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These healthy pumpkin muffins are my new faves! They’re naturally gluten-free, sweetened with maple syrup, quick and easy to make, and perfecty pumpkin-y.
Meet your new favorite pumpkin muffins. ♡
Oh my goodness, we’ve been completely obsessed with these little guys these past few weeks. They are perfectly pumpkin-y, made with my favorite warming spices, and lightly sweetened with maple syrup (plus a pinch of turbinado sugar on top, if you’d like a little extra sweetness and sparkle). They’re also quick and easy to make with ingredients that I’m betting you probably already have on hand. And thanks to an oatmeal base, they’re also gluten-free and on the healthier end of the muffin spectrum in general.
Basically, a pumpkin muffin recipe that tastes great and you can feel great about enjoying too. That’s my kind of a muffin win-win.
Let’s make some!
Healthy Pumpkin Muffins Ingredients:
As I said, the ingredient list for these muffins is super simple. You will need:
Pumpkin puree: ‘Tis the season!
Old-fashioned oats: Which we will pulse in the blender or food processor until they are finely ground to make our “flour”
Pumpkin pie spice: Either homemade or store-bought
Almond milk: Or your favorite kind of nut milk or cow’s milk (2% or whole)
Maple syrup: Or you could sub in honey, if you prefer
Coconut oil: Just a few tablespoons (or feel free to sub in your favorite mild-flavored oil)
Eggs, salt, vanilla and baking soda: Because…muffins.
Turbinado sugar: Totally optional, but I love the extra hint of sweetness and crunch and sparkle on top
As always, if making this recipe gluten-free, be sure to double check that all of your ingredients are certified gluten-free. (Especially the oats.)
Also, I made my own little parchment baking liners. But feel free to use whatever baking liners you love best, or can just mist the baking pan with some cooking spray.
How To Make Pumpkin Muffins:
To make this pumpkin muffins recipe, simply:
Make your oat “flour”: Add your oats to a blender or food processor and pulse until they reach a flour-like consistency.
Combine your dry ingredients: Add the pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda, and pulse until evenly combined.
Whisk together your wet ingredients: In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, maple syrup, almond milk and vanilla until evenly combined.
Combine the two. Fold the dry ingredients in with the wet, and use a spatula to stir together until just combined. (Try not to over-stir.)
Fill your muffin cups. Portion the batter evenly between 12 muffin cups. (I always like to do this with a large cookie scoop. You’ll need a heaping scoop of batter for this specific recipe — about 1/3 cup per muffin.) Then sprinkle with a pinch of turbinado sugar, if you’d like.
Bake. Until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 15 minutes.
Enjoy! I love these muffins best fresh outta the oven. But once they have cooled to room temperature, feel free to store them in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or freeze (wrapped tightly in plastic wrap) for up to 3 months.
Optional Add-Ins:
Feel free to also add in:
Chocolate chips: Because…chocolate.
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.
Dried fruit: Dried cranberries, raisins, apricots…whatever you love.
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
These healthy pumpkin muffins are naturally gluten-free, sweetened with maple syrup, quick and easy to make, and so perfecty pumpkin-y.
Ingredients
Scale
3 cups old-fashioned oats*
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, homemade or store-bought
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 eggs
1 cup unsweetened almond milk, plain or vanilla
1 cup pumpkin puree
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
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with parchment or cupcake liners, or lightly grease with cooking spray. Set aside.
Puree oats in a blender or food processor until they reach a flour-like consistency. Add in the pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and sea salt, and pulse until the mixture is evenly combined. Set aside.
In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, pumpkin puree, 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.)
Portion the ingredients into prepared baking cups. Then sprinkle a pinch of turbinado sugar on top of each muffin, if you would like.
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.
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
*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.
Mmmmm, glad I tried this recipe. I added some chopped walnuts to a few & sprinkled some pepitas on top of others. I usually over bake & dry them out but they tasted good & stayed moist!
These muffins were deliciously gluten (and processed sugar) free – replaced maple syrup and 2 of 3 Tblspoons coconut oil with unsweetened applesauce, and added raisins to the batter – YUMMY, Pumpkiny, betcha can’t eat just one! Next time I’ll add in some chopped walnuts, too – guilt free treats always welcome in this house!
Really good and not too sweet, tho I cut the syrup by 1/4c to be sure. Added 1 1/4c of pecans, pepita’s, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds. Next time will add fruit which I didn’t have handy. Will likely use apple sauce in place of syrup as well. Even tho I clearly tweeked this recipe, it’s going to be tweeked further for us as it’s a really good recipe with which to work. Thank you!
thank you so much for this recipe…. i had everything in my cabinets so it was meant to be! i accidentally left out the oil and they still came out delicious! (maybe my chocolate chips compensated for it)
I like to make pumpkin dishes as there is a lot of beta-carotene in the orange pulp, called “longevity elixir”! As well as other vitamins and minerals. Dishes with pumpkin are useful for immunity (vitamin C), help to maintain youth, beautiful hair and skin color (vitamin E). Strengthen the heart and bones (potassium and calcium); have a beneficial effect on the level of hemoglobin (iron and copper); supply the body with such rare vitamins as T and K. If these muffins to paint with little scary elements, then they are well suited for Halloween. The recipe is straightforward and delicious, and I advise everyone.
Ali, I happened to be surfing the web for recipes to make & send to my 94 yr old Dad in Alabama – I live in Texas- and I stopped at you site (more than once I might add)!! I was sooo thrilled to see there are items to make where I will be able to ship FedEx to my Dad. Plus when I’m back home, ready to make different meals for my Dad you can bet your site will be the only one I’m pulling up!! Note: I’m planning on making the muffins & send to him!!
I’ve also passed it along to several friends, too!! Keep up the good work.
Pretty good! I liked the texture and simple ingredients.
The batter was thin, so I filled the tins all the way up and got a nice domed top after they baked. Also, I used 1% milk in place of almond milk and added some chocolate chips for the hubby. I baked them for 22 minutes total. I found the taste to be a bit eggy and underspiced, so I might experiment next time by subbing unsweetened applesauce for eggs and adding more spice mix and salt. Might also try increasing oats by about a quarter cup. Overall, good base recipe using whole food ingredients and a nice pumpkiny taste!
I followed the recipe but added approximately 1/2 cup of walnuts and 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. These muffins are moist and delicious, and have a good texture. I will definitely make these again. Thanks for a great healthy and delicious recipe!
These turned out SO WELL! I used about half the honey and they were just right; I also sprinkled pepitas and flax seed on top instead of sugar. Even my two picky kids liked them! I baked for 18 minutes. I’d definitely make these again!
These were great! I used oat flour and substituted 6 TBSP white sugar for the maple syrup. I also added chocolate chips. Healthy enough and delicious. :)
These muffins are perfect! Moist and just enough pumpkin and sweetness. My 6 yo grandson loved them, too! I substituted organic, raw honey for the maple syrup (it’s what i had on hand) and added pumpkin seeds to the top. They were a hit!
Hi,
Came across this recipe on Pinterest and had to try it. now ay did mine look like the pictures, but they tasted amazing, and that’s what counts for me. Love this site. Keep up the good work.
Andy
I made these today, Thanksgiving breakfast! I only used one egg and added a cup of unsweetened applesauce, regular milk and butter in place of coconut oil. The texture is perfect, next time I will add some fresh grated ginger! Delicious! My husband didn’t think they were sweet enough so I bruleed some brown sugar on top of his.
I love these! I doubled the recipe to take to a brunch tomorrow, but had to test one out. I substituted the eggs for chia seeds soaked in water, and I added a bunch of chocolate chips. They didn’t puff up too much, but are nice and fluffy and moist inside. They’re delicious. Thanks for the recipe!
