Healthy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
Super moist and lightly sweetened with honey, these healthy chocolate chip pumpkin muffins make the perfect fall breakfast or on-the-go snack! Made all in one bowl with coconut oil and white whole wheat flour.
The Best Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
Soft and lightly spiced healthy pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are a favorite during this time of the year. They make the best take-and-go breakfast and can double as a snack or even dessert.
They are sweetened only with honey and bananas, and instead of white flour, made with white whole wheat flour. And did I mention you only need one bowl, a whisk, and a spoon to make them? That’s right! No mixer is required.
Make a double batch to enjoy now and freeze for later. These pumpkin muffins keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Love pumpkin everything? Try our 5-Ingredient Pumpkin Bread!
It’s All About the Right Ingredients
A big part of what makes these healthy pumpkin chocolate chip muffins so amazing is simply a combination of ingredients.
Even though you can make substitutions to some of the ingredients, which I do cover below. But for best results, follow the recipe as written:
- Coconut Oil: Refined coconut oil is neutral and ideal to use in this recipe. It has no distinct coconut taste or aroma like virgin or unrefined coconut oil.
- Honey: Honey provides sweetness to the muffins. Maple syrup can be used as a substitute.
- Eggs: You’ll need two large eggs for this recipe.
- Bananas: Bananas make the muffins sweet and extra moist. Make sure to use ripe bananas and measure out the banana mash before adding it to the batter.
- Pumpkin Puree: Canned pumpkin is the same as pumpkin puree. It simply means 100% pureed pumpkin. I had a reader ask if pumpkin pie filling and/or mix can be used instead. Normally pumpkin pie filling has added sweetener and other ingredients, therefore, I do not recommend it.
- Milk: I used dairy milk for this recipe but non-dairy milk, such as almond milk will work as well.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Also known as pumpkin spice, is a spice mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.
- Baking Soda: It helps the batter rise and make the muffins light. I do not recommend a substitute.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla enhances the flavor of the muffins and makes them taste yummy.
- Salt: I like to use kosher salt but a sea salt is a great option too.
- White Whole Wheat Flour: Is a great middle between all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour. It’s mild in flavor and pale in color than whole wheat flour as it’s made with a different variety of wheat. But the nutritional value is similar.
- Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips work. Keep in mind if using semi-sweet chips, the muffins will be sweeter.
Can You Make These Muffins Gluten-Free?
Yes! Simply use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Some of the readers had luck with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour, as well as almond flour.
I personally made these pumpkin muffins with oat flour and they were as equally delicious.
How to Make Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Grab a large mixing bowl, a whisk, and a wooden spoon, and let’s make the batter:
- Whisk together the coconut oil and honey. Then add in the eggs.
- With a wooden spoon, stir in the bananas, pumpkin puree, milk, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Gently stir in the flour just until combined. Do not overmix. And lastly, fold in the chocolate chips.
- Grease a 12-cup muffin pan and divide the batter evenly between the cups, filling all the way to the top.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 425 F, then keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350 F, and bake for additional 17-20 or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove and cool on a cooling rack.
To Store Muffins
Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. Thereafter, keep them stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container.
These muffins also keep well in the freezer in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Simply defrost individual muffins overnight in the refrigerator and then for a warm, just baked taste, pop them into a microwave for a few seconds or until gently warmed through.
Leftover Pumpkin Puree?
Here are more recipes to make with canned pumpkin puree:
Video: How to Make Healthy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
Watch step-by-step on how to make these easy healthy pumpkin muffins.
Healthy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
- Prep Time: 12 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 37 mins
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Super moist and lightly sweetened with honey, these chocolate chip pumpkin muffins make the perfect fall breakfast or on-the-go snack! Made all in one bowl with coconut oil and white whole wheat flour.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup coconut oil, in liquid form
- 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup mashed ripe banana, about 2-3 bananas
- 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour, measured correctly
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips, semi-sweet or dark chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Grease 12 cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray or if using liners, line with liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk coconut oil and honey. Whisk in eggs.
