Whole-Grain Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Fall is one of my favorite seasons. The cool, crisp weather is so invigorating, and the vibrant colors of the changing foliage add a beautiful backdrop to our daily lives. But best of all, fall is the season of all things pumpkin!

Pumpkin is versatile, delicious, and a nutrient powerhouse – loaded with vitamin A, and a good source of fiber, potassium, and vitamin C too. Inspired by this mighty ingredient, I went on the hunt for a healthy pumpkin muffin recipe.

I don’t really love to cook or bake, but every year or so, I am mysteriously bitten by the baking bug. That doesn’t mean I want to labor in the kitchen for hours, so I needed an easy recipe. This recipe, courtesy of Michelle Dudash, Registered Dietitian and Chef, really fit the bill – simple, nutritious, and delicious!

I adapted the original recipe slightly by replacing the oil with applesauce, doubling the amount of spices, and using a pumpkin spice blend instead of separate spices. The muffins came out great! Pumpkin craving satisfied. Baking bug gone (until next year). Enjoy!

Whole-Grain Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

Canola oil spray
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon salt
1 can (15 ounce) pure solid-pack pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup honey
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup dark chocolate chips
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F and spray muffin pan. Mix flours, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, stir together the pumpkin, honey, applesauce, and eggs one at a time. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until almost moistened. Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Pour into muffin pan, filling each cup only ¾ full. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted into center of muffin comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Makes approximately 14 muffins.

The original recipe, “Whole-Grain Pumpkin Snack Cake with Chocolate Chips,” is from the Clean Eating for Busy Families cookbook by Michelle Dudash, RDN.