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Molten Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins: With a pocket of warm molten chocolate, these muffins melt in your mouth—so delicious! Made using pumpkin butter and canned pumpkin, then sweetened with brown sugar and stuffed with chocolate. Finish these off with a light sprinkle of sugar for a glistening muffin. Oh, and be sure to eat these warm!
Pumpkin seems to be all I can think about right now. Past seasons, maybe not so much, but this season I am in the pumpkin zone.
The combination of pumpkin and chocolate can often be overlooked, but I always find the two go really well together. The subtleness of the pumpkin is always nice when paired with a rich chocolate dessert.
So then I had this idea. I was working on our upcoming Thanksgiving menu and referring back to my molten chocolate crackle pie. I make it every Thanksgiving. It never disappoints.
I had the idea to mix a scoop of molten chocolate into a soft pumpkin muffin. Honestly, I was afraid these wouldn’t work, but they came out pretty close to perfect!
These are the details
Ingredients
- coconut oil or melted butter
- brown sugar, I prefer organic dark brown sugar
- vanilla
- eggs
- pumpkin butter
- pumpkin puree
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- granulated sugar
- cocoa powder
- dark chocolate
- cinnamon sugar
Special Tools
Absolutely none! Just a muffin/cupcake pan and some paper liners from the store!
Steps
Step 1: make the molten chocolate
This is really easy. Whisk an egg with granulated sugar and cocoa powder until smooth and glossy. Then, add the chocolate chunks and melted butter.
I use a 60% dark chocolate bar that’s 3.2 ounces.
Set the chocolate aside.
Step 2: make the muffin batter
Add the melted coconut oil to a bowl. You can also use a melted stick of salted butter. Both are great.
Add brown sugar, vanilla, eggs, pumpkin butter, and pumpkin puree. I like to use both pumpkin butter and pumpkin puree. The butter adds a really nice warm flavor with notes of maple and cinnamon. The puree ensures the muffin will bake up soft and fluffy with zero dryness.
Now add all the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Mix until the batter just comes together.
Step 3: assemble each muffin
Fill each muffin mold halfway with pumpkin batter, then spoon about a teaspoon of the molten chocolate into the center of each muffin. Cover the chocolate with pumpkin batter.
You should be able to make 12 muffins.
Step 4: bake
Sprinkle the top of each muffin with sugar. I use a pinch of cinnamon in my sugar. It’s subtle but yummy with the pumpkin.
Bake these for about 18 to 2o minutes. The longer you bake, the more set the chocolate will be. I found 17 to 18 minutes to be perfect. 17 minutes leaves the muffins a bit underdone, but 18 is just right!
Everyone’s oven bakes differently, though, so start checking at 18 minutes!
Eat!
Make sure to eat these warm. After baking, I let the muffins sit for no more than 2 minutes in the muffin pan before popping them out. The idea is to eat these warm. The chocolate will set as the muffins cool!
Share with friends and these will be finished in one sitting. So delicious!
Looking for other fall desserts? Here are my favorites:
Brown Sugar Maple Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie Pumpkin Pie
Pecan Pie Cookies with Butter Pecan Frosting
Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
Lastly, if you make these Molten Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Molten Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories Per Serving: 275 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
Molten Chocolate
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3.2 ounces dark or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 tablespoons melted salted butter
Muffins
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil or salted butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup pumpkin butter
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners.2. Make the molten chocolate. In a bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar, and cocoa powder, until well combined. Whisk in the melted butter and chocolate chunks. Set aside. 3. To make the muffins. In a bowl, stir together the coconut oil/butter, brown sugar, vanilla, eggs, pumpkin butter, and pumpkin puree. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined. Scoop half the batter evenly among the prepared pan, filling the molds only halfway. 4. Spoon 1 teaspoon of the molten chocolate into the center of each muffin. Cover the chocolate with the remaining pumpkin batter. It's ok of some of the chocolate is peeking through. If desired (I don't do this), use a pairing knife to swirl the chocolate into the batter. Do not over-mix. 5. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over each muffin. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the tops are just set. The longer you bake, the more set the molten will become. I found 18 minutes to be perfect. Eat these warm!
This post was originally published on October 25, 2024
Hey, is there something you recommend making with extra molten chocolate? Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth,
You could make cookies! Or one of these recipes:
https://fett-weg.today/molten-chocolate-coffee-blondies/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://fett-weg.today/hot-chocolate-molten-cookies/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> I hope this helps! xT
We loved this! Made into a loaf instead of muffins and baked it for 50 minutes. More than half the loaf is gone in less than 24 hours.
Hey Anna,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and your comment, I’m so glad it was enjoyed! Great idea to make it as a loaf! xxx
What exactly do you mean by “the molten”? Molten is an adjective and you keep referring to “the molten in these muffins” and I’m not quite sure what you are referring to? I want to make these but I’m not understanding how they are supposed to turn out?
