Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

My family loves these gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip muffins so much, we make them all year round! These fluffy pumpkin muffins are loaded with warm spices and melty chocolate chips in every bite, plus a secret ingredient that adds amazing flavor!

I’m not kidding when I say this gluten-free pumpkin muffin recipe is the recipe made the most often in my home. They’re so good, we don’t just limit ourselves to pumpkin season! I make it more often than any of the other recipes on my site, since we make a batch a few times a month. We’ve easily made it 20-25 times per year for the last 10+ years!

And in all that time, we’ve never ever gotten tired of them. Why? There’s so much to love! These delicious gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip muffins have it all:

• Soft, fluffy texture
• Cozy warm spices & pumpkin flavor
• Naturally sweetened & dairy-free
• Easy to make
• Easy to pack for school lunches, car trips, or snacks on the go

They’re made from simple, wholesome ingredients, including one surprise ingredient you might not expect…

Simple Ingredients To Start

One thing I LOVE about this gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip muffin recipe is that most of the key ingredients are pantry staples it’s easy to keep on hand + one secret ingredient. Let’s take a look:

• Canned Pumpkin Puree. A whole can of unsweetened pumpkin puree goes into these delicious pumpkin muffins. They’re extra moist & full of flavor, and there’s no leftover pumpkin to worry about.
• Orange Juice. Surprise! This secret ingredient makes a HUGE difference. The brightness of the orange juice adds a subtle flavor that’s beautiful with the spices and pumpkin. And, the acidity reacts with the baking soda to produce fluffy muffins. Win-win-win!
• Pure Maple Syrup. These healthy pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup. We don’t recommend pancake syrup or honey here!
• Avocado Oil or Coconut Oil. You only need /4 cup of oil for the whole recipe!
• Eggs. For the perfect texture & puff.
• Gluten-Free Flour. These pumpkin chocolate chip muffins keep things simple with a measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend. We love this one from King Arthur, but if you use another brand, make sure it contains xanthan gum. Weigh or measure carefully to avoid packing extra flour into the measuring cups.
• Gluten-Free Rolled Oats. Look for certified gluten-free oats here. We want rolled oats, sometimes labeled “old-fashioned oats” not instant or quick oats. 
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda. For the perfect tenderness and rise.
• Salt. To balance the flavors.
• Warm Spices. A blend of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves adds that pumpkin spice flavor I love, in just the right ratios.
• Chocolate Chips. Last, but not least, you’ll need some semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips! To keep these dairy-free, use dairy-free chocolate chips like Guittard, Enjoy Life, or Toll House allergy friendly chocolate chips.

How To Make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a metal 12-cup muffin pan with parchment paper liners in each of the muffin cups and set aside. 
2. Combine Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine gluten-free flour, gluten-free oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Whisk to combine and set aside.
3. Combine Wet Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin puree, orange juice, maple syrup, and eggs. Whisk to combine until fully blended and smooth.
4. Assemble Batter. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir until almost fully combined. Add 1 cup chocolate chips and stir just until evenly blended.
5. Rest Batter (If You Can). If possible, let the batter rest 30-60 minutes. This will make the batter fluffier and lighter and improve the texture of the muffins. You can also chill the batter overnight if you plan to make the muffins in the morning.
6. Scoop & Bake. Use an ice cream scoop to measure 1/4 cup of batter into each muffin cup. For pretty presentation, sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips and a small sprinkle of oats on top of the muffins. Bake in the preheated oven 18-20 minutes. 
7. Cool & Repeat. Remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool in the muffin tin 1-2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Repeat baking process until all muffins are baked.
8. Serve & Store. Enjoy muffins right away or store in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature 1-2 days. Or, store in a freezer bag and freeze up to 2 months.

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Try Parchment Liners! These parchment paper muffin liners are THE MOST nonstick we’ve EVER tried. You can see how well they just fall off the sides of the muffin in the photos and video. No more losing half of your delicious muffin to the wrapper!

Can I Use Another Type Of Flour? These gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip muffins were formulated specifically for 1:1 or measure-for-measure flour blends. The recipe will not work with almond flour or coconut flour unless other adjustments are made to the recipe.

Can I Use Milk Instead of Orange Juice? We highly recommend orange juice here. The acidity helps produce light, fluffy muffins (an effect similar to buttermilk), and the subtle citrus note adds lovely flavor!

Can I Use Pumpkin Spice Instead? If you prefer to use pre-made pumpkin pie spice, you certainly can. We love the custom blend of warm pumpkin spices we use below!

Recipe Card