130 Calorie Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Muffins.

These 130 calorie chocolate muffins taste like dessert. Lightly flavored with pumpkin, spices, and maple!

We’re back from one incredible honeymoon on Maui and Kauai. Of all the sights we saw, delicious food we ate (including tuna ceviche with coconut milk and macadamia nut crusted mahi mahi- omg) and drinks we tasted, I have to say that the sunrise at Haleakala Summit was absolutely my favorite part. Haleakala was 2 hours from our hotel, so you can imagine what time we woke up in the morning.

If you ever go to Maui, this is a sight you MUST see. Get there early to get a front row spot. It was 40 degrees at the top (10,000 feet), so bring warm clothes and a blanket. I had 3 blankets and was still shivering. Worth it. Look at this!

I saved a healthier recipe for today. Hopefully you had something indulgent for breakfast over the weekend – did you try these yet? – and are ready for something that won’t necessarily rot your teeth in the best way possible.

I made these fudgy muffins a few weeks ago and froze the rest. I ate two as I was unpacking avoiding unpacking my massive suitcase and doing laundry. They truly taste like a piece of chocolate cake. For only 130 calories.

Let’s talk about the calories. I do not count calories. I do not count calories for my recipes. Desserts are desserts. Eat it with a smile and move on. But muffins that I want to lighten up, I’ll definitely take time to smack a number on them. And only 130 calories for such a rich-tasting chocolate treat left me pleasantly surprised. Trust me, these chocolate pumpkin spice muffins do not taste like cardboard, I mean health food.

To make today’s muffins, I took my Skinny Double Chocolate Chip Muffins and switched some things around to include pumpkin puree. Pumpkin is a powerhouse! So much goodness for so little calories. I add a little bit of coconut oil for tenderness to offset pumpkin’s dense texture. A bit of brown sugar and maple syrup sweeten the muffins while complementing the light pumpkin taste. Lots of tasty fall spices in each bite, too.

While warm, all you really taste is chocolate. Totally not a bad thing! After a few hours, the pumpkin taste is intensified. Sort of like how banana bread and pumpkin bread are more flavorful on day 2. So, I consider these chocolate muffins with a little pumpkin rather than pumpkin muffins with chocolate. Get it? Got it. Good!

I use a mix of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour for these muffins. However, feel free to use all all-purpose flour or even white whole wheat flour. I do not recommend using all whole wheat flour (or whole wheat pastry flour) because the muffins will have a dense texture – not really appetizing and much too heavy.

The chocolate chips are optional. But let me tell you – the melty chocolate chips inside the muffin put these over the top! I like to use mini chocolate chips so there are more in each bite. If you like nuts, try toasting some chopped walnuts and tossing them in. Sort of  kind of almost like chocolate nut brownies… for breakfast.

Heck, swipe some cream cheese frosting on them to get a lightened-up pumpkin chocolate cupcake of sorts. Cream cheese is breakfast food so it’s ok.

I should probably go unpack be tortured now, but not before I eat more chocolate pumpkin muffins.

Follow me on Instagram and tag #sallysbakingaddiction so I can see all the SBA recipes you make. ♥

130 Calorie Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Yield: 12-13 muffins

These 130 calorie chocolate muffins taste like dessert. Lightly flavored with pumpkin, spices, and maple - you'll be happy to jump out of bed to bite into one this fall.

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup (185g) pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)


• 1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar


• 1/4 cup (82g) pure maple syrup


• 2 large egg whites


• 2/3 cup (160g) nonfat Greek yogurt¹


• 2 Tablespoons (30ml) coconut oil, melted


• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract


• 1/2 cup (62g) all-purpose flour (measured correctly)


• 1/2 cup (66g) whole wheat flour


• 1/2 cup (42g) unsweetened cocoa powder


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 1 teaspoon baking soda


• 1 teaspoon baking powder


• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon


• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice


• 1/3 cup (60g) mini chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F degrees. Spray 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray. If using cupcake liners, spray those lightly with nonstick spray. Set aside.


2. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, brown sugar, maple syrup, egg whites, greek yogurt, oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk them all together until smooth, with no yogurt lumps remaining.


3. Sift² the flours, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together into a large bowl. Slowly stir in the wet ingredients, being careful not to overmix. Get any dry pockets of flour out. Fold in the mini chocolate chips. The batter will be a little chunky and extremely, extremely thick.


4. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups - fill them all the way to the top if you can. If desired, sprinkle a few more mini chocolate chips on top before baking. Bake for 5 minutes at 425F. Keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the temperature down to 375³ and continue to bake for 13 more minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center of one muffin. If it comes out clean, they are done. If not, bake for only 2 more minutes.


5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 3 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 12 muffins. Muffins stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.


6. Make ahead tip: Muffins freeze well up to 3 months: heat up for 45 seconds to thaw. They are so good warm!

Recipe Notes:

1. I prefer nonfat Greek yogurt in these muffins. If using regular yogurt, a different fat percentage, and/or a flavored variety such as vanilla, the calorie count may be different.


2. Sifting the dry ingredients is optional, but recommended. It helps get out any little cocoa lumps and ensures the heavy whole wheat flour and lighter all-purpose are evenly combined.


3. Why the initial high temperature? See my sky-high muffin dome tricks for more detail.

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Do you like pumpkin and chocolate together? Hope so.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here are my Skinny Double Chocolate Muffins

See more of my healthier muffin recipes.

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