Hi Jen,
The molten chocolate is what I am referring to. Please let me know if I can help in any other way! x
Was the goal to always have a sunken muffin? Did you attempt any adjustments to the recipe to get a rounded top even with the molten center? Not sure if altitude will affect my bake like some of the other comments suggest. Thanks!
Hi Emily,
No, the goal was never to have a sunken muffin:) I tested the recipe quite a bit and concluded that the molten is what caused them to sink in the center. It doesn’t both me or my family because the muffins are so yummy. I hope this helps! xx
My muffins did not sink in so I think the comments about altitude are correct. However, I would also say ‘molten’ is probably not the right word to use. I really enjoyed the cakey middle but probably would have swirled it more for a marble effect throughout had I known. I did use a gluten free flour instead as well. Overall yummy and would make again, but not my absolute new favorite.
Hey Hannah,
Happy November!! Thank you so much for trying these muffins and sharing your feedback! Glad to hear they were enjoyed! 🍂
I’m not an American follower, do traditional American muffins have a hole in them? Should that hole be filled up with some sort of filling? In my country, muffins typically have a dome shaped top. Thank you in advance!
Hey Sai,
Thanks for reading today. Typically, yes, most muffins have a domed shaped muffin top. But, because of the molten in the muffins these will not have a muffin top. All my test muffins turned out flatter because they’re just slightly underbaked! I’d still recommend trying the recipe, they are just not your usual muffin! Let me know if you have other questions! Hope you love these and happy November! xT
Isn’t there a chance of getting sick from underbaked muffins? I believe the flour has to reach and remain at specific temperatures to safely eat raw/uncooked. What time should I bake them to make sure they’re fully baked? Better safe than sorry!
Hey there! These are baked enough to be safe to eat but if you are concerned bake 24 minutes. Just note the molten chocolate will be pretty set and not as molten like. Hope you enjoy them! And happy November!
Why do these muffins look so sunken in?
Hi Elsa,
Because of the molten in the muffins these will not have a muffin top. All my test muffins turned out flatter because they’re just slightly underbaked! I’d still recommend trying the recipe, they are just not your usual muffin! Let me know if you have other questions! Hope you love these and happy November!
Any suggestions to avoid the sinking? I love a fluffy muffin top!
Hi Chelsea,
Because of the molten in the muffins these will not have a muffin top. All my test muffins turned out flatter because they’re just slightly underbaked! I’d still recommend trying the recipe, they are just not your usual muffin! Let me know if you have other questions! Hope you love these and happy November!
Hello! What can I do to make sure my muffins don’t sink like that? Thank you so much!
Hi Jesse,
Because of the molten in the muffins these will not have a muffin top. All my test muffins turned out flatter because they’re just slightly underbaked! I’d still recommend trying the recipe, they are just not your usual muffin! Let me know if you have other questions! Hope you love these and happy November!
No thank you, based on your comments it sounds like these weren’t fully tested. I’ll find another recipe that was developed and fully baked before being posted. Thanks!
What happened to your muffin tops? That’s the best part!
Hi Sandy,
Because of the molten in the muffins these will not have a muffin top. All my test muffins turned out flatter because they’re just slightly underbaked! I’d still recommend trying the recipe, they are just not your usual muffin! Let me know if you have other questions! Hope you love these and happy November!
Hi! I’d like to make these but wonder if I can use extra pumpkin puree instead of pumpkin butter? I do like baked goods to not be too sweet so hoping that would keep the correct consistency but cut down on the sweetness?
Hi Beth,
Yes, the extra pumpkin puree should work just fine for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
Do any adjustments need to be made for baking in a high altitude area? I recently moved and my baking is suffering!
Thank you!
Laurie
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
Hi Laurie, I’d recommend checking out these charts for high altitude adjustments in baking. Tieghan doesn’t adjust for altitude, which is why her muffins always look so sunken in.
Hi Laurie,
You should be able to follow this recipe as written without any issues:) Please let me know if you give it a try! xT
But your muffins are completely sunken in, which is exactly what happens when you *don’t* adjust for altitude. One of them looks like a doughnut for godsakes
The video that Tieghan posted is an example of what happens if you DON’T adjust your recipe for altitude. She insists that no adjustments are necessary, but the video proves that this is incorrect. The muffins are raw in the middle; NOT molten as I’m sure everyone can see. How can she insist that altitude adjustments aren’t important? The raw, sunken centers indicate otherwise.
Love the idea of pairing pumpkin with chocolate!
Thanks so much, Jackie! I hope you love this recipe, have a great weekend! xT
What can we use instead of pumpkin butter? I can’t find it anywhere!
Order online if local stores do not sell pumpkin butter. Amazon and many other web sites sell various brands. You can also make your own with any number of recipes found online. There’s a HBH recipe https://fett-weg.today/6-ingredient-spiced-pumpkin-butter/%3C/a%3E Apple butter or applesauce may be a substitute but might alter the flavor of the muffins a little. You could probably just omit the pumpkin butter entirely and just double the amount of pumpkin puree.
Hi Amy,
You can use additional puree in place of the pumpkin butter. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT