Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
Easy, healthy pumpkin muffins made with whole grains, natural sweetener (maple syrup) and real pumpkin! These muffins are fluffy and delicious.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 30, 2024
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We caught our first cool fall breeze this week. Do you know what that means? It’s pumpkin muffin time.
I snapped some new photos of my favorite pumpkin muffin recipe as I satisfied my pumpkin craving. These pumpkin muffins are perfect for chilly fall mornings and afternoon snacks.
They’re healthier than most, since they’re made with whole wheat flour and oats, sweetened with real maple syrup or honey, and call for coconut oil or olive oil instead of butter. Believe it or not, this healthy pumpkin muffin recipe yields light and fluffy muffins.
These pumpkin muffins wouldn’t be complete without plenty of warming spices, including cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Most “pumpkin spice” flavor comes from the spice, not the pumpkin!
I love these muffins with a spread of almond butter, peanut butter or pecan butter on top. Nut butter adds some extra protein, which means that I’m not hungry before lunchtime. If you’re going pumpkin-crazy this time of year, enjoy your muffin with a homemade pumpkin chai latte.
These pumpkin treats have the magical power to convert “healthy muffin” skeptics into fans. Let’s make some!
The Best Pumpkin Muffins
Five reasons to love this pumpkin muffin recipe:
- These muffins are easy to make with basic ingredients. Only one bowl required!
- They’re made with 100% whole grains, yet they’re fluffy and delicious. No one will know the difference.
- They’re also naturally sweetened with maple syrup or honey, rather than loaded with refined sugar. The maple syrup (or honey) offers a touch of extra flavor, which I love.
- These muffins feature a few of your favorite warming spices so they taste like your favorite pumpkin latte.
- They freeze well for later, too. Just defrost individual muffins in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds, or until gently warmed through. You don’t want to overdo it.
Healthy Pumpkin Muffin Notes & Tips
Change it up. Add nuts, chocolate chips or chopped fruit cranberries or crystallized ginger. See recipe notes for details.
Simplify the recipe. Substitute 2 teaspoons store-bought pumpkin spice blend for the individual spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice). Or, if your spice drawer is empty, simply use 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and call it good.
Craving a sweet topping? Liz topped these muffins with my maple glaze from my pumpkin scones recipe, which sounds marvelous.
This muffin recipe is special diet-friendly. You can easily adjust this recipe to make it vegan, dairy free, egg free and/or gluten free. See the recipe notes for details.
Watch How to Make Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
Baking Tips for Success
How to Measure Flour
How you measure your flour is important. Why? If you measure incorrectly, you could end up with up to 50 percent extra flour, which will make your muffins dense, dry and flavorless. Use the spoon and swoop method:
- Gently stir your flour to loosen any clumps.
- Spoon your flour into the measuring cup with a big spoon or a flour scoop. Do not scoop up the flour directly into the measuring cup.
- Level off the top of the cup with a knife. Repeat as necessary.
Use Baking Soda, Not Baking Powder
They are not the same thing. Both are leaveners that help your baked goods rise (baking powder contains some baking soda, but that’s a long story). For ideal results, always follow the recipe and measure carefully.
How to Stir Your Batter
This muffin batter is super simple to stir together by hand, and that’s how I recommend making these muffins. Why? Whipping your batter will make the flour’s gluten protein too strong, yielding tough muffins.
I know it can be tempting to use a stand mixer or hand mixer when it’s within reach. Please don’t! Follow the instructions below and you’ll end up with light, fluffy muffins.
More Pumpkin Treats & Fall Muffins
Craving more? You’re going to love these recipes:
- Healthy Pumpkin Bread (like these muffins, but in bread form)
- Pumpkin Pecan Scones with Maple Glaze
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Perfect Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Healthy Banana Muffins
- Healthy Apple Muffins
Please let me know how these pumpkin muffins turn out for you in the comments. I love hearing from you, and hope these pumpkin muffins become your new favorite.
P.s. That beautiful mug in the photos above and below? That’s handmade by my friend Margaret.
Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
Easy, one bowl, healthier pumpkin muffins made with whole wheat grains and naturally sweetened! These pumpkin muffins are as light, fluffy and delicious as their coffee shop counterparts. Recipe yields 12 muffins.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil*
- ½ cup maple syrup or honey
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- ¼ cup milk of choice (I used almond milk)
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice blend (or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon ground allspice or cloves)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cups whole wheat flour**
- ⅓ cup old-fashioned oats, plus more for sprinkling on top
- Optional: 2 teaspoons turbinado (raw) sugar for a sweet crunch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius). If necessary, grease all 12 cups of your muffin tin with butter or non-stick cooking spray (my pan is non-stick and didn’t require any grease).
- In a large bowl, beat the oil and maple syrup or honey together with a whisk. Add the eggs, and beat well. Add the pumpkin purée, milk, pumpkin spice blend, baking soda, vanilla extract and salt.
- Add the flour and oats to the bowl and mix with a large spoon, just until combined (a few lumps are ok). If you’d like to add any additional mix-ins***, like nuts, chocolate or dried fruit, fold them in now.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with about a tablespoon of oats, followed by a light sprinkle of raw sugar and/or pumpkin spice blend if you’d like. Bake muffins for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
- Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool. These muffins are delicate until they cool down. You might need to run a butter knife along the outer edge of the muffins to loosen them from the pan.
- These muffins taste even better after they have rested for a couple of hours! They’ll keep at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They keep well in the freezer in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months (just defrost individual muffins as needed).
Notes
Recipe adapted from my honey-sweetened pumpkin bread.
*Oil options: I love coconut oil here. I used unrefined coconut oil and can hardly taste it in the final product. Olive oil might lend an herbal note to the muffins, if you’re into that (I tested with California Olive Ranch’s “Everyday” variety and couldn’t even taste it). Vegetable oil has a neutral flavor but the average vegetable/canola oil is highly processed, so I recommend using cold-pressed sunflower oil or grapeseed oil if possible.
**Flour alternatives: White whole wheat flour works great, if you can find it. Whole wheat pastry flour yields extra light and fluffy muffins that are delicate until cooled. All-purpose flour and gluten-free all-purpose flour blends work as well.
**Change it up: You could really go crazy with add-ins here. After stirring in the flour and oats, gently fold in up to ¾ cup chocolate chips, chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts, and/or some chopped dried cranberries or crystallized ginger.
Serving suggestions: These muffins are great on their own, with a pat of butter, or spread with almond butter. They would also be fantastic with homemade pecan butter or coconut butter.
Make it egg free: Readers report that these muffins turn out well with flax eggs!
Make it vegan: Use maple syrup, flax eggs and non-dairy milk.
Make it dairy free: Simply use your non-dairy milk of choice.
Make it gluten free: Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose blend works well instead of the whole wheat flour. Or, use 2 ½ cups certified gluten-free oat flour instead.
Make it oat free: Simply omit the oats. No other changes necessary.
Make it lower in fat: I would argue that this bread contains a healthy amount of fat, but you can replace the oil with applesauce if you’re following a low-fat diet. Choosing olive oil instead of coconut oil will reduce the saturated fat content; total fat content will remain the same.
Update September 24, 2019: I removed white whole wheat flour as an option simply because I can’t find it in stores any more. I also upped the amount of spice from 1 ½ teaspoons to 2 teaspoons.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
These are so easy and fantastic. Used 1c WW, 3/4c almond flour. No oats (b/c picky teens) and 1/2c choc chips (see also: teens). SUCCESS! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Judy!
How funny to see this review. This is exactly what I do too! (Sub 3/4c of the flour for almond flour, leave out the oats, and add some dark chocolate chips.) So delicious. My kid and I love them!
That’s great to hear, Lauren!
Thank you so much for this recipe! This is my go to recipe for muffins. I have made them with both coconut oil and evoo. Also with both honey and maple syrup and a combination of the spices. I also tend to add in extra oatmeal instead of the extra add ins. They turn out great whichever way I make them and my family LOVES them!
So yummy and I really appreciate that you broke down the pumpkin spice ingredients.
Grea recipe , thank you
You’re welcome, Maia!
This is a great recipe! I used GF Flour along with GF rolled oats, olive oil, oat milk and added some walnuts. They came out perfectly. Thanks!
