I love the fall season. The air is crisp and it's the perfect weather to get bundled up in your favourite sweater and boots! And we are so lucky because mama earth has provided us with an abundance of fruits and vegetables.
We took full advantage of the harvest this weekend we went apple and pumpkin picking. This beautiful photo here is a pumpkin patch where you can pick your own in Stouffville, Ontario.
Not so lucky for us (but pretty funny) we got caught in the rain and instead of waiting for the wagon ride back to the car we decided to make a run for it. We figured we were faster than a tractor hauling 60 people on a wagon, haha! We did in fact make it back faster, pretty soaked and covered in mud but feeling good. However, what we didn't realize until almost on the highway back to Toronto was that I didn't have my iphone. Long story short, we went back and found it face down in the mud, in the wake of a tractor carrying 60 people and completely smashed to bits. We made it home with lots of apples, but lost a very important one - you win this round, tractor.
So on Sunday I was more than happy to spend the afternoon creating recipe goodness in our kitchen, where it was warm and dry! Sunday afternoons are my favourite time of the week because this is my playtime in the kitchen - with or without my phone to take love...
These muffins were moist, wonderfully spiced and sweet. They are probably one of the best muffins I've had in a long time.
I first roasted the pumpkin. By the way, you want to buy a pumpkin that's small. Sometimes they are called "pie pumpkin". They will be sweeter than the ones you turn into Jack-O-Lanterns. I cut the pumpkin into chunks, removed the pulp and seeds inside and baked them at 375F for 55 minutes. Then I scooped out the pumpkin meat with a spoon, popped them in my food processor with 1 tbsp of water and like magic, I had beautiful pumpkin puree from scratch! Of course you can buy organic canned pumpkin, but believe me when I tell you it's just not the same taste-wise.
Let's get to this gluten-free, grain-free, digestive-friendly and superbly delicious recipe! Did I mention they are kid/husband/boyfriend friendly too?
Snacks
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Print
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut flour*
- 2.5 tsp of pumpkin spice or better yet combine the following: 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground cloves -- that's what I did :)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 6 small eggs, whisked
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Combine all the dry ingredients (excluding the chocolate chips) in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
- Then add the wet to the dry ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Place batter into muffin tin cups.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes or until a fork inserted into the middle of the muffin comes out clean.
- Makes 15 muffins. Or 12 if you make them larger.
Notes
*Yes this is correct. Coconut flour is extremely absorbent!
If you wish to double this recipe, you can do it without doubling the eggs and simply just add a bit more water to the batter till you get a muffin texture. I added about 4-6 tbsp water when I double the rest of the ingredients. I also don't double the maple syrup and it turns out great! I use some stevia instead.
I know many of you are egg-free. So you could definitely make these muffins without eggs. You would need to create an eggy-like consistency using chia and flax. Here's my suggestion:
For 1 egg, combine a mix of 1 tbsp chia and ground flax plus 4 tbsp water. Let sit for 5 minutes. Multiply this by 6 to get the equivalent of 6 eggs. Please note: I have not tried this myself. Please comment below if you try it egg-free so other readers know this sub works nicely. Thank you kindly.
In fine nutritionista form, this post would not be complete without sharing some health benefits of pumpkins. Most people think of pumpkins for carving, but they deserve so much more cred than a jack-o-latern!
- First off, pumpkin is a fruit, not a veggie because they have seeds!
- Rich source of carotenoids especially beta-carotene. This is a potent antioxidant that protects cells from damage and helps to prevent cancerous cells. Plus it keeps your immune system strong and your skin beautiful.
- Fantastic source of folate, vitamin B6, C and potassium making pumpkins anti-inflammatory and heart-loving!
- Excellent source of fiber which aids in the elimination of toxins and softens stools making it easier to have a bowel movement.
Have a joyous day!
Joy
Sorry about all the bad weather :( But hooray for these delightful muffins! Perfect treat for the autumn season.
ReplyThank you! It was fresh and crisp at least :)
I would like to use more almond flour. What flours can I substitute almond flour for?
