Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Muffins Oh My!

I thought I invented the undeniably incredible combination of pumpkin and chocolate. It all started with my pumpkin bread, which turned to pumpkin muffins, which needed a little "something"... Next thing ya know, I ended up with sinfully delicious, melt-in-your-mouth muffins that are tender, chewy and, when warm, dripping with chocolate. Sometimes I wonder if my boys' friends sleep over JUST for the muffins in the morning.

Anyway, back to my realization - it seems like more than ever, stores are overloading their bakery shelves with ready-made pumpkin cakes, cookies, brownies, and quick breads. In the baking aisle, you can find mixes for those very same things (just add water, egg, blah, blah, blah). And they're adding chocolate. Good for them - they got my memo! Instead of trying a prepared baked goods, or prepackaged mixes, I urge you to try these muffins. Just be careful, you might start having a LOT Of sleepovers. :-)


Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

Note: Unlike below, sometimes I don't stir the chocolate chips into the batter. I spoon the pumpkin batter into the muffin pans and sprinkle mini semi-sweet chocolate chips over top. You can make them either way!

Cooking spray

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

15-ounce can pumpkin (not pie filling)

1/2 cup lowfat vanilla yogurt

1/4 cup melted unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels/chips or mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat three 12-cup mini muffin pans with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the brown sugar and eggs until blended. Beat in the pumpkin, yogurt, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Add the flour mixture and beat until just blended (don’t over-beat). Fold in the chocolate morsels.

Spoon the batter into 36 mini muffin cups.

Bake 10 minutes, until a wooden pick comes out clean.

Cool muffins, in pans, on a wire racks. Devour.

Makes 36 muffins