These pumpkin muffins are amazing! Followed the exact recipe. Perfect amount of sweetness and light and fluffy. Everyone in my family loved them.
These are glorious. I used oat flour and kept the rest of recipe as noted. I didn’t see the measurement adjustment for oat flour until after but they came out really great with the 1 3/4 c.
I have a whipped cinnamon honey from Nova Scotia that I slathered on top. So good.
What is the calorie count?
Hi Colleen, the nutritional information is below the notes section of the recipe.
I made it as written, with olive oil, soy milk, and 1/2 C choc chips. Delicious!
Delicious!! I will be making these again and again. I followed the recipe exactly, just added about 1/4 cup of chopped pecans.
I’m glad they were a hit, Dianne!
These are vert good and tasty
I like that they can easily be customizable
I would like clarification on the pumpkin
Is it 1 cup or 1 can?
I saw another comment on can size
My batter was pretty thick
Maybe I had pumpkin amount wrong
My batter was a little thick too and I used 1 cup of pumpkin, so I’m thinking it’s suppose to be.
Made this with avocado oil and it worked well!
Yummy!!
How many calories on each cupcake?
Hi Gloria, the nutritional information is below the notes section of the blog.
Favorite muffins- love the banana and apple recipe too! I Make a double batch to use a full can of pumpkin- 1 regular size and 1 mini, then freeze. Healthy and delicious!!
I love to hear that, Brittany!
This and the pumpkin bread recipe are long time go-to recipes. Can’t beat ’em. King Arthur white whole wheat flour is widely available in most supermarkets in 2024. Also, why can you use water instead of milk in the bread but not the muffin recipe? Finally, I find that using 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, reducing flour to 1 1/2 cups makes the lightest fluffiest muffins, and you can bake at 350, no harm done.
Can I skip the oatmeal and add all purpose flour and how much?
You can try it, but this is best as written. If you try it, let me know how it works for you.
We LOVE these (& the pumpkin bread) in our house, I make them all the time. How many minutes for mini muffins? I’m always just winging it and would like your input! Thanks :)
Hi Nova, Typically you cut the time in half. Let me know how they turn out!
Can I use unbleached white flour in place of whole wheat flour?
Sure, it should still work. I hope you love these muffins!
I love this recipe!! I’ve made it several times now, and it’s always a hit. I just started getting into sourdough discard recipes… would it be possible to incorporate that into this recipe somehow?
I haven’t tried it, sorry!
Delicious!! I used Bob Red Mill’s egg replacement because we were out of eggs and it worked great. Made some with chocolate chips and some without and both were very tasty. Will definitely make again!!
These muffins look great but the taste is very bland. If I made them again I would triple the spices and maybe add some sugar.. the honey does not sweeten them enough they just kind of taste plain. If you’re looking for a low calorie but still tasty muffin, this isn’t it!
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t love it, Emma. I appreciate your feedback.
I used walnuts, and half spelt flour and half organic white. Just lovely texture, flavor, etc. Thank you!
You’re welcome, J!
A perfect pumpkin muffin recipe!! I made this and thought it included bananas (while prepping, it occurred to me that it didn’t) so I added 2 ripe bananas. I swapped the oil for 1/4 cup homemade apple sauce, decreased the maple syrup to 1/4 cup, increased the oats to 1/2 cup and added chopped walnuts on top! Cooked for 30 min at high elevation and they came out so moist and flavorful and sweet! My spouse (who usually dislikes “healthy” recipes) ate 3 immediately!
Great recipe, I added 1C of cheese to make it more savoury and they were amazing.
I also cooked a batch but used apple purée rather than pumpkin and they were delish.
Great to hear, Mandy!
I made these muffins today, and they are awesome!! I used Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free all purpose flour and gluten-free oats. I added chopped walnuts and 1/4 tsp of cardamom. YUM! I can’t wait to eat them tomorrow morning for breakfast with nut butter and yogurt on the side. Thank you!!!
You’re welcome, Bonnie! I appreciate your review.
Just made these today. They are awesome. Used glue ten free flour and a bit more oats (as I didn’t have enough flour). And subbed apple sauce for the maple syrup. They turned out perfect. Will make again for sure.
