Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Muffins

Fall, especially October screams "Pumpkin" to me.  When it gets to be October, (even if the Richmond temp is in the 90s like it was last week!) I start looking for pumpkin recipes. 

I found this recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins over at Recipe Girl and I KNEW I'd be making these sooner or later.

I can't even tell you how good these muffins are! They are very rich and moist.  I guess that's what the applesauce does to them. They seriously taste like they have a zillion tablespoons of butter and oil in them - but they only have 2. I can't even tell you how hard it is to believe that if you just tasted them and hadn't seen the recipe.

Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Muffins

2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp baking soda
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 large eggs
1½ cups pure canned pumpkin
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 Tbs canola or vegetable oil
1½ tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray 18 muffin tin cups with nonstick spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (through pie spice).

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, pumpkin, applesauce, oil and vanilla until well blended. Stir in dry ingredients and mix only until combined (do not over mix). Gently fold in chocolate chips.

Scoop into muffin pans and bake 18 to 20 minutes. Turn onto rack and cool.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen