Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Another brilliant way to use up leftover pumpkin from Halloween - or buy a pumpkin anyway and make these muffins!

I often think people forget that pumpkins aren't just for Halloween - even though they make pretty good decorations which I'm all for. Every year I read figures that millions of pumpkins go to waste, purely because people aren't making more use out of them. They are a delicious vegetable when cooked in the right way, you can roast it, make it into soups OR use it in one of my many baked goods here on my blog! Now with these muffins I've kept it really simple and you can make them using only one bowl. Of course you will need to either make your own pumpkin purée or if you can find it in a can then that's the easier route. I find these muffins are great for a mid-morning or afternoon snack, or for dessert with a little custard :) 

If you love muffins and pumpkins....

Check out my other recipes for more inspiration!

• Pumpkin Cheesecake Filled Cookies
• Vegan Pumpkin Spice Sheet Cake
• Pumpkin Pancakes

Recipe

Prep: 5 minutes (if you're making your own pumpkin purée prep time will take longer)

Cook: 18 minutes

Serves: 12 muffins

Notes:

• Switch the dark chocolate chips for white chocolate if you want something a little sweeter!
• If you can't find canned pumpkin purée in shops, you'll have to make it yourself but its not too hard. Simply buy a medium sized pumpkin. Cut it in half and scoop out the seeds. Place face down onto a roasting tray and roast at around 200 ℃ for 50 minutes or until soft. 
• Leave to cool, then scoop out the flesh and place into a blender. Blend until smooth. 
• Drain the pumpkin of any liquid through a sieve. 
• Weigh out how much pumpkin you need for the cookie recipe then pat it dry with kitchen roll to soak up excess moisture.
• With the remaining pumpkin, I like to divide it into a couple of Tupperware boxes and freeze it.

Ingredients

• 260g pumpkin purée
• 100g vegetable oil
• 130g caster sugar
• 70g light brown sugar
• 2 medium eggs
• 190g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 150g dark chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220℃ fan and line a muffin tray with muffin cases.
2. In a large bowl add the pumpkin purée, sugars and vegetable oil whisk together.
3. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix. 
4. Add in the flours, spices, salt and baking powder and whisk till smooth.
5. Fold in most of the chocolate chips saving some for on top. 
6. Divide the muffin batter into the muffin cases evenly.
7. Sprinkle on the remaining chocolate chips, then bake for 5 minutes.
8. Turn down the temperature to 180℃ and bake for a further 12-13 minutes until a knifer inserted comes out clean. 
9. Leave to cool in the tray for 5 minutes then remove onto a wire rack to continue to cool. 
10. Best stored in an airtight container up top 5 days. Enjoy!

Christina

xx