Moist Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Muffins
Indulge in the comforting embrace of autumn with these exceptionally moist pumpkin muffins, generously studded with creamy white chocolate chips. Each bite offers a harmonious blend of warm spices and rich sweetness, making them an irresistible treat for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon pick-me-up. They are delightfully tender and burst with seasonal flavor.
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
22 minutes
Total Time
45 minutes
Servings
Makes 12 muffins
Keywords
Why This Recipe Delivers
- Delivers an unparalleled moist and tender crumb thanks to the pumpkin purée and vegetable oil.
- A perfect balance of warm autumn spices and the sweet creaminess of white chocolate chips.
- Relatively quick and easy to prepare, making it ideal for a weekend baking project or a last-minute treat.
- Fills your home with an irresistible aroma that truly signals the arrival of the fall season.
Ingredients
- 240g (1 cup) pumpkin purée
- 160ml (2/3 cup) vegetable oil
- 100g (1/2 cup) packed light brown sugar
- 100g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 10ml (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
- 210g (1 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 5g (1 teaspoon) baking powder
- 2.5g (1/2 teaspoon) baking soda
- 2.5g (1/2 teaspoon) fine sea salt
- 7.5g (1 1/2 teaspoons) pumpkin pie spice
- 5g (1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
- 140g (7/8 cup) white chocolate chips, reserving 30g (2 tablespoons) for topping
Instructions
- Prepare your oven and muffin tin by preheating the oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners to ensure easy release and cleanup, or thoroughly grease each cup with a non-stick cooking spray if you prefer to bake directly in the tin.
- In a generously sized mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Whisk together the pumpkin purée, vegetable oil, packed brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and evenly combined. This ensures all the liquid components and sugars are fully incorporated, creating a unified base for the batter.
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients. This includes the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and ground cinnamon. Sifting helps to aerate the flour, prevent lumps, and evenly distribute the leavening agents and spices, leading to a lighter, more uniform muffin texture.
- Gently fold the sifted dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Use a rubber spatula and mix just until the ingredients are barely combined. It is crucial to avoid overmixing at this stage, as overworking the flour can develop the gluten too much, resulting in tough, dense muffins rather than light and fluffy ones. A few streaks of flour are acceptable.
- Prepare your white chocolate chips. Reserve approximately 30 grams (2 tablespoons) of the white chocolate chips to sprinkle on top of the muffins before baking. Then, gently fold the remaining white chocolate chips into the batter. Distribute them evenly throughout the mixture without overmixing.
- Divide the muffin batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups. Each cup should be filled about three-quarters full. This allows enough room for the muffins to rise beautifully without overflowing during baking. Once divided, sprinkle the reserved white chocolate chips over the top of each muffin for an appealing visual finish.
- Transfer the muffin tin to the preheated oven and bake for 18 to 22 minutes. Begin checking for doneness around the 18-minute mark. The muffins are ready when they are golden brown, spring back lightly when touched, and a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, indicating they are fully cooked through.
- Once baked, remove the muffin tin from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. This brief resting period helps the muffins to set and firm up slightly. After 5 minutes, carefully transfer the muffins from the tin to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Cooling on a rack prevents the bottoms from becoming soggy and maintains their delightful texture.
Tools You’ll Need
- Standard 12-cup muffin tin
- Paper muffin liners (optional)
- Large mixing bowls (2)
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wire cooling rack
- Sifter or fine-mesh sieve
Essential Success Tips
- Ensure your eggs are at room temperature; this allows them to emulsify more effectively with other ingredients, resulting in a smoother, more cohesive batter and a better rise.
- Do not overmix the batter once the dry ingredients are added. Mix only until no streaks of flour remain to ensure a tender and moist crumb.
- Precisely measure your pumpkin purée. Using too much can make the muffins overly dense, while too little might compromise their signature moisture.
- Resist the urge to open the oven door frequently while baking, as this can cause the muffins to collapse. Trust the visual cues and the toothpick test towards the end of the baking time.
- Allow muffins to cool completely on a wire rack. Trapping steam in the muffin tin can make the bottoms soggy and compromise the texture.
Professional Cooking Secrets
- For an extra depth of flavor, lightly toast the pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding them to the dry ingredients. This awakens their aromatic compounds.
- Add a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg along with the other spices to elevate the pumpkin pie spice blend with a brighter, more complex aroma.
- Consider browning the butter slightly before adding it (cooled) in place of some of the vegetable oil for a nutty, caramel note that complements the pumpkin beautifully.
Notes
- Storage: These muffins are best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerated for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature.
- Variations: Feel free to swap out the white chocolate chips for dark chocolate chips, or add a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts for a textural contrast. A streusel topping (butter, flour, sugar, cinnamon) can also be added before baking for extra crunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin purée?
Yes, you absolutely can! If using fresh pumpkin, ensure it is cooked and puréed until very smooth, with any excess moisture pressed out. The texture and consistency should be similar to canned pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling.
My muffins turned out dry; what went wrong?
The most common culprit for dry muffins is overmixing the batter once the flour is added. Overmixing develops the gluten, leading to a tough, dry texture. Another reason could be overbaking; always check for doneness with a toothpick and remove them from the oven promptly.
Can I make this recipe dairy-free?
To make this recipe dairy-free, you would need to substitute the white chocolate chips with a dairy-free white chocolate alternative. The other ingredients (pumpkin, oil, eggs, flour, spices) are typically dairy-free.
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Approximate per muffin (based on 12 servings): Calories: 320, Total Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 35mg, Sodium: 220mg, Total Carbohydrates: 40g, Dietary Fiber: 1g, Total Sugars: 27g, Protein: 4g.
Allergy Information
Contains wheat (gluten), eggs, and dairy (from white chocolate chips). For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. For a dairy-free option, ensure you use dairy-free white chocolate chips.
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