These healthy gluten-free pumpkin muffins are made without flour, dairy, or refined sugar.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins
While the arrival of fall is synonymous with an oversaturation of pumpkin spice flavor everywhere you turn, its annual appearance has become a tradition I just can’t help but indulge in. After all there’s just something so cozy and comforting about a spiced pumpkin treat and nothing is as traditional this time of year as a pumpkin muffin.
Tender, not too sweet and filled with those delicious pumpkin spice flavors, these gluten-free pumpkin muffins make for a great breakfast or afternoon snack.
What Makes These Pumpkin Muffins Healthy?
The answer is — it’s what’s not in them. These pumpkin muffins are:
- Flourless, yet light and fluffy thanks to cashew butter. (Instead of wheat flour, I use cashew butter and a bit of arrowroot starch for structure and softness.)
- Free from gluten, grains, and dairy
- No refined sugar - these are naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup
Ingredients
- Cashew Butter – Creamy and neutral-flavored it gives these muffins their structure.
- Pumpkin Purée – Use 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Maple Syrup – Naturally sweetens the muffins. Use pure maple syrup for the best taste.
- Eggs – Essential for structure and lift.
- Vanilla Extract – Enhances the pumpkin and spice flavors.
- Baking Soda – Helps these flourless muffins puff up beautifully.
- Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves & Nutmeg – The signature pumpkin spice mix. You can sub a pumpkin spice blend if you prefer.
- Arrowroot Flour – Lightens the batter and gives the muffins a fluffy texture.
- Optional Toppings: Chopped Pecans & Maple Sugar – A little crunch and sweetness on top.
How to Make Healthy Pumpkin Muffins (Step-by-Step)
- Preheat oven and line a muffin tin with baking liners.
- In a blender or food processor, mix cashew butter, pumpkin puree, and maple syrup until smooth.
- Add eggs, vanilla, baking soda, spices, and salt. Blend again.
- Add the arrowroot last and pulse just until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between muffin cups. Sprinkle with pecans and maple sugar if using.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes until the tops are puffed and centers are just set.
- Let cool in the pan before transferring to a wire rack.
Tips and Variations
- If you're short on spices, substitute a pumpkin spice blend.
- Use only 100% pumpkin puree.
- Let them cool a bit before removing from the pan to avoid tearing.
- These are great plain, but even better with a swipe of almond butter or pumpkin butter.
- Want a sweeter chocolate treat? Add a few mini chocolate chips to the batter.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re craving something fall inspired or just want a wholesome treat, these muffins will quickly become a staple. They come out of the oven fluffy and tender with a bit of crunch on top thanks to the pecans. Serve them plain or with a smear of nut butter or pumpkin butter and enjoy those fall flavors before the season is over!
More Pumpkin Recipes:
Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
These healthy pumpkin muffins filled with warming spices are a cinch to make and bake up fluffy and tender.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup/ 180g cashew butter
- ¾ cup/ 180g unsweetened pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup/180g maple syrup
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- ¾ cup/108g arrowroot flour
- 2 Tablespoons/30g chopped pecans, for topping (optional)
- 2 teaspoons/6g maple sugar for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 °F. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with baking cups.
- Place cashew butter, pumpkin puree and maple syrup in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth. Add in eggs, vanilla, baking soda, spices and salt and pulse again until well blended. Add in arrowroot and pulse to combine.
- Pour batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan. Top with chopped pecans and maple sugar if using.
- Bake until puffed and just firm in the centers (about 18-20 minutes).
- Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve at room temperature and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
VARIATIONS: Substitute 2 ½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice mix instead of the individual spices. Serve with your favorite nut butter or pumpkin butter.
STORAGE: Muffins are best served fresh but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
DIETARY INFO: Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 227Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 155mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 2gSugar: 12gProtein: 4g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
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