Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins

 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins / Bars

Ingredients:

1 large egg

½ cup pumpkin puree

½ cup Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk, or your favorite milk

⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed

¼ cup maple or pancake syrup, I used sugar-free lite pancake syrup

¼ cup canola or vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

pinch salt, optional and to taste

3 cups old-fashioned whole rolled oats, do not use quick-cook or instant

2 teaspoons baking powder

¾ cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray a muffin pan OR a 9x13 baking pan with floured cooking spray or grease and flour the pan; set aside.

2. To a large bowl, add the first 9 ingredients (through salt), and whisk to combine.

3. Add the oats, baking powder, and stir to combine.

4. Add the chocolate chips and stir to combine.

5. Using a large cookie scoop or 1/4-cup measure, evenly distribute the batter into the muffin cups. Each cavity should be nearly full since muffins don’t rise much. If using a 9x13 pan, spread batter evenly into pan.

6. Bake for about 23 minutes for muffins (30 minutes for 9x13 pan), or until tops are set both visually and when touched lightly.

7. Allow muffins to cool in pan for about 20 minutes before removing and placing on a rack to cool completely. Don’t rush the cooling process and attempt to remove muffins from pan too soon because they’ll be prone to breaking. It’s much easier to remove them when cooled completely.