Get cozy this fall with this delicious and easy recipe for healthy, gluten-free pumpkin muffins that bake up fluffy and tender!
Pumpkin season is in full swing and I am not immune to its siren call. While the arrival of fall is now synonymous with an oversaturation of pumpkin spice flavored everything 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 deliciously 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 healthy pumpkin muffins make for a great breakfast or afternoon snack.
What Makes These Pumpkin Muffins Healthy?
You might be asking: What makes these muffins healthy?
The answer is: It’s what’s NOT in these muffins that make them healthier than the kind you’ll find in bakeries and coffee shops. For starters there’s no gluten, no dairy and no refined sugar. The muffins are made with a combination of cashew butter, eggs, maple syrup and of course pumpkin and pumpkin spices. That means they’re lower in sugar and higher in protein than most commercial muffins but still tender, fluffy and flavorful.
Ingredient Notes:
(Here are a few notes about the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. As always find the full list of ingredients and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Cashew butter – I like to use cashew butter for its neutral flavor and creamy texture, it's also the "secret" ingredient along with the eggs that give the muffins their structure and eliminates the need for flour.
- Pumpkin puree – We’re using 100% pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling.
- Maple syrup – Maple adds sweetness and pairs nicely with the pumpkin spice flavors.
- Vanilla – To enhance the flavors.
- Eggs – To provide lift and structure.
- Baking soda – For leavening.
- Pumpkin pie spices – You can use a combination of cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg or a pumpkin pie spice blend.
- Arrowroot – To lighten the batter and create a fluffy muffin.
- Pecans and maple sugar – For topping.
How to Make Healthy Pumpkin Muffins:
(Here are the basic steps and some helpful tips on how to make the recipe. Find the full directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
These muffins are easy to make since they can be made in either the food processor or the blender.
- First you’ll blend together the cashew butter, pumpkin puree and maple syrup until smooth.
- Then you’ll add in the eggs and spices.
- Last is the arrowroot which is pulsed in just before pouring the batter into a lined muffin pan.
- A sprinkle of maple sugar and a few chopped pecans across the top and the muffins are ready to bake.
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!
Variations:
- Substitute 2 ½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice mix instead of the individual spices.
- Add chocolate chips or chopped nuts to the batter.
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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