It's that time of year for all things pumpkin! These healthy oat flour pumpkin muffins are a delicious fall treat for a quick breakfast or snack.
Using pumpkin puree, these delicious muffins are perfectly fluffy with a tender crumb and they take only 30 minutes, start to finish. Get your pumpkin spice fix and add these gluten-free pumpkin muffins to your fall baking lineup!
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These healthy pumpkin muffins are one of the recipes I've been testing with oat flour. There are a lot of wheat flour alternatives, and they are all great for different recipes.
I love to use almond flour, especially in these blueberry muffins, or in desserts like cherry clafoutis. And buckwheat flour is perfect for banana bread or pancakes. I even use chickpea flour to make the batter for these buffalo cauliflower bites. But I think oat flour is my new favorite gluten-free flour. So stay tuned for more oat flour recipes!
Jump to:
What is oat flour?
Oat flour is simply whole or steel-cut oats which are ground into a fine powder using a food processor. It's easy to work with and you can use oat flour in a 1:1 ratio to all-purpose flour for recipes. What I really love about oat flour is how nutritious it is. It's high in fiber, minerals, B vitamins and antioxidants.
What's to love about pumpkin oat flour muffins?
- Simple ingredients: Make these delicious, fluffy muffins with items you probably have on hand.
- Easy: Pumpkin oat muffins take just 10 minutes to mix up, and 20 minutes to bake.
- Healthy: Oat flour adds extra nutrition and pumpkin is loaded with vitamins and fiber, too.
- Not too sweet: This recipe has no refined sugar, just a ½ cup of pure maple syrup, so it isn't overly sweet. It's a perfect breakfast along with some Greek yogurt and fruit. This gluten-free recipe is also dairy-free, so everyone can enjoy!
Ingredient notes
Ingredient quantities and full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Oat Flour: You can buy oat flour, or you can make these oat flour pumpkin muffins with homemade oat flour (instructions under "Tips and variations" below, and in the recipe card). Whether you buy it, or make your own oat flour, be sure to check that the oats or oat flour are certified gluten-free if that is important. Oats are naturally gluten-free. However, they can be processed in a facility that also processes other ingredients containing gluten.
- Baking powder and baking soda.
- Spices: The classic pumpkin pie spice ingredients are cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. You can use those individually, or you can use a pumpkin spice blend. (Use two teaspoons).
- Eggs: 2 large eggs for this recipe. For best results in baking, eggs should be at room temperature.
- Pumpkin puree: Canned pumpkin puree is convenient and nutritious. Be sure to look for pure pumpkin puree, and not pumpkin pie filling. If you want to use fresh pumpkin puree, use the same quantity as instructed in the recipe. You won't be using the whole can, so you may want to try using the leftover pumpkin for making pumpkin bread, pumpkin hummus, or pumpkin soup.
- Maple syrup:Â Pure maple syrup is a delicious complement to the pumpkin spices. You can substitute an equal quantity of honey. You can also use brown sugar or coconut sugar; just add these to the dry ingredients instead of the wet ingredients.Â
- Oil:Â Use any neutral flavored oil for making these pumpkin oatmeal muffins. I recommend avoiding coconut oil for this recipe because it will impart its coconut flavor to compete with the pumpkin spice flavors.
- Vanilla extract.
- Pecans: Chopped pecans add a nice crunchy texture and a bit more protein to these delicious pumpkin muffins. However, you can use any other nuts, or omit them for a nut-free version. Or try one of the other add-in suggestions in the "Tips and Variations" section below.
How to make the delicious recipe; step by step
- Whisk the dry ingredients (oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices) along with the pecans, if using, (or any other add-ins) in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, eggs, oil, and vanilla.
- Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Divide the muffin batter between the prepared muffin tin cups.
- Bake 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, and enjoy!
Tips and variations
- Don't over mix: The golden rule for perfect muffins is to mix the dry and liquid ingredients together until just combined. Over mixing will result in tough muffins with irregular shapes, like peaked tops and tunnels.
- Mini muffins: Use a mini muffin pan to make this recipe into 24 mini muffins. Reduce baking time by 5 minutes.
- Homemade oat flour: To make your own oat flour, use whole oats (not quick oats). Process the oats in a food processor or a high-speed blender for about a minute, until they turn into a fine powder.
- Add-ins: You can omit the chopped pecans in this recipe, or use any of these instead; walnuts or any other chopped nuts, white or dark chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or raisins.
- Storage: After cooling completely, store your oat flour pumpkin muffins in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freezing: Allow the muffins to cool completely, then flash freeze the them on a baking tray until solid, about 30 minutes. Pack into an airtight freezer-safe container or zip lock bag.
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a rating in the comments below and let us know how it turned out. Did you make any changes? We would love for you to share and your feedback is important! Thank you for visiting The Food Blog!
Recipe
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Oat Flour Pumpkin Muffins
Equipment
- Mini Muffin Paper Liners optional
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups oat flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 2 large eggs beaten
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray, or use muffin liners in the muffin cups.
