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
I was searching for pumpkin this week too, so I could try these. Then today I found three packs at Costco! Score!
I make this same recipe. You can actually make it with chocolate cake mix and once they have cooled they are so yummy! (sounds odd, but true 🙂
The only thing different is that I add 1/2c. water to make it easier to mix and a creamier consitancy.
I make a pumpkin bread with butterscotch chips. I bet they would be good in these muffins as well. yum!
PS – It doesn’t it with the main recipe page too. Oh well, I think I might have everything but the pumpkin to try these out. 🙂
FYI. Sorry, these are probably annoying comments, but just thought you might like to know. If you click on this picture from the side bar (as displayed), then add it to the recipe box – it added Turkey Sandwiches, Beef Sandwiches and some other random thing. Funky! I’m sure it’s not your fault, but there might be others out their like me just clicking pictures to make shopping lists! 🙂 Thanks!
While my husband was on his mission he had a member make these as cookies (she just halved the recipe except left the chocolate chips the same :D) and while we were dating he wanted to impress me and make them for me. He got the “recipe” from her and set out to make them. He followed the directions on the box and by the time I got to his place he had a watery gooey mess. I explained to him that he had made pumpkin and chocolate chip spice CAKE, not cookies… So now it’s my job to make the cookies. I think today it shall be these muffins though.
LOVE these muffins – they are my family’s favorite, in fact! Confused, however, as to how these are just one WW point… When I put together the recipe (according to WW) it always give me a 5 or 6 point value. Suggestions? Thanks! 🙂
Apparently, I never posted my comment that I intended to post last Autumn. Oops. Fail.
Anyway, I used this recipe to make my own variation. I’m not a huge chocolate fan (I know, I know), and I LOVE apple…
So I bought a big jar of Knudsen chunky applesauce. And it’s super chunky and rustic and delicious. And used that in place of the pumpkin- left the chocolate chips out completely.
And they were AMAZING. Because there were some larger chunks in the applesauce, some bites of muffin had an actual apple piece and some were smooth. Perfect for Autumn and I can’t wait for it to NOT be 110 degrees here in good ol Texas for me to eat them (foods are very seasonal for me).
I might make one 1/2 batch (one box of cake mix) of the apple and one of the pumpkin and serve them to my employees (aka: my official baking taste-testers. I pay them to work, they can eat a cupcake or a cookie while they do it!) and see which they prefer!
O.k., so I know it is smack (nearly) in the middle of summer here in WA…that said it is all of 60 degrees {travesty!} & I am craving fall foods. These are also a great choice on “sooo busy I am a DANGER in the kitchen” days. I can put away the liability waiver. YUM!
I am a huge fan of your recipes and I come to you for help! I’ve been searching for a pumpkin cheesecake muffin recipe for years. I’ve tried multiple ones, but none of them turn out the way I like. For example, a batch would burn on the bottoms, but not be cooked in the middle or too dense. I tried lowering my temperature, cooking longer, changing racks in the oven. No luck. I use non stick muffin pans. Does that make a difference? I am going to try these muffins and wanted to know if I could add a “cheesecake” layer in the middle and if that would change cooking time or temperature. Do you have a recommendation for a recipe for the cheesecake filling? (Otherwise I’d use one from another recipe). My husband has told me to give up on finding a recipe that works but I am determined! If anyone can help me, you can! Please help! Thank you, thank you, thank you!