These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins are the perfect grab and go snack. Made with wholesome ingredients and bursting with your favorite fall flavors, these delicious healthy snacks are sure to get you in the spirit of the season.
This time of year, I tend to have tupperware containers filled with pumpkin puree lurking in my fridge on a pretty regular basis. Many recipes don’t call for an entire can, so I’m forced to get creative so that I don’t wind up wasting food. Luckily for you, this results in lots of deliciously festive fall recipes.
It’s no secret that I am a big, big fan of oats. They’re affordable, filling, ultra healthy, and crazy delicious. From my Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins to my Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins, I have tried (and loved) tons of different oatmeal muffin recipes.
When it comes to oatmeal muffins, what’s not to love? During the fall season, this recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins is an absolute must-try. It’s the perfect way to use up that extra pumpkin puree that I know you have lying around. These quick and easy muffins are soft, wholesome, and beyond tasty. Trust me, you’re going to love them!
Key Ingredients and Easy Swaps
These delicious pumpkin oatmeal muffins require the following key ingredients:
- Pumpkin puree. The star of our show, pumpkin puree helps to moisten up the muffins and adds a ton of delicious flavor. However, make sure you’re using pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, as the latter has tons of additives. You can also swap in mashed butternut squash (sold in the freezer section) or mashed sweet potatoes.
- Chocolate. Pumpkin and chocolate might just be my favorite fall combo, so it’s no surprise that I added chocolate chips to this dish. Feel free to use your chips of choice, whether it be dark, milk, semi-sweet, or even white chocolate.
- Maple Syrup. In the spirit of the season, I used maple syrup as the sweetener. Feel free to swap it out for honey or agave, if desired.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: This spice combines cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg to create that delicious pumpkin pie flavor we all know and love. You can swap in cinnamon with a pinch of nutmeg or make your own.
Recipe Tips
Here are some tips and variations on how to make this delicious recipe your own:
- Add nuts. For some delicious nutty flavor and a really nice crunch, try adding your favorite nuts to the batter. Some of my top choices include walnuts, pecans, and almonds.
- Substitute banana. If you’re not a huge fan of pumpkin, you could swap it out for mashed bananas. Just make sure the bananas are ripe, otherwise they won’t be as sweet and flavorful.
- Add chia or flax seeds. These are exceptionally high in fiber, omega-3s, protein, and healthy fats. They also support healthy digestion and stable blood sugar levels.
- Switch up the spices. Don’t have any pumpkin pie spice at home? No problem. If you can’t make your own, try swapping out for cinnamon instead.
Can I bake these pumpkin oat muffins as bread?
Absolutely! The beauty of this recipe is that it’s ultra versatile, so it translates quite nicely into bread-form. There really isn’t a need to alter the existing recipe; you simply transfer the dough into a bread pan instead of a muffin tin. Keep in mind that you might need to double the recipe, depending on your pan dimensions.
I prefer muffins for their grab-and-go aspect, but there is something wonderful about a warm loaf of pumpkin bread during the fall season. If you try it this way, let me know how it turns out.
What to Serve With Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins
I LOVE eating these for breakfast, so I always have mine with my morning coffee. The flavors compliment one another perfectly and every morning I feel like I’m indulging myself with dessert for breakfast. Talk about self-care, am I right?
On mornings when I’m feeling extra hungry, I will pair a muffin or two with one of my favorite yogurt bowls or some yogurt chia seed pudding. My husband usually likes his with a creamy banana oatmeal smoothie or a mocha coffee smoothie.
Recently, I’ve started packing them in the girls’ lunches as a dessert side and so far there have been no complaints. Shocking, I know!
How to Store Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins
These muffins are the perfect grab-and-go breakfast or snack, so you’re going to want to have some extras on hand. Trust me. To store this dish, let the muffins cool down to room temperature and transfer them to an airtight storage bag or container. Once properly contained, you can store the muffins in one of three ways:
- On the counter for up to 3-4 days
- In the fridge for up to 1 week.
- In the freezer for up to 6 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below you can find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about this healthy muffin recipe:
Can I use canned pumpkin pie filling?
It wouldn’t be the end of the world, but I would advise against it. Pumpkin pie filling is pre-sweetened (artificially, I might add) and would therefore throw off the balance of the muffins. Instead, use pumpkin puree and let the pumpkin pie spice and maple syrup do the sweetening.
Can I use a different type of milk?
Yes! I prefer to use unsweetened almond milk, but you could use any type of milk you like. Some of the most common choices include skim milk, soy milk, and oat milk.
Are these muffins good for you?
Yes! Think of these muffins more or less as pumpkin-flavored oatmeal. They are gluten-free, vegetarian, and contain less than 150 calories per serving. As long as you don’t eat the entire batch in one sitting, these muffins are perfectly healthy.
Are baking powder and baking soda the same thing?
The short answer is no, they are not. Both are leaveners that help your baked goods rise, but they aren’t exactly interchangeable. In a pinch, you could substitute one for the other, but your finished product won’t be entirely right. Ideally, you want to stick to whichever one the recipe calls for.
More Healthy Muffin Recipes For Breakfast
If you liked this dish, try these healthy muffin recipes next:
- Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins
- Banana Quinoa Chia Muffins
- Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
- Banana Chocolate Coconut Oatmeal Muffins
- Chocolate Banana Muffins