Double Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

I love plain pumpkin muffins like everyone else. But mix in some deep, dark chocolate and stir in some big ol’ chocolate chunks, and those muffins reach a whole new level of fall deliciousness. Enter my Double Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins!

Yes, this recipe is super similar to my original Pumpkin Muffins recipe; I used that recipe as the base. But they’re loaded with dark chocolate and melty chocolate chips, so they’re even more delicious.

When my dad taste-tested these muffins for me, he said, “They look like dark chocolate muffins, but they taste like pumpkin spice muffins.” So I adjusted my original pumpkin spice levels so the chocolate comes through more. But don’t worry – there’s still plenty of pumpkin flavor in them to go around!

I also tested this recipe with the Baking and Breakfast Blend from Alchemy Spice Company. They’re a spice company local to Chattanooga that makes a wide variety of really delicious spice blends, oils, and gourmet salts. We have quite a collection of their spices in our cabinet and use them frequently. I’m a huge fan of their All-Purpose Seasoned Salt and All-American Blend, while my fiancé loves the Curry Blend and Cajun Blend.

(This is not a sponsored post. I just genuinely love Alchemy Spice Company and their products and wanted to throw some love their way.)

Anyway, the Baking blend is made with many of the same spices as pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves), plus cacao nibs, lemon zest, cardamom, and mace. So it adds a similar spice to the muffins as regular pumpkin pie spice would, except with a little more kick!

If you’re worried about these muffins tasting “too pumpkin-y,” they’re just pumpkin-y enough. Chocolate is definitely the leading flavor; the pumpkin puree adds really great moisture and tenderness to these rich, delicious muffins.

When baking anything chocolate, you have to be extra mindful of the bake time. Since chocolate is darker, it isn’t always obvious when it’s done baking, and it often gets overcooked. Don’t let that happen! My muffins baked perfectly in 18 minutes. But all ovens are different! So after about 15 minutes of bake time, check your muffins with a skewer or toothpick. If it comes out clean (except for a bit of melted chocolate, maybe), they’re done.

Let’s make some Double Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Pumpkin puree
• Eggs
• Maple syrup
• Oil
• Sugar
• Flour
• Cocoa powder
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Vanilla extract
• Pumpkin pie spice (or your favorite spice blend)
• Chocolate chips (optional, but why skip ’em?)

First, preheat your oven. Set your oven to 375ºF. Prepare your muffin pan: lightly grease or use paper muffin liners.

Combine the dry ingredients. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt to a bowl and set aside.

Combine the wet ingredients. Add the pumpkin, oil, sugar, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until combined. Add the dry ingredients and fold until about halfway combined. Add chocolate chips if using and fold until everything comes together.

If you have time, chill the batter for at least 30 minutes. This helps the muffins rise taller, and will intensify the flavor.

Scoop and bake the muffins. When you’re ready to bake, scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each well about 3/4 full. An ice cream scoop works really well for this. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

These Double Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, refrigerated for a week, or wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months.

Did you enjoy this recipe? You might also like:

• Pumpkin Bread
• Best Ever Banana Bread
• Fudgy Brownies
• Bacon & Cheese Quiche
• Lemon Blueberry Breakfast Bread

Thanks so much for reading and eating along, y’all! If you’re craving more, follow me on Instagram and Pinterest, and sign up for my email list so you never miss a recipe. If you make one of my recipes, tag me on Instagram or share a photo on my Facebook page so I can see your work!