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    Home » Recipes

    Vegan Pumpkin Muffins (Healthy and Easy)

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    The best vegan pumpkin muffins recipe made with real pumpkin, full of pumpkin spice flavor, and completely oil-free. Ready in less than 30 minutes, these healthy vegan muffins are moist, easy to make, fluffy, and absolutely delicious!

    Vegan pumpkin muffins on tray.

    Yes, it’s pumpkin season and there’s no shortage of pumpkin recipes filling the internet. But, I don’t give a crap! I love this time of year and all that comes with it. Bring on the pumpkins!

    Let’s face it, no autumn recipe collection is complete without some delicious pumpkin spice muffins. And, these bad boys are pretty awesome.

    These fluffy vegan pumpkin muffins with a hot cup of coffee are perfect for breakfast, an after-school snack, or anytime you just need a little energy boost.

    And, don’t get me started about the aroma that fills your kitchen as they bake. Heavenly.

    So grab your ingredients, preheat your oven, and put on a pot of coffee. It’s time to bake!

    Pumpkin muffins in baking tray.

    Table of Contents

    • Ingredients You Will Need
    • How To Make Vegan Pumpkin Muffins
    • How To Store Leftover Pumpkin Muffins
    • Can I Freeze Vegan Pumpkin Muffins
    • Why You Will Love These Muffins
    • More Vegan Pumpkin Recipes
    • Vegan Pumpkin Muffins (Healthy and Easy)

    Ingredients You Will Need

    • Pumpkin Puree: You’ll need 1 ½ cups of fresh pumpkin or one 15-ounce can of pure pumpkin. I prefer the canned option for convenience so just be sure it’s pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling or pumpkin pie mix.
    • Unsweetened Apple Sauce: One of the reasons these pumpkin muffins are so healthy is because we are eliminating oil. I think you’ll find they’re just as moist and fluff up nicely.
    • Flax Egg: Flax is a natural binder and a very important ingredient. It also keeps this recipe healthy. Ground flaxseed is combined with warm water and works just like an egg without all the unnecessary calories, fat, and cholesterol.
    • Flour: For best results, I prefer whole wheat pastry flour or organic unbleached all-purpose flour. They’re not as dense as regular whole wheat flour or whole grain flour. If you require a gluten-free option I would use a gluten-free flour like Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. Oat flour is also a good option but I would not use coconut flour or almond flour. You won’t get the same results.
    • Sweetener: I decided to go with a combination of dark brown sugar and pure maple syrup and it works really well. And, smaller amounts of each add just the right amount of sweetness. The two work so well together but you could use whole amounts of one or the other.
    • Spice: I used my homemade DIY Pumpkin Pie Spice and you should too:)
    • Baking Soda & Baking Powder: Leavening agents are a must in baking and you don’t need much to make these muffins rise. Initially, I only used baking soda and they were great. But, adding just a tad of baking powder gave it the perfect amount of lift.
    • Non-dairy Milk: I love using oat milk in these types of recipes, it’s almost like a secret weapon. But, feel free to use whatever plant milk you have on hand and available.
    • Vanilla: I would say this is entirely optional but the aroma and depth of flavor vanilla adds is heavenly.

    Some delicious add-ins like chopped pecans, walnuts, and vegan chocolate chips take these “already amazing” muffins to the next level.

    Muffins in baking tray.

    How To Make Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

    These easy vegan pumpkin muffins are so simple to make and a treat everyone will love. You will find a full list of ingredients with exact amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and line a muffin tin with muffin liners.
    2. Prepare the flax eggs and set them aside.
    3. In a large bowl add the flour, dark brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin spice, and salt and whisk together. Set aside.
    4. In a separate bowl, add the flax eggs, pumpkin purée, applesauce, maple syrup, milk, vanilla extract, and stir to combine.
    5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together. Do not over mix! Stir until everything is just incorporated into the batter. (If using any add-ins, fold them into the batter now)
    6. Fill each muffin cup to the rim. If you like, you can sprinkle with oats for decoration but totally not necessary.
    7. Bake the muffins on the center rack for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick or knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
    8. Remove from the oven and let cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes then move to a wire rack. Cool slightly and serve warm.

    That’s it! Delicious, easy, healthy, and moist vegan pumpkin muffins.

    Vegan pumpkin muffin on serving tray.

    How To Store Leftover Pumpkin Muffins

    Your muffins can be kept at room temperature on the counter in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can store them in the fridge for up to a week.

    Can I Freeze Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

    Yes, absolutely! They’re great for making ahead of time to enjoy at a later date. Let them cool completely after baking, place in freezer-safe containers, and then store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them simply allow them to thaw in the refrigerator or on your counter.

    Why You Will Love These Muffins

    They’re…

    • completely oil-free, made with real pumpkin, and other wholesome simple ingredients
    • full of pumpkin flavor, warming fall spices, and perfectly sweetened
    • fluffy, moist, and tender
    • ready in less than 30 minutes including prep time
    Muffin on tray.

