Healthy Pumpkin Oat Muffins

Healthy Pumpkin Oat Muffins are an easy breakfast, dessert, or snack the whole family will enjoy! No all purpose flour. And they’re sweetened with honey or maple syrup!

Update: This recipe was originally published in 2019 and has been republished with all new photos.

My Chocolate Chip Banana Oat Muffins are one of my most loved recipes, both on this website and in my home. My kids gobble them right up! I’ve been wanting to do a pumpkin version for a while now and today is the day I get to share it with you!

Oats, milk (you can use cow’s milk or almond milk), honey or maple syrup, canned pumpkin, and a few other ingredients go into the blender. Fold the chocolate chips into the batter. Then pour into your muffin tin and bake! Super simple.

This Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake also looks like a festive option for fall!

Healthy Pumpkin Oat Muffin Ingredients

• Canned pumpkin puree: Canned pumpkin or pumpkin puree (they’re the same thing) is essentially just blended or mashed pumpkin that’s been cooked. No need to make your own. Just use the canned pumpkin you find on the baking aisle of your grocery store.
• Quick cooking oats or old fashioned rolled oats: Old fashioned rolled oats will be lighter but give your muffins more of an “oaty” texture and flavor. Quick cooking rolled oats will blend better but yield a more dense muffin. I prefer the quick oats but it’s really a matter of personal preference and you can use either.
• Honey or pure maple syrup: Honey or pure maple syrup are my sweeteners of choice in these muffins. Honey has anti-inflammatory properties and a lower glycemic index than sugar, meaning it won’t spike your blood sugar levels as quickly. Pure maple syrup is made from 100% maple sap that’s been boiled down to a thicker consistency. It adds just the right amount of sweetness, doesn’t overpower the dish, and is made with just that one ingredient (maple)!
• Eggs: The eggs act as a binder and help us achieve the finished muffin texture we want.
• Milk: If you can tolerate dairy, whole milk, 2%, 1%, and skim milk all work well. If dairy free, almond milk and oat milk are yummy in these muffins.
• Vanilla extract: It doesn’t take much vanilla but it adds so much flavor.
• Baking soda: The baking soda helps make our muffins rise a bit. They’re still going to be more dense than regular muffins because of the oat flour but this will keep them fluffier.
• Cinnamon + Ground ginger + Ground nutmeg: These three spices help bring out the pumpkin flavor and give these muffins cozy fall vibes.
• Chocolate chips: Pumpkin and chocolate are a dreamy pairing, don’t you think? Use dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or semi-sweet.

How are oat muffins different from muffins made with all purpose flour?

Because we use oat flour, the finished muffin will be more dense and chewy than a muffin made with all purpose flour. The color may also be darker (oat flour isn’t a great fit for a white cupcake recipe). While the texture of the muffin is slightly different (my kids never notice), it is still soft and totally delicious! It’s a fantastic swap that will make your sweet treats just a bit healthier!

What kind of oats work best?

You have two choices in oats here. Old fashioned rolled oats will be lighter but give you muffins that have more of an “oaty” texture and flavor. Quick cooking rolled oats will blend better but yield a more dense muffin. I prefer the quick oats but it’s really a matter of personal preference. Use whichever you like!

Can you use steel cut oats?

No. This recipe has been tested with quick cooking oats and old fashioned rolled oats. Steel cut oats will give you a dense gritty texture and I don’t recommend them.

What canned pumpkin in best to use?

Your canned pumpkin should have only one ingredient: pumpkin. Libby’s is the brand I find most often in grocery stores but any canned pumpkin puree will work great.

Are these muffins dairy free?

Yes these muffins can easily be dairy free! Just be sure to use almond or oat milk (instead of cow’s milk) and dairy free chocolate chips. Two yummy dairy free chocolate chip brands I recommend are Enjoy Life and the Simply Delicious line from Nestle Tollhouse. Both have a very short and straight forward ingredient list.

Are these muffins good for meal prep?

Yes! Make a batch and enjoy them all week for a quick breakfast you can take with you in the car.

Do these muffins freeze well?

They sure do! Feel free to pop them in the freezer and reheat them in the microwave as needed.

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