Healthy pumpkin muffins filled with pure pumpkin and lots of spices make for the best gluten free and vegan pumpkin muffins! Easy to make in one bowl with simple ingredients. Top 14 free!
These pumpkin muffins are so delicious you won’t be able to eat just one! The muffin is so soft and fluffy, it’s almost like a little pumpkin pillow, except you eat this pillow! I know you’ll love these muffins not only for the taste but how easy they are to mix up.
Free from: wheat, gluten, dairy, casein, eggs, fish, shellfish, soy, sesame, peanuts, tree nuts, coconut, corn, celery, and more
Fall time means all things pumpkin. And we can’t leave breakfast out of the pumpkin fun! These pumpkin muffins would also go great with some easy pumpkin granola.
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Ingredients
I love recipes that use simple ingredients that I can easily get at a local grocery store. And these muffins are no exception! You only need a few things to make a batch of these muffins.
Pumpkin Puree - I love to use pure pumpkin in this recipe and not pumpkin pie mix. For more details on why, see below.
Spices - Cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and all spice mix up beautifully in this recipe to make a warm and cozy mix!
Molasses - Gives this recipe a depth that you can’t get with just sugar.
Instructions
This recipe comes together so quickly, which is one of the reasons why I love it so much!
First, mix together your milk of choice with apple cider or apple juice. If you are using apple cider, make sure that it is non-alcoholic! Both juice and cider pair perfectly with the pumpkin and make these muffins extra soft and fluffy. Set this aside for a few minutes.
Next, in a large bowl, using a whisk, mix together the pumpkin, sugar, oil, and molasses. This takes about 45 seconds of constant stirring to really make it come together.
Now in a smaller bowl, sift together the gluten free flour, baking powder, salt, and spices.
Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet. I still use my whisk here to help everything come together. Make sure you scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to get all the flour incorporated.
Carefully spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins. Fill each about ¾ of the way full. Sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar if you like.
Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes. If a toothpick inserted doesn’t come out clean, pop them back in for another 2-3 minutes. When the toothpick is clean, remove the muffins from the oven.
Let them cool in the trays for 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
Variations
Chocolate Chip - Add ¾ cup chocolate chips to your batter before scooping into the muffin tray to bake.
Low Fat - Replace the oil with ¼ cup apple sauce. Make and bake as directed.
FAQ
Pumpkin Puree vs Pumpkin Pie Filling?
Both taste amazing in this muffin recipe. However, I find that the muffin itself gets more lift when using canned pumpkin. Not to mention that it is a lot quicker and easier to use a can of pumpkin!
The best canned pumpkin that I have found is hands down Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin. There are no other spices or hidden ingredients in this pumpkin. That makes it perfect for those of us who need to avoid foods because of allergens or other intolerances!
Did you know that some companies mix pumpkin with other ingredients like butternut squash or acorn squash and try to call it pure pumpkin? It’s true! That’s why I like to stick with Libby’s because they are always pumpkin.
What is the best gluten free flour to use with these muffins?
I’ve found that the best gluten free flour to use with these muffins are either King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free flour or my homemade gluten free flour blend (nightshade free). I’ve used both flours in this recipe and had great results.
You can try this recipe with other flours but may need to adjust the amount of liquid in the recipe as different flour blends require different amounts of liquid.
Can I freeze these pumpkin muffins?
Yes! These muffins can be frozen after baking. Keep them in an airtight container and they will freeze for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge or countertop completely before serving from frozen.
Other recipes to love
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Recipe
Equipment
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- mixing bowls
- mixing spoons
- whisk
- Muffin baking tray
- Paper liners (optional)
Ingredients
- ½ cup milk of choice I used oat milk
- ¼ cup apple juice or apple cider non-alcoholic
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup oil
- 3 tablespoons molasses
- 2 cups gluten free flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F with the rack in the middle of the oven. Line a muffin tray with 16 baking papers, or spray with a neutral flavored oil. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the milk of choice with apple juice/apple cider. Let rest for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, pour the milk mixture and combine with pumpkin, brown sugar, oil, and molasses. Using a hand whisk, mix well until smooth.
- In a small bowl, sift together gluten free flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Then add to the large bowl with the wet ingredients.
- Mix together, again using a whisk or large spoon. Make sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to best incorporate all the ingredients.
- Fill each muffin tin with batter about ¾ of the way full.
- Bake for 25 to 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin pulls out clean. Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the muffin tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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