WOW! These are delicious. I love a strong pumpkin pie spice so next time I would use a bit more. Also, I cut the honey back to 1/4 c. just to see how it would work – and if my family would gripe – and they didn’t! Big hit all the way around. Thank you!!
Thank you for sharing this! I made as directed except added a few tablespoons of dried cranberries and walnuts each. I need to bake them for 22 mins. My hubb and I both really liked these. Hearty, satisfying not too sweet. Terrific! I’ll be checking out your other recipes as well. Thank you!
These are delicious! I subbed almond flour for oat flour (because I needed to use before expiration date) and they turned out m***t and sweet! I did not use the turbinado sugar, but added unsweetened coconut and I thought they were sweet enough. I might add pecans next time and there will be a next time because this recipe is a keeper!
I love these so much (and have already made them three times since the beginning of the year!) I add a few tablespoons of ground flaxseed to the batter and top the unbaked muffins with roasted, unsalted sunflower seeds. These are the perfect breakfast muffin as they are not overly sweet.
I make these, literally all the time! I modify the recipe a little bit. I add sugar free chocolate chips/dark chocolate chips. So good. I also add more pumpkin too
I made these and love them. I did use pureed winter squash (North Georgia Sweet Candy Roaster) instead of pumpkin. I added three Tablespoons of ground flax seed for extra protein. I also tried a few muffins with pecans and a few with walnuts I like the walnuts best! I’m going to try this again with raw honey and extra pumpkin spice or cinnamon. They really come out so moist! LOVE!
So I made these with oat flour, but the muffins ended up collapsing and no matter how long I baked them for, the middle stayed raw.
Any advice? What did I screw up? D:
I just took mine out of the oven and cooled them a little…OMGOSH…these are Awesome warm. So moist and not to sweet. I added 1 cup of mini semi sweet chocolate chips and sprinkled the tops with coconut sugar. These are a keeper. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Wow! These are so delicious, yet healthy. It’s quite hard to find a perfect healthy muffin recipe, made with oats/ whole wheat flour, honey/ maple syrup, and oil, not butter, but I think your might just be it. Thank you so much for making a delicious (and nutritious) muffin recipe that I can enjoy for breakfast!
I love this recipe! They are so tasty and filling. I added dates and walnuts to this recipe and I also tried the apple and banana ones. I was wondering, is there an alternative to using the coconut oil? I do Weight Watchers and these work out to be 6 points each. Would love your recommendations!
TLC —
Avocado oil is a great healthy oil substitute for anything (sweet or savory) where you need a flavorless oil…bonus: it is healthier than coconut oil
This was my second try with this recipe, and unfortunately it’s not my favorite. Not enough pumpkin taste, odd-ish texture, but the spices are pretty good. I have to give it points for being healthy, but for it to be enough to tempt me to a second one I added chocolate chips to the second pan.
Let this not be a dig though on Ali’s other recipes, because she is one of my all-time favorite food bloggers. Her gingerbread cookies are literally the best I’ve ever eaten, and the folks I gifted them to for Christmas absolutely raved about them!
These were delicious! I substituted apple sauce in place of the coconut oil and ran out of baking soda so I had to use extra baking powder and they turned out excellent. My intent was to add pecans to the top but I totally forgot.. Next time!
Thanks so much for creating such a wonderful recipe!
I made a batch of these today with great results. I say great results because I knew from reading the ingredients list and from the beautiful photos that they’d not be dessert or cake-like but rather dense like cornbread. That’s exactly how they turned out. Dense and a bit crumbly, not overly sweet and perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
I followed the recipe almost exactly. I used real whole dairy instead of any alternative milks and skipped the sugar topping and sprinkled pepitas on top instead. I baked them in custard cups (I don’t have a muffin pan) and in the Breville toaster oven to avoid heating up the house.
I thoroughly enjoyed turning rolled oats into flour. So cool.
Help!! My oat purée didn’t get smooth and I had my processor running for minutes. The mixture is very gritty. Is there a trick to purée the oats smooth? Thanks!!!!