    More Vegan Pumpkin Recipes

    • Vegan Pumpkin Granola
    • Pumpkin French Toast
    • The Best Vegan Pumpkin Bread
    • Pumpkin Dessert Hummus
    • Best Vegan Pumpkin Pie
    • Vegan Pumpkin Chili
    Vegan pumpkin muffin that has been bitten.

    I hope you enjoy these Vegan Pumpkin Muffins. Please leave a comment below with a star rating. And, be sure and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #shaneandsimple. I want to see your work. Enjoy!

    Print
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    Vegan Pumpkin Muffins (Healthy and Easy)

    ★★★★★

    5 from 9 reviews

    Print Recipe

    The best vegan pumpkin muffins recipe made with real pumpkin, full of pumpkin spice flavor, and completely oil-free. Ready in less than 30 minutes, these healthy vegan muffins are moist, easy to make, fluffy, and absolutely delicious!

    • Total Time: 30 minutes
    • Yield: 12 muffins 1x

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 2 flax eggs
    • 1 ¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour
    • ¼ cup dark brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 Tablespoon Shane & Simple pumpkin spice
    • Pinch of salt
    • 1 can (15-ounce) 100% pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix
    • ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
    • ¼ cup maple syrup
    • 2 tablespoons unsweetened non-dairy milk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Optional add-ins:

    • ¼ cup chopped pecans
    • ¼ cup non-dairy chocolate chips

    Instructions

    1. Preheat your oven to 375˚F degrees and line a muffin tin with muffin liners.
    2. Prepare the flax eggs and set them aside.
    3. In a large bowl add the flour, dark brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin spice, and salt and whisk together. Set aside.
    4. In a separate bowl add the flax eggs, pumpkin purée, applesauce, maple syrup, milk, vanilla extract, and stir to combine.
    5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together. Do not over mix! Stir until everything is just incorporated into the batter. (If using any add-ins, fold them into the batter now)
    6. Fill each muffin cup to the rim. If you like, you can sprinkle with oats for decoration but totally not necessary.
    7. Bake the muffins on the center rack for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick or knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
    8. Remove from the oven and let cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes then move to a wire rack. Cool slightly and serve warm.

    Equipment

    Cupcake Liners

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    Muffin Pan

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    Glass Mixing Bowls

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    Spatulas

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    Maple Syrup

    Buy Now →

    Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

    Buy Now →

    Notes

    Let the muffins cool in the pan. Allow five minutes for the muffins to cool slightly before you pop them out of the tin and move them to a wire rack. But, watch the timer because longer than 5 minutes could result in soggy muffins.

    Do not use coconut flour or almond flour for this recipe. You won’t get a good result. 

    Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour is a good option for making these muffins gluten-free.

    • Author: Shane Martin
    • Prep Time: 10 mins.
    • Cook Time: 20 mins.
    • Category: Vegan Breakfast Recipes
    • Method: Baking
    • Cuisine: Vegan
    • Diet: Vegan

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 muffin
    • Calories: 116
    • Sugar: 9.3 g
    • Sodium: 133.2 mg
    • Fat: 1.3 g
    • Carbohydrates: 24.9 g
    • Fiber: 3.4 g
    • Protein: 3 g
    • Cholesterol: 0 mg

    Keywords: vegan pumpkin muffins, moist, healthy vegan muffins, pumpkin spice muffins, fall recipes, fall flavor, pumpkin flavor

    THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

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    « 25 Easy Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes
    Vegan Italian Sausage Crumbles with TVP »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Susan Grinnell

      November 06, 2022 at 6:43 pm

      Can I substitute aquafab for the flax eggs?

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        November 07, 2022 at 10:41 am

        I would try unsweetened applesauce. The flax might be a little too dense. But, otherwise, yes.

        Reply
    2. Angie

      October 06, 2022 at 9:34 am

      These are delicious. I put some in the freezer and they are great when thawed, too! I have made many of your recipes and yours is my first choice when searching for something specific to try as I know it will be excellent. Thanks for all your work developing and sharing your terrific content!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. Diane

      October 05, 2022 at 7:40 pm

      Flax seed doesn’t agree with me, is there something I can as a substitute? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        October 06, 2022 at 3:57 pm

        Chia is great.

        Reply
    4. Sandy

      October 02, 2022 at 3:33 pm

      Would date paste work instead of brown sugar. Would dates make the muffin dough too wet?

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        October 05, 2022 at 7:28 am

        You should be fine.

        Reply
    5. Jolyne K Sampley

      October 01, 2022 at 1:39 pm

      Hi Shane I just love following your recipes yours are always the top on my list. I’m on a low histamine diet and I in general don’t use vanilla extract but wondering if I could instead use vanilla bean powder?

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        October 05, 2022 at 7:26 am

        Yes, you totally could do that. But, you could leave it out altogether if you choose.

