I wish you could smell it in my house right now! It smells of pumpkin, nutmeg and cinnamon. Mmmmm…

As you may or may not know, my little sister is visiting this week from Los Angeles. And, since the season is fall (never mind the 80 degree weather outside), we decided we must build a traditional favorite fall treat. Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins. She hasn’t been around during the fall for some years now, so we jumped on this opportunity to conjure some nostalgia and fill our bellies with pumpkin delight.

This is particularly special because it is a family recipe and I actually had to pull out my old recipe box and locate the recipe card! Luckily, it must have been the last thing I used the old recipe box for (a year ago), as it was right in the front! Phew!

I can’t even tell you some of the other recipes in here! It’s been so long since I haven’t just pulled a recipe off the internet or from a magazine! Oh recipe box, I think I miss you…maybe.

I do declare I’ve heard from more than two sources recently that there is a pumpkin shortage again this year. My mom was able to find a can at the natural grocery store for $5!! Yowza. And, due to the shortage last year, I had one can still left in my pantry.

I will have you know that I saved the remaining half cup and plan to use it, so as not to feel bad about wasting such a coveted puree.

While I added the oil and water to the pumpkin puree, my sis was mixing the dry ingredients.

My mom figured out years ago that adding apple sauce in place of half the oil is a healthier alternative. Its the only way my oldest guy will eat the stuff!

Here she’s adding the dry ingredients: nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar, flour baking soda.

Throw an entire bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips in there on top of the batter.

 

Then mix ’em in. There are so many that you’ll get a mouthful of chocolate in each bite.

Usually I prefer to pour the batter directly into the muffin tin, but I have mistreated my muffin tins lately and they don’t appear flawless anymore so I feel the need to use muffin cups.

For normal muffin pans, place them in the oven at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. My sis is really getting into this, she’s the one who reminded me to include the timer in this post. Now you’re gettin’ it, sister!

Here is a completed muffin. They are just a perfect five bite treat.

Or maybe three bites…

But just look at how many delicious chocolate morsels lie within the pumpkin muffin goodness. My son just got home from school and is working on his third one, I just realized. It’s OK, pumpkin and apple sauce are healthy!

Here’s the recipe:

Mix Dry Ingredients:

31/2 C. Flour

1 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

2 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Nutmeg

2 1/2 C. Sugar

Mix Wet Ingredients:

1/2 C. Canola Oil

4 Eggs

2/3 C. Water

1/2 C. Apple Sauce

2 C. Pumpkin Puree

Combine slowly the dry ingredients into the moist ingredients then fold in 1 12 ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Fill muffin cups only half full and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Enjoy!