Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

There's something about these cool evenings and warm days that instantly make me start craving "fall" food. My aunt had sent me a recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip muffins at the beginning of the summer and I'd been waiting for the right moment to try making them with Big Brother. The cool, crisp, sunny weather today had me convinced it was the right time.

The original recipe came from a Ranger Rick magazine and was one my aunt had enjoyed making with my cousins when they were little.



Ingredients:
2 cups white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups (one 15-ounce can) pumpkin
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts**

makes about 24 large muffins

** We chose to not use walnuts this time around so that both Big Brother and I could bring them to our schools as both our classrooms are nut free. If I were to do that again, I would probably double the amount of chocolate chips next time.

Both Big Brother and I love Ghirardelli's 60% cacao chocolate chips and they're the perfect flavor for this recipe. But as they are a darker chip, other kids might prefer a more regular chocolate chip. 

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Grease or line the muffin tins. 

2. Mix the flours, sugar, eggs, oil, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl. Stir until well blended. 

3. Add the pumpkin and mix until well blended. 

4. Add in the chocolate chips and walnuts (if using them.) 

5. Spoon the mixture into the muffin tins. The original recipe said it would make 35 muffins, we made ours bigger and filled the muffin tins more than half way full. 

6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. 

Big Brother was excited to help, and is starting to be able to do more with the recipes. When we cook together sometimes I will pour or scoop the ingredients and he dumps it into he bowl. Other times he's able to do it himself. Of course, he always likes to be in charge of turning on the mixer. Muffins continue to be great recipes for easily baking with kids as the steps are pretty simple and the results relatively quick.

Of course, we love eating them too. We ate our pumpkin chocolate chip muffins with a glass of fresh apple cider. Mmmm, fall!

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