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A cross between a dessert and a nutritious breakfast, these healthy pumpkin muffins are completely gluten-free! The fresh pumpkin puree and chocolate chips elevate these muffins to icon status.
Sweet healthy pumpkin muffins
These healthy pumpkin muffins are the perfect things to make for a fall snack, portable breakfast, or autumn brunch. They are sweet while not wreaking havoc on your blood sugar.
These muffins are never going to let you down. I mean, you will know they are going to be perfect right away because the pumpkin batter is fluffy and thick. You can tell that when you are pouring them into your muffin tin, these will be the softest pumpkin muffins you have ever had!
I think these pumpkin muffins rival the ones from Dunkin’ – while being better for you at the same time. These are perfectly soft, full of pumpkin spice, fluffy, and just so freaking good that you will want to eat them for breakfast every single day.
Ingredients in these pumpkin oat muffins
The ingredients in these muffins are the best because they are simple and most likely ones that you already have on hand in your pantry. Baking can be really easy if you allow it to be!
I love to use recipes that don’t require fancy ingredients or anything that you wouldn’t already have at home. All you really need for these muffins:
- Oat Flour– Oats are a heart-healthy whole grain. You’ll need 2 cups of oat flour.
- Pumpkin Puree – Either use fresh pumpkin puree from your Jack-O-Lantern or add some from a can, but either way, use 1 cup.
- Maple Syrup – Sweeten the muffins naturally with 1/3 a cup of real maple syrup.
- Eggs – These are an emulsifier, so you’ll use 2 large eggs.
- Coconut Oil – or Other Oil of Choice – Melt 1/2 a cup of your favorite type of healthy oil.
- Baking Soda + Powder – Combine 1 teaspoon of baking powder with 1/2 a teaspoon of baking soda for the fluffiest muffins.
- Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract adds deeper and richer flavors to the muffins, use one teaspoon.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice – Use some premade pumpkin pie spice to really make them taste amazing – about two teaspoons.
- Chocolate Chips – These chocolate chips are optional. If you want to use them, add about one cup.
Kitchen tools required
You don’t need any fancy kitchen gadgets to make this simple pumpkin muffin recipe. Grab the following tools before you begin.
- Muffin Tin
- Muffin Liners
- Large Bowl
- Whisk
- Small Bowl
- Wooden Spoon
For measuring, you will need 1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup, 1 teaspoon, and 1/2 teaspoon.
How to make the best pumpkin muffins
These best-ever healthy pumpkin muffins are so easy to make. You’ll want to start by making homemade oat flour which is way easier than it sounds. No fancy mills or grinding machines here, all you need is a blender!
Just throw some oats into a blender and pulse for 10 seconds or so until your oats are finely ground into flour.
Tip: Always measure the amount of oats you need after grinding your oats up because the measurement can change.
If you already have oat flour, you can skip this step and move directly to mixing the pumpkin muffin batter.
Put the oat flour aside and whisk together your eggs, oil, pumpkin, maple syrup, and vanilla until well combined.
Mix the oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in another bowl.
Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until completely combined. Then add in any mix-ins you want! I love adding chocolate chips or pecans to my pumpkin muffins. I even save some to put on top!
Pour batter into a lined and greased muffin tin, top with a little extra chocolate and crushed nuts if desired, and bake! Bake them until you insert a toothpick into the middle, and it comes out clean.
Recipe Tips
Here are some questions people often ask about making pumpkin muffins. If you don’t see your question in this list, please leave it in the comments.
What other ingredients can I add to these oat flour pumpkin muffins?
You could add some cocoa powder to the muffins to make chocolate pumpkin muffins. Instead of chocolate chips, use white chocolate chips.
Should I make my own homemade oat powder?
This is entirely up to you. Some people like to make their own oat powder by pureeing rolled oats because it is less processed. It could be cheaper to make your own oat powder, especially if you buy rolled oats in bulk.
