Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place 12 paper liners into each well of your standard size muffin baking pan.
Measure out the flour, white sugar, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin spice in a medium bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin purée, melted coconut oil, dark brown sugar, and vanilla extract. If your coconut oil is solid, gently melt it over low heat on the stove before adding to the mixture.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until fully combined, but do not over mix or beat the batter.
Fold in the ½ cup of mini-chocolate chips.
Using a spoon or cookie scoop, fill each muffin liner to the brim (this will give them a nice round top). Use a silicon scraper (or a clean finger) to smooth out the top of the batter to make sure the muffin liner is completely full.
Top each muffin with more mini chocolate chips and the pumpkin seeds, approximately as shown in the progress photos.
Place the muffins in the oven and set a timer for 18 minutes. Check the muffins at 18 minutes by inserting a toothpick into one of the center muffins. If the toothpick does not come out clean, place the muffins back in the oven and re-check them every 2 minutes until they are done. It is very important to not overbake the muffins. (Mine are usually ready at 20-22 minutes, but ovens tend to vary).
Transfer the muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely (slip a butter knife down the side of the muffin to help tip it out of the pan). Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container and store at room temp for up to a week, or freeze following the freezer instructions.
To Freeze
Place the muffins on a tray or plate so they are not touching. Place in the freezer until frozen, then transfer the muffins to a freezer-safe zip bag for long term storage.
To reheat from frozen - place uncovered in the microwave, microwave on a low setting (I use the soften/melt feature) for about one minute, or microwave on high for about 30 seconds.
Notes
Please see the "Key Tips" section of this post for some extra tips for success. For mini muffins - bake at same temp, start checking for doneness at 10 mins. Makes about 2 dozen.