Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins: Best 1-Bowl Recipe
These vegan pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are soft, tall, and full of warm spice, with melty chocolate in every bite. They’re made in one bowl with no eggs, no butter, and no mixer, and they taste like the ones from a good coffee shop for a lot less money.
The pumpkin does double duty here. It keeps the crumb moist for days and helps bind the batter, so a single flax egg is all you need. A quick blast of high heat at the start gives the muffins those big domed tops.
Prep: 15 minutes | Bake: 20 to 22 minutes | Makes: 12 muffins | Diet: vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free
Why You’ll Love These Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- One bowl, one whisk. No stand mixer and very few dishes.
- Pantry-friendly. Canned pumpkin, flour, brown sugar, oil, and plant milk. Nothing hard to find.
- They stay moist. Day three muffins are still soft, which is rare for egg-free baking.
- Freezer heroes. Bake a batch, freeze half, and you’ve got grab-and-go breakfasts ready.
- Everyone eats them. Vegan or not, nobody at the table will guess these are dairy-free.
Ingredients
Here’s everything that goes into a dozen vegan pumpkin chocolate chip muffins.
Wet ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed plus 3 tablespoons water (one flax egg)
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup neutral oil, such as canola or light olive oil
- 1/2 cup unsweetened plant milk (oat or soy work best)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry ingredients:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg)
- 3/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips, plus 2 tablespoons for the tops
A note on pumpkin: always grab the can labeled 100% pure pumpkin. Pie filling already has sugar and spices in it and will throw off the recipe. Illinois Extension has a helpful little piece on getting the most out of canned pumpkin, including what to do with the rest of the can.
How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Heat the oven and prep the pan. Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or grease it well.
- Make the flax egg. In a large bowl, stir the ground flaxseed and water together. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it turns thick and gel-like.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Add the pumpkin, brown sugar, oil, plant milk, vinegar, and vanilla to the flax mixture. Whisk until smooth and no lumps of brown sugar remain.
- Add the dry ingredients. Sprinkle the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spice over the wet mixture and whisk them in well. Then add the flour and switch to a spatula.
- Fold gently. Fold just until you can’t see dry flour anymore. A few small lumps are fine. Overmixing makes muffins tough and gives them tunnels.
- Add the chocolate. Fold in 3/4 cup of chocolate chips.
- Fill the cups high. Divide the batter among the 12 cups. They’ll be filled right to the top, which is what you want for tall muffins. Press the extra chocolate chips onto the tops.
- Bake hot, then lower the heat. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes. Without opening the door, lower the temperature to 350°F and bake for another 15 to 17 minutes. They’re done when a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs (melted chocolate doesn’t count).
- Cool. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. They’re fragile while hot and firm up as they cool.
Tips for Tall Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Measure flour the right way. Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it with a knife. Scooping straight from the bag packs in extra flour and makes the muffins dry and dense. If you have a scale, 1 3/4 cups is about 220 grams.
Don’t skip the vinegar. It reacts with the baking soda for extra lift and gives the crumb a light, almost buttermilk-like texture.
Use the two-temperature trick. The first 5 minutes at 425°F makes the batter rise quickly and set into a dome. Dropping to 350°F lets the centers bake through without burning the bottoms.
Let the batter rest. If you have time, let the filled pan sit for 10 minutes before baking. The flour hydrates and the tops get even taller.
Check your chocolate. Many semi-sweet chips are accidentally dairy-free, but some contain milk fat. Read the label so your vegan pumpkin chocolate chip muffins stay fully plant-based.
Variations
- Streusel top: Mix 3 tablespoons flour, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons melted vegan butter. Crumble it on before baking.
- Whole wheat: Swap up to half the flour for white whole wheat flour. The muffins will be slightly denser and nuttier.
- Mini muffins: For bite-size vegan pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, bake in a greased mini pan at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. You’ll get about 36.
- Muffin loaf: Pour the batter into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes.
- Add-ins: Replace a quarter of the chips with chopped walnuts or pecans, or use dried cranberries for a festive version.
- Lower sugar: Cut the brown sugar to 1/2 cup. They’ll be a little less tender but still lovely, especially with the chocolate.
What to Do With Leftover Pumpkin
One cup of puree leaves roughly 3/4 cup in a standard 15-ounce can. Don’t let it go to waste. Stir it into oatmeal, blend it into a smoothie, or freeze it in an ice cube tray for the next batch of vegan pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. It also slips nicely into a pot of coconut curry chickpea stew for extra creaminess.
Storage and Freezing
Counter: Store cooled muffins in an airtight container lined with a paper towel for up to 2 days. The towel soaks up moisture so the tops don’t get sticky.
Fridge: Keep them for up to 5 days. Warm them for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave to bring back that fresh-baked softness.
Freezer: Vegan pumpkin chocolate chip muffins freeze beautifully. Freeze cooled muffins in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter for about an hour, or microwave from frozen for 30 to 40 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these vegan pumpkin chocolate chip muffins gluten-free?
Yes. Use a good 1:1 gluten-free baking flour that contains xanthan gum. Let the batter rest 15 minutes before baking so the flour can absorb the liquid, and expect a slightly more delicate crumb.
What can I use instead of a flax egg?
Use 3 tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce or 3 tablespoons of aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas). Both work well since the pumpkin already does most of the binding.
Why did my vegan pumpkin chocolate chip muffins sink in the middle?
The usual causes are too much liquid, underbaking, or opening the oven during the first 10 minutes. Make sure the toothpick comes out clean from the very center before you take them out.
Can I use fresh pumpkin?
You can. Roast and puree a small sugar pumpkin, then let the puree drain in a fine strainer for 30 minutes. Fresh puree is often watery, and extra moisture makes muffins gummy.
Can I use coconut oil?
Yes, melted and slightly cooled. Make sure your plant milk is at room temperature, or the coconut oil may firm up into little clumps.
Bake a Batch This Week
These vegan pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are cozy fall baking at its easiest: one bowl, pantry ingredients, and a dozen tall, tender muffins in about 35 minutes. Fill the cups high, use the hot-then-moderate oven trick, and don’t overmix. For more simple plant-based bakes, take a look at our easy vegan breakfast recipes. If you bake them, tell me in the comments how fast they disappeared.
Pass these muffins along to anyone who swears egg-free baking can’t be fluffy, and join me on Pinterest for daily plant-based baking inspiration. Once your batch is cool enough to taste, head to the recipe card to leave a rating, and tell me in the comments how fast they disappeared. Happy baking!
