Cookbook: Low-Fat Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pie Muffins

Believe it or not, I never used to be a big fan of pumpkin pie. I always found it a bit too sweet and mushy for my taste. So, at holiday gatherings like Thanksgiving or Christmas, I usually opted for apple pie or any other kind of dessert. However, this year I've been on a big pumpkin kick—pumpkin tea, pumpkin ale, pumpkin cookies, and yes...chocolate chip pumpkin pie muffins :) I found this recipe on Pinterest about a month ago, and have already made them three times! I made this latest batch for a Friendsgiving my roommates and I are going to this weekend and doubled the recipe to make about 20 muffins. I'm a big fan of "healthy" baking, so these muffins are low in sugar and dairy-free (minus the chocolate chips—which are optional but highly recommended). So far, they've been a hit with all my friends and are pretty addictive. I may or may not have finished like four in one sitting the last time I made them–this is not recommended.

Low-Fat Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pie Muffins

(adapted from Ambitious Kitchen)

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup oatmeal

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup canned pumpkin (I used Libby's—the classic)

⅓ cup dark brown sugar

2 egg whites, slightly beaten

⅔ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

⅓ cup unsweetened all-natural applesauce

½ ripe banana, mashed

½ cup chocolate chips (add more or less based on preference)

Extra oatmeal, for sprinkling on muffins

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375-400 degrees (my oven is really old, so I had it set to 400 degrees) and line your muffin tin with 10-12 paper or foil baking cups.

In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients (flour, oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt) together.

In a separate, larger bowl combine the other ingredients (pumpkin, brown sugar, beaten egg whites, almond milk, applesauce, and mashed banana) and stir until you have a smooth mixture.

Slowly add the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture and stir to combine, then fold in the chocolate chips.

Fill each muffin cup ¾ full so that each is even and sprinkle a tiny bit of oatmeal on top of each muffin. However, for a larger muffin top, fill them all the way up–this will yield about 10 muffins instead of 12.

 Place into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of muffins comes out clean.

These muffins are best served warm and stay fresh for a few days. Just to warn you, they have a pumpkin pie-like texture, so don't expect "normal" fluffy muffins. Enjoy!