The best vegan pumpkin muffin you will ever taste! Spiced perfectly with cinnamon and nutmeg and full of healthy pumpkin puree it’s like taking a bite of fall! You can whip up a batch in about 30 minutes with simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. These healthy pumpkin muffins have 64% of needed vitamin A for the day in just 1 serving!
You’ll love these healthy pumpkin muffins because…
- They’re free of eggs, dairy and nuts.
- They can easily be made soy and gluten-free.
- You can add chocolate chips, raisins, nuts, cranberries, or whatever you want to them.
- You can whip up a batch in 30 minutes!
- No fancy kitchen tools needed, just a bowl and a spoon and a muffin tin.
- You can make them ahead and they’re great for breakfast, dessert, or snacks!
These muffins were inspired by my vegan banana bread recipe since it never fails me. I swapped out the bananas for pumpkin puree and made a few small adjustments to come up with these muffins. I’ve made them many times now, and like my banana bread, this recipe never disappoints!
Ingredients and substitutions for vegan pumpkin muffins:
- Pumpkin Puree – 1 can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling).
- Sugar – any vegan sugar will work. Brown sugar, coconut sugar, or Sucanat will give it a richer flavor and darker color. Feel free to reduce the sugar a little if you want.
- Refined Coconut Oil – you can also use vegan butter, margarine, or another neutral-flavored oil. I find that coconut oil gives the best texture.
- Plant Milk – soy, oat, almond, or hemp will all work well.
- Vanilla – for flavor
- Flour – you can use white, wheat, or gluten-free flour mixes or my homemade gluten-free flour mix. I have tested this recipe with may types of flour and they all work well.
- Baking Powder – to help it rise.
- Baking Soda – to help it rise.
- Cinnamon and Nutmeg – for flavor. You can also use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice instead.
- Salt – for flavor.
- Spray Oil – to coat the inside of your muffin tins. You can also use cupcake liners instead.
How do you make vegan pumpkin muffins?
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Add 1 cup pumpkin, 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup melted coconut oil, 1/4 cup soy milk, and 1 tsp vanilla, to a medium-sized mixing bowl and stir well.
- In a separate bowl, mix 2 cups flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, and 1/2 tsp salt and give a little stir to mix it all up.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold together until a thick batter is formed.
- Add 1/3 cup of chocolate chips, raisins, nuts, or dried cranberries and mix again.
- Pour into oiled muffin tins, filling 3/4 of the way full, and bake.
- Bake for 22 minutes for mini muffins and 24 minutes for regular-sized muffins.
Tips for perfect pumpkin muffins every time:
- Measure carefully, slight changes in measurements can significantly change the final product when baking.
- Spoon the flour into the measuring cups so you don’t pack it down resulting in too much flour.
- Make sure to pre-heat the oven and be sure it reaches 375° F before putting in the muffins. This helps them to rise and get a dome on top.
- To make your muffins look pretty, sprinkle a few chocolate chips on the top just before baking so they don’t get mixed in with all the batter.
How do I make these muffins gluten-free?
These muffins come out perfectly when you use my gluten-free flour mix. You can also use any store-bought gluten-free flour mix that you have, but the taste and texture are best with my mix. It will take you less than 5 minutes to make and it’s well worth the time!
Note about gluten-free flour – Any grain-based flour mix will work, but I don’t recommend using grain-free flours like almond flour. They do not bake the same and they will not work in exchange for traditional flour.
Some more vegan recipes you may like for fall:
- Vegan Apple Cake
- The Best Vegan Pumpkin Pie
- Vegan Caramel Apples
- Vegan Pumpkin Bread
- Creamy Pumpkin Bean Soup
- Red Lentil Soup with Pumpkin and Kale
Subscribe to my email list to get my free eBook “The Beginner’s Guide to Homemade Vegan Staples” or if you are ready to fully dive into making your own vegan cheese, butter, yogurt, and more check out my cookbook, “The Ultimate Guide to Homemade Vegan Staples!”
An easy vegan pumpkin muffin recipe. Make them gluten-free if needed and add chocolate chips, raisins, or nuts to make them your own.
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup coconut oil melted (or vegan margarine)
- 1/4 cup soy milk or any plant-based milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups flour (regular wheat, whole wheat flour, or gluten-free flour mix)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup vegan chocolate chips or raisins, nuts, or cranberries. (plus a few more for sprinkling on top).
- 1 spray oil on muffin tins
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Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
-
Add 1 cup pumpkin, 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup melted coconut oil, 1/4 cup soy milk, and 1 tsp vanilla, to a medium-sized mixing bowl and stir well.
-
In a separate bowl, mix 2 cups flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, and 1/2 tsp salt and give a little stir to mix it all up.
-
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold together until a thick batter is formed.
-
Add 1/3 cup of chocolate chips, raisins, nuts, or dried cranberries and mix again.
-
Scoop into oiled muffin tins, filling 3/4 of the way full and top with a few vegan chocolate chips.
-
Bake for 22 minutes for mini muffins and 24 minutes for regular-sized muffins.
- Measure carefully, slight changes in measurements can significantly change the final product when baking.
- Spoon the flour into the measuring cups so you don't pack it down resulting in too much flour.
- Make sure to pre-heat the oven and be sure it reaches 375° F before putting in the muffins. This helps them to rise and get a dome on top.
- To make your muffins look pretty, sprinkle a few chocolate chips on the top just before baking so they don’t get mixed in with all the batter.
*This recipe was originally posted on 10/16/2018. It was updated on 9/29/20 to include new images and more detailed instructions.
