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Home » Recipes » Vegan Baking

Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

Published: Oct 15, 2021 by Lexi

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These vegan pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips and a brown sugar oat streusel toppings are the most delicious fall treat! They're also easy to make, gluten free adaptable, and perfect for meal prep (pro tip: freeze a batch for on-the-go breakfasts).

Close up shot of pumpkin muffin sliced in half with a pat of butter in the middle.
Fresh out of the oven with a pat of butter - the best way to start your day.
Jump to:
  • 🧁 Why We Love This Recipe
  • 🍫 Ingredients
  • 📋 Ingredient Notes
  • 🔪 Step-by-step Instructions
  • 💭 Expert Tips and FAQs
  • 🍽 Related Recipes
  • 📖 Recipe

🧁 Why We Love This Recipe

  • Prep a big batch, freeze for later: we always make a double batch of these vegan pumpkin muffins for two reasons. One: they're insanely delicious and tend to disappear faster than expected. Two: they freeze SO well! Pop the second batch in a freezer bag and grab one on the go. They heat up perfectly in the microwave.
  • Easy to make: These vegan pumpkin muffins come together in a few simple steps and only require about 15 minutes of prep work.
  • Great fall breakfast: with pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, brown sugar and pecans, these vegan pumpkin muffins are the ultimate fall treat! They're especially good with coffee, hot cocoa or hot cider.
  • Bakery style muffins: we fill our muffin liners almost to the top for giant, fluffy, bakery style muffins with a crunchy, sweet oat streusel topping. If you're making these for kids, feel free to make smaller muffins.
  • Allergy friendly: these pumpkin muffins are dairy and egg free, and the base recipe is also gluten free. You can modify them to be nut free if needed as well!

🍫 Ingredients

Here's are the key ingredients in these vegan pumpkin muffins:

Overhead view of pumpkin muffin ingredients, including spices, flour, and chocolate chips.

📋 Ingredient Notes

  • Pumpkin purée: We used a canned pumpkin purée in this recipe. If you want to make your own, try this recipe. (Note: pumpkin purée – pure pumpkin without additives – is different from pumpkin pie mix, which contains spices and often sweeteners.)
  • Pumpkin spice blend: If you don't have any, you can make your own. Just whisk together 2 tablespoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1-2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½-1 teaspoon ground cloves and an optional ½ teaspoon allspice. (Don't use all of it in this recipe - just the 1 tablespoon noted in the recipe.) You can multiply the batch and keep it on hand for other fall recipes like this pumpkin mousse and pumpkin spice granola!
  • Gluten free flour: we almost always use Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour – it works like a charm and you can find it at most grocery stores! Of course if you're not gluten free, you can also substitute with the same amount of regular all purpose flour.
  • Oats: be sure to use old fashioned whole rolled oats in these vegan pumpkin muffins, NOT instant or quick cooking oats.
  • Nondairy milk: for best results, let the milk sit out until it reaches room temperature before adding to these vegan pumpkin muffins. We typically use oat milk in this recipe, which has a neutral flavor and creamy texture.
  • Pecans: we use unroasted, unsalted pecans in this recipe. You can also sub with walnuts, pumpkin seeds, or another nut/seed of choice. (Or, leave them out altogether.)
Stack of two vegan pumpkin muffins on wood table in front of window.

🔪 Step-by-step Instructions

Prep: Preheat oven to 350˚F / 175˚C. Line a muffin tin with liners or grease your tin thoroughly.

(1) In a medium bowl, stir together all oat streusel topping ingredients (oats, brown sugar, melted butter and cinnamon) and set aside.

(2) In a large mixing bowl, stir together gluten free flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt.

On the left: topping ingredients stirred together. On the right: dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

(3) In a separate bowl or stand mixer, cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add in vanilla extract and pumpkin puree and continue mixing until evenly incorporated. (Note: if using vegan butter, the mixture may separate. That's normal – it will come back together when you add in dry ingredients.)

Creaming butter and sugar and adding in other wet ingredients.

(4) Pour apple cider vinegar into milk. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk to the wet ingredients until the batter comes together. 

(5) Fold in the chopped pecans and chocolate chips. 

On the left: mixing in dry and wet ingredients. Center and middle: folding in chocolate chips and pecans.

(6) Fill muffin liners about ¾ full, then top with oat streusel topping. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 15-20 minutes. 

On the left: muffin batter in the tin. On the right: raw muffins topped with cinnamon sugar topping.
close up view of vegan pumpkin muffin.