        Reply
    6. Judi Sweat

      September 16, 2022 at 6:21 pm

      I am kind of lazy and have found that with these muffin recipes, you can cook them in and 8X8 pan and they come out great. Just in case you don’t like the mess of having to put the batter in muffin tins. I have been doing this for a long time. You might need to cook a little longer, Just check with a toothpick to see when they are done!!

      Reply
    7. Kathy Moyer

      September 10, 2022 at 2:00 pm

      Will white whole wheat pastry flour work with these muffins? Thanks

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        September 12, 2022 at 3:48 pm

        Absolutely!

        Reply
    8. Jori

      September 07, 2022 at 10:17 am

      Delicious! I love your recipes!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        September 07, 2022 at 10:35 am

        Thank you so much! You’re very kind.

        Reply
    9. Joanna

      September 07, 2022 at 10:02 am

      Hello Shane,
      Do you think I could use coconut sugar in place of the dark brown sugar or would it be better for me to use all maple syrup. Thanks!😊

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        September 07, 2022 at 10:35 am

        Absolutely!

        Reply
    10. Gerri

      September 01, 2022 at 6:33 pm

      Can I use regular whole wheat flour. I don’t usually have pastry flour in my cupboard.
      Thanks……..and I love your recipes

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        September 04, 2022 at 12:19 pm

        Sure thing.

        Reply
    11. Emmy

      October 29, 2021 at 8:19 am

      Hi!
      I’m putting together the recipe now, is there a link to your DIY pumpkin spice mixture?
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        October 29, 2021 at 9:28 am

        YES! And, thanks for catching that sorry I didn’t include it. Here it is: https://shaneandsimple.com/pumpkin-pie-spice-recipe/

        Reply
    12. Joi

      October 23, 2021 at 2:38 pm

      I just made these and failed 🙂 I think I must have not followed the instructions to the letter because the middle was not cooked all the way. Bummer … my sister drove across town to get a taste. I will try again. Bummed. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        October 23, 2021 at 7:22 pm

        Hi, Joi! Hmmm, not quite sure. I would say make them again and make sure you did follow the directions. If that doesn’t work, holla back and we’ll try and figure it out.

        Reply
        • Joi

          October 24, 2021 at 10:14 am

          Thanks Shane for the quick response! Trying again this morning and will let you know!

          Reply
    13. Shandee

      October 19, 2021 at 10:36 am

      These muffins are delicious! I made them as mini muffins and added few mini chips and Craisins. Have never tried whole wheat pastry flour, they definitely have a soft and moist texture Kids are gobbling them up for lunch and I also gave them as three separate gifts with rave reviews, thank you! I love all your recipes!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        October 19, 2021 at 11:33 pm

        Thank you so much for sharing this with me. Blessings.

        Reply
    14. Desi

      October 16, 2021 at 7:05 pm

      Wow! These are superb and turned out gorgeous! Can’t wait to take these to an event!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        October 17, 2021 at 6:20 pm

        Thank you!!!

        Reply
    15. MKinTX

      October 15, 2021 at 7:00 pm

      Oh my goodness! Shane, you have delivered another winner! I just popped these out of the oven and they are ever so tasty. I may have just eaten two in a row and am eyeing a third! 🙂 They are super moist and the rise on them was spectacular. Because I try to stay away from fats, I did not use the pecans or chocolate chips but if you do I think they will put these absolutely over the top. Beautiful muffins with mild sweetness and a light pumpkin spice flavor. Recommend 100%!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        October 17, 2021 at 6:21 pm

        Thank you so much!

        Reply
    16. Amy

      October 15, 2021 at 5:29 pm

      The muffins were very good, but they stuck to the liners quite a bit. Is there a certain kind or brand of liner that might not do that?

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        October 17, 2021 at 6:23 pm

        Hi, Amy and sorry about that. Just a couple of thoughts: 1) Be sure and follow the cooking instruction. Don’t let them sit in the pan more than 5 minutes after cooking. Then, move them to a wire rack for just a bit. 2) I use an unbleached parchment paper liner. There’s a link in the post and down at the bottom in the recipe card. You could also use a silicone muffin pan or lightly spray a nonstick muffin tin.

        Let me know if any of this helps.

        Reply
    17. Lois

      October 14, 2021 at 6:41 pm

      Hi Shane, first, I love your recipes! They are delicious and the cleanest of all I usually use date syrup which I make from medjool dates and water along with oat flour which sub for all flours. Will both work in this recipe? Thank you again for all your recipes.

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        October 15, 2021 at 11:15 am

        You shouldn’t have any problems. 🙂

        Reply
    18. Traci

      October 14, 2021 at 3:46 pm

      Will it be awful if I use whole wheat flour? That is all I have on hand.

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        October 15, 2021 at 11:16 am

        No, not at all.

        Reply
    19. Shane Martin

      October 14, 2021 at 2:20 pm

      The best vegan pumpkin muffins recipe made with real pumpkin, full of pumpkin spice flavor, and completely oil-free. Ready in less than 30 minutes, these healthy vegan muffins are moist, easy to make, fluffy, and absolutely delicious!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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