Thanks for this divine looking recipe! It’s my first fall recipe on my list this year. I have almond flour on hand; could I sub that in 1:1, do you think?
Pumpkin muffins are the perfect fall treat, but it’s even better when they’re nutritious!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
The first time I made this recipe I found the muffins weren’t as “pumpkiny” as I’d like, so I changed a few things. For my second batch I added more pumpkin pie spice and about an 1/8th cup more pumpkin. Then I made a vegan coconut and pumpkin spice streusel simply to top them off. They turned out great!
This recipe is awesome! Made a few tiny tweaks to suit my tastes and they’re perfect. Moist, tasty, gluten and dairy free:
– Topped with unsweetened coconut flakes and a couple raisins instead of extra sugar
– Added raisins to the batter as well
– Used coconut milk instead of almond milk
– Used a full 2 TBSP of pumpkin pie spice
My muffins took slightly longer than the 18 minutes to have a toothpick come out without batter, but probably only 4 extra minutes.
Very moist batter, measured very carefully, go in long end of baking time and do check with toothpick.
Delicious, not very sweet( which I like) so the turbinado on top to finish is a great addition. Served with cinnamon honey butter.
Mmmmm, glad I tried this recipe. I added some chopped walnuts to a few & sprinkled some pepitas on top of others. I usually over bake & dry them out but they tasted good & stayed moist!
These muffins were deliciously gluten (and processed sugar) free – replaced maple syrup and 2 of 3 Tblspoons coconut oil with unsweetened applesauce, and added raisins to the batter – YUMMY, Pumpkiny, betcha can’t eat just one! Next time I’ll add in some chopped walnuts, too – guilt free treats always welcome in this house!
Really good and not too sweet, tho I cut the syrup by 1/4c to be sure. Added 1 1/4c of pecans, pepita’s, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds. Next time will add fruit which I didn’t have handy. Will likely use apple sauce in place of syrup as well. Even tho I clearly tweeked this recipe, it’s going to be tweeked further for us as it’s a really good recipe with which to work. Thank you!
thank you so much for this recipe…. i had everything in my cabinets so it was meant to be! i accidentally left out the oil and they still came out delicious! (maybe my chocolate chips compensated for it)
I like to make pumpkin dishes as there is a lot of beta-carotene in the orange pulp, called “longevity elixir”! As well as other vitamins and minerals. Dishes with pumpkin are useful for immunity (vitamin C), help to maintain youth, beautiful hair and skin color (vitamin E). Strengthen the heart and bones (potassium and calcium); have a beneficial effect on the level of hemoglobin (iron and copper); supply the body with such rare vitamins as T and K. If these muffins to paint with little scary elements, then they are well suited for Halloween. The recipe is straightforward and delicious, and I advise everyone.
Can you use flax or chia vegan eggs as alternative?
Ali, I happened to be surfing the web for recipes to make & send to my 94 yr old Dad in Alabama – I live in Texas- and I stopped at you site (more than once I might add)!! I was sooo thrilled to see there are items to make where I will be able to ship FedEx to my Dad. Plus when I’m back home, ready to make different meals for my Dad you can bet your site will be the only one I’m pulling up!! Note: I’m planning on making the muffins & send to him!!
I’ve also passed it along to several friends, too!! Keep up the good work.
Pretty good! I liked the texture and simple ingredients.
The batter was thin, so I filled the tins all the way up and got a nice domed top after they baked. Also, I used 1% milk in place of almond milk and added some chocolate chips for the hubby. I baked them for 22 minutes total. I found the taste to be a bit eggy and underspiced, so I might experiment next time by subbing unsweetened applesauce for eggs and adding more spice mix and salt. Might also try increasing oats by about a quarter cup. Overall, good base recipe using whole food ingredients and a nice pumpkiny taste!
I followed the recipe but added approximately 1/2 cup of walnuts and 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. These muffins are moist and delicious, and have a good texture. I will definitely make these again. Thanks for a great healthy and delicious recipe!
