Dark Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

It's fall!  Which means that everything pumpkin is in full-effect!  And our household is no exception.  This past Sunday, Ethan asked to bake something in the kitchen and these cupcakes were calling my name.  They're less sweet than a cupcake and more substantial too...they're the perfect breakfast pastry or afternoon snack.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1/4 cup oil (canola, vegetable or coconut)
• 1/4 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 and 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 and 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Lightly grease jumbo muffin pan. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin spice).
4. Add chocolate chips and stir in until coated.
5. In another mixing bowl, mix together the wet ingredients (pumpkin puree, oil, yogurt, vanilla and eggs). Add sugar and mix well.
6. Stir in the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix only until combined. Do not overmix.
7. Divide the batter among muffins cups.
8. Bake muffins for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven, lower the temperature to 375 degrees F and bake muffins for 12 to 15 minutes longer OR until the toothpick inserted in the center of each muffin comes out clean.  (I slightly over-baked them at 15 minutes...next time, I'll bake them for less time).
9. Cool the muffins in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan onto a cooling rack or wooden board.

Have you made anything "pumpkiny" this season yet?

xo natasha