These perfectly-spiced pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are soft and tender, studded with chocolate, and topped with a buttery spiced crumb. They’re also quick and easy thanks to a short-cut of a boxed cake mix! A full can of pumpkin adds flavor and tenderness. These are so easy you’ll be making them all season long!
Ingredient and Equipment Notes
- Spice Cake Mix – I have been partial to Duncan Hines cake mixes for years, I’ve found them to be high quality and consistent so that’s usually what I grab. In recent years spice cake has been a little harder to find in my stores, so in this batch I’ve photographed I’m using a Betty Crocker mix and it also turned out great.
- Pumpkin – you’ll use a full 15oz can of pumpkin puree. I usually buy Libby’s brand. Just be sure to buy pumpkin puree, and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Eggs
- Sour Cream – I always use full fat
- Chocolate chips – I prefer semi-sweet chocolate chips for most all baking, but you can use your favorite. Mini chocolate chips work great in muffins.
- Streusel – for the streusel, you’ll need sugar, all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, and butter.
- Stand mixer
- Muffin tin
How to Make Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line 2 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
- Place the dry cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, oil, and vanilla in a stand mixer. Beat on low speed for about 30 seconds or until the dry ingredients are moistened, then beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is smooth. Add in the chocolate chips and stir until combined.
- Mix your streusel and sprinkle on top of muffins.
- Bake for 20 – 30 minutes.
Storage & Other Tips
- Storage:
- Room Temperature (2–4 days)
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Line the bottom with paper towels to absorb moisture and preserve freshness .
- Refrigeration (up to 1 week)
- Refrigerate to extend freshness—but note the streusel may soften. For best results, warm briefly before serving.
- Freezing (up to 2–3 months)
- Flash-freeze cooled muffins on a baking sheet, then transfer to sealed freezer bags, streusel side up. Thaw at room temperature or microwave for 15–20 seconds.
- To avoid overly dense muffins, do not over-mix. Stir just until the flour disappears to keep them light and fluffy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes! They still taste great when made a day ahead of time, I just store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Can these muffins be frozen?
You bet. Freeze in a single layer and then pop in a container or zip top bag- just know the streusel might fall off if they are being banged around a bit in a bag.
How do I prevent chocolate chips from sinking?
Toss them lightly in flour before folding into the batter—this helps them stay suspended evenly.
Can I skip the streusel?
Yes, though it’s what makes these special! If you do skip it, sprinkle a bit of sugar on top for sweetness and texture.
Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Moist, flavorful spice muffins with a crumbly streusel topping. Quick and easy using a box mix as a base!
Servings muffins
Equipment
- muffin tin this recipe makes 24, so you will want use two 12-count muffin tins
Ingredients
Muffins
- 1 15-oz box spice cake mix I prefer Duncan Hines if you can find it, but Betty Crocker also turns out well
- 1 15-oz can pumpkin puree do not use pumpkin pie filling
- 1 cup sour cream I recommend full-fat
- 3 eggs
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 12-ounce package chocolate chips
Streusel Topping
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 3 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Muffins
- Ignore the directions on the box. Preheat oven to 350℉. Line 2 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cake mix, pumpkin, sour cream oil, eggs, and vanilla. Mix on low for 30 seconds or until all the ingredients have been moistened, then beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until the batter is smooth. Mix in the chocolate chips.
Streusel Topping
- Divide the batter evenly in the cupcake liners. Whisk together the flour, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice, then cut in the butter with two knives until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (or wet sand). Sprinkle the topping over the batter.
- Bake the muffins for 20-30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out completely clean. Cool on a wire rack before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 138kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 9mg, Sodium: 15mg, Potassium: 16mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 110IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 11mg, Iron: 0.1mg
Calories: 138kcal
Cost: $5
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Questions & Reviews
I love pumpkin everything! This is a great variation of normal pumpkin chocolate chip muffins.
taking this recipe to helen’s this week and we will make them. yum!!!! i dislike so much cupcake liners because they DON”T hold their shape!!!! so these are great! thank you!
Looks delicious — can’t wait to try it. But even more importantly, please tell me about that cute green bottle that has milk in it in the pic. 🙂
Oh gosh. Sorry. I should have read the other comments first. I see someone else loved the green bottle too!
Those look delicious!
I have a gas oven, things do seem to take longer to bake. Should we bake them for 30 minutes then?
Sounds so yummy! And it’s cold here in Ohio (40’s at night) BRRR! I’m not ready yet! I have a little story about your blog…I was reading it the other night…both stories about the room makeovers and my hubby was in the kitchen retipping (is that a word? LOL) his pool sticks. I was laughing so hard he wanted me to read it out loud to him….well apparently he couldn’t listen, laugh and do tips because he cut his finger with his utility blade and I thought he was going to need stitches. YUCK! I guess I won’t be reading him your blog when he’s working with sharp objects. LOL! Loved your rooms…are you sure you wouldn’t want to add home decorating to your blog??
I just recently had a pumpkin muffin and I have been craving another ever since. You have wonderful timing! 😉
I have never seen streusel on a cupcake – so these are definitely muffins!
Gas ovens are picky and it took me a long time to get used to mine. My general rule is err to the lower side – better to stick it back in for a few minutes than burn it! On a plus side, you can stick stuff in to start before the oven is fully preheated (I ALWAYS forget to turn on the oven until I’m ready to put whatever I’m baking in). Beware of broiling – SO HARD with a gas oven! In my dream kitchen, I would have a gas stove with an electric oven!
I love this recipe! I use a similar one for cookies, but then I only use the pumpkin pie filling and the spice cake mix. I don’t have to measure anything else. The house always smells delicious afterwards as well!
Where, oh where, did you get that green bottle???!!!???
Amber, is it not awesome?! I have a total weakness for glass bottles. I got it here: http://www.bakeitpretty.com/apothecary-glass-bottles/ and yes, I do actually drink from them. In fact, milk tastes about a million times better in them, although I can’t explain why… 🙂
Probably the same reason milk tastes so great drinking it out of my grandmother’s aluminum tumblers. (The kind that started life as jelly jars.)
I am all about streusel topping!! One of my favorite things ever.
I love to keep the house cold too. I can’t sleep unless I have a huge pile of blankets on me and I can’t have a huge pile of blankets on me unless the house is cold. So yes…this makes sense. 🙂
Um, me, too!! In fact, I was just thinking this morning about how I need to wash our heavy blanket for the bed so we can pile on the cozy covers when our house is freezing at night because I’m about to husband-proof that thermostat… 🙂