Awesome recipe! I hated pumpkin but my husband made muffins according to your recipe and even didn`t guess what they were made of!
One of my new fav breakfasts! ADD a bit of pumpkin butter and my new fall favorite!
These turned out SO WELL! I used about half the honey and they were just right; I also sprinkled pepitas and flax seed on top instead of sugar. Even my two picky kids liked them! I baked for 18 minutes. I’d definitely make these again!
These were great! I used oat flour and substituted 6 TBSP white sugar for the maple syrup. I also added chocolate chips. Healthy enough and delicious. :)
These muffins are perfect! Moist and just enough pumpkin and sweetness. My 6 yo grandson loved them, too! I substituted organic, raw honey for the maple syrup (it’s what i had on hand) and added pumpkin seeds to the top. They were a hit!
Hi,
Came across this recipe on Pinterest and had to try it. now ay did mine look like the pictures, but they tasted amazing, and that’s what counts for me. Love this site. Keep up the good work.
Andy
Absolutely LOVE this recipe! Clean, moist, just the right amount of wholesome and sweet! Thank you for sharing it!
I made these today, Thanksgiving breakfast! I only used one egg and added a cup of unsweetened applesauce, regular milk and butter in place of coconut oil. The texture is perfect, next time I will add some fresh grated ginger! Delicious! My husband didn’t think they were sweet enough so I bruleed some brown sugar on top of his.
Yummy love these, I added some ground up quinoa for protein!
I love these! I doubled the recipe to take to a brunch tomorrow, but had to test one out. I substituted the eggs for chia seeds soaked in water, and I added a bunch of chocolate chips. They didn’t puff up too much, but are nice and fluffy and moist inside. They’re delicious. Thanks for the recipe!
These are delicious. Everyone I’ve shared them with loved them! I will absolutely be making them again.
These were delightfully delicious and so easy to make. My 15 month old also loved them, which is huge because normally she’s pretty hard to please.
These are delicious. I added dates and walnuts and they were amazing.
These are WONDERFUL! I think these are going to by my favorite, go-to pumpkin recipe from now on! :) Delicious!
WOW! These are delicious. I love a strong pumpkin pie spice so next time I would use a bit more. Also, I cut the honey back to 1/4 c. just to see how it would work – and if my family would gripe – and they didn’t! Big hit all the way around. Thank you!!
Thank you for sharing this! I made as directed except added a few tablespoons of dried cranberries and walnuts each. I need to bake them for 22 mins. My hubb and I both really liked these. Hearty, satisfying not too sweet. Terrific! I’ll be checking out your other recipes as well. Thank you!
These are delicious! I subbed almond flour for oat flour (because I needed to use before expiration date) and they turned out m***t and sweet! I did not use the turbinado sugar, but added unsweetened coconut and I thought they were sweet enough. I might add pecans next time and there will be a next time because this recipe is a keeper!
I love these so much (and have already made them three times since the beginning of the year!) I add a few tablespoons of ground flaxseed to the batter and top the unbaked muffins with roasted, unsalted sunflower seeds. These are the perfect breakfast muffin as they are not overly sweet.
These are so easy and delicious. Made them for my toddlers and they were a hit!!!
I make these, literally all the time! I modify the recipe a little bit. I add sugar free chocolate chips/dark chocolate chips. So good. I also add more pumpkin too
I made these and love them. I did use pureed winter squash (North Georgia Sweet Candy Roaster) instead of pumpkin. I added three Tablespoons of ground flax seed for extra protein. I also tried a few muffins with pecans and a few with walnuts I like the walnuts best! I’m going to try this again with raw honey and extra pumpkin spice or cinnamon. They really come out so moist! LOVE!
I think you should add something to it to make it sweeter and put less baking soda otherwise it was good.
Best ever!! My muffin loving two year old inhales these.
These are delicious! I love them, and the kids love them as well. Thank you so much!
So I made these with oat flour, but the muffins ended up collapsing and no matter how long I baked them for, the middle stayed raw.
