Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
I know there are many pumpkin-spice skeptics out there, and even though it's technically fall, we've had some pretty warm weather lately. But with October almost here, I figured it was about time to do some pumpkin-spice baking! Especially if it's a three-ingredient recipe like this one. I've been making these for three or four years, and I get excited to make them (and eat them) year after year!
This is a recipe that's already floating around online in many many places, but I wanted to share my own version too. Why? Because it's the best one. When I first found it, this was a different three-ingredient recipe. It called for yellow cake mix, pumpkin, and cinnamon. I decided to make a few changes –primarily, adding chocolate chips (...surprising, I know). But I also wanted to enhance the pumpkin and add some more fall flavor, so I decided to swap the yellow cake for a spice cake mix! Still three ingredients, but much more flavor.
Aside from being easy, these are moist and delicious and healthier than your typical muffin or cupcake! Using pumpkin instead of water, oil, and eggs makes these the tiniest bit healthy for you. Adding chocolate chips is technically optional – you could do nuts instead, or skip the extras entirely. But personally I will rarely, if ever, skip the chocolate chips, in this recipe or any other one. I encourage this as a rule for happy living, in fact.
These are best consumed warm, with some brisk morning air. If there are leaves falling to the ground outside, you get bonus points. But let's be real – there's no way something this good and easy should be limited to just one season!
PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Bake Time: 17-20 minutes
Ingredients
1 box spice cake mix
1 15oz can pureed pumpkin
1/2 - 2/3 c chocolate chips (optional but recommended)
Directions
Grease one or two cupcake tins with cooking oil. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a large bowl, empty the dry cake mix. Then stir in the pumpkin thoroughly, doing your best to get rid of any clumps of the cake mix. Then stir in the chocolate chips until they're evenly distributed. If you're using mini chips, you can get away with 1/2 c, but for larger chips I'd do 2/3 c.
Add the batter to each well in the cupcake tin, keeping in mind that these rise only a very small amount, if any. I would recommend filling them about 3/4 of the way.
Bake according to the box mix instructions, typically for about 18-20 minutes, until the edges start to get golden brown. Remove from oven and leave in pan until cool. The pumpkin in these makes them extra moist, so when the baking time is up they may not seem done, but they should be. I recommend storing these in a place that's not totally sealed, otherwise they'll get mushy.
Makes about 16 muffins.
Happy Eating,
Natalie