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Light Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
American

Light Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Incredibly moist and fluffy pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips that taste indulgent but are surprisingly light thanks to smart ingredient swaps.
American

Light Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Incredibly moist and fluffy pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips that taste indulgent but are surprisingly light thanks to smart ingredient swaps.

50 minutes

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

Easy

Level

Serves 16

Servings

50 minutes

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

Easy

Level

Serves 16

Servings

These pumpkin chocolate chip muffins prove that lighter doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor! By swapping some of the oil for applesauce and using sugar-free pudding mix, we’ve created muffins that are tender, moist, and packed with autumn spice. The secret to their incredible texture is the thick, sticky batter that bakes up beautifully fluffy. Each bite delivers warm cinnamon notes, creamy pumpkin, and bursts of chocolate – perfect for breakfast, snack time, or dessert.

Ingredients

  • cooking spray
  • pumpkin puree
    1
    (15 ounce) can
  • egg
    1
    large
  • white sugar
    ⅔
    cup
  • vegetable oil
    ¼
    cup
  • applesauce
    ½
    cup
  • vanilla extract
    2
    teaspoons
  • all-purpose flour
    2
    cups
  • sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
    1
    (1 ounce) package
  • baking powder
    2
    teaspoons
  • ground cinnamon
    2
    teaspoons
  • salt
    1
    teaspoon
  • baking soda
    1
    teaspoon
  • semisweet chocolate chips
    1
    (6 ounce) package

Tips

  1. Add ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans along with the chocolate chips for extra crunch.

  2. Swap chocolate chips for white chocolate chips or butterscotch chips for different flavor profiles.

  3. Add ½ teaspoon nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves for more warming spices.

  4. Make them dairy-free by using plant-based chocolate chips.

  5. Create a streusel topping with 2 tablespoons each of flour, brown sugar, and cold butter mixed together.

Storage

Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Freeze individually wrapped muffins for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave.

Steps:

Prepare the oven and muffin tin
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 16 muffin cups with paper liners and spray the liners generously with cooking spray. This prevents the sticky batter from adhering to the papers.
Mix the wet ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, egg, sugar, vegetable oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
Combine dry ingredients and chocolate chips
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, pudding mix, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Reserve about ¼ cup of chocolate chips for topping, then fold the remaining chips into the flour mixture.
Combine wet and dry ingredients
Pour the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture and gently stir until just combined. Don't overmix - the batter should be thick and slightly sticky.
Fill muffin cups and add toppings
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full. Sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips on top of each muffin.
Bake the muffins
Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with just a few moist crumbs. The tops should spring back lightly when touched.
Cool completely
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

Nutritions

  • Calories

    195 kcal

    Energy

    816 kJ

    Protein

    3 g

    Fat

    7 g

    Carbohydrates

    32 g

    Fiber

    2 g

    Sugars

    18 g

    Salt

    0.4 g

Recipe Variations

This recipe is easy to adapt to your taste. Try one of the variations below to change the flavor or ingredients.

  1. Add ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans along with the chocolate chips for extra crunch.

  2. Swap chocolate chips for white chocolate chips or butterscotch chips for different flavor profiles.

  3. Add ½ teaspoon nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves for more warming spices.

  4. Make them dairy-free by using plant-based chocolate chips.

  5. Create a streusel topping with 2 tablespoons each of flour, brown sugar, and cold butter mixed together.

FAQ

Yes! Use 1¾ cups of cooked, mashed fresh pumpkin. Make sure it’s well-drained and smooth for best results.
These muffins use applesauce to replace some of the oil and sugar-free pudding mix to add moisture without extra calories, making them lighter than traditional muffin recipes.
Absolutely! Use a mini muffin tin and bake for 12-15 minutes. You’ll get about 36 mini muffins from this recipe.
The batter is quite thick and sticky due to the pumpkin and applesauce, so spraying prevents sticking and makes removal much easier.
Regular instant vanilla pudding mix works too, though it will add a few more calories per serving. You could also omit it, but the muffins won’t be quite as moist.