ReplyHi Peggy, We have quite a few almond flour–based recipes on our site, and I'd recommend trying some of those first before subbing out flours in the other recipes (especially coconut flour–based ones). Flour substitution is tricky and far from an exact science. Coconut flour is very absorbent and this recipe has been adjusted to account for that (that's the reason for the 6 eggs). If you're really keen, you could consider trying this recipe with 2 cups of almond flour and cut the number of eggs down to 3, but this is a guess on my part based on earlier recipe development. It hasn't been tested, so I can't guarantee it'll work. Kate - Joyous Health Team
I tried using just flax meal (no chia) and water as a substitute for eggs, and the batter wouldn't bake. Too many wet ingredients, I think. I'm a terrible baker, though, so maybe other readers will have better luck!
ReplyMade these muffins this morning and they taste incredible. Thank you! Cannot wait to share with my family for thanksgiving.
ReplyCan I substitute manuka honey for the maple syrup? Or is it just needed for sweetness? Also if I used the egg replacement, do I use both chia and flax (seed or meal?) 1tbsp each or total?
ReplyHi Jessica, I'd recommend sticking with the maple syrup if possible. Heat destroys many of the beneficial properties of honey, so to get the most nutritional bang for your grocery buck, save the honey for raw or low heat recipes. For the egg substitute, I'd recommend ground seeds. You can use flax, chia or a combination of the two, but regardless of what configuration of seeds you're using, it's 1 tbsp of seeds + 4 tbsp water = 1 egg, so you'll need 6 tablespoons of seeds in total. Let the mixture sit long enough for it to soak up enough of the water to take on a whisked egg texture. Hope this clears things up a little! Kate - Joyous Health Team
In you book, Joyous Health, which I just received yesterday, there is a recipe for some muffins (I forget the name of the muffin recipe!) but it calls for 12 eggs - is this a typo error or is this the correct amount? sounds like a lot but the introduction to the recipe says its full of protein? is this amount of eggs correct?
ReplyHi Cherie, It's not a typo, the 12 eggs is what puts the power in those power muffins! Kate - Joyous Health Team
LOVE LOVE LOVE THESE! I added pumpkin seeds as garnish and for my second batch added some chopped walnuts! Cannot wait for the next recipe Joy:)!
ReplyYeah I agree, I also like the recipe of this blog. It helps me in cooking really.
I tried making it with the egg substitute. Mine didn't fully set either. I would recommend cutting back on the egg substitute. Maybe trying a bit more pumpkin instead? They look and taste good though.
ReplyThese muffins look delish!!!! will definitely be making these this weekend... Which farm did you go to in Stouffville? ive never been pumpkin picking and totally sounds like fun :)
ReplyJust tried to make these Pumpkin Chocolate chip muffins. They came out very dry!!!
ReplyHi Jenna, Sorry to hear you didn't have great luck with the muffin recipe. Baking times can vary quite a bit from oven to oven (even when set at the suggested temperature), so we recommend doing the fork test a few minutes before the suggested baking time is up. Kate - Joyous Health Team
Another tip- Make sure to sift the coconut flour. I buy mine already sifted, but I know I've had trouble with coconut flour if it's all clumpy.
I have tried these and have subbed half the eggs for the chia/flax eggs and they were amazing! I brought them to a Thanksgiving function and everyone gobbled them up :) Quick question, just to confirm, but is it 1 tablespoon of flax AND chia for each egg? So if I did three eggs, it's 3tbs of chia and 3 tbs of flax for 3 eggs? Thanks again for creating another delicious and JOYOUS recipe ;)
ReplyI made these muffins with the flax/chia eggs instead of eggs and they turned out nice and moist. They were delicious, even the little ones loved them!
ReplyAwesome! Thanks for letting us know!
These muffins are unreal! I had some left over pumpkin from last weekend and this recipe caught my eye. Thank goodness it did! What a yummy and healthy snack. Bonus! They taste like pumpkin pie. Thank you Joy!
ReplyHurray! Glad you love them!
I made these muffins this morning for breakfast :) they are delicious, but very oily. I'm beginning to think I don't know how to cook with coconut oil... I melt it, but then when I mix it with other liquids it gets hard again and my liquids were very clumpy. Do you have any tips when baking with coconut oil?
