Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (whole wheat, dairy-free, refined sugar-free)

As far as breakfast menu items go, pumpkin bread is definitely one of my favorites, if not my very favorite. I also love muffins. That’s what makes this recipe so great – two favorites combined. I don’t know what it is about a muffin. Maybe it’s the yummy top – you know the “muffin top”. I especially love a mini muffin. They are like a little mouthful of joy.

I also happen to believe that pumpkin doesn’t just belong in the fall. I love pumpkin throughout the year and this recipe made it’s appearance several times throughout the summer. The recipe is actual my grandmother’s but I’ve adapted it so that it is nourishing. Here’s to adapted family recipes and deliciousness!

A few notes on the ingredients because some may be new or unfamiliar to you.

I’ve tried to adapt this recipe before using plain whole wheat flour and the result was a super dense product. The secret to this adaptation is whole wheat pastry flour. It makes for a moist, fluffy muffin. The reason I use sprouted flour is because it is more digestible and much healthier – which is also the reason I sprout my own “wheat berries” and use my flour mill to grind them into flour; by the time flour makes it to your kitchen, it has lost 80% of its nutrients so fresh ground and frozen/refrigerated is best. Perhaps more on flour/wheat in another post. If you “aren’t there” yet, whole wheat pastry flour can be found in the bulk section of Whole Foods.

I use coconut sugar as the sweetener is this recipe. It is by far my favorite sugar replacement. Regular sugar can be used but its very nasty for you.

Also, these are best eaten hot or refrigerated.

So without further ado….

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins/Regular Ol’ Muffins/Bread (dairy free)

Makes loaves, 24 regular muffins, and countless (or more like 80ish) mini muffins

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups coconut sugar or palm sugar
• 1 cup organic, extra virgin coconut oil (or butter if you aren’t worried about dairy)
• 4 eggs (pastured eggs from a local farmer are best)
• 1 1/2 tsp salt (I use Redman Real Salt which I find in the bulk section at Whole Foods)
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups Sprouted Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
• 1 cup Sprouted Hard White Winter Wheat Flour
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 can (15 oz) organic pumpkin
• 1 cup or more mini Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips (these are dairy, soy, and nut free and I love them – I find them at Vitamin Cottage and Whole Foods)

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease whichever baking pan you are using (loaf pan, muffin tin, or mini muffin tin).
• In a standing mixer, combine sugar, oil, eggs, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Beat until well mixed.
• Add the baking soda.
• Add the flour and the water alternately and beat well.
• Add the can of pumpkin and again mix thoroughly.
• Add the chocolate chips and mix till combined.
• Now either divide the batter evenly between two loaf pans, or fill the muffin tins 2/3 full.
• Bake accordingly
  • Loaf pans: 50-55 minutes
  • Muffins: 14-16 minutes
  • Mini Muffins: 10-14 minutes (13 seems to be the sweet spot for my oven)

Like I said, I like these best hot out of the oven (in fact I will reheat them in the oven) or cold and refrigerated. I hope you like them.