- With a wooden spoon, mix in the mashed banana, pumpkin puree, milk, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Add the flour and mix just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan. You should be able to fill all 12 muffin cups.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 425 F degrees, then keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350 F degrees, and bake for additional 17-20 or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Place the muffin pans on a cooling rack to cool. Store cooled muffins, covered, at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
Notes
- Ingredient Substitutions: See post for all substitutions, including gluten-free options.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 259
- Sugar: 21.6 g
- Sodium: 218.2 mg
- Fat: 9.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 40.5 g
- Protein: 4.4 g
- Cholesterol: 31.1 mg
These were delicious! My 2.5 year old and I made them together and had so much extra batter we used it for thick, fluffy pancakes!
I added a little brown sugar and pie spice on top each muffin which gave the extra touch on top.
Thank you for the great family recipe!
Oh yum! Love the pancake idea..something my kids would love too 🙂
Beautiful muffins! I made them as mini muffins. Baked for 12 minutes (3 at 425 F and 9 at 350 F). With six pairs of little hands at home looking for a quick snack or breakfast, these are the perfect size. Two bites and no waste on the breakfast table. Thanks again!
That’s so great! I’m such a fan of small bite size sweets 🙂
Hi! How many mini muffins were you able to make with this recipe? Did you use mini chocolate chips or regular sized ones? If you used mini ones, how much? Thanks in advance!
I also forgot the vanilla but they were still delish. 400 (convection oven) was way too much. Muffins were scorched and uncooked in places. I will try 350 next time, which is what all of my other muffin recipes call for. Great recipe otherwise. Easy to adjust ingredients
You only bake at 425 for 5 minutes and 350 for the remainder of the time.
Thank you for this tip!!
And thank you, Katya, for this amazing recipe!
I got 36 mini muffins out of this
I literally can’t stop making these since my first time making them over 2 weeks ago. I loved the muffins so much I made a cake out of them for my daughters 3rd birthday. So much healthier and more delicious than any store bought cake I would’ve ended up buying. This recipe is seriously life changing and I will probably be using it forever!! Thank you!!
Christina you’re so sweet! Thanks so much for such a nice comment. So glad you’re enjoying the muffins.
I made these this morning and first I would like to say thank you. Muffins are our go to breakfast and we just polished off the last batch of banana muffins and I had three ripe ones staring me down on the kitchen counter. I won’t eat them once they are quite spotted so I have to bake them. Today I didn’t want banana muffins, I really wanted pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. I was looking for a healthy version, not the same old recipe written fifteen different ways. I came across your recipe with both, viola! I also am new at the coconut oil and was happy to see that as well. The maple syrup was the triple bonus, I was sold. I made these as you wrote the recipe with the always exception of GF flour, my love cannot have wheat. The flavor is delicious, I love it! The texture of mine, not so great. I know the flour makes a huge difference and we are used to that but they were too mushy inside no matter how long I baked them. I want to make the necessary changes so they come out as right as possible. Less oil, no milk, less banana?????? Any suggestions. This is a great tasting muffin, thank you again
Hi Kimberly: so glad you enjoyed the muffins! Thanks so much for your sweet feedback. I would make sure to measure out the mashed bananas and not just use two bananas. That could make your batter super liquidy. The muffins are supposed to be moist but not super mushy inside (as in raw). I don’t have much experience with GF flour so I don’t know if that could also affect the batter.
I made them with Bob’s Red Mill One to One gluten free baking flour and they came out perfect!! Making another batch for this week!!
hello, this came out well, i added bittersweet chocolate pieces instead of choc chips. also added streusel topping. ????????
That’s so great! I love that you added streusel topping. I bet it was delicious 🙂
Would subbing avocado oil for the coconut oil work here?
I want to say it should be okay since avocado oil is very mild in taste but I haven’t experimented with it myself so I’m not 100% sure. But I would love to know how they turn out for you if you do end up making it with avocado oil. Good luck!
