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Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins (Real Food, Paleo, Vegetarian)

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I love to bake, but unlike regular cooking, I just never think about creating a recipe for a baked treat. I have 4,123 cookbooks that allow me to produce plenty of legit Paleo desserts and other yummy treats as it is.  And since some Paleo-approved ingredients may be pricy, risking a batch of something only to have it fail just does not appeal to me.  But last weekend, my son mentioned having a craving for a doughnuts.  And I mentioned that conversation to my husband.  And doughnuts was ALL he could talk about that weekend.

But I do have a confession to make:  I am not an all-things-pumpkin kind of person.  You know that type of person, right?  The one that count down the last of the summer days just to get into flavored coffees, ice cream, and who knows what else?  I don't know!  I mean, I  like pumpkin pie well enough, but maybe because Thanksgiving only comes around once a year and I do not have to think about it again for another year.

Well, now these muffins may have changed my mind!  I thought about the ingredients long and hard, even changed my mind on an ingredient exactly halfway through the mixing process, but guess what? These muffins turned out perfectly moist and absolutely DELICIOUS - so much so, that I may have eaten half of them the first day.  I am sure I ate another two the next....

Since my family did not get to appreciate these (because I ate most of them), they are on the roster for next weekend, for sure.  And most likely, the weekend after that!

I used what I feel was a conservative amount of chocolate chips, but feel free to increase the quantity!


Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins


  • 1/2 cup shortening (I used this one)
  • 6 organic eggs
  • 1/2 coconut sugar
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1/4 cup tapioca starch
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 3/4 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (I used these)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a muffin/cupcake tin with parchment liners - or grease each muffin cup really, really well.  Set aside.

Using a hand or stand mixer, cream the shortening until it is fluffy.  Add two eggs to the fluffy shortening  and beat in at medium speed.  Repeat with the remaining eggs, adding two at a time. Blend in the coconut sugar and vanilla extract and mix well.

In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: coconut flour, tapioca starch, sea salt, baking soda, and pumpkin spice.

Add the dry ingredients to the egg/shortening mixture and mix well.  Finally, blend in  the pumpkin puree and chocolate chips.

Divide the batter between the 12 muffin wells.  Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes.  Check for doneness after 28 minutes by inserting a clean toothpick into the center of a muffin.  If the toothpick comes out clean, remove the muffins from the oven and allow to cool.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator in a covered container.

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