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Healthy Butternut Squash Muffins

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This Healthy Butternut Squash Muffins recipe is quick and easy to make, naturally gluten-free (made with blended-up oats), and made with the coziest comforting chai spices.

Healthy Butternut Squash Muffins

Once the calendar flipped over to September this year, I instantly started craving a batch of my favorite healthy pumpkin muffins. But there was just one problem — I couldn’t find any cans of pumpkin puree in Barcelona! Turns out that the little American import store where I buy pumpkin (the only place you can find it the city) wasn’t planning to receive a shipment this year until the middle of September. And there were no sugar pumpkins available at our neighborhood market to make a batch of homemade pumpkin puree myself. Sooo, I decided to improvise by making a batch using some mashed-up roasted butternut squash instead, and you guys…

…these butternut squash muffins were total winners. ♡♡♡

Turns out, the mashed butternut squash works like a charm. (It’s especially great if you happen to have leftover squash.)  And I was reminded yet again how much I love the base recipe for these healthy muffins, which is made with oat flour (just blitz old-fashioned oats in your blender) and sweetened with maple syrup (not too much). But instead of adding in my usual pumpkin pie spice, I added in some chai spices instead (a simple blend of ground cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and cloves). And well, let’s just say that we’re already on our third batch of these muffins in two weeks. We love them so much, and I think you will too!

Let’s make a batch!

Butternut Squash

How To Roast Butternut Squash

Butternut Squash Muffins Ingredients:

To make this butternut squash muffins recipe, you will need…

  • Mashed cooked butternut squash: I mashed up some leftover roasted butternut squash. But however you cook it (oven, stove, slow cooker, microwave, etc.), you just need 1 cup of mashed cooked butternut squash.
  • Oats: Regular old-fashioned oats, which we will blitz in the blender to become oat flour. (Or you are welcome to use pre-ground oat flour instead; see notes below.)
  • Chai spice (or pumpkin pie spice): I made these with a yummy impromptu chai spice, using ground cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. But if you have pumpkin pie spice on hand, that works great too!
  • Baking soda, fine sea salt, eggs, vanilla extract: The normal muffin suspects. ;)
  • Coconut oil: This recipe uses just a touch of oil, and any neutral-flavored oil will do.
  • Milk: I used unsweetened plain (or vanilla) almond milk, but any kind of milk that you prefer will do.
  • Maple syrup: Or honey.
  • (Optional) Turbinado Sugar: For sprinkling on top, if you would like. Or really, any kind of sugar would do.

Butternut Squash Muffins Batter

How To Make Muffins:

To make this healthy muffin recipe, simply…

  1. Blend dry ingredients. Pulse together the oats, chai seasoning (or pumpkin pie spice), baking soda and salt together in a blender until the oats reach a flour-like consistency.
  2. Whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, mashed butternut squash, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla extract until evenly combined.
  3. Fold everything together. Fold the dry ingredients in with the wet ingredients, and stir until the mixture is just combined. Portion the ingredients into 12 baking cups, and sprinkle a pinch of turbinado sugar on top of each.
  4. Bake. At 375°F for about 15-18 mins, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean. Remove and let cool for about 5 minutes, then serve warn and enjoy!

These muffins can be refrigerated container for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.

How To Make Butternut Squash Muffins Recipe

Possible Recipe Variations:

Want to customize your butternut squash muffins recipe? Feel free to…

  • Add chocolate chips: Because…chocolate. ♡
  • Add nuts or seeds: Such as pepitas, pecans, sunflower seeds, walnuts, etc. You can either sprinkle them on top of the muffins, or fold them into the batter.
  • Add dried fruit: Dried cranberries, raisins, apricots…whatever you love.
  • Drizzle on a maple glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar and maple syrup until they form a glaze-like consistency, and drizzle over your muffins for extra sweetness.

Butternut Squash Muffins Recipe

More Favorite Muffin Recipes:

Looking for more healthy muffin recipes? Here are a few of my faves…

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Healthy Butternut Squash Muffins

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 13 reviews
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 30 mins
  • Yield: 12 servings 1x

