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.
Can I use all purpose flour instead?
I think that should work fine. Enjoy!
These turned out delicious! I used cashew butter instead with great results.
Added about 1/4-1/3 cup old fashioned oats for some extra nutrition, as well as some chocolate chips for some yummy flair. The muffin itself, regardless of chocolate chips and oats, is delicious!
The best pumpkin muffin recipe I’ve found. These are so amazingly fluffy and have a great flavor. I can’t believe they turn out this good with everything into the blender! Toddler loves making them and eating them.
I’m so glad!
Holy cow! This muffin is tender and so yummy. I made it with applesauce for my 10 month old, and used some whole wheat flour and some of his oatmeal/cereal. They are really light and fluffy, despite how wet the batter was. 10/10, totally going to make again.
These taste great but they stuck to the pan SO badly. My toddler enjoys the taste but I was hoping for an easy on-the-go snack and this is not it. I followed the recipe exactly, used a greased non-stick pan and my oven is true to temperature and every single muffin stuck to the pan and broke on the way out.
If a muffin sticks to a pan, it’s not the fault of the muffin. It’s something about the pan or the grease that was used. I am sorry this happened!
How are these muffins so amazingly fluffy?! I used natural, unsweetened peanut butter instead of almond, and homemade date syrup instead of maple syrup. Very happy with the result and will certainly make these again. A great use of a partial can of pumpkin! My toddler LOVES them.
is the oil/butter necessary? my son loves these but i would like to omit them if possible
I haven’t made them any other way and I am not sure they would be as moist if you leave it out (so they may taste dry). Let me know if you try it.
thank you! i made them with half the amount of unsalted melted butter and they still turned out great for my little one. i’m actually about to make another batch since he finished those 😅
Our 9 month twins demolished these! I replaced the maple syrup with apple sauce since we’re trying to limit added sweeteners at this age. Fluffy and delicious.
Best Egg substitute please? 🙂
Summer yummy, easy to make and my 10 month old loves them. I used homemade apple sauce and the pumpkin I puréed after carving it. I enjoyed them as well. I made a Greek yogurt frosting with leftover pumpkin, apple, ginger and cinnamon.
Can peanut butter be a sub for the almond butter?
Yes
I was looking for a pumpkin muffin recipe for my toddler and am glad I stumbled across this one. These came out great! Thank you for offering a no added sugar modification that actually works, as it makes these perfect for infants or younger toddlers. I added a little ground flax seed for some added iron, protein, healthy fats, and fiber.
I made 28 of these mini muffins last night and only had 15 left this morning , family of 4. Safe to say the kids LOVED them
Delicious muffins. I made two batches.