OMG. Look no further. Best muffins ever!!!! I want more of your recipes!
Thanks so much Jennifer!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
I used applesauce instead of bananas, and almond milk instead of milk. It turned a bit moistier than in your photos, but since I’m altitude baking, it was actually the kind f perfect that didn’t make it through cooling!
I tried again after Halloween, and topped them with shreaded coconut (unsweetened) and it’s just yummy!
Thanks so much Amber! So happy you loved the muffins with the ingredient swaps 🙂
Can I use applesauce instead of banana?
I can’t answer with certainty as I have not tried it with applesauce but if you do end up making them with applesauce, I would love to know how they turn out!
Hi, I was wondering if you thought it’d be ok to use canned pumpkin pie filling instead of the pumpkin puree…and then skipping the pumpkin pie spice? I know it wouldn’t be as healthy, but that way I could use what’s in the kitchen without going to the store after work. 🙂
I can’t really answer with certainty as I haven’t tried it with pumpkin filling but if it’s similar consistency as the puree and just sweetened then I don’t see why it wont work? Let me know if you do end up trying it!
We loved these muffins! Thank you! I appreciate baked goods that aren’t overly sweet. I enjoyed them as is… my boyfriend had them with a little honey drizzled on top!
Thank you so much Natalee! Glad to hear you enjoyed them. We love them not too sweet as well 🙂
These turned out fluffy, moist and delicious! This was the first time I baked muffins! My 3 year old loved them! The changes I made was substituting honey with organic jaggery 2tbsp in 1/4 cup water and clarified butter for coconut oil. Thank you for the recipe.
Thank you Nimitha! So glad you enjoyed these.
thanks for your tip on using jaggery, i tried it n came out well!
Can I use cashew milk?
I used almond milk and they turned out fantastically, so I’m sure you could 🙂
Thank you Kayli!
I can’t believe how great these are! I usually make a bunch of substitutions when I follow muffin recipes… and they don’t turn out well. I didn’t have to make any substitutions because you already did them… and I was so happy with them! Thank you!!
Thank you Jill! So happy you enjoyed them 🙂
Hi Katya,
Great recipes and the blog. I recommended your blog to several people at my work. 🙂
I’m looking for HEALTHY bran muffins recipe, I couldn’t find any on your blog. I LOVE bran muffins!
Most recipes have lots of sodium and sugar in it, spiking calories to 350 and beyond per one muffin with lots of carbs, quote from cookinglight.com: ” A random sampling of some coffee and restaurant chain bran muffins showed that many topped 350 calories apiece, and that’s before any butter or jam. The bran muffins at one popular chain bakery contain 600mg of sodium―roughly one-third of a day’s maximum.”
I want to challenge you to come up with a healthiest recipe for Bran Muffin! 🙂 It should taste good and not overloaded with sugar and sodium.
Do you think you can do it? I would like to have them for this Thanksgiving.
Thanks brother! I believe I’ve never has a bran muffin before but I like a good challenge 🙂 You inspired me.
Thanks for such an awesome recipe. I adapted it to make it vegan, but honestly couldn’t have made it taste so good without having your recipe as a guide. Super yummy and perfect for the fall!
Thanks Hayley! So happy you enjoyed them and I LOVE that you made them vegan.
I made them and they turned out great!! Also my recipe made 18, not 12. Perfect muffin for breakfast because there is no added sugar, I highly recommend! 🙂
That’s awesome Emily! So glad you enjoyed them.
I just made these with my 5 year old and they are delicious! Super moist and flavorful. I will definitely be making these again and again!
So glad you enjoyed them Lindsey! Thanks you for the feedback 🙂
Yum! Those look so good. I can’t believe it’s already fall!
Thanks Valya!
I just made these and can’t wait to see if the kids love them – I already do!! Thanks for recipe!
Aww…thanks Supriya! Hope the kiddos enjoy them 🙂