Healthy Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Chocolate Chunks

Today is National Coffee Day – didn’t know that was a thing! – and so in light of this, I decided to post a recipe that goes great with a delicious hot coffee in the morning:

These healthy pumpkin spice muffins do the trick!

After all, I love me some pumpkin muffins…

Well, let’s be real – I love pretty much everything pumpkin… But I love a delicious pumpkin baked good more than anything!

This time of year it is really hard to stay on track with all the fall-flavored temptations, from the pumpkin spice lattes to muffins… Then we get into the whole Thanksgiving season with pumpkin pie (and that’s another story).

Sometimes you have to enjoy yourself and go for that pumpkin spice latte with the whipped cream, enjoy it and just move on! But if you’re like me and have a big sweet tooth, you will want to have “healthier” options to help during this time.

These healthy pumpkin spice muffins with chocolate chunks are everything you want in a muffin. They are rich, filling, sweet and spicy – and the chocolate chunks… OMG those are good!

Especially right out of the oven or warmed in the microwave for a bit; the chocolate chunks really make you stop yourself and say “Are you sure these are healthy?” I have done this many times already! Haha 🙂

Pairing these muffins with your coffee in the morning or as an afternoon treat will not disappoint one bit… And because they are healthy they will leave you feeling satisfied, but not like you overdid it!

Ingredients:

1 cup canned pumpkin
2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 cup plus 1 tbsp oat flour (oats that have been blended into powder; make sure to measure after you have blended oats)
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray (I used coconut oil spray); you don’t need muffin liners.
3. In a large bowl combine pumpkin, honey, light brown sugar, vanilla, and egg. Beat with hand mixer or whisk until combined. Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl whisk together salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice and oat flour.
5. Start to slowly add the dry to the wet, mixing until fully combined. Don’t over-mix.
6. Add chocolate chips, reserving some for topping (I used about 2-3 for topping each muffin). Stir to combine.
7. Scoop the mixture into the muffin pan (makes 9 muffins), spreading mixture evenly.
8. Top with 2-3 chocolate chunks and place in the oven for 18-22 minutes (make sure not to over-bake them either).
9. Take out of the oven and let cool.

Nutritional Information:

Servings: 9
Serving Size: 1 muffin

Calories: 114
Fat: 5 g
Carbohydrates: 18 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sugar: 12 g
Protein: 2 g

Adapted from: Chelseas’s Messy Apron