Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

These vegan pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are moist, fluffy, lightly spiced, and studded with chocolate chips. They also require just one bowl, 9 ingredients, and can be made gluten-free, with alternative flours, add-ins, and toppings!

Warming Vegan Pumpkin Muffins with Chocolate and Cinnamon

Fall is at our doorstep, and we’re no strangers to warm, cozy, and comforting fall bakes like easy apple pear pie, baked pears, or these super moreish vegan pumpkin chocolate chip muffins! Not only are they packed with fall flavors like pumpkin puree (homemade or canned) and cinnamon, but they’re studded with dairy-free chocolate chips and are the perfect portable treat!

We can’t get these vegan pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips out of our minds. They’re moist and fluffy (yet slightly dense in the best way) and rich with absolutely no egg or dairy. They also contain only inexpensive, simple pantry ingredients, for a budget-friendly treat.

And, while there’s a time and a place for healthy baked pumpkin treats with cranberries and pumpkin seeds (in fact, we’ve even given you those options below), this time, we’re making this vegan pumpkin muffin recipe more than moreish by dumping in a whole cup of delicious vegan chocolate chips!

Preparing these pumpkin chip muffins is so simple, even your kids will enjoy being involved. Plus, along with adding to or replacing the vegan chocolate chips, we’ve included several recipe variations below, such as adding toppings, using unrefined sugar, gluten-free flour, etc.

Honestly, with one bowl and minimal prep time and effort, we’ll be whipping up batches all season long for brunch, potlucks, dinner parties, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and just a tasty mid-week treat to pop into lunchboxes! You can even make a double batch and freeze the leftovers (if there are any)!

If you love pumpkin and dairy-free chocolate as much as us, you might also love this vegan pumpkin chocolate pie, pumpkin oatmeal muffins, pumpkin brownies, vegan double chocolate chip muffins or pumpkin chip cookies!

The Ingredients

9 ingredients are all that are required for this easy pumpkin muffins recipe, primarily using inexpensive pantry staples.

Optional Add-ins or Variations

We always love a versatile recipe, and this vegan pumpkin muffin recipe has plenty of adaptions to choose from:

What Could I use instead of Vegan Chocolate Chips?

Several other mix-ins are popular for these egg-free pumpkin muffins. Use one or a combination of the below, sticking to the same ratio (1 cup of add-ins).

• Raisins
• Chopped dates
• Dried cranberries (works well with vegan white chocolate chip pumpkin muffins)
• Chopped pecans, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds (also work alongside the vegan chocolate)
• Finely chopped apples (sweet or tart)

What Else Could I Add to This Muffin Recipe?

• Coffee: To make pumpkin spice latte muffins, add 1-2 teaspoons of espresso (or Instant Coffee, though you may need more) to the batter, dissolved into some of the dairy-free milk.
• Orange zest: From one orange for a subtle citrusy flavor.
• Shredded coconut: For a subtle flavor and texture. Use 2-3 tbsp, unsweetened.
• Toppings: There are several ways to top these vegan pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, including:
  • Cinnamon streusel topping (to add ‘buttery’ crunch and sweetness)
  • Coarse cinnamon sugar (using demerara sprinkled before baking)
  • Dairy-free cream cheese frosting (combine vegan cream cheese with powdered sugar and, optionally, some cinnamon)

How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins?

Follow five simple steps with minimal effort to prepare this easy pumpkin muffins recipe.

• 1) First, preheat the oven to 375F/190C and lightly grease a muffin tin.
• 2) Next, combine the vegan butter, sugar, and pumpkin puree in a bowl and cream with an electric mixer.

• 3) Then, add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, flour, cinnamon, and vanilla extract, and gently mix until well combined. Be careful not to over-mix the batter, though.

• 4) Fold the vegan chocolate chips into the batter, then spoon it into the muffin tin, filling each cup to the top.

• 5) Bake the pumpkin chip muffins for 25 minutes or until the muffins are golden-brown and fluffy. You can use a toothpick to insert into the center of a muffin to ensure it’s cooked through.

Remove the vegan pumpkin muffins from the oven and allow them to cool for at least 15 minutes in the pan before transferring them to a cooling rack. Enjoy!

You can enjoy one of these vegan pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, either warm, toasted, or at room temperature as a snack. Alternatively, make it more of a treat with lashings of vegan butter, walnut butter, veegan chocolate spread, etc.

FAQs

Top Recipe Tips and Notes

• Use the correct flour measuring method: If you add too much flour to a bake, it can end up dense. To ensure you aren’t, fluff up the flour in its bag, then use a spoon to transfer it to your measuring cup. Finally, use the back of a knife to level off the top.
• Be careful not to over-mix: Just like using too much flour, overworking the gluten within it can lead to dense, rubbery bakes. So be careful to gently mix the batter and only until combined, but not overly so.
• To make mini pumpkin muffins: You’ll need two trays, and the baking time will decrease, so check from 10 minutes and every few minutes after.
• When using homemade pumpkin puree: If it’s thinner than canned pumpkin, first strain it through a cheesecloth-lined sieve for around 45-60 minutes, or until it’s thick enough for this vegan pumpkin muffins recipe.
• Spice to taste: These have a subtle yet delicious cinnamon flavor. Increase or decrease the amount of spice used in the recipe (the same goes for if you decide to use more spices or pumpkin pie spice) to taste.

How to Make Ahead and Store?

Make ahead: Prepare the batter (minus leavening agents) 1-2 days in advance and store it covered in the fridge. Remove it from the fridge 30-40 minutes before baking, and mix in the leavening agents just before spooning it into the muffin tin.

Store: While these muffins should be fine at room temperature for several days, we like to make the most of the shelf life by storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days.

Freeze: Wrap thoroughly with plastic wrap to avoid freezer burn, and freeze the vegan pumpkin chocolate chip muffins for up to 3 months. Then thaw in the fridge overnight, at room temperature, or warm one up in a toaster oven.

More Vegan Pumpkin Recipes

• Pumpkin pasta bake
• Pumpkin pie smoothie
• Vegan pumpkin bread
• Pumpkin oatmeal cookies
• Vegan pumpkin waffles
• 2-ingredient pumpkin soup
• One-pot pumpkin chili

Or browse this list of 24 vegan canned pumpkin recipes for more inspiration!

Photos by Alfonso Revilla