Any advice? What did I screw up? D:
I just took mine out of the oven and cooled them a little…OMGOSH…these are Awesome warm. So moist and not to sweet. I added 1 cup of mini semi sweet chocolate chips and sprinkled the tops with coconut sugar. These are a keeper. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Wow! These are so delicious, yet healthy. It’s quite hard to find a perfect healthy muffin recipe, made with oats/ whole wheat flour, honey/ maple syrup, and oil, not butter, but I think your might just be it. Thank you so much for making a delicious (and nutritious) muffin recipe that I can enjoy for breakfast!
I love this recipe! They are so tasty and filling. I added dates and walnuts to this recipe and I also tried the apple and banana ones. I was wondering, is there an alternative to using the coconut oil? I do Weight Watchers and these work out to be 6 points each. Would love your recommendations!
Avocado oil is a great healthy oil substitute for anything (sweet or savory) where you need a flavorless oil…bonus: it is healthier than coconut oil
Me too Vivienne loved this recipe its so tasty and delicious
This was my second try with this recipe, and unfortunately it’s not my favorite. Not enough pumpkin taste, odd-ish texture, but the spices are pretty good. I have to give it points for being healthy, but for it to be enough to tempt me to a second one I added chocolate chips to the second pan.
Let this not be a dig though on Ali’s other recipes, because she is one of my all-time favorite food bloggers. Her gingerbread cookies are literally the best I’ve ever eaten, and the folks I gifted them to for Christmas absolutely raved about them!
These were delicious! I substituted apple sauce in place of the coconut oil and ran out of baking soda so I had to use extra baking powder and they turned out excellent. My intent was to add pecans to the top but I totally forgot.. Next time!
Thanks so much for creating such a wonderful recipe!
I made a batch of these today with great results. I say great results because I knew from reading the ingredients list and from the beautiful photos that they’d not be dessert or cake-like but rather dense like cornbread. That’s exactly how they turned out. Dense and a bit crumbly, not overly sweet and perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
I followed the recipe almost exactly. I used real whole dairy instead of any alternative milks and skipped the sugar topping and sprinkled pepitas on top instead. I baked them in custard cups (I don’t have a muffin pan) and in the Breville toaster oven to avoid heating up the house.
I thoroughly enjoyed turning rolled oats into flour. So cool.
Can I make this recipe as a loaf of bread rather than muffins?
Delicious made exactly as recommended. Great flavor and texture. Might add a little more spices next time just a personal preference.
Your muffins asked for maple syrup can I substitute it for Monk fruit sweetener ? Thanks
Help!! My oat purée didn’t get smooth and I had my processor running for minutes. The mixture is very gritty. Is there a trick to purée the oats smooth? Thanks!!!!
Thanks for this divine looking recipe! It’s my first fall recipe on my list this year. I have almond flour on hand; could I sub that in 1:1, do you think?
Pumpkin muffins are the perfect fall treat, but it’s even better when they’re nutritious!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
The first time I made this recipe I found the muffins weren’t as “pumpkiny” as I’d like, so I changed a few things. For my second batch I added more pumpkin pie spice and about an 1/8th cup more pumpkin. Then I made a vegan coconut and pumpkin spice streusel simply to top them off. They turned out great!
Happy Fall Baking!
This recipe is awesome! Made a few tiny tweaks to suit my tastes and they’re perfect. Moist, tasty, gluten and dairy free:
– Topped with unsweetened coconut flakes and a couple raisins instead of extra sugar
– Added raisins to the batter as well
– Used coconut milk instead of almond milk
– Used a full 2 TBSP of pumpkin pie spice
My muffins took slightly longer than the 18 minutes to have a toothpick come out without batter, but probably only 4 extra minutes.
Quick and easy. Fluffy and light with great flavor.
100% perfect!!!!!
Very moist batter, measured very carefully, go in long end of baking time and do check with toothpick.
Delicious, not very sweet( which I like) so the turbinado on top to finish is a great addition. Served with cinnamon honey butter.