I always follow you. You have the best recipes. I love them. I do tweak them according to our diet, but they are spectacular. I just want to tell you that I used extra-virgin olive oil and I used 1/4 of a cup of pure maple syrup in the recipe I did not use whole wheat flour. I did use white flour I used unsweetened almond milk, vanilla flavor and most importantly I used mogul dates,,, I ground them up in a tiny food processor. It became a paste and I just pinched it into the recipe to resemble little raisins. I can’t begin to tell you how amazing it came out no sugar at all thank you for these recipes. They are spectacular always.
These were sooooooo yummy. 10/10 recommend
Great to hear, Claire! Thank you for your comment.
I figured out that white sugar makes me break out, but I needed something sweet and bready to go with my coffee and these were perfect. The honey is an excellent alternative. I love the flavor and texture of these muffins. I added pecans (because I am Texan). I also froze half and think they taste better from the freezer vs. after 3 days in the fridge so I’ll probably bake and freeze to preserve that freshness in the future. Also, no breakouts! So, this is a super win for me. Thanks Kate!
You’re welcome! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed these muffins, Kate.
Delicious! Making my second batch!
Hi there C & K:
K it looks in the picture above that there is alot of uncooked pumpkin in the muffins? OR is that a spread..trying to hide the pumpkin from hubby! Will these turn out cooked looking? He’s not a pumpkin fan…but family is!
Hi Jenn, the pumpkin in the muffins is cooked. The pumpkins are just for styling and to represent what’s in them.
I made those muffins today with Hard white wheat, since I have it. They came out great, soft inside. Just the right amount of sweetness, I used Maple Syrup. Also used coconut oil. I also added some pecans. When I make them again, (I still have Pumkin leftover), I will increase the amount of spice. I think my Pumpkin Spice is a little old. Or add some Apple Pie spice, I love that stuff, it smells heavenly.
Thank you, Kate! :)
This is one of my go to muffin recipes. I have made them at least 10 times. I use whole wheat pastry flour. One bowl to clean and they are moist and delicious.
Thank you for sharing, Miriam!
Love this recipe! If I were to bake this batter in a loaf pan rather than as muffins, so you have a recommendation for oven temp and cook time?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure, sorry!
My 7 year old is gobbling these up and asking the to make them again. She ate one with breakfast every day this week. We followed the recipe and used 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips as our add in.
If using coconut flour instead of wholewheat flour ,would you still use the same amount? Thank you.
Unfortunately, coconut flour isn’t a 1:1 replacement. I wouldn’t recommend it. Sorry!
Hello! Wondering if you can make this in a bread loaf pan as well? Would the measurements work out? thank you!
Hi Haley, I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. Sorry!
I have made the apple and blueberry muffins. Delicious. Made these tonight and a bit dry and I believe it needs more spice. Next time, I might add more pumpkin and double the spices. What about throwing in a little applesauce to help with moisture? Love your muffin recipes and will continue to bake them. Debating between zucchini or carrot next time!
Delicious!! I used all almond flour and they were not firm enough to hold together but still my daughter said best muffins she ever had! To increase the consistency I used added protein oats, but still not enough stick.
This recipe was phenomenal! This will be a staple in my house for years to come. Thank you for this gem!
You’re welcome, Autumn!
Thank you for this Pumpkin Muffin recipe. My husband is gluten intolerant so I’m searching for recipes. Thank you for listing that gluten free flour could be used! They turned out great!!!
Great to hear, Jayne!
Good morning,
I wanted to let you know and to thank you in advance as I am using your recipe and a few of your photos to promote farm fresh month at my elementary school. We are going to make your muffins and serve them for breakfast and I am doing a presentation to our students about the health benefits and various ways to use this winter locally grown squash. I was not sure how to give you credit so I hope this note will be enough.
My picky family who didn’t do well with anything “healthy,” loved these. Soo delicious with lots of substitutions available
Your website is my go to! Delicious!
Hi,
I would like to make these and have Rob Mills Almond Flour in the pantry. Can I use this with the oats?
Thank you.
Unfortunately, almond flour isn’t a great 1:1 substitute. You can try my Gluten-Free Banana Bread (Made with Almond Flour).