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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!
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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
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!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Always full of incredible flavors, uniquely inspired, and delicious. I cannot count how many times this recipe was a huge hit with friends in our home..grateful for your generosity of sharing your gifts, passion, and mad skills. The chocolate pumpkin molten bread is fantastic too.
Hey Colleen,
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, I am so glad to hear this recipe always turns out nicely for you!
Delicious!
Thanks so much, Eleri!
What can you use instead of pumpkin butter as we don’t have it in the Netherlands
Hi Lalith,
You can make my recipe for homemade pumpkin butter:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/6-ingredient-spiced-pumpkin-butter/
Please let me know if you have any other questions!
I love this recipe. Have made it twice in the last few weeks and both times it came out perfectly! So delicious and easy.
Thanks so much, Allie! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe and appreciate you making it! Have the best day! xx
Hi I plan to take these to a party. Would this recipe still work? Do I need to modify any of the steps? Do I only bake for half the time and then finish baking right before the party,? Or just reheat before party?
Hi Lin,
I would just keep the recipe as written and plan to serve them at room temp, no big deal:) I hope you love this recipe! xx
How did this recipe not get a 5 star rating? I made this and It was absolutely delicious. I had to stop my family from finishing them before dinner.
Thank you Tieghan! Amazing!
Hey Venus,
Happy Monday! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe and appreciate you making it! Have a wonderful week! xxT
These are so so delicious!! Thanks for always giving us top notch recipes, and for even posting the less aesthetic ones, because many times they are the best ones😍
P.S. some of these comments are so harsh and demeaning, and I just wanted to say that the way you continue to respond kindly and with love is so encouraging. I make one of your recipes at least a couple times a week, and I absolutely LOVE them— please keep doing what you do🤍
Hi Annacie,
Thank you so much for your kind message:) I am so glad you enjoyed these muffins and appreciate you making them! Have the best weekend! xx
We absolutely loved these muffins and I will definitely make again. I also now want to get creative and add molten to other muffin recipes! Such a delicious treat. I am not sure what I did wrong, or right, but I ended up with a bit of a muffin top. The muffins I made did not sink in. I used only pumpkin puree in replacement of pumpkin butter. I also may have put too much of the molten in each muffin. It definitely came out the sides instead of staying in the middle. It was a fun recipe to make! Yum! Thank you!
Hey Sarah,
Wonderful! Thank you for making this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Have the best day! xx