MuffinsAmericanEasy

Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Name: Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 37 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1½ cups (180 g) oat flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 2 teaspoons (9 g) baking powder; ½ teaspoon (3 g) baking soda; ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt; 2 teaspoons (5 g) ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground ginger; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) ground nutmeg; 1 cup (245 g) pumpkin puree, canned, plain, not pie filling; ½ cup (125 g) unsweetened applesauce, smooth, at room temperature; ⅓ cup (80 ml) pure maple syrup; ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, packed; ¼ cup (60 ml) neutral oil (avocado or canola); ¼ cup (60 ml) unsweetened soy or oat milk, at room temperature; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) apple cider vinegar; 2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract; ¾ cup (130 g) dark chocolate chips, dairy-free, for folding into the batter; ¼ cup (45 g) dark chocolate chips, dairy-free, for sprinkling on top

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender, moist, gently spiced pumpkin muffins made with oat flour, applesauce and maple syrup, studded with dark chocolate chips. No eggs, no dairy, and just one bowl for the wet mix and one for the dry.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 22 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 1 hr 7 min
Makes: 12 standard muffins

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the dry mix
1½ cups (180 g) oat flour, spooned into the cup and leveled
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled
2 teaspoons (9 g) baking powder
½ teaspoon (3 g) baking soda
½ teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt
2 teaspoons (5 g) ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground ginger
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) ground nutmeg
For the wet mix
1 cup (245 g) pumpkin puree, canned, plain, not pie filling
½ cup (125 g) unsweetened applesauce, smooth, at room temperature
⅓ cup (80 ml) pure maple syrup
¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, packed
¼ cup (60 ml) neutral oil (avocado or canola)
¼ cup (60 ml) unsweetened soy or oat milk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon (5 ml) apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
For the chocolate
¾ cup (130 g) dark chocolate chips, dairy-free, for folding into the batter
¼ cup (45 g) dark chocolate chips, dairy-free, for sprinkling on top

Equipment (8)

12-cup standard muffin tin (½-cup / 120 ml cups)
12 paper or silicone muffin liners
2 mixing bowls (one medium, one large)
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Measuring cups and spoons or kitchen scale
Large ice cream scoop or ¼-cup (60 ml) measure
Wire cooling rack

Steps

Before you start

Use plain canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which is pre-sweetened and spiced.
Measure flour by weight if you can; oat flour packs easily and too much will make dry, dense muffins.
Check that your chocolate chips are dairy-free (look for 'dark' or 'vegan' on the label).
Let the oven fully preheat before the batter is mixed, since the batter rests only 10 minutes.

1
Preheat and line panOven 400°F / 205°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F (200°C).
- Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or silicone liners.
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Ready when: Oven reads 400°F (200°C) on its display or an oven thermometer
Tip: The initial high heat gives the muffins a domed top, so make sure the oven is truly hot before baking.
2
Whisk the dry mix
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg for about 30 seconds.
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Ready when: No streaks of spice or clumps of leavener remain; the mix is a uniform tan color
Tip: Break up any lumps of baking soda with the back of a spoon, or you may get bitter pockets.
3
Whisk the wet mix
- In a medium bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, applesauce, maple syrup, brown sugar, oil, plant milk, vinegar and vanilla until completely smooth, about 1 minute.
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Ready when: The mixture is uniform and glossy, with no visible oil slick or sugar grains
Tip: Room-temperature liquids keep the oil from clumping and blend more evenly.
4
Combine and add chocolate
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture.
- Fold with a rubber spatula for 10 to 15 strokes, just until no dry flour remains.
- Fold in ¾ cup (130 g) of the chocolate chips.
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Ready when: Batter is thick and scoopable, with a few small lumps but no dry pockets
Tip: Stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears; overmixing makes the muffins tough and gummy.
5
Rest the batter
- Let the batter sit in the bowl, uncovered, for 10 minutes while the oven finishes preheating.
- The oat flour absorbs liquid and the batter thickens.
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Ready when: Batter is noticeably thicker and holds a mound on the spatula
Tip: If you skip the rest, the crumb can taste slightly grainy.
6
Fill the muffin cups
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 liners, filling each about ¾ full (a heaped ¼ cup / 60 ml scoop each).
- Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup (45 g) chocolate chips over the tops.
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Ready when: All 12 cups are filled to the same height, with chips scattered on top
Tip: Gently press the top chips into the batter so they do not scorch.
7
Bake at high heatOven 400°F / 205°C
- Place the tin in the oven and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes without opening the door.
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Ready when: Tops have begun to dome and look set at the edges
8
Lower heat and finishOven 350°F / 175°C
- Without removing the tin, reduce the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake 15 to 17 minutes more, until the muffins are domed and a toothpick inserted into the center (avoiding melted chips) comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
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Ready when: Tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs
Tip: Pumpkin muffins are moist; check at 15 minutes so they do not dry out.
9
Cool before serving
- Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then lift them onto a wire rack and cool for at least 15 minutes more.
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Ready when: Muffins are warm, not hot, and release cleanly from the liners
Tip: Cooling in the tin too long traps steam and makes the bottoms soggy.

Good to know

Tips

Do not use pumpkin pie filling; it throws off sugar and spice balance.
Measure the flour by spooning it in and leveling, as packed oat flour makes dry muffins.
The high-then-low temperature bake builds tall, bakery-style domes.
Toss the batter chips in 1 teaspoon of flour first if they tend to sink.

Make ahead

Mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients separately up to 1 day ahead; keep the wet mix covered in the fridge and the dry mix covered at room temperature. Combine, rest and bake as directed. Bring the wet mix to room temperature first.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days, with a paper towel on top to absorb moisture. Refrigerate up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months, wrapped individually. Reheat from room temperature for 15 seconds in the microwave, or from frozen for 45 to 60 seconds, or 10 minutes in a 325°F (160°C) oven.

Substitutions

all-purpose flour → 1 cup (125 g) more oat flour plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch, or a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Using all oat flour gives a denser, more tender crumb; use certified gluten-free oat flour for a gluten-free muffin.
pure maple syrup → agave nectar or light brown sugar dissolved in warm water. Maple adds the best flavor; agave works 1:1 for the same sweetness.
neutral oil (avocado or canola) → melted refined coconut oil. Use a 1:1 swap; avoid unrefined coconut oil, which adds coconut flavor.
dark chocolate chips, dairy-free → chopped toasted walnuts or pecans. Swap in the same amount by volume for a nutty version.