Healthy Pumpkin Muffins

It’s the perfect time of the year to make these Healthy Pumpkin Muffins! They are a comforting,
delicious, and easy recipe you will love!

Who else is a BIG fan of fall?! Don’t get me wrong…I love warm weather, hanging out by the pool, and enjoying all the seasonal produce, but something about fall just gets me excited!

Pumpkin spice is everywhere, the leaves start changing colors, apples are ready to pick, and football games are one of my main sources of entertainment. I’m so excited this time of year is right around the corner!

That’s why I decided it was a perfect time to re-share with you one of my all time FAVORITE muffin recipes! These Healthy Pumpkin Muffins are a perfect quick breakfast or a healthy snack.

You might be thinking, a single muffin is not going to fill me up in the morning. This recipe is actually pretty filling. It contains protein, fiber, and healthy fats which will leave you feeling satisfied. It really is a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs kind of muffin. If you’re still wanting more, you could always have two!😉

You might be wondering why this recipe is healthier than any other pumpkin recipe out there. A lot of muffins are just glorified cupcakes, trying to pretend they’re healthy by calling themselves a muffin. Most pumpkin muffin recipes you’ll find contain butter, a TON of granulated sugar, only all-purpose flour, and not much nutrition.

This recipe is dairy-free, uses organic sucanat or coconut sugar, flaxseed, and whole wheat pastry flour. It also contains lots of healthy fats which aid in keeping you full. One of my favorite things about this recipe is how much nutrition it contains!

Each muffin contains 4.4 grams of fiber, 4.4 grams of protein, and lots of vitamins! One muffin is just 213 calories compared to Starbuck’s pumpkin muffins which are 350 calories each!

Helpful Tips/Ideas:

1. Make these muffins your own, and include some of your favorite add-ins! You could never
go wrong in adding some chocolate chips. (Use stevia-sweetened chocolate chips to keep them lower sugar) Nuts or fruit would also be delicious.

2. Add a coconut butter glaze on top which is the best way to bring these muffins to the next level! All you need for this is some coconut butter, maple syrup to your liking, and about a dash of non-dairy milk.

3. If you would like an even sweeter muffin, use an extra-ripe banana. The riper a banana, the sweeter it is. This is because their starch is broken down into sugar as they ripen.

4. Enjoy them warm! One of my favorite ways to enjoy these muffins is fresh out of the oven. You could also pop one in then microwave for about 10 seconds, spread on some butter or almond butter, and enjoy with a hot cup of coffee.

5. Make sure to store them in an airtight container. This will keep them moist and fluffy!

Recipe Ingredients-What You’ll Need

1. Banana– Bananas give these healthy muffins sweetness from their natural sugars, and
contain lots of potassium. They taste delicious with the pumpkin!
2. Egg– Eggs act as a binding agent. To make this recipe vegan, you could use one flax egg or 1/4 cup apple sauce. (See my vegan egg substitute guide here) (Not shown in picture. Oops!)
3. Coconut Oil– If you are looking to add healthy fats to your diet, using coconut oil is a great way to do that. You can also use avocado oil if you don’t have any coconut oil on hand. (Not shown in picture. Oops!)
4. Pumpkin– They wouldn’t be Healthy Pumpkin Muffins without the pumpkin! It is the star ingredient, and high in nutrition!
5. Maple Syrup– The flavor of maple syrup with pumpkin is so delicious, especially this time of year! It’s high in antioxidants, and actually contains more nutrition than honey.

6. Organic Sucanat or Coconut Sugar– Sucunat is an unrefined sugar which contains less sucrose, and contains iron, calcium, potassium, and vitamin B. You could also use coconut sugar if you would prefer which is a great natural, plant-based sweetener option with a lower glycemic load than refined sugar. Regular granulated or brown sugar would also work!
7. Whole Wheat Pastry Flour– This kind of flour is milled from white soft wheat so it’s less processed and contains more nutrients than all-purpose flour. Lately it’s harder to find, so you can also use 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1 cup all-purpose flour, or you can use white whole wheat flour.
8. Ground Flaxseed Meal– Ground Flaxseed is great for digestive health and is a great source of plant-based omega 3 fatty acids. It can also help lower cholesterol and is considered anti-inflammatory.
10. Baking Soda and Powder– The balance of both baking soda and powder is essential to ensure these healthy muffins have the necessary lift, browning, and flavor. The combination of the two also makes fluffy muffins (the best kind)!
11. Salt– Salt enhances the flavor of the other ingredients in this healthy pumpkin muffin recipe!
12. Pumpkin Pie Spice– This is what gives these muffins the flavors of fall!

