Happy fall in the northern hemisphere! These beautiful & delicious marbled Double Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins are the best way to kick off the season! They're like a combination of my black velvet cupcakes swirled with tasty pumpkin streusel muffins.
These are especially perfect for the spooky Halloween season coming up in October! If you have about ½ a can of pumpkin leftover from another recipe, that's all you'll need to make these easy chocolate pumpkin muffins!
To use up even more pumpkin puree, try this Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake and Pumpkin Pie Filled Thumbprint Cookies. Or, for rich chocolate pumpkin-free muffins, give my Triple Chocolate Brownie Muffins a try!
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Why We Love This Recipe
- It's an easy fall breakfast or snack that can be whipped up in less than an hour!
- The chocolate batter uses black cocoa powder that gives it a rich flavor and dark color that contrasts the orange pumpkin batter beautifully (and spookily for Halloween)!
- It has mini chocolate chips sprinkled in the batter and on the muffin tops.
- These moist chocolate pumpkin muffins are the perfect way to use up leftover pumpkin puree!
- They have a beautiful pumpkin swirl, just like my pumpkin cheesecake bars!
Ingredients
- Black cocoa powder - This is what gives the chocolate muffin batter its dark color and rich flavor! It's hard to find in stores, but you can easily order black cocoa powder online. Regular cocoa powder can also be used instead.
- Pumpkin puree - The fall pumpkin flavor we love comes from the puree, which can be found in most grocery stores. Libby's Pure Pumpkin is my favorite brand to use. Please note that pumpkin pie filling is not the same as puree and should not be used as a substitute.
- Pumpkin pie spice - Generally a mixture of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and allspice - this spice blend is what gives baked goods their warm autumn flavor. It can usually be found in the spice aisle, but can also be made from scratch (see notes in the recipe card below).
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- These marbled muffins can be made in a jumbo muffin tin as well as a mini muffin pan! See the notes in the recipe card below for these baking instructions.
- Don't have sour cream? This can be substituted with an equal amount of greek yogurt.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins
Quick Recipe Video
Step by Step Instructions
Since you're making two different batters, this easy recipe requires a little more work and a few extra bowls, but the pretty colors and flavors swirled together are so worth it! You can start off with the pumpkin or the chocolate chip muffins batter, or whip both of them up at the same time if you're a really good multitasker!
Step 1 (Pumpkin Batter): In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
Step 2 (Pumpkin Batter): In a large bowl, mix together the canola oil, granulated and brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract and pumpkin puree.
Step 3 (Pumpkin Batter): Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using a spatula, just until no flour streaks remain.
Step 4 (Chocolate Batter): Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, and mini chocolate chips in another small bowl.
Step 5 (Chocolate Batter): Combine the canola oil, sugars, egg, sour cream and milk in a large separate bowl.
Step 6 (Chocolate Batter): Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined.
Step 7: Fill the muffin liners about ¾ full. You can start with the chocolate or pumpkin batter and alternately spoon them into the liners. If you'd like, grab an extra ¼ cup chocolate chips and sprinkle them on top!
Step 8: Bake the muffins at 350°F until a toothpick comes out clean (about 18-23 minutes). Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients - About 30 minutes before you get started, measure your milk and sour cream, grab your eggs out of the fridge, and let them sit at room temperature. This will help them combine with the rest of the ingredients better!
- Measure by weight - I highly recommend baking with a scale and measuring ingredients by their weight instead of in cups! This way is much more accurate, helping you yield better baked goods!
- Use black cocoa powder - This isn't necessary unless you're going for the fun, spooky orange & black look like how they are in the photos. Regular cocoa powder works too, it'll just make the chocolate part a bit lighter in color.
- Shake the pan for smoother muffin tops - The chocolate batter will be slightly runnier than the pumpkin, so to make sure the tops bake evenly, give the pan a gentle shake before putting it in the oven.
- Use nonstick liners - These muffins are really moist, but to be extra sure they don't stick to the liners, I like to use parchment paper ones! However, if you don't have liners, you can spray the muffin pan with oil and pour the batter directly in.
- Don't overmix or overbake! - Stop mixing the ingredients together as soon as all of the flour streaks are gone. Take them out of the oven when the muffin springs back up a tiny bit after gently pressing your finger its top & a toothpick comes out clean. They'll continue baking a little while from the heat of the pan after you remove them from the oven.
Recipe FAQs
No, pumpkin pie filling generally includes sugars & spices. For this recipe, you'll want to use pure pumpkin puree.
I haven't tested them with gluten free ingredients, but would love to hear how it goes if you try it!
Yes, they can be substituted in equal amounts.
This is tragic and I am so sorry! If you're having a hard time finding canned pumpkin puree but can get your hands on a small baking pumpkin, you can make your own! See this article for how to make homemade pumpkin puree.
Storage
Room Temperature: Store these pumpkin chocolate muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Freezing Instructions: Let the muffins cool completely, then wrap them tightly in freezer-safe storage containers for up to 1 month.
More Pumpkin Recipes You'll Love
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Thank you!
-Kayla
📖 Recipe
Double Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins
Equipment
- Muffin/cupcake pan
- Muffin liners
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring Cups or Scale
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
Pumpkin Batter
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons pumpkin spice*
- ¼ cup (59.15 ml) canola or vegetable oil
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (183.75 g) pumpkin puree
Chocolate Batter
- ¾ cup (93.75 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons (18 g) cocoa powder (I used black cocoa powder for the muffins pictured)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (85 g) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips plus ¼ cup extra for topping (optional)
- ⅛ cup (29.57 ml) canola or vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons (36 g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons (36 g) light brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ¼ cup (57.5 g) sour cream room temperature
- 3 tablespoons (44.36 ml) whole milk room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a muffin/cupcake pan with liners.
Pumpkin Batter
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin spice*.1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1½ teaspoons pumpkin spice*
- In a medium/large bowl, mix together the oil and sugars. Add the egg, vanilla extract and pumpkin puree, mixing well after each addition.¼ cup canola or vegetable oil, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup light brown sugar, 1 large egg, ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until no flour streaks are left. Set aside and make the chocolate batter.
Chocolate Batter
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and mini chocolate chips.¾ cup all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- In a medium/large bowl, mix together the oil and sugars. Add the egg, sour cream and milk, mixing well after each addition.⅛ cup canola or vegetable oil, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1 large egg, ¼ cup sour cream, 3 tablespoons whole milk
- Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until no flour streaks are left.
Baking the Muffins
- Alternately fill the muffin liners with spoonfuls of each batter until they're ¾ full. Sprinkle extra mini chocolate chips on the tops (optional) and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (about 18-23 minutes).
- Let the muffins sit in the pan until they're cool enough to remove. Let them finish cooling on a wire rack. Enjoy!
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Video
Notes
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2¼ teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1¾ teaspoons ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
I've made these twice already this October season, and just finishing up a third time on Nov 2nd 🙂 My 5 year old adores these and so do I! I've been subbing the sour cream for greek yogurt based on what we have on hand and it's been fab.
Aw that's amazing!! Thanks, Emma! Glad the Greek yogurt works well and you & your little one love them! 💕
Made those for Halloween and they came out rich in flavor, super soft & fluffy ! 10/10 !
Yay thanks, Morgane! I hope you had a fun Halloween!!
This sounds really good!
Thanks, Julie! Let me know if you try them!