Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins

recipe by: Sarah Menanix

yields: muffins

prep time: 5

cook time: 30

total time: 35

Soft and moist gluten-free pumpkin muffins loaded with pumpkin flavor and warm fall spices. These muffins take just 5 minutes to prepare and come with tested nut-free, refined sugar-free dairy-free, and vegan variations! This recipe is versatile - top with pumpkin seeds, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, or stir in chocolate chips!

5 from 3 reviews

Ingredients

126 g (1 cup + 2 tablespoons) super-fine blanched almond flour, see nut-free option below
95 g (¾ cup + 2 tablespoons) Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free oat flour
40 g (¼ cup) sweet rice flour, also called mochiko; do not substitute white or brown rice flour
1½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅓ cup (72 g) neutral vegetable oil, safflower, sunflower, or vegetable oil all work
⅓ cup (66 g) light brown sugar, or coconut sugar
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, or coconut sugar)
2 tablespoons (40 g) pure maple syrup, or honey
2 large eggs, room temperature (see vegan option below)
1⅓ cups (301 g) canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons (45 g) milk, any kind: dairy milk or non-dairy milk, room temperature

Optional, for topping:

¼ cup granulated sugar, or coconut sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅓ cup toasted pumpkin seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

Line a muffin tray with 12 liners or lightly grease a non-stick muffin pan with vegetable oil. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, sift together almond flour, oat flour, sweet rice flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, eggs, vegetable oil, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients and whisk until combined and no lumps remain. Optional: Fold in chocolate chips or any other mix-ins if desired.
For optimal muffin domes, let the batter rest for 30-60 minutes before scooping into the muffin cups. This allows the flours to better soak up the ingredients and will create more domed muffins with a better rise. If you don't want to wait, you can bake them right away and they'll still be delicious, but will have flatter tops. Shortly before ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400°F.
If using, mix together the sugar and cinnamon topping.
Divide batter among muffin cups (filling nearly to the top). Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar topping and/or toasted pumpkin seeds, if desired.
Bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake for another 16-20 minutes, until the a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, and the center springs back when gently tapped with a finger.
Let cool in the pan for no longer than 5 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. See storage instructions below.

Notes

Refined Sugar-Free Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins

For refined sugar-free muffins, replace the light brown sugar and granulated sugar with coconut sugar by weight (116g).

The results are a bit less sweet without the hint of molasses from the brown sugar, but extremely delicious!

Nut-Free Version

For a nut-free version, replace the almond flour with 83g (½ cup + 2 tablespoons) gluten-free teff flour and follow the recipe as written.

You can also sub in 83g gluten-free buckwheat flour or millet flour, if desired.

Vegan Version

For vegan gluten-free pumpkin muffins, use plant milk, such as almond or oat milk.

Replace the egg with a flax egg by mixing 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal with 3 tablespoons water and letting it sit for 5 minutes before adding to the wet ingredients.

Then add 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar to the wet ingredients and an additional ¼ teaspoon baking soda to the dry ingredients.

Storage

Let cool completely before storing. Store muffins loosely covered on the counter for up to 3 days, or covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Over time, the muffins will lose the crispy top, but will become even more moist.

You can also freeze the muffins for up to 3 months. Place the cooled muffins in a single layer on baking sheet in the freezer until firm (about an hour), then transfer to an airtight bag or container. This will prevent the muffins from squishing each other or sticking together in the freezer.

Let come to room temperature before serving, or warm it up in a toaster oven or microwave.