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Easy pumpkin muffins are loaded with pumpkin flavor, plus crunchy pecans and gooey chocolate chunks! The sky-high muffin tops are achieved by overfilling the muffin pan with batter, so don’t skimp when filling those muffin cups. Truly a great recipe!
Pumpkin Muffins
These are my favorite pumpkin muffins. Like, ever! Which is a bold statement considering I have a lot of pumpkin muffin recipes in my life that I love. But these are just special!
Why? Well first of all, they’re HUGE! I don’t know about you, but when I’m making muffins, I want big boys. And that’s just what these are! They’re bakery-style and have HUGE muffin tops. Secondly, they are packed with pumpkin flavor thanks to pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, plus more spices and molasses! Brown sugar and plenty of vanilla helps, too.
And finally, they’re loaded with gooey chocolate chunks and tons of pecans. Ugh! The texture is just divine. If you’re a more is more person, you’re going to love everything going on in these pumpkin muffins. But if you’re not, feel free to omit the chocolate chips and pecans. Or reduce the amounts called for.
Pumpkin Muffin Ingredients
- Eggs: You’ll need 3 large ones! Be sure to bring them to room temperature before you plan on baking.
- Brown Sugar: I prefer light brown sugar, but dark will work fine, too. I don’t suggest subbing granulated sugar here. But if you need to sub like a 1/4 cup because you run out of brown sugar, that should be fine. Much more and you’ll loose a lot of flavor.
- Pumpkin Puree: This is not the same as pumpkin pie mix! Be sure to use pure pumpkin puree. Homemade will work, but canned works best because the moisture levels are consistent. If you use homemade pumpkin puree and it’s very watery, I suggest dabbing some of the excess moisture out before use.
- Molasses: Look for the regular variety, not blackstrap or robust, which are too strong in flavor for this recipe.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla works best! As always, I suggest avoiding imitation vanilla. But a bourbon vanilla extract would be delicious in these pumpkin muffins!
- Oil: The world is your oyster when it comes to what kind of oil to use. Canola or vegetable oil work great and don’t add any flavor. But refined coconut oil and unrefined (if you like the subtle coconut flavor) both work as well. Just be sure to melt them first. You can even use a very mild olive oil if you don’t mind the flavor it adds.
- Milk: Whole milk (aka full-fat) works best here. But Thai style coconut milk will work if you’re looking for a dairy free option. I don’t suggest almond milk, which doesn’t have enough fat content.
- Flour: All-purpose flour works best. You could probably get away with swapping out 1/2 cups to 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour for wheat flour, but the muffins will definitely have a different taste and texture. I don’t suggest altering the flour mixture for best results.
- Baking Powder: Yes, 1 and 1/2 TABLESPOONS. That’s what gives these muffins their lift and jumbo muffin tops.
- Spices: In addition to pumpkin pie spice, this recipe calls for cinnamon, ginger, and allspice. If you don’t have these individual spices, add an extra teaspoon and 1/2 of pumpkin spice.
- Pecans: I like to lightly toast them on the stovetop before use, to really enhance their flavor. But feel free to roast them or toast them however you prefer to do so. Not a pecan fan? Feel free to use walnuts instead, or omit completely for a nut free recipe.
- Chocolate: I love using semi-sweet chocolate here, but dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or even white chocolate all will work. And of course, you can use chocolate chips instead of chocolate chunks, if desired.
Let’s Bake Pumpkin Muffins
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (F). Do not skimp on the heat here! That’s in part what gives our muffins their rise!
- Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. If you want to make mini muffins, you can grease a 24 cavity mini muffin pan. You might even get 36 mini muffins. Be sure to reduce the baking time! They’ll probably bake in about 14 minutes, but you’ll know for sure they’re done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Whisk together the flour, spices, and baking soda. In a separate bowl whisk up the brown sugar and liquid ingredients.
