…but that won’t stop me from baking up a batch of these muffins!)