These perfectly-spiced pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are soft and tender, studded with chocolate, and topped with a buttery spiced crumb. They’re also quick and easy thanks to a short-cut of a boxed cake mix! A full can of pumpkin adds flavor and tenderness. These are so easy you’ll be making them all season long!
Ingredient and Equipment Notes
- Spice Cake Mix – I have been partial to Duncan Hines cake mixes for years, I’ve found them to be high quality and consistent so that’s usually what I grab. In recent years spice cake has been a little harder to find in my stores, so in this batch I’ve photographed I’m using a Betty Crocker mix and it also turned out great.
- Pumpkin – you’ll use a full 15oz can of pumpkin puree. I usually buy Libby’s brand. Just be sure to buy pumpkin puree, and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Eggs
- Sour Cream – I always use full fat
- Chocolate chips – I prefer semi-sweet chocolate chips for most all baking, but you can use your favorite. Mini chocolate chips work great in muffins.
- Streusel – for the streusel, you’ll need sugar, all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, and butter.
- Stand mixer
- Muffin tin
How to Make Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line 2 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
- Place the dry cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, oil, and vanilla in a stand mixer. Beat on low speed for about 30 seconds or until the dry ingredients are moistened, then beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is smooth. Add in the chocolate chips and stir until combined.
- Mix your streusel and sprinkle on top of muffins.
- Bake for 20 – 30 minutes.
Storage & Other Tips
- Storage:
- Room Temperature (2–4 days)
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Line the bottom with paper towels to absorb moisture and preserve freshness .
- Refrigeration (up to 1 week)
- Refrigerate to extend freshness—but note the streusel may soften. For best results, warm briefly before serving.
- Freezing (up to 2–3 months)
- Flash-freeze cooled muffins on a baking sheet, then transfer to sealed freezer bags, streusel side up. Thaw at room temperature or microwave for 15–20 seconds.
- To avoid overly dense muffins, do not over-mix. Stir just until the flour disappears to keep them light and fluffy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes! They still taste great when made a day ahead of time, I just store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Can these muffins be frozen?
You bet. Freeze in a single layer and then pop in a container or zip top bag- just know the streusel might fall off if they are being banged around a bit in a bag.
How do I prevent chocolate chips from sinking?
Toss them lightly in flour before folding into the batter—this helps them stay suspended evenly.
Can I skip the streusel?
Yes, though it’s what makes these special! If you do skip it, sprinkle a bit of sugar on top for sweetness and texture.
Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Moist, flavorful spice muffins with a crumbly streusel topping. Quick and easy using a box mix as a base!
Servings muffins
Equipment
- muffin tin this recipe makes 24, so you will want use two 12-count muffin tins
Ingredients
Muffins
- 1 15-oz box spice cake mix I prefer Duncan Hines if you can find it, but Betty Crocker also turns out well
- 1 15-oz can pumpkin puree do not use pumpkin pie filling
- 1 cup sour cream I recommend full-fat
- 3 eggs
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 12-ounce package chocolate chips
Streusel Topping
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 3 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Muffins
- Ignore the directions on the box. Preheat oven to 350℉. Line 2 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cake mix, pumpkin, sour cream oil, eggs, and vanilla. Mix on low for 30 seconds or until all the ingredients have been moistened, then beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until the batter is smooth. Mix in the chocolate chips.
Streusel Topping
- Divide the batter evenly in the cupcake liners. Whisk together the flour, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice, then cut in the butter with two knives until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (or wet sand). Sprinkle the topping over the batter.
- Bake the muffins for 20-30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out completely clean. Cool on a wire rack before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 138kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 9mg, Sodium: 15mg, Potassium: 16mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 110IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 11mg, Iron: 0.1mg
Calories: 138kcal
Cost: $5
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Questions & Reviews
These look killer. Though pondering a little oatmeal in the topping…just for some chew.
I love your site, I dont think I have ever commented before but I am a fan. I just wanted to let you know your links for your zucchini bread recipes are not working.
Hi 🙂 Just thought I would comment… and I am sure I am not the first to post something like this, but I found out (totally by accident) that you can actually do without the liquid and oil just by adding the pumpkin. I even just add 2 eggs 🙂 and it does well. I would definitely only recommend the DH Spice Cake mix… best flavor overall no question! The resulting cake/cupcakes are so incredibly moist and flavorful!!! (I am not one that loves to do low fat… it just happened this way when I was out of oil, and forgot to add the water :)) I will definitely be trying your version tho… sounds so yummy!!! Thanks for the recipe! As usual… it’s going in my box! You guys are amazing!
Looks delicious. Using a cake mix in this recipe is really just as good as making them from scratch?????
As long as you use Duncan Hines cake mixes, I think doctored up cake mixes are every bit as good (if not better) than a lot of cupcakes/cakes/muffins made from scratch. Not all, of course, but really, if you take a look at the cake mix ingredients, it’s everything you’d be putting in your cake anyway. The benefit is that these companies turn out HUUUUGE quantities of cake mixes, so it eliminates a lot of variables that cause people trouble (expired baking soda or baking powder, not measuring the flour correctly, not using the right kind of flour, etc.) When you mix them with high-quality fresh ingredients, you can get really fantastic results.
That said, I am and forever will be a homemade brownie snob. And this lemon cake? Nothing from a box can beat it. 🙂
https://fit-over50.news/2009/06/lemon-cupcakes/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
So I was planning on making the other version on here (aka Weight Watchers) until seeing these. They are so good! Thanks for pushing me off the weight loss wagon! Thankfully, they are so good, some are going to be wonderful snacks for the neighbors!
Sorry , dude. I can’t even keep myself on the weight watchers wagon, haha!
Yes. *Sigh*
Mmm! I love fall food! Especially the pumpkin treats. Thanks for this recipe. I can’t wait to try it.
Oh and I totally get the man cold thing. UGH! Us moms get a cold (or a stomach bug) and we still have to be super woman. Men get to take it easy and get pampered. I want a sick day!!
Okay, I absolutely LOVE your bottle of milk, shown in the last picture, you posted of the muffins. Where did you find that? Oh, and the muffins look delicious too.
Check out comment 12.1 (not because I don’t want to answer your question, but I’m on my phone and copying and pasting links is a totally different monster… 🙂 )
I LOVE anything pumpkin and these sound so yummy. I need to get those muffin papers asap…
How do you think these would hold up if you made them and froze them? I’m wanting to make them a few days before a party and then get them out the night before. Wondering if you think that would be ok?
They would be great! Just thaw them at room temperature where they can air out (no not covered or in a bag or anything).
Thank you! I made them for my little boy’s baby blessing and they were a hit. Everyone was loving them!