- Fold in the dry flour mixture into the liquid mixture. DO NOT OVER MIX HERE! Toss in the pecans and chocolate chunks and mix just until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin pan. You’re going to fill them all the way up to the top, and the batter will go over the paper liner: that’s ok!!!
- Want to press some pecans or chocolate chunks on top? Go for it!!!
- Time to bake! My muffins are usually done at exactly 24 minutes, but yours could be done at 20 or 22 minutes, so keep an eye. Again, you’ll know they’re done when a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then enjoy warm, or cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
Can I Freeze these muffins?
Yes!!! These muffins freeze great. Simply wrap each muffin in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer safe ziplock bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge or on the counter until soft enough to eat. Or pop them in the oven (unwrapped) for 10 minutes or so. I usually set the oven at 300 degrees (F) when thawing so that they don’t dry out.
You can jump to the recipe below!
More Pumpkin Muffin Recipes:
- Simple Pumpkin Muffins with Vanilla Glaze
- Pumpkin Morning Glory Muffins
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (This recipe also makes pumpkin bread!)
- Glazed Pumpkin Donut Muffins
- Vegan Pumpkin Muffins
- Pumpkin Banana Olive Oil Muffins
Bakery-Style Pumpkin Muffins with Pecans and Chocolate Chunks
Easy pumpkin muffins are loaded with pumpkin flavor, plus crunchy pecans and gooey chocolate chunks! The sky-high muffin tops are achieved by overfilling the muffin pan with batter, so don't skimp when filling those muffin cups. Truly a great recipe!
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup (213g) light brown sugar packed
- 1 15 ounce can pure pumpkin puree
- 3 Tablespoons (42ml) molasses
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (170ml) oil canola, vegetable, olive oil (mild) or coconut oil (melted) all work
- 3/4 cup (170ml) whole milk room temperature
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons (21g) baking powder
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (57g) pecans lightly toasted, roughly chopped, plus more for decorating, if desired
- 10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chopped into chunks
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (F). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside until needed.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until well combined. Then whisk in the brown sugar, pumpkin puree, molasses, vanilla, oil, and milk, mixing until well combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture, mixing just until combined.
- Fold in the pecans and chocolate chunks. Do not over mix here.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared paper liners, filling them all the way up to the top (the batter will go over the liner, that's ok). If you'd like to press a few pecans on top of each muffin, do so now.
- Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Cool in the muffin tin, placed on a wire cooling rack for 15 minutes. Then remove muffins from the pan and enjoy warm or transfer to the cooling rack to cool completely.
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WOWSA! Huge, soft and delicious!
I used peanut oil and self rising flour and omitted the baking soda and salt did not add chocolate or pecans: just plain, for a two year old!
I’m curious about using baking powder and no baking soda. I’m also wondering if there’s a way to modify it using sour cream (more flavor) and whether that would be a good idea.
Baking powder gives the muffins lots of rise and their signature “muffin top”. Baking soda would cause spreading, which we don’t want for this recipe. I don’t suggest modifying the recipe but feel free to experiment if you’re up for it 🙂
“Or pop them in the oven (unwrapped) for 10 minutes or so.”
I’m assuming you meant “unwrap” before putting in the oven. If they’re wrapped in plastic, you can’t put them in the oven!
Great muffins! I made these and skipped the pecans (not a nut fan); they were delicious. Muffins didn’t dip while baking in the oven, they maintained height which I liked. It made a lot more than stated, I typically find 1 cup of flour in the recipe = about 1 muffin pan, so it made almost 3 muffin pans.
I’m so happy they were a hit! If you don’t overflow the muffin batter (like we did in the photos) you can definitely make more smaller muffins 🙂
These muffins are super yummy, and I know my coworkers are going to gobble them up tomorrow morning! Not sure what size muffin tin you used, but I only have cupcake pans. I doubled the recipe thinking I’d get 24 muffins, but with the normal cupcake size pan, I got 36 large muffins (batter was to the brim of the cups when I put them in the oven). Not complaining about extra muffins, just want everyone to be aware.
These are so good! My family loves them! Thank you