These pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are soft, tender, and packed with real pumpkin, hearty oats, and melty chocolate chips, all in one easy bowl-and-whisk batter. They're lighter than a bakery muffin thanks to egg whites and just half a cup of brown sugar, but they still taste like a treat, which makes them a go-to fall breakfast in our house.

Pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip muffin on a white plate with more muffins behind it on a blue napkin

My family loves pumpkin season (okay, I love it and they go along with it because I feed them), so it was only a matter of time before all that cozy flavor ended up in a muffin recipe. One batch makes a dozen, and I'll be honest: half of them tend to disappear the same day. If you want more ways to use up a can of pumpkin, browse our best pumpkin recipes for fall.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

Pumpkin puree. Use plain canned pumpkin like Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. You need 2 cups, which is a little more than one 15-ounce can, so either open a second can or top off with homemade puree.
Oats. Old-fashioned rolled oats ground in a food processor give the muffins a soft, wholesome crumb without any chewy bits. Quick oats work too and grind even faster. Avoid steel-cut oats, which won't soften in the short bake time.
Butter. Melted butter keeps the muffins moist and rich. You can swap in the same amount of melted coconut oil or a neutral vegetable oil.
Brown sugar. Light or dark brown sugar both work; dark gives a deeper, molasses-y flavor. Coconut sugar is a good one-to-one swap if you prefer it.
Egg whites. Two egg whites keep the muffins light. One whole large egg works just as well if you don't want leftover yolks, or use about ¼ cup of carton egg whites.
Milk. Any milk is fine, including almond, oat, or soy milk.
Chocolate chips. Semi-sweet chips like Nestlé Toll House morsels are classic. Mini chips spread more evenly through each muffin, and dark chocolate chips make them a little less sweet.
Flour. All-purpose flour gives the most reliable rise. For a whole-grain boost, replace up to half of it with white whole wheat flour.

Overhead view of pumpkin chocolate chip muffins topped with oats on a blue napkin

Helpful Tips

Grind the oats first. Pulse the oats in a food processor or blender for about 30 seconds, until they look like coarse flour. This is what gives the muffins their tender texture, so don't skip it. Save a tablespoon or two of whole oats to sprinkle on top before baking if you like the rustic look in the photos.

Let the butter cool slightly. After melting the butter, give it a few minutes before whisking in the egg whites. Very hot butter can start to cook the egg whites and leave little rubbery bits in the batter.

Don't overmix. Once the dry ingredients go into the wet, stir with a spatula only until you no longer see streaks of flour. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour and makes muffins dense and tough instead of soft.

Fill the cups nearly full. This batter is thick and doesn't spread much, so filling each cup almost to the top is what gives you those nice domed muffin tops. A good nonstick muffin pan and a large cookie scoop make portioning quick and even.

Make your own pumpkin puree. If you have a pie pumpkin or winter squash on hand, cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and bake it cut side down on a baking sheet at 400°F until it's soft enough to scoop out of the peel. Let it cool for about 10 minutes, scoop out the flesh, and puree it without adding any liquid using a food processor or potato masher. Freeze it in zip-top bags labeled with the amount (2-cup portions are perfect for this recipe) so it's ready for muffins, soups, and baking all season long.

Variations

Spiced pumpkin muffins. Whisk 1 ½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice (or 1 teaspoon cinnamon plus a pinch each of nutmeg and ginger) into the dry ingredients for a more classic pumpkin-spice flavor.
Nutty crunch. Swap half of the chocolate chips for chopped toasted pecans or walnuts.
Streusel topping. Rub together ¼ cup flour, ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons cold butter, and 2 tablespoons oats, then sprinkle over the batter before baking.
Cream cheese glaze. For a sweeter, more dessert-style muffin, drizzle the cooled muffins with the glaze from our pumpkin muffins with cream cheese glaze.
Mini muffins. Bake the batter in a greased mini muffin pan for 10 to 12 minutes. You'll get about 36 bite-size muffins, perfect for lunchboxes.
Fruit instead of chocolate. Replace the chocolate chips with dried cranberries or raisins for a less sweet, breakfast-bar style muffin, similar to our oatmeal muffins.

Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins on a white plate, one split open with a pat of butter

Serving Ideas

These muffins are great on their own, still slightly warm from the oven, but they're even better split open with a pat of butter or a smear of cream cheese. A spoonful of slow cooker apple butter is a delicious fall pairing, too.

For a complete breakfast, serve them with Greek yogurt and fresh fruit, a couple of scrambled eggs, or a hot cup of coffee or a pumpkin spice latte. They also make a sweet addition to a fall brunch spread alongside easy pumpkin waffles, and they pack perfectly for school lunches and afternoon snacks.

Storing & Freezing

Let the muffins cool completely, then store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Because of the pumpkin, they're very moist, so for longer storage move them to the refrigerator, where they'll keep for up to 5 days. Laying a paper towel in the container helps absorb extra moisture so the tops don't get sticky.

To freeze, wrap the cooled muffins individually in plastic wrap or place them in a freezer bag, squeeze out the air, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about an hour, or reheat a frozen muffin in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds. You can also warm them in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes to bring back that fresh-baked texture.

Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins with oat topping on a white plate and blue napkin

More Pumpkin Treats

If you love these pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, here are a few more recipes you might enjoy:

Recipe

Pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip muffin on a small white plate with a blue napkin and more muffins behind it

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Soft, tender pumpkin chocolate chip muffins made with ground oats, egg whites, and just half a cup of brown sugar. An easy one-bowl fall breakfast or snack that makes a dozen.

4.8 from 25 votes

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings muffins

Calories 221 kcal

Equipment

muffin tin 12-cup

Ingredients

½ cup butter melted and slightly cooled
½ cup brown sugar packed
2 cups pumpkin puree canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling
¼ cup milk
2 egg whites from 2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup oatmeal old-fashioned rolled oats, ground in a food processor
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup chocolate chips semi-sweet, regular or mini

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly coat it with cooking spray.
Pulse the oats in a food processor or blender for about 30 seconds, until they look like coarse flour.
In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar together until smooth. Whisk in the pumpkin puree, milk, egg whites, and vanilla until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the ground oats, flour, salt, and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir with a spatula just until no streaks of flour remain. Don't overmix.
Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each one nearly full. Sprinkle a few extra oats and chocolate chips on top, if you like.
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the muffins are domed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

You'll need 2 cups of pumpkin puree, which is a little more than one 15-ounce can. For extra flavor, add 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice to the dry ingredients. Store muffins airtight at room temperature for 2 days, refrigerate up to 5 days, or freeze up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffinCalories: 221kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 4gFat: 10.5gSaturated Fat: 6.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2.8gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 366mgPotassium: 179mgFiber: 2.5gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 6550IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 1.6mg

Nutrition details are an estimate, per serving.

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