These 3 ingredient pumpkin muffins are fluffy, moist, and so easy to make! Made with spice cake mix and canned pumpkin puree, these easy pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are ready to enjoy in 30 minutes.
Sometimes you just need a quick baking win, and boy oh boy, are these muffins just that! These 3 ingredient pumpkin muffins with cake mix couldn’t be easier! Made with 3 shelf stable ingredients that you can keep in your pantry for any baking emergency (or for when you have surprise visitors). No eggs, no oil, no milk, no problem!
Make these muffins for breakfast, brunch, or as a festive fall snack! Pumpkin spice cake muffins are also a great bake to share with neighbors, friends, and family as a nice little fall surprise.
If you love pumpkin treats as much as I do, you’d also love pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting! You can also make the most of pumpkin season by enjoying a pumpkin pie protein shake, pumpkin mac and cheese, and a pumpkin cold foam coffee!
Jump to:
- Tell Me About These Pumpkin Muffins with Cake Mix
- Ingredients Needed
- Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Modifications for Dietary Restrictions: Gluten-Free
- Are These Pumpkin Muffins Healthy?
- Expert Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- Love This Recipe? You May Also Enjoy
- 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins
- More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes
Tell Me About These Pumpkin Muffins with Cake Mix
Level of difficulty: Easy.
Flavor: Pumpkin and warm fall spices.
Time: It will take you 30 minutes to mix up and bake a batch of these easy pumpkin spice cake muffins with chocolate chips.
Ingredients Needed
All you need to make these 3 ingredient pumpkin muffins are one box of spice cake mix, one can of pumpkin puree, and mini chocolate chips!
It’s really that easy. The basis for these muffins is really two ingredients, the spice cake mix and the pumpkin puree. So if you’d prefer, you can make these into wonderfully delicious 2 ingredient pumpkin muffins too.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Select a different chocolate chip: you can also use full-sized semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or white chocolate chips in this recipe.
- Change the mix-in: not feeling pumpkin chocolate chip muffins? Swap out the mix-in! Other options include: chopped pecans, chopped walnuts, raisins, craisins, or butterscotch chips.
- Top with turbinado sugar: a sprinkle of turbinado sugar on top of any muffin is a welcome addition! Do this in addition to the additional chocolate chips on top, or instead of them!
- Make a 2 ingredient pumpkin muffin: leave out the mix-in all together and enjoy a moist and fluffy pumpkin spice muffin.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Place spice cake mix and pumpkin puree in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
Step 2: Stir together until a uniform batter has been formed (no pockets of dry cake mix remain).
Step 3: Add chocolate chips.
Step 4: Stir to distribute throughout the batter.
Step 5: Divide the batter between 12 lined (or greased) muffin tins.
Step 6: Add additional chocolate chips on top before putting in the oven to bake.
Bake for 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (a few crumbs are ok). Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Modifications for Dietary Restrictions: Gluten-Free
If looking to make gluten free 3 ingredient pumpkin muffins, select a gluten free cake mix. Please note: I have not tried this substitutions myself, but believe it should work well.
Are These Pumpkin Muffins Healthy?
Because these simple pumpkin chocolate chip muffins do not use eggs, oil, milk, or butter they are relatively low in fat. Pumpkin is also packed with a ton of nutrients, antioxidants, fiber, and is considered to be a low-calorie food.
However, some cake mixes may have ingredients that wouldn’t necessarily fit in the healthy category. Look at the ingredient list of the brands of cake mix in your grocery store’s baking aisle to make the best choice for your needs.
Expert Tips
Use a large cookie scoop to portion your pumpkin chocolate chip muffin batter into your muffin tins. A large cookie scoop is the perfect size to portion out 12 muffins for this recipe. I love using cookie scoops for all kinds of tasks in my kitchen, and find them to be a worthwhile investment if you like to bake a lot.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Yellow cake mix will also work to make pumpkin muffins with cake mix! To get that fall spice profile, add 1-2 tablespoons of pumpkin pie spice to the batter as well.
Yes! Note: a 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree is approximately 1 + ½ cups of pumpkin.
Canned pumpkin puree, or 100% pure pumpkin, only contains cooked and mashed pumpkin whereas pumpkin pie filling contains cooked and mashed pumpkin with added flavors, spices, and sometimes added sugars. Using 100% pumpkin allows you to customize your dishes with the spices and flavors you want. Since we are using a spice cake mix already that has a great spice-profile and enough sweetness, 100% pure pumpkin puree should be used in this recipe.
Yes! To do so, ensure your 3 ingredient pumpkin muffins are fully cooled and then wrap them individually in plastic-wrap (aka saran wrap). Place them in a gallon-sized freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 weeks. To thaw, remove individual muffins from the freezer and let them sit at room temperature for about 1 hour. You can also warm them up directly from the freezer, removing the plastic wrap and microwaving them for 15-30 seconds!
Love This Recipe? You May Also Enjoy
Did you make this recipe? Tag @ourlovelanguageisfood on Instagram & Facebook & be sure to leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ & comment 📃 below!
3 Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 , 15.25oz box of spice cake mix
- 1 , 15oz can pumpkin puree
- ⅔ C mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 muffin tins with cupcake liners, or grease generously, and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the spice cake mix and pumpkin puree until a uniform batter has been made.
- Mix in the mini chocolate chips (reserving a small portion for the top of the muffins if desired).
- Divide the muffin batter between 12 muffin cups (and top with remaining chocolate chips if desired).
- Bake for 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (a few crumbs are ok).
- Allow to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store fully cooled muffins in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Notes
- Select a different chocolate chip: you can also use full-sized semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or white chocolate chips in this recipe
- Change the mix-in: not feeling pumpkin chocolate chip muffins? Swap out the mix-in! Other options include: chopped pecans, chopped walnuts, butterscotch chips
- Make a 2 ingredient pumpkin muffin: leave out the mix-in all together and enjoy a moist and fluffy pumpkin spice muffin.
Vanessa says
Can I make these a day in advance prior to serving at a potluck the next day?
Meredith says
Hi Vanessa, these 3 ingredient pumpkin chocolate chip muffins can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, so yes, you can make them the day ahead of a potluck. Just make sure the muffins are fully cooled before putting them into your container (to prevent moisture build-up). Can’t wait to hear how they turn out!
Meghan says
I’ve made these 3 times so far this fall! So easy!
Meredith says
Yay Meg, I’m so happy you guys are enjoying these!!
David says
These are just so obnoxiously easy and delicious. Just wow.
Meredith says
🙌🙌🙌 SO EASY. glad you loved them too!
Sam says
I whipped up a double batch of these to take to a gathering and they were so easy and delicious. My kids ate through our “home” batch in minutes.
Meredith says
I’m so happy to hear the kiddos loved them, and that this recipe worked well for your gathering! Thanks for making my recipe ❤
Mary says
Love! Love! Love these pumpkin spice muffins! Super easy. Super tasty. So simple to make! I will be making these for all the fall events! 🎃🎃🎃
Meredith says
I’m so happy to hear that you loved them too!! Enjoy!
Belinda says
Chocolate and pumpkin? Perfect! I love it.