ReplyHi Lindsay, You'll want to make sure that any liquids you're mixing with the coconut oil are room temperature, not straight out of the fridge. Super-cold liquids could cause your coconut oil to resolidify. Kate - Joyous Health Team
Hi Joy! I just wanted to write briefly to say that I CANNOT STOP making these amazing pumpkin chocolate chip muffins! Not only that, but I made them over the Thanksgiving holiday for my family and they also devoured them! They pair wonderfully with a lovely warm green tea or matcha as well :) Thanks for such a fantastic recipe! -Amanda
ReplyI find coconut flour hard to digest. If I were to use whole wheat pastry flour instead, how much would I use?
ReplyI can't seem to find this recipe....they look super yum and want to try them!!
ReplyHi Cindy, It's right above the photo of the half-eaten muffin. :) Kate - Joyous Health Team
I just made these and they are so incredibly moist it's crazy! Awesome and easy recipe. Thanks!
ReplyGlad they worked out well for you! Kate - Joyous Health Team
I love this recipe! I am making your recipes since I lived in Seattle. I love them all. The smell of the spices in these muffins reminds me of Fall in Seattle! Loved them, thanks!
ReplyThanks for spreading the joyousness on the west coast, Grisell! Kate - Joyous Health Team
I made these muffins this morning. Instead of the eggs, I used chia eggs instead. Unfortunately, the muffins did not turn out. They did not baked properly and were very doughy. I tried even baking them longer than the suggested time, however it didn't help much. So sad because they smelt soooo good while baking!
ReplyHi Kalli, Sorry to hear the muffins didn't turn out. Unfortunately, swapping ingredients in baking recipes is far from an exact science. Egg substitutions can be especially tricky. Did you let the faux egg mixture sit for at least 5 minutes so the water could absorb? Kate - Joyous Health Team
I made these using some of the pie pumpkin I baked and mashed up myself and even my husband - a professed pumpkin hater - loved them! Thank you for yet another amazing recipe!
ReplyPerfect! Glad to hear to Katrina :)
Love those muffins! It's my second batch this week, my hubby hate like 3 in one sitting! Not sure it's a good idea to make them again! My son and I really loved them too! The first batch I made I only had 2 eggs, so I switched the rest with the flax and chia mix, this time I'm trying with only egg withes, that's what I had left... Thanks for those wonderful recipes!!!
ReplyI found one of these in the back of my freezer on the weekend and had forgotten just how amazing they are!! I'm definitely going to make another batch this weekend. Thanks again for this delicious recipe!!
ReplyMade these today, but must have done something wrong. They turned out very oily and spongy, not so much pumpkin spice. Toothpick came out clean so I thought they had baked long enough. Still edible, but not the texture I prefer from a muffin. On a side note: is there a trick to prevent muffins from sticking to the paper cups?
ReplyI found parchment paper muffin cups that I love! No sticking at all! The brand is Paperchef.
Made these for the second time with 6 flax and chia eggs and they are perfectly delicious! Used BPA free Organic Pumpkin Purée. I am now enjoying the Pumpkin Smoothie with the left over can! YUM.
ReplyAmazing! Thanks for sharing. It's great to know that the flax or chia eggs work well :) Heather- Joyous Health Team
Hi Joy, I have just finished baking the second batch of your pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. Not only are they delicious they are so easy to make! My husband just ate two for breakfast and is headed for number three. Its comforting to know that these are so nutritious as well! Thank you, Toby
ReplyI love your muffin recipes! I have been gluten free for years and recently had to become egg free, peanut free and sweet potatoe free due to my 8 month old sons allergies. He is breastfed so I had to eliminate from my diet as well. I have been making the coconut muffins with bananas for the past few weeks and I use ground flax seed as the egg replacer and the muffins taste amazing. I have found that after I let the flax and water sit I need to add a bit more flax seed to thicken up the mix. I will definetly be trying this recipe!!!
ReplyThese look wonderful - can't wait to try this recipe! Can I substitute baking soda for baking powder and if so, would I use the same quantity?
