Preparation Steps

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners and lightly mist the top of the pan with baking spray to keep domed tops from sticking.
• In a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Stir in the cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice to bloom the spices, then set aside to cool until just warm.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside 2 teaspoons of this dry mixture in a separate small bowl for tossing with the chocolate chips later.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, brown sugar, and granulated sugar vigorously for about 1 minute until slightly thick and glossy. Whisk in the oil, milk, vanilla, molasses, and orange zest. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk until smooth, then whisk in the spiced melted butter.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions, folding gently with a spatula just until a few streaks of flour remain. Tip: Measure flour by weight or lightly spoon into the cup, then level—overpacking leads to dense muffins.
• Toss the chocolate chips with the reserved flour mixture, then fold them into the batter until evenly distributed and no dry spots remain.
• Let the batter rest for 10 minutes on the counter to hydrate the flour—this helps create taller muffin domes.
• Portion the batter evenly into the prepared pan, mounding slightly (a heaping large cookie scoop works well). Sprinkle the tops generously with turbinado sugar.
• Bake for 6 minutes at 400°F, then (without opening the door) reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking 12–15 minutes, until the tops spring back and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
• Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Run a thin knife around any overhang, then transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool at least 20 minutes before serving.