Description

This Healthy Butternut Squash Muffins recipe is quick and easy to make, naturally gluten-free (made with blended-up oats), and made with the coziest comforting chai spices.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cups old-fashioned oats*
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons chai seasoning (see below) or pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, plain or vanilla
  • 1 cup mashed cooked butternut squash
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil (or any mild-flavored oil)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • optional: turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with parchment or cupcake liners, or lightly grease with cooking spray.  Set aside.
  2. Puree oats in a blender or food processor until they reach a flour-like consistency.  Add in the chai seasoning (or pumpkin pie spice), baking soda and sea salt, and pulse until the mixture is evenly combined.  Set aside.
  3. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, mashed butternut squash, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla extract until evenly combined.  Fold the dry ingredients in with the wet ingredient mixture, and stir until the mixture is just combined.  (Try to avoid over-mixing.)
  4. Portion the ingredients into prepared baking cups*.  Then sprinkle a pinch of turbinado sugar on top of each muffin, if you would like.
  5. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes.
  6. Serve warm.  Or let the muffins cool to room temperature, then store in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

*Oat flour: Or feel free to substitute in 240 grams (8.4 ounces) oat flour.  And as always, be sure to use certified gluten-free ingredients if making this recipe gluten-free.

*Chai spice: I used a blend of 2 teaspoons ground cardamom, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.  (A little more than 1.5 tablespoons, but it works!)

*Baking cups: You can either grease the baking cups with baking spray, or add paper liners.  I used homemade parchment liners.

Recipe adapted from my Healthy Pumpkin Muffins.

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23 comments on “Healthy Butternut Squash Muffins”

  1. They look delicious! I bet the chai spices add a really nice touch.
    I’ve been using butternut squash instead of pumpkin for years but I couldn’t resist buying a couple cans of pumpkin puree from one of those American stores you mentioned. Well, I wasn’t a fan, and I still have one that’s been sitting there for more than a year… I hate wasting food, so I guess I’ll have to figure out a way to use it that we may like.

  2. I am very excited to make these! Love butternut squash, though I’m also curious about subbing sweet potato ?…thoughts? Thanks!

  3. interesting recipe, made out of necessity, have seen and made tons of zucchini infused muffins, but butternut squash, no, so good to know it works so well, thank you






  4. ohhh so yummy I need to try on my next baking session. Did you just use parchment paper as muffin liners? and how did you fold them in? they look so pretty!

  5. duh, I should have read the last sentence :O Thanks!

  6. These look fabulous! If I were to sub cows milk for almond milk, would it be a 1:1 swap?

    Thanks so much!

  7. These are absolutley fantastic!!! Thank you for sharing! I just made an double batch and will be sharing with my friends, they will be so happy. :-)






  8. I made these today using butternut puree that I had frozen from last year’s garden. I used pumpkin pie spice, regular milk and canola oil, and real maple syrup that we make in the spring with sap from our own trees . The texture of these reminds me of bread pudding, moist and gooey and wonderful. I put homemade unsweetened apple butter on one, that was the best afternoon treat with a cup of chamomile tea. It will also be breakfast tomorrow. Thank you for a great recipe.

  9. Huh, really clever – and I do have some squash. Will fire it up Sunday, thanks for the great recipe (and idea!).






  10. Love these. I’ve made them twice now. First time I used pumpkin spice. The second time I used coconut milk, the chai spices and added raisins and sunflower seeds for extra punch. I preferred the second batch. These go QUICK!






  11. I am getting ready to make these for the fourth time. Since I have Celiac Sprue, I am always interested in trying recipes that are naturally gluten free. These muffins are wonderful. I have made them exactly per recipe and also added raisins or coconut. All were great!






  12. This are delicious!! 1 year old approved as well ?






  13. These are delicious!! My 1 year old loved them as well ?






  14. These were great. Very healthy and delicious. They get a little soggy sitting out so I would refrigerate if they last longer than 24 hours.

  15. Muffins now in the oven! Kitchen a crazy mess. Got to get it under control.

    Was so much fun to prepare the batter. Especially turning oats to Flour!

    Thank you for this recipe!






  16. I love this recipe. This is my third time using it! My 14 month old loves them too. I ended up pureeing butternut squash, beets, spinach to get some extra veggies. It fits so nicely with this recipe. Thank you!

  17. These were really good! Made more than the 12 muffins. We added cranberries and pepitas. I used cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Kids liked them too!






  18. Wow !! Just made these soooo nice and moist made some plain and some with chocolate chips also made a maple glaze but overall delish !!






  19. Hi Ali, These muffins are awesome. They turned out perfectly
    and the chai spice mix was just right. Will definitely be making
    these again.






  20. These were delicious!! I used cow’s milk, simply because I did not have any almond milk on hand, and they came out wonderfully. Even my kids who typically balk at anything labeled “healthy” couldn’t resist.






  21. I love all of your recipes!

    The flavor is there on this one. I’m having trouble with the bottoms sticking to the baking liner even after 18 min, the toothpick is coming out clean. What am I doing wrong?






  22. Sound healthy, look healthy , but what are the actual calories & such in each muffin?