How to make Healthy Pumpkin Muffins

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your muffin pan by either greasing your muffin cups, or using muffin liners, and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mash your bananas using a potato masher or a fork. You want it to be
creamy, but a few lumps is okay. Set aside.
3. In a medium or large mixing bowl, lightly whisk your egg. Add banana, coconut oil, pumpkin, and maple syrup. Stir until everything is combined, and set aside.
4. Whisk together all of your dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add in you wet ingredients, and stir. The mixture will be slightly thick.
5. Fill your muffin cups with the batter and bake for 25-27 minutes. Allow to cool and enjoy!

Healthy Pumpkin Muffins FAQs

Can I substitute Whole Wheat Pastry Flour?

Yes! You can use white whole wheat flour, half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour, or a 1-for-1 gluten-free flour blend. I also have a Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins recipe you may want to try.

Can I make this into pumpkin bread instead of muffins?

Muffins take less time to bake. A standard loaf takes about 45 minutes to bake. If you are going to turn this recipe into a loaf, try baking it for a little less than 45 minutes, and check it with a toothpick. Once it comes out mostly dry, the loaf is done!

What add-Ins would be good in these muffins?

Chocolate chips, pumpkin seeds, or nuts like walnuts or pecans would be great in this recipe! I also think raisins would be a nice add-in.

Is canned pumpkin the same as pumpkin puree?

Yes. If you make your own pumpkin puree in a mixer or food processor, it will have a little bit of a different consistency and lighter color, but ultimately the two are very similar and can be used interchangeably. On the other hand, I would not advise using pumpkin pie filling. This contains other ingredients such as sugar and spices.

Do these Healthy Pumpkin Muffins need to be refrigerated?

Nope! Surprisingly, refrigerating muffins will dry them out faster. Storing them in an airtight container or ziplock bag in room temperature will keep them moist! If you don’t plan on eating them in a few days or so, you could always store them in a freezer bag until you’re ready to enjoy them! Many times when I make these, they are gone in a day, so no need to even worrying about storing them.😂

Who else is ready to dive into pumpkin recipes? I have some serious favorites for you to try!

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie Bars

Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

No Bake Pumpkin Spice Energy Bars

Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies

Healthy Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin Molasses Quick Bread

If you make this recipe or any Happy Healthy Mama recipe, please share it on Instagram  and I’ll feature you! Also, if you try it, please leave a comment with a star rating below! Those star ratings are so helpful in helping my recipes get discovered. I appreciate you!

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Heads up! This recipe was first published in September 2010. I think republished a new post with the same recipe and new photos in 2014. This 2021 version has new photos and the recipe is slightly tweaked from the original. Here are some reviews from the 2010 post which has since been deleted. (Living and learning best practices as a blogger!)

Made these this morning. YUM!

They were delicious! The applesauce didn’t seem to make a difference at all. I actually couldn’t even taste the applesauce. My boys gobbled them up at breakfast this morning, which makes me a very happy mama. [She subbed apple sauce for the oil]

I haven’t posted before but I love your recipes and that they are so simple and fit into a busy lifestyle. I’ve made these pumpkin muffins three times already, once I added in cream cheese and another time I added in white chocolate chips. Heavenly!

I made these this evening with a few tweaks for what I had on hand and they’ve been a huge hit. My 4 year old ran back into the kitchen for another one saying “Yummy, yummy, yummy!”

These were my tweaks/substitutions maple syrup for the agave, bwn sugar for the sucanat, almond meal for the wheat germ and gluten free all purpose flour. I also added a 1/4 c buttermilk to make up for a banana shortage. We’re not gluten free but I’ve considered doing a trial to see if it helps with some issues in our family. I’m glad to know that this will be an option.

These are delicious. I make them using 1/4 c. applesauce in place of the egg to accommodate my daughter’s egg allergy, and it works beautifully. I also sometimes add chocolate chips, which makes them even more irresistible  My 2 year old gobbles them up and so do my husband and I. Yum!