Pumpkin Muffins

These delicious soft and moist homemade pumpkin muffins will quickly become a family favorite recipe all year long!

The best healthy pumpkin muffins

Easy to make and kid friendly, this simple classic pumpkin muffin recipe is a great portable breakfast or quick healthy snack choice.

It can be egg free, soy free, gluten free, low fat, dairy free, low in calories, nut free, plant based, and vegan, with an oil free option included as well.

The muffins are packed with wholesome nutrition. And they taste like pumpkin pie. So you get the best of both worlds!

Be sure to also try this Crustless Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin breakfast muffins

Try this recipe once, and breakfast will never be the same again.

Whip up a batch of soft homemade pumpkin muffins the night before, and you will actually want to get out of bed in the morning.

Or make a double batch for Sunday meal prep. Enjoy the muffins throughout the week, or freeze leftovers to have on hand any time a pumpkin craving hits.

Serve with a Homemade Frappuccino, Pumpkin Smoothie, or Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Low calorie, nutritious, and rich in vitamin A, the muffins make a great addition to any breakfast table. For a complete meal, add your favorite breakfast protein source.

You can even replace up to a fourth cup of the flour in this recipe with a flavored or unflavored protein powder, turning them into pumpkin protein muffins!

Step by step pumpkin muffin recipe video

Above, watch the video of how to make the muffins

If you have only ever made the popular two ingredient pumpkin muffins with cake mix, you will be shocked at how much better these homemade muffins taste!

Trust me, you will never go back to boxed muffin mix again.

You might also like these Easy Cinnamon Rolls

Homemade pumpkin muffin ingredients

Here is everything you need: fresh or canned pumpkin puree, milk of choice, white or apple cider vinegar, pure vanilla extract, flour, sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and optional oil.

Pureed pumpkin – The quick, easy option is to simply buy a can of pure pumpkin puree at the grocery store.

If you cannot find Libby’s or something similar, feel free to substitute homemade pumpkin puree or roasted butternut squash. Mashed sweet potato works as well.

(Here’s the best way how to cook sweet potatoes.)

Pumpkin spice – In the US, pumpkin pie spice comes in a jar and is sold at most grocery stores in the spice section.

However, the recipe is incredibly versatile. If you do not have pumpkin pie spice, just use additional cinnamon instead.

Sweetener – White sugar, coconut sugar, or unrefined evaporated cane juice work as the sweetener. For added sugar free pumpkin muffins, use xylitol or a granulated no sugar sweetener.

Flour – Spelt flour, oat flour, and all purpose flour work well. If you experiment with any other flours, such as whole wheat flour, almond flour, or a gluten free blend, be sure to let other readers know about your results.

I do not recommend substituting keto friendly coconut flour here, because it is a very absorbent grain free flour alternative and will yield dry muffins.

Oil – My preference is coconut oil. Sunflower oil or vegetable oil are fine as well.

Or replace the oil with three tablespoons of additional pumpkin, mashed banana, plain or Greek yogurt, applesauce, almond butter, or finely shredded zucchini.

Salt – A pinch of salt adds depth of flavor and balances out the sweetness. I highly recommend including it for the best tasting muffins.

Tips for optional add ins

Have fun and change up the flavor of the muffins by throwing in a handful of raisins or dried cranberries, crushed walnuts, flax or chia seeds, or shredded coconut.

Obviously my favorite variation is to add a generous handful of chocolate chips. They are also wonderful topped with oatmeal streusel.

Eat them plain or spread with almond butter, Coconut Butter, or Vegan Cream Cheese.

There are no butter or eggs required for this Fall favorite recipe.

How to make pumpkin muffins

The first steps are to gather your ingredients, read through all of the instructions, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, milk of choice, vinegar, vanilla extract, and optional vegetable or melted coconut oil.

Let these ingredients sit for at least ten minutes while you sift dry ingredients in a bowl. Alternatively, you can whisk the wet ingredients together the night before and refrigerate in a covered container.

Combine the dry and wet ingredients, stirring until just evenly mixed. Do not over stir, which could result in a tough texture.

Smooth the pumpkin muffin batter into a greased cupcake tin or muffin liners.

If desired, sprinkle with chocolate chips or chopped pecans or streusel.

Bake on the center rack of the oven for nineteen minutes, or until the pumpkin pastries are domed and golden. A toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin should come out mostly clean.

Let cool before handling. If you can wait, the muffins taste even better the next day, and the liners will also peel off easily after a day.

Once cooled, store leftovers in a covered container. They should stay fresh in a container on the counter for a day or in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Or freeze pumpkin muffins in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw in the microwave or overnight in the fridge before serving. You can also heat up frozen muffins in a pan on the stove top.

More Muffin Recipes

Applesauce Muffins

Keto Muffins

Protein Muffins

Healthy Muffins

Oatmeal Muffins

Healthy Blueberry Muffins

Pineapple Muffins

Banana Muffins

The recipe was adapted from this Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe with cream cheese frosting and from my Vegan Pumpkin Bread and this Keto Pumpkin Bread.

More Healthy Pumpkin Recipes

Pumpkin Banana Bread

Pumpkin Dip

Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

Pumpkin Oatmeal

Healthy Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin Mac And Cheese

Healthy Pumpkin Pie

Or this Vegan Pumpkin Pie