Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

(Gluten Free, Dairy Free, and Vegan Optional)

Makes approximately 20 muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups gluten free baking flour (if you’re not gluten free, you can always use whole wheat flour in any of my recipes)
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 1/2 cups coconut sugar (if you’re allergic to coconut, you can use packed brown sugar)
• 2/3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (optional: leave out)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional: leave out)
• 1/2 cup fresh or no sugar added orange juice
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond or cashew milk
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup Enjoy Life chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 cup pumpkin purée
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cinnamon applesauce or plain applesauce
• 2 heaping tablespoons coconut butter or dairy-free butter (or grass-fed ghee or butter if not dairy-free)
• 2 eggs or egg alternative (flax egg, etc.)
• Muffin pan + paper or foil muffin liners (optional)
• Optional: 1/2 teaspoon molasses

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. Line muffin pan with muffin liners or spray muffin pan with an oil that can tolerate up to 400 degrees F (I prefer sprayable avocado oil by Chosen Foods)
3. Add all dry ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and mix (excluding chocolate chips)
4. Add wet ingredients to a separate medium-sized bowl and mix
5. Add dry and wet ingredients together and mix well until batter forms
6. Add chocolate chips and mix evenly
7. Distribute batter evenly into muffin pan
8. Bake at 375 degrees F for approximately 20-30 minutes, or until batter is fully cooked in the middle / until a toothpick comes out clean. Baking times may vary based on ovens and altitude.
9. When fully cooked, remove from oven and let cool for at least ten minutes. Serve warm or store in freezer if consuming after 3 days (fresh, moist ingredients like pumpkin and applesauce may cause molding to occur if left at room temp too long; if storing in freezer, let out to thaw or microwave when ready to eat/serve).
10. Enjoy!