Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are the kind of bake that comes around once a year. Starting Labor Day, it’s easy to want to fall right into fall and pumpkin muffins are a great place to start.
Two bowls get you into the kind of easy thing you can bake even on a weeknight. Spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, the coziest flavors mix together in a muffin made moist with pumpkin puree and tender crumb. But what separates these muffins from the mainstream are the mission dried figs—they add a pleasant chewy note that pairs especially well with toasted nuts and chocolate. They’re pumpkin chocolate chip muffins with benefits.
Choosing Chocolate + Figs for Fall Flavor
When it comes to deciding what kind of chocolate to stir into pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, you’ve got a few options. If you like things sweeter, opt for milk chocolate.
Semisweet chocolate adds a slight bitter note and if you decide to go that way, consider swapping in golden dried figs (and definitely make that swap if you’re planning to use dark or bittersweet chocolate).
And, here’s possibly the best part about these muffins. They bake enough that you can eat them for a few days or take half a batch to work and then there’s enough leftover to freeze. So, here’s a winning idea: bake pumpkin muffins now, freeze, and then defrost them to enjoy with family as a home baked treat the day after Thanksgiving.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins with Figs
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons safflower oil
- 1/3 cup cold water
- 3 large eggs
- 8 ounces pure pumpkin puree 1/2 can
- 7 ounces Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid California dried figs stemmed
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Nudge in muffin liners or mist muffin wells with cooking spray.
- Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, sugar, and salt.
- Combine wet ingredients in a medium bowl: oil, water, eggs, and pumpkin puree.
- Fold wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Place figs, chocolate chips, and walnuts in a food processor. Pulse for about 15 strokes (or you can always chop the ingredients). Stir in figs, chocolate chips, and walnuts. Fill 3/4 of each muffin liner with batter.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out dry.
Notes
1. Use pure canned pumpkin puree and add the spices as dictated in the recipe above. 2. You can roast pumpkin until soft. Cool and scoop out. Make sure to mash to ensure it will be easy to stir together.
Nutrition
Recipe and photos by Annelies Zijderveld