ReplyHey Lucia! You could, but the quantities aren't interchangeable and substituting can really change the end result and taste. Generally, you would need to use about 4 times as much baking powder than baking soda which is why it changes the flavour and texture of the recipes. You could try it, but I'd recommend buying some baking soda. You'll use it in so many other recipes and it's fairly inexpensive. Heather- Joyous Health Team
Many times I make muffins from a loaf recipe. Could I do the reverse with this recipe...i.e. make a loaf (or two depending on pan size)?
ReplyAbsolutely! Let us know how it turns out :) Heather- Joyous Health team
The flavor of these is delicious! But I had some problems. I ran out of maple syrup so used half brown rice syrup, and I also thought I had coconut oil but didn't so I used butter. The muffins turned out really soggy and fell apart. (I put them back in the oven for 10 extra minutes and it didn't help.) Would my substitutions have made the consistency? Any ideas?
ReplyHey Amanda, Those are typically good swaps if you run out of ingredients but you take the risk of the consistency or end result being identical to how Joy's turned out. If you end up trying it again with all of the listed ingredients, you should get the right consistency :) Rachel - Joyous Health Team
hi there. I would LOVE to make these but can't have eggs. since there is so many, can I still do the flax substitute x 6? or would u recommend applesauce ? this is tricky :) tnx a bunch. would love to make these today sue
Replyto add to this, would they still taste yummy say if I used flax for 1 egg,1/4 applesauce for the second and so on? whats the easiest and the tastiest result ? tnx :) sue
Hi Sue, because there are so many eggs, I don't know that it would hold together. Coconut flour is a funny flour and doesn't work that great with non-egg subs especially when there are 6 eggs in a recipe.
could i make this into a cake
ReplyYes you can! That's what I did on the weekend actually and I'm hoping to post the recipe on the blog because I modified it slightly. I used an 8" square baking pan.
Joy, Would you be able to write about the best veggies to eat and how best to prepare them for non-veggie eaters? Susan
ReplyI have many delicious recipes that will encourage non-veggie eaters to eat veggies! These are some of my faves:
This is an amazing dip for veggie sticks: https://www.joyoushealth.com/27021-blog-creamy-cashew-veggie-dip
Our favourite Sweet Potato Wedges: https://www.joyoushealth.com/23491-blog-rosemary-sweet-potato-wedges
Roasted Root Veggies: https://www.joyoushealth.com/27067-blog-roasted-root-veggies
Beet Dip: https://www.joyoushealth.com/25313-blog-beet-cashew-dip-recipe
Harvest Veggie Soup: https://www.joyoushealth.com/27264-blog-fall-harvest-vegetable-soup
Enjoy!
Hi could I just boil the pumpkin instead of baking?
ReplyYes, you could ...but when you boil it you're going to lose most of the nutrition including the vitamins and minerals.
I just made these and they turned out very greasy, and kind of flat. My baking powder is new, just opened, so I don’t think it’s that. Also all the chocolate chips fell to the bottom and got stuck there. I liked the spice blend, but wasn’t happy with the muffins. Could the type of coconut flour be an issue? I used Earth’s Choice organic.
ReplyCoconut flour is super finicky and I find that every brand can differ slightly. I don't know if the baking powder would be the reason. Could it be that the coconut oil wasn't fully mixed into the coconut flour? That's all I can think of, sorry about that!
Joy! Tasty and fluffy muffins! They were tricky to get out of a greased muffin tin though, so I highly recommend using muffin liners and filling the tins only about 2/3 or 3/4 full. Also, swapped out the chocolate chips for chopped dates and they were 👌
ReplySounds delicious!! I like the swap you made. I've made these so many times but I don't know I've made them without muffin cups so thanks for letting me know.
Delicious! Wondering if they need to be kept in the fridge and how long they should last?
ReplyYes, I store them in the fridge and they are gone in a couple of days. But they should be good up to a week or freeze them up to 3 months! Sorry for the delay in getting back to you!
No worries. Thanks!
I made these yummy muffins today! Thank you for your post regarding freezing and for sharing! They are delicious!!!
ReplyGlad you enjoy them!