Can I turn this into a loaf of quick bread?
Yes, you can easily place the batter into a prepared loaf pan and make healthy pumpkin bread. You will have to adjust the baking time because it will take longer for the bread to bake.
Are these pumpkin muffins keto-friendly?
No, these muffins are not good to eat on a low-carb diet. The oat flour makes them much too high in carbs. Plus, the maple syrup increase that number even more. I suggest looking for a muffin recipe that uses either almond flour or coconut flour and is sweetened with a sugar substitute.
Storing leftovers
Storing muffins is simple. We like to let our muffins sit at room temperature in a sealed Tupperware container for up to four days. After that, we will do one of two things to ensure that they are stored properly – store them in the freezer or the refrigerator.
Freeze the muffins
Once cooled, wrap them up individually in plastic wrap and place them in a gallon Ziploc bag. This makes it easier to pull them out individually. Store them in the freezer for up to 6 months. When you are ready to eat them again, just let them thaw naturally in the refrigerator overnight.
Refrigerate them
This will increase the shelf life to longer than four days. Just stick the sealed, airtight container right into your fridge, and you will be good to go! These muffins will last about a week in the refrigerator.
If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!
If you make this recipe, be sure to comment below and let me know how it was! Also tag @erinliveswhole on Instagram and use the hashtag #erinliveswhole so I can see it and feature you!
The Best Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
Healthy pumpkin muffins are easy to make and made totally gluten free with certified gluten free oatmeal, fresh pumpkin puree, and a handful of chocolate chips! Toddlers, kids, teenagers, and adults all love these for a simple snack!
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups oat flour , loosely scooped, not packed. gluten-free if necessary. see notes for homemade.
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- Optional:Â chocolate chips /chopped pecans – about 1 cup.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a muffin tin with liners and nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin, coconut oil, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla until well combined.
- In a small bowl, mix oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
- Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until combined. Stir in any mix-ins.
- Scoop into muffin tin and bake for about 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Make homemade oat flour by grinding oatmeal until very fine in a blender, measuring after blended.
There may be affiliate links in this post! By purchasing a product I recommend, I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and use myself. Thank you for supporting Erin Lives Whole, it helps keep this blog afloat 🙂
Tanya McCloud says
I love your pumpkin muffins and pumpkin bread!! Absolutely amazing! I love that I can eat it and not feel guilty! I’m obsessed with all things pumpkin!!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Tanya, so happy you enjoyed them!
Mindy says
I’m not sure if I commented already but I make these almost every week now. They are so good even without chocolate chips.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Mindy, so happy you love them so much!!
Sarah W says
I’d like to say we’re *mildly* obsessed, but that’s a lie. It’s a full blown addiction LOL these muffins are sooooo forgiving. The recipe is perfect as is, but I’ve been experimenting with getting more fruits and veggies into them. My favorite way to maximize health, while still retaining flavor, is as follows: Double the recipe to use the whole can of pumpkin, add 1 overripe banana, add 2 zucchinis (shredded), instead of all coconut oil I sub half with unsweetened applesauce. I don’t add chocolate chips, but will sometimes add 1/4 cup more maple syrup if I’m wanting a more dessert vibe. All of this to say, make these as soon as you get the chance. You won’t regret it.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Sarah, I am so glad you love the muffins and make them your own! Thanks for sharing!!
Monica Lombardo says
This is the BEST pumpkin muffin recipe- and you’d never know they’re gluten free!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Monica, so happy you loved them! 🙂
Morgan says
I would like to say these are a fall staple, but they have turned into an all the time staple! Amazingly moist and not too sweet. Perfect addition to keep stocked during the week and perfect to bring to brunch occasions!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Morgan, so glad you loved them! 🙂
Renee says
I added a banana instead of eggs. Stevia instead of maple syrup.
I also made them in a doughnut tray.They were absolutely delicious.