💭 Expert Tips and FAQs

  • Not gluten free? Sub the gluten free all purpose flour AND oat flour with 1 ½ cups regular all purpose flour. 
  • Make sure the butter is softened: Leave your butter at room temp for 30 minutes before creaming the butter and sugar together. You can also pop it in the microwave for a few seconds at a time, checking frequently, until it's soft.
  • Use liners: You can opt to grease the muffin tin instead of using liners, but we find that the muffins can still stick even with a greased tin, so the liners just make life easier.
  • Get your muffins in the oven as quickly as possible for the perfect rise. Without eggs and gluten, these vegan pumpkin muffins rely on the chemical reaction between baking soda and apple cider vinegar to get a nice rise in the oven. The reaction starts happening as soon as the ingredients are mixed, so it's important to get the batter in the oven ASAP in order to make the most of the chemical reaction.
  • Don't over-mix the batter. Don't worry if the batter is a bit lumpy! If you over-mix it, these muffins won't rise quite as much and they may have a dense texture.
  • The wet mixture might look a bit separated once you add in the pumpkin puree, but don't worry! This is completely normal when you mix pumpkin and vegan butter, but the batter comes together perfectly when you start adding in the dry ingredients.
  • Gently press the streusel into the muffin batter so it doesn't fall off (and make a mess) when eating.
  • Storage: store leftover muffins in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Be sure to let the muffins cool completely before storing.
  • Freezer storage: for long term storage, store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3-6 months. (As long as there's no freezer burn, they're fine to eat!) Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds, until warmed through.
  • Adapt for mini muffins: if using a mini muffin tin, start checking the muffins for doneness between 10-15 minutes.
Overhead view of 6 pumpkin muffins in a muffin tin.

🍽 Related Recipes

  • Banana walnut muffin in a muffin tin with a bite taken out.
    Gluten Free Banana Muffins
  • side view of two stacked vegan strawberry muffins with pink backdrop.
    Vegan Strawberry Muffins
  • close up side view of two stacked vegan blueberry muffins with the top one cut in half.
    Vegan Blueberry Muffins
  • Carrot Zucchini Muffins (Vegan)

Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or by subscribing to our newsletter.

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📖 Recipe

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Close up of a pumpkin muffin sliced in half with a pat of butter.

Vegan Pumpkin Muffins


  • Author: Lexi
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 1 dozen 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

These vegan pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips and a brown sugar oat streusel toppings are the most delicious fall treat! They're also easy to make, gluten free adaptable, and perfect for meal prep (pro tip: freeze a batch for on-the-go breakfasts). 


Ingredients

Units Scale

Muffins:

  • ¼ cup vegan butter, softened to room temp
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ⅔ cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup gluten free all purpose flour*
  • ½ cup oat flour*
  • ½ cup old fashioned whole rolled oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice blend
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup nondairy milk
  • ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup mini chocolate chips
  • ⅓ cup chopped pecans

Oat Streusel Topping:

  • ¼ cup old fashioned whole rolled oats
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon melted vegan butter
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F / 175˚C. Line a muffin tin with liners or grease your tin thoroughly.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together all oat streusel topping ingredients (oats, brown sugar, melted butter and cinnamon) and set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, stir together gluten free flour, oat flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt.
  4. In a separate bowl or stand mixer, cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add in vanilla extract and pumpkin puree and continue mixing until evenly incorporated. (Note: if using vegan butter, the mixture may separate. That's normal – it will come back together when you add in dry ingredients.)
  5. Pour apple cider vinegar into milk. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk to the wet ingredients until the batter comes together. Fold in the chopped pecans and chocolate chips. 
  6. Fill muffin liners about ¾ full, then top with oat streusel topping. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 15-20 minutes. 

Notes

*Not gluten free? Sub the gluten free all purpose flour AND oat flour with 1 ½ cups regular all purpose flour. 

Storage: store leftover muffins in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Be sure to let the muffins cool completely before storing.

Freezer storage: for long term storage, store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3-6 months. (As long as there's no freezer burn, they're fine to eat!) Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds, until warmed through.

Adapt for mini muffins: if using a mini muffin tin, start checking the muffins for doneness between 10-15 minutes.

Pumpkin spice blend: If you don't have any, you can make your own. Just whisk together 2 tablespoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1-2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½-1 teaspoon ground cloves and an optional ½ teaspoon allspice. (Don't use all of it in this recipe - just the 1 tablespoon noted in the recipe.)

Pecans: feel free to sub with walnuts, pumpkin seeds or another nut/seed. 

Nondairy milk: we prefer using oat milk in these vegan pumpkin muffins. 

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Category: Vegan Baking
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 muffin
  • Calories: 255
  • Sugar: 20.7 g
  • Sodium: 112.3 mg
  • Fat: 10.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 39.5 g
  • Fiber: 2.7 g
  • Protein: 3.1 g

Keywords: vegan pumpkin muffins

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Hi, we're Lexi and Beth, a mother-daughter team from Michigan. The recipes you'll find here are a reflection of how we bring our family together around the dinner table despite various dietary differences.

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