- In a large bowl, whisk together oat flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, cloves, nutmeg, and pecans.1 ¾ cups oat flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ cup chopped pecans
- In another bowl, whisk together eggs, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, vegetable oil and vanilla.½ cup maple syrup, 2 large eggs, 1 cup pumpkin puree, ¼ cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Stir the pumpkin mixture swiftly into the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Spoon into the prepared muffin pan cups, dividing evenly.
- Bake in the center of the oven until the tops are golden and firm to the touch. (About 20 minutes). A toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins should come out clean.
- Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes.
- Remove muffins from the pan and allow to cool completely on the rack.
Notes
- Don't over mix: The golden rule for perfect muffins is to mix the dry and liquid ingredients together until just combined. Over mixing will result in tough muffins with irregular shapes, like peaked tops and tunnels.
- Mini muffins: Use a mini muffin pan to make this recipe into 24 mini muffins. Reduce baking time by 5 minutes.
- Homemade oat flour: To make your own oat flour, use whole oats (not quick oats). Process the oats in a food processor or a high-speed blender for about a minute, until they turn into a fine powder.
- Add-ins: You can omit the chopped pecans in this recipe, or use any of these instead; walnuts or any other chopped nuts, white or dark chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or raisins.
- Storage: After cooling completely, store your oat flour pumpkin muffins in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. Â
- Freezing: Allow the muffins to cool completely, then flash freeze the them on a baking tray until solid, about 30 minutes. Pack into an airtight freezer-safe container or zip lock bag.Â
Kushigalu
Pumpkin and pecan make a wonderful combo. These muffins look so delicious. A must try
Colleen
Yes, a perfect combo, Kushigalu. I hope you do try them!
Sean
Such perfect timing - I've got a lot of extra pumpkin (well, red kuri squash, but same idea) puree in the fridge right now and I'm looking for things to make with it. These are delightful, and I love the use of pecans. It's a perfect flavour pairing with pumpkin and squash!
Marta
Me and my munchkins made these for breakfast this morning. We froze half for next week and loved enjoying the fruits of our labor.
Colleen
Hi Marta, so lovely that your little ones get to bake with you! I love that you made this recipe and loved it! Cheers
Wanda
It's definitely pumpkin season and I'm all about pumpkin muffins! Your topping makes these look so delicious!
Colleen
Thanks Wanda! I hope you get a chance to bake up a batch of these yummy muffins.
Shelley
Mmmmm ... what a delicious idea to use oat flour in this recipe! Even though I'm not gluten-sensitive, I love the idea of subbing nutritious (and yummy!) oat flour to really build the nutty notes in these muffins, along with those crunchy pecans!
Bernice Hill
Great looking muffins. I especially love the crunchy texture on top and the fact they are gluten free. There's a pumpkin option for everyone!
Colleen
Hi Bernice! Yes, there does need to be an option for everyone. I love doing it!
Kathryn Donangelo
I was looking for a gluten-free Pumpkin muffin recipe and this recipe was perfect! I loved the flavor and how moist they were! Definitely making these again for the holidays.
Colleen
Hi Kathryn, Super happy that this recipe fits the bill for you! Have an amazing holiday.
Shailaja DESAI
Wonderful fall flavours in these muffins Colleen..Love the fact that they are gluten free too!!
Colleen
Thanks, Shy! My family likes these even better than the gluten-based pumpkin muffins that I used to make.
Leslie
I'm obsessed with this recipe! So healthy, so delicious, so easy to make! This is the ultimate Healthy fall recipe!
Colleen
Hi Leslie. Welcome to the obsessed with Pumpkin Pecan Muffins club! 😊 I keep making them and they keep disappearing. Thanks for dropping me a note!
Amanda
These muffins are delicious and so perfect for the fall! They came out super moist, and the spice level was just right. Definitely worth making again during these fall months!
Colleen
Hi Amanda! I'm super happy that you loved these muffins. They really are perfect for fall.
Deanne
Yum! These pumpkin muffins are delicious and I can feel good feeding them to my family 🙂
Colleen
Hi Deanne, I'm so glad you & your family loved these yummy muffins!
Vanessa
Perfect for Fall baking! I love that these muffins are healthy enough to enjoy for breakfast with a hot cup of tea.
Tara
Beautiful muffins! Such a great way to kick off fall. I love that you made these with almond flour. The flavors sound incredible.
Colleen
Thanks, Tara! I hope you give them a try!
Katie
Looks so good! My family would love this.
Colleen
I hope you make these, then Katie!
Jamie
These muffins made my whole house smell like fall and it was such a hit! I love how it's gluten free too. Thank you!
Colleen
I'm thrilled that these muffins were a hit, Jamie! Thanks for letting me know.
Jess
These pumpkin pecan muffins are everything! My whole family loves them!
Colleen
Hi Jess, I'm so happy to hear this! Thanks for letting me know that your family loves them.