Thank you
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Renee, so happy you loved them and made them your own! 🙂
Caitie says
Delicious! Beautiful taste and texture. I am not an experienced baker and they turned out great on my very first try. I used my magic bullet to grind old fashioned oats and added some dark chocolate chips. Thanks for this awesome recipe, Erin!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Caitie, so happy you loved them so much! 🙂
Sean says
Made according to the recipe and they didn’t rise at all, came out like hard little lumps, and tasted bland.
★
Erin says
Hi Sean, I’m sorry that you did not like the recipe! I’ve heard tons of good things about this one, bummed it didn’t work out for you!
Irma Sonntag says
I am tempted to try 1 avocado for coconut oil and chopped dates with walnuts for maple syrup. For extra sweetness add 2 bananas and chocolate chips. May have to add extra oat flour for consistency.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Irma, so glad you loved them and made them your own!! 🙂
Sghiatti Raquel says
Baking soda instead of baking powder?
Erin says
Hi, yep that should be fine! Let me know how they come out!
Sghiatti Raquel says
Can i use baking soda only? It’s all I have
Erin says
Hi, yep that should be fine! Let me know how they come out!
Eloise says
I make a double batch of these every week for my family. My picky toddlers love them! We reheat in the microwave for breakfast and they are delicious.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Eloise, so happy you all love them SO much!!
Melody says
Love these! With a sick kid I was running out of groceries and turned to my pantry to avoid one more day at the store. I had everything for these and crossed my fingers they worked! I made them mini (to make it easier to share with my mini me who is 1.5yrs old) and they turned out perfectly! I just reduced the cooking time to 14mins and chopped the chocolate chips finer and I got 36 perfect little snacks! Half the batch went into the freezer and this recipe will be saved for future use
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Melody, so happy you all loved them as a mini version!! 🙂
Kelsi Van Veen says
These muffins are absolutely delicious. Super easy to make with just a few staple ingredients. They turned out perfectly moist! I added cream cheese icing to half the batch for a little extra sweetness. But the non-iced ones have been my go-to for a mid-morning snack. Will be making these again!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Kelsi, so happy you loved them so much! 🙂
Christi says
Made these tonight with half almond flour/half whole wheat and they turned out great! Nice and fluffy. Had to add a little milk to thin out the batter.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Christi, so glad you loved them and made them your own!!
Shawna says
These are absolutely THE BEST! My go to muffin recipe. My new favourite muffin recipe. Thank you so much for sharing this fantastic recipe. These taste like you’re eating something bad for you! Delicious!!!!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Shawna, so happy you loved them so much!! 🙂
Jennifer says
These muffins are incredible. Great flavor, great texture. I made them without the chocolate chips and they still taste amazing. I pull one out of the fridge and microwave it for 30 seconds…YUM!!!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Jennifer, so glad you love them so much! 🙂
Helen says
Would I be able to use honey instead of syrup?
Erin says
Hi Helen, yep that should be fine. Let me know how they come out!!
Kasey Martin says
Hey girl! These are delicious either way, but I found a trick! I’ve noticed that oat flour can give muffins a really gummy texture. BUT if you bake on 450 for ten minutes, then 400 for five, you get massively improved texture every time. I tried it on this beloved recipe and they came out perfect! Either way though, your creations are fabulous.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Kasey, thanks so much for sharing!! 🙂
Rebecca B. says
Hi,
your recipe seems scrumptious, and I’d love to try it when a friend of mine comes over, but she is extremely affected by any amount, no matter how small, of gluten. Oats, though very digestible, have a small amount.
Could I use quinoa flour?
I saw someone asking about almond flour, but that seems too heavy compared to oat flour.
Erin says
Hi Rebecca, thanks and I haven’t tested with that specific flour, and most flours work on a totally different absorption rate. You can definitely give it a try but you’d likely have to adjust the amount and check the ratio. Let me know if it works!
Avery says
hi rebecca! there are actually certified GF oats out there. if you take those and blend them, you have certified GF oat flour!