With just a handful of nutritious ingredients and an easy method, these Healthy Pumpkin Muffins are a perfect treat to share. We love to make and enjoy these each fall for breakfast, snack time, or as a simple side dish for dinner.
This easy muffin recipe is loaded with nutrients and the batter simple stirs together in a bowl or blender. Plus, the muffins bake up in just 14 minutes! We make a few batches of these muffins each fall when pumpkin fever is running high—and if I’m lucky, I get to stash some in the freezer for future days.
I love this recipe so much because you simply stir the ingredients together in a single bowl—no fancy tools or a pile of bowls needed. It also tastes great, is super easy, is a great way to use up leftover pumpkin, and would be great to make with the kids if you like to have them in the kitchen with you.
We love to eat these plain, topped with a drizzle of honey, or even topped with a smear of cream cheese to transform them into pumpkin cupcakes. And you can make one simple adjustment to make them added-sugar-free as a baby muffin.
(You may also like Pumpkin Oatmeal, Healthy Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins, and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins.)
Table of Contents
Ingredients You Need
To make this healthy pumpkin muffin recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients so you know what to have on hand or to pick up from the store.
- Whole-wheat flour: Or you can trade in a gluten-free flour blend.
- Almond butter: Or you can use peanut or sunflower seed butter.
- Pumpkin puree: You can use canned or homemade pumpkin puree. (Do not use pumpkin pie filling.)
- Vanilla extract
- Neutral oil: Such as canola or avocado. You could also use melted coconut oil or butter.
- Maple syrup: Or honey for kids over age 1. You can also use the same amount of applesauce to make this muffin recipe added-sugar-free.
- Pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon: For lots of flavor.
- Baking powder and baking soda: To help the muffins rise nicely.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at how to make these simple healthy Pumpkin Muffins. Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the full information, including the amounts and timing.
Step 1. Preheat oven and grease a mini muffin tin with nonstick spray. Gather all your ingredients.
Step 2. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend well— or add to a large bowl and whisk well to thoroughly combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Step 3. Spoon the batter into muffin tins. (Be sure to grease the tin well with nonstick cooking spray. I find it better than using muffin liners, which may stick to the muffins.)
Step 4. Bake until golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
TIP: The muffins are done when they are set on top, have little cracks, and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out cleanly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Store
You can store these healthy Pumpkin Muffins in an airtight container or storage bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the fridge. We like to let these cool fully and eat them at room temperature or chilled.
If freezing in a freezer bag, lay flat so the muffins are in one layer so they’re easy to remove from the bag one at a time—or thaw evenly if thawing the whole bag at once.
Best Tips for Success
- To make this pumpkin muffin recipe nut-free, use sunflower seed butter and omit the baking soda.
- To make egg-free, use a product like Just Eggs instead of something like flax eggs.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
- You can use pureed butternut squash instead of pumpkin puree.
- Use canned or homemade pumpkin puree.
- Add ¼ cup raisins, cranberries, or chocolate chips to the batter for extra flavor. Add extra pumpkin spice or even a little ground ginger if you like.
- Eat these plain, topped with a drizzle of honey, or apple butter.
- Let the almond butter sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to ensure it’s not too hard when it’s time to stir.
- Use the same amount of applesauce in place of the maple syrup to make these added-sugar-free.
- Try my pumpkin baby food and Pumpkin Protein Muffins, too.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear what you think of the recipe if you try it, so please comment below with your thoughts!
Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup almond butter
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil (such as canola or avocado)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a mini muffin tin with nonstick spray.
- Add all ingredients to a medium bowl and stir for 30-60 seconds to thoroughly combine. Or add to a blender and blend well.
- Spoon the batter into muffin tins. There should be about 1 ½ tablespoons of batter in each one.
- Bake 14 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in muffin pan.
- Remove and serve. (To make as standard-size muffins, bake for about 16 minutes.)
Video
Notes
- Store muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or freeze in a freezer bag with as much air removed as possible for up to 6 months.
- Add ¼ cup raisins, dried cranberries, or chocolate chips to the batter for more flavor.
- Nut-free: Use sunflower seed butter in place of the almond butter and omit the baking soda.
- Gluten-free: Use cup for cup GF flour in place of the whole wheat flour.
- Use canned or homemade pumpkin puree.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
- Eat these plain, topped with a drizzle of honey, or apple butter.
- You can use honey instead of maple syrup if you prefer for kids over age 1.
- Use ¼ cup applesauce in place of the maple syrup to make these added-sugar-free.
Nutrition
This post was first published November 2017.
Wow I just made these and I’m blown away by the lovely texture. With such a tiny amount of flour I was wondering if they would have that muffin texture, but they totally do! Delicious!
Hi, would regular butter work instead of almond? Nut butters are insanely expensive in my country but Pumpkins are abundant, so would love to give this a go.
Due to the amount of nut butter in these, I wouldn’t recommend that. I do have Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffins and this Pumpkin Bread that you could do as muffins instead. https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/healthy-pumpkin-bread/
These are great! Can I safely increase the spice? I didn’t have pumpkin pie spice so used 1/4 + 1/4 allspice and cloves.
You could add cinnamon in with the ones you did. I’m not sure I’d do more allspice or cloves since those flavors can be pretty strong)
I doubled the recipe and used a regular muffin tin. Ran out of almond butter and used half peanut butter. Baked for 20 minutes and they came out perfect. So fluffy!
will these work with almond flour
Probably not since it doesn’t work the same in recipes as wheat flour.
Hi! Have you made a pumpkin smash cake with no sugar? If so, I’d love your recipe! Thanks 🙂
I don’t, but you can look at this Sweet Potato Smash Cake and use pumpkin in place of the sweet potato. If you want to omit the maple syrup, I’d use milk instead. Just a heads up that pumpkin is not very sweet on it’s own. Let me know if you try it! https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/sweet-potato-cake-with-cream-cheese-frosting/
Is it really just 1/4 c of flour? Mine came out almost more like an egg bite than a muffin. Still good.
I would check that the baking soda is fresh and active. It’s possible that contributed to their texture. It’s a low amount of flour, but the structure comes from the egg and almond butter.
Incredibly fluffy! I skipped the maple syrup and used pumpkin jam instead of the pumpkin purée and it worked! 🙂
These are incredible! My boys love them!
My toddler loves this recipe! She’s not picky… but definitely does NOT like some things I’ve made. However these she eats everyday for a snack. I’m always happy to sneak a few bites because they are delicious! I’ve subbed peanut butter instead of almond butter and it’s so tasty.
what can I use instead of the maple syrup as I do not want any added sugar? apple sauce or something else? and what quantity, thanks!
Love these muffins! One question… in the nutrition section it says serving size is 2 muffins — is that regular size or mini? Thank you 🙂
Hi- serving size is 2 mini muffins.
I almost never comment on recipes but I just love this recipe so much. I have used ww flour, gf flour and coconut flour on different occasions. I’ve used various nut butters and sunflower butter and subbed puréed pumpkin for sweet potato. Each variation came out great and my 2 yo LOVES them. This is my go to muffin recipe.
So light and fluffy! We subbed peanut butter and they turned our perfectly!
I don’t have almond butter can I use anything else?
You could use peanut butter or sunflower seed butter instead.