These chocolate pumpkin muffins are soft, moist, and deeply chocolatey with pumpkin spice flavor. Made with pumpkin puree, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, and melted coconut oil, they’re deliciously flavorful without being overly sweet. This is a quick and easy recipe that doesn’t require a mixer.
I originally published this recipe in 2014 and have since revisited it and made a few improvements for softer, even more chocolatey pumpkin muffins.
You know those moments in the fall when you can’t decide whether to bake something pumpkin… because, you know, it’s fall… or chocolate… because, you know, it’s chocolate? My usual solution is to load pumpkin bread or pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips (always recommended!), but sometimes you want something that leans just a little bit more toward the chocolate end of the spectrum.
That’s where you’ll find today’s recipe!
These chocolate pumpkin muffins are like a pumpkin-spiced version of double chocolate muffins. Blooming the cocoa powder in warm melted coconut oil helps release its natural flavor and gives the muffins a richer, more intense chocolate taste. Add pumpkin, maple syrup, and plenty of cozy spices, and you have a chocolate muffin perfect for crisp fall mornings or after-school snacks.
Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins
- Soft and moist: Pumpkin and Greek yogurt keep the muffins incredibly tender.
- Rich chocolate flavor: Bloom natural cocoa powder in warm oil for a deeper chocolate flavor.
- Perfectly spiced: Pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon warm up the chocolate and enhance the pumpkin flavor.
- Not overly sweet: Brown sugar and pure maple syrup provide just enough sweetness.
- Loaded with chocolate chips: Mini chocolate chips add little pockets of melty chocolate throughout every bite.
- Easy to make: This is a simple muffin recipe with no mixer required.
Key Ingredients You Need & Why
You need a handful of basic baking ingredients, including flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and vanilla extract. You also need:
- Pumpkin Puree: Pumpkin adds so much moisture to baked goods. Make sure you’re using pure pumpkin puree, which is simply cooked and mashed pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling contains added sugar and spices, which would change the sweetness, texture, and flavor of these muffins.
- Brown Sugar + Maple Syrup: This combination gives the muffins a warm, caramel-like sweetness. The maple syrup also pairs especially well with the pumpkin and spices. The flavors of fall!
- Greek Yogurt: Plain Greek yogurt adds moisture and tenderness.
- Oil: I use melted coconut oil here, but you could use another oil like avocado oil, olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil instead. You’ll still warm the oil to bloom the cocoa.
- Egg: The original recipe called for 2 egg whites, but using 1 whole egg instead adds a little more richness. (And is a bit more convenient!)
- Natural Cocoa Powder: This is where the chocolate flavor comes from. Be sure to use natural unsweetened cocoa powder in this recipe, not Dutch process. You can read about natural vs Dutch cocoa here.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice + Cinnamon: Pumpkin pie spice brings the classic fall flavor, while an extra dose of cinnamon complements the chocolate (think Mexican hot chocolate!). You can use either store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice.
- Mini Chocolate Chips: I love mini chocolate chips here because you get extra chocolate in every bite.
How to Make Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins
The batter comes together quickly, but one extra step makes a big difference in flavor: blooming the cocoa powder.
Melt the coconut oil, then whisk in the cocoa powder and maple syrup while the oil is still hot. This hydrates the cocoa and brings out a deeper, richer chocolate flavor. (If using an oil that’s already liquid, warm it with the maple syrup before whisking in the cocoa powder.)
Whisk together the remaining wet ingredients, then whisk in the warm cocoa mixture. Be sure to use room-temperature ingredients, or the coconut oil may begin to solidify.
Add the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. The batter will be thick—that’s exactly what you want.
Finally, fold in the mini chocolate chips, saving some to sprinkle on top before baking.
Fill your muffin cups and bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then—without opening the oven—reduce the temperature to 350°F and continue baking for about 15 minutes.
Why Bake the Muffins at 2 Temperatures?
Starting these chocolate pumpkin muffins at 425°F delivers a quick burst of heat, which encourages the muffins to rise quickly and form beautifully rounded tops. After 5 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F to finish baking the muffins more gently, so they don’t become too dark or dry.
This is a technique I use with just about all of these muffin recipes for taller, bakery-style muffin tops.
These soft chocolate pumpkin muffins are perfect for anyone who loves chocolate and craves the flavors of fall.
Let us know if you try them!
Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins
- Category: Muffins
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These chocolate pumpkin muffins are soft, moist, and deeply chocolatey with pumpkin spice flavor. Made with pumpkin puree, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, and coconut oil, they’re easy to make and loaded with chocolate chips.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (56g) coconut oil (see Notes for other options)
- 1/2 cup (41g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup (85g/60ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 cup (227g) canned pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (120g) nonfat Greek yogurt, at room temperature*
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (90g) mini chocolate chips, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat or in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. While the oil is still hot, whisk in the cocoa powder and maple syrup until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, brown sugar, yogurt, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth and combined. Whisk in the warm cocoa mixture until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined, being careful not to overmix. Fold in the mini chocolate chips. The batter will be very thick.
- Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. If desired, sprinkle a few more mini chocolate chips on top of each.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F (218°C). Keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) and continue baking for 15–16 more minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow the muffins to cool for 5–10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Cover and store leftover muffins at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Muffins freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator, then warm in the microwave if desired.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-count Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack
- Oil: You can substitute melted butter, avocado oil, olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil for the coconut oil. Whichever you use, warm it with the maple syrup over low heat before whisking in the cocoa powder. The warmth helps bloom the cocoa and deepen its chocolate flavor.
- Why the initial high oven temperature? Like I do for most muffin recipes, bake the muffins for 5 minutes at a higher temperature. Then, without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature for the remaining bake time. This initial high temperature will quickly lift the muffin tops so they’re extra high, then the centers will bake during the lower temperature bake time. This trick makes beautiful bakery-style muffins every time.
- Recipe Update in 2026: I made a few changes to simplify the recipe and improve the muffins’ texture, making them softer and more moist. The recipe above reflects these changes. To make the recipe as it was originally published, decrease the pumpkin to 3/4 cup (185g), use 2 egg whites instead of 1 whole egg, decrease the oil to 2 Tablespoons (28g), and decrease the mini chocolate chips to 1/3 cup (60g).
Reader Comments and Reviews
How long would the cooking time be for mini muffins? This is one of my favorite muffin recipes ever!!
Hi Linsey, should be about 11-13 minutes at 350. So glad you love these muffins!
Hello, what can i use as a substitute for the coconut oil?
You can use avocado oil, olive oil, vegetable or canola oil instead.
Hi Sally, I’m wanting to make these for day care for my baby’s first birthday. Wondering what can I replace the yoghurt with? Coconut yoghurt or goats milk yoghurt? Someone is allergic to dairy…. :/
Thanks 🙂
Any dairy free yogurt would be great!
Hi Sally! These sound amazing!! How would you adjust the time/temp for mini muffins??
Hi Alicia– about 11-13 minutes at 350.
These are delicious and taste like cake!