So I have this friend Tara. Sweet, quiet, soft-spoken Tara who home schools her kids and is the person in charge of the children’s programs at our church. You know the type. Turns out she has a dark side. She and her husband sometimes watch Arrested Development and 30 Rock into the wee hours of the morning (under my corrupting influence, of course!) and she makes these fabulous, easy muffins that are only 1 Weight Watchers point. And then adds chocolate chips to them. Which, of course, not only makes them infinitely more delicious but also not 1 Weight Watchers point. See? Evil. Wolf in sheep’s clothing. Ill-U-sionist.
Even if you have a million, you can store them in the freezer and then pop them into lunch bags or heat one up in the microwave for a few seconds to take the chill off before you head out to work or school in the morning or for a snack in the afternoon. Or you can eat, like, three while watching The Biggest Loser on Tuesday nights. Never happens. Never.
Ingredients Needed
- Spice cake mix
- Canned pumpkin
- Semisweet chocolate chips
How to Make Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- These muffins are SO easy! Simply mix a couple of spice cake mixes with a big can of pumpkin and mix it up. Then mix in some chocolate chips.
- Spoon the batter into lined muffin tins and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Storing and Other Tips
- Store muffins in an airtight container on the counter and eat within 3-4 days for best results.
- This recipe makes a lot (36-48 muffins depending on how full you fill your liners) so feel free to freeze some for later, or divide the recipe in half.
- If frozen eat within 3 months.
- These really don’t rise very much, so you can fill the tins pretty full. If aesthetics are a concern, keep in mind that how they look going into the oven is very much what they will look like coming out of the oven. So a cookie scoop works great to keep things on the prettier side.
Frequently Asked Questions
These will definitely bake up well with any flavor of cake mix. Chocolate pumpkin could be good. If all you have are plain white or yellow cake mixes, you can use them as is, or add in some spices: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, or pre-mixed pumpkin pie spice.
For best results, you want multiple layers of protection to prevent freezer burn. Cool your muffins completely then wrap each muffin tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Place in a large zip-top freezer bag labeled with the contents and date. Remove as much air as possible, zip closed, and freeze. Eat within 3 months of freezing for best results.
Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 boxed spice cake mixes
- 30 ounces canned pumpkin one large can
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 bag
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Combine cake mixes and pumpkin. Add in chocolate chips.
- Spoon mixture into lined muffin tins. This can make as many as 48 muffins or as few as 36, just depending on how full the tins are filled. These really don’t rise very much, so you can fill the tins pretty full. If aesthetics are a concern, keep in mind that how they look going into the oven is very much what they will look like coming out of the oven. So a cookie scoop works great to keep things on the prettier side.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of one of the muffins comes out clean.
Notes
- Great tip: Duncan Hines, although not pictured, is the best for this recipe.
- Store muffins in an airtight container on the counter and eat within 3-4 days for best results.
- This recipe makes a lot (36-48 muffins depending on how full you fill your liners) so feel free to freeze some for later, or divide the recipe in half.
- To freeze: For best results, you want multiple layers of protection to prevent freezer burn. Cool your muffins completely then wrap each muffin tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Place in a large zip-top freezer bag labeled with the contents and date. Remove as much air as possible, zip closed, and freeze. Eat within 3 months of freezing for best results.
- These will definitely bake up well with any flavor of cake mix. Chocolate pumpkin could be good. If all you have are plain white or yellow cake mixes, you can use them as is, or add in some spices: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, or pre-mixed pumpkin pie spice.
Nutrition
Questions & Reviews
hey best bites gals! i made these over the weekend and they were delish!!!
Thank you SO much for the recipe! 🙂 I did have buckets of shredded zucchini i needed to use up, so i added a cup of zucchini to the second batch (and i added a snack cup of applesauce cuz my zucchini wasn't watery. It was a delicious variation!!
I also HAD to come and tell everyone that COSTCO has the 3 packs of the Libby pumpkin (the 29 oz cans) RIGHT NOW – and they have TONS!!! 🙂 I was so excited when I went there friday nite after reading that the pumpkin shortage was everywhere! (i had searched 4 different stores to make your divine pumpkin cheesecake last week!)
So – needless to say i stocked up!!!
sara
I make these weekly with chocolate cake mix (until the pumpkin shortage) that is! So easy and full of fiber. I put in them in ziplocks and pop in the freezer for an eazy breakfast for the kids!
It is just too weird that I see this today. Last week, I found this exact recipe for Pumpkin Cookies on a blog, and went in a desperate search for canned pumpkin.
I was a little obsessed, and wished I had read your note that Pumpkin Pie filling worked fine! I saw that in the FIVE stores I went to… but finally found 2 cans of the real magilla in my local tiny store of all places. I had been to all the bigger chains first!
Anyway. The kids did love them.
But I have to admit, they were not the Bunco chics favorite.. and NOT worth the amount of gas I spent looking for the pumpkin. WAY too healthy for that! I needed sinful decadent sweet pumpkin cake with white cream cheese frosting for the effort I put into those darn cookies!
Oh, and btw I live in Illinois. so the shortage is nationwide.
Ah, that makes sense. Thanks for the explanation.
These turned out delicious, but they do remind me more of the texture of pumpkin cookies. No one in my house is complaining though….
Haha Jenn. *I* double purely for photographic purposes! Sometimes batters "bleed" through liners and doubling them up makes it so the outer liner stays nice and bright and clean- and pretty for pictures! lol
I halved the recipe & used one 15 oz. can of pumpkin & one box of cake. They are in the oven right now.
So, I'm dying to know….why do you double your cupcake liners??
Okay…so I'm eating one as I type! They're fab! I couldn't find canned pumpkin anywhere, so I bought a pie pumpkin and cooked it up. The label said to knock off the stem, pierce it with a fork and bake it @ 350 for 60 – 90 minutes. Then I cut it open, scooped out the seeds and then scooped the flesh right out of the skin. It was totally easy and I was able to make these killer muffins! Yay! I subbed walnuts for the chips though, because my wacky husband is a chocolate hater! Booo! I'm so glad I have lots for the freezer!
I have been looking for a pumpkins muffin recipe for a while now. I bought canned pumpkin about a month ago to add to food storage, thinking, what would we do if we couldn't have pumpkin pie for the holidays? We are starting to have some fall weather, so bring on the fall food. Any idea how long I would want to cook them if I make mini ones?
these were so yummy! I can't believe how little ing. there were and if you don't use choc chips they are only 1 point!! They are so good for my sweet tooth and I don't feel guilty eating them. I will for sure make those again! Thanks for sharing all your awesome recipes!
I just posted the sister recipe to these on my blog http://www.sandiegocooks.blogspot.com but the hidden secret is you HAVE to use ghiradelli (sp?)milk chocolate chips and they are better the second day. The second secret is to put some cream cheese frosting on top. Not WW friendly at that point but SO tastebud friendly!