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    Home » All Desserts » Muffins and cupcakes

    Published: Sep 21, 2022 · Modified: Jan 29, 2023 by Anthea

    Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

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    5 from 17 votes

    Fluffy vegan pumpkin muffins with cafe-style muffin tops! These muffins come together in one bowl and have an optional crunchy streusel topping.

    Close up of muffin with streusel topping and simple sugar icing on top.

    Why you'll love these muffins

    This recipe uses a whole can of pumpkin puree which means you won't have to fuss with any leftovers!

    This recipe has been adapted from my vegan pumpkin bread and well-tried and tested carrot muffins and banana muffins.

    Ingredients you'll need

    Flatlay of ingredients for muffins.

    Notes about the ingredients

    Pumpkin puree, canned or homemade. These muffins use a whole can of pumpkin puree so there won't be any leftover! Alternatively, you can make your own pumpkin puree at home. I've tested this recipe with both canned pumpkin puree and homemade.

    All-purpose flour for the fluffiest muffins. Alternatively, you may use whole wheat or spelt flour though your muffins will be denser.

    Brown sugar for sweetness and depth of flavor! Alternatively, you can use regular granulated sugar. For less sweet refined sugar-free muffins, use coconut sugar.

    Baking powder and soda. Pumpkin puree often weighs down baked goods so we're using double baking agents to make sure the muffins are fluffy.

    Even though these muffins are eggless, we don't need any special egg replacers! The additional pumpkin in the recipe helps bind together the ingredients.

    A complete list of ingredients, quantities and instructions are in the gray recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    How to make vegan pumpkin muffins

    The batter is no fuss and comes together in one bowl!

    First, add all your wet ingredients (including the sugar) to a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Add all your dry ingredients and mix until there are no more lumps of flour.

    Just don't overmix the batter as it will make the muffins dense, a little chewy and they won't rise as much!

    Four image collage of how to make the pumpkin muffin batter in one bowl.

    Making the streusel topping

    The topping is also easy to make! Just mix everything in a bowl until crumbly.

    If you don't want pumpkin seeds, you can just omit them (or replace them with rolled oats or pecans). The streusel will still be a good consistency without the seeds, just like the streusel I used for my banana muffins.

    Two image collage of making the streusel topping.

    Assembling the muffins

    In a classic USA muffin tray, the muffin batter fills each cup close to the top! This recipe was designed so the muffins bake upwards rather than spilling over the sides.

    Two image collage before and after muffins are baked.

    TOP tips for cafe-style muffin tops

    If you bake the recipe as is, you'll still get high muffin tops!

    But for extra high muffin tops, I recommend spacing apart the muffins in your muffin tin and baking only six muffins at a time. Each muffin is exposed to more oven heat which encourages them to dome more! With a 12-cavity tray, you'll place the muffins diagonally from each other. If you have only one muffin tray, you'll have to bake the muffins in two lots but it's definitely worth it.

    Also, make sure you use active baking powder and soda! Old or expired raising agents will make smaller and denser muffins.

    Close up of streusel topping on one muffin.

    Expert tips + customizations

    Can I make these pumpkin muffins smaller?

    Yes, you will get around 16 smaller muffins from this recipe (similar in size to my vegan apple muffins). They'll take only around 20-25 minutes to bake. Or make them even smaller as kid-friendly snacks!

    Can I add anything else to these vegan pumpkin muffins?

    Yes! I recommend:
    - dairy-free chocolate chips (or check out my vegan choc chip muffins)
    - pecans or walnuts
    - dried cranberries

    Can I make gluten-free pumpkin muffins?

    I haven't tested this recipe with gluten-free flour. It may work with a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free flour such as Bob Red Mills.

    Can I make pumpkin bread from this recipe?

    I recommend baking my vegan pumpkin bread instead. This muffin recipe will be too moist when baked in a loaf pan.

    Close up of one muffin with bite taken out showing fluffy texture and orange color from the pumpkin.

    More vegan pumpkin recipes

    • Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Vegan Pumpkin Coffee Cake
    • Vegan Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
    • Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake (baked)

    Check out my round-up post for all my vegan Thanksgiving desserts.

    Follow Rainbow Nourishments on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, and subscribe via email to receive all of our latest recipes!

    Print Recipe
    5 from 17 votes

    Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

    Fluffy vegan pumpkin muffins with cafe-style muffin tops! These muffins come together in one bowl and have an optional crunchy streusel topping.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time25 mins
    Total Time40 mins
    Cuisine: American, Vegan
    Servings: 12 muffins
    Author: Anthea

    Ingredients

    Wet ingredients for pumpkin muffins

    • 15 ounces (425g) pumpkin puree, canned or homemade (not pumpkin pie filling)
    • 1 cup (190g) packed light brown sugar, granulated sugar or coconut sugar
    • ½ cup (125g) neutral flavored oil
    • ¾ cup (190g) dairy-free milk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

    Dry ingredients for pumpkin muffins

    • 3 cups (375g) all-purpose plain flour
    • 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, (note 1 for homemade blend)
    • 3 teaspoons baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
    • Pinch of any good quality salt, optional

    Crumb topping (optional)

    • ½ cup (65g) all-purpose plain flour
    • ¼ cup (30g) raw pumpkin seeds, optional
    • 3 tablespoons (45g) vegan butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled
    • 2 tablespoons (25g) packed brown sugar, granulated sugar or coconut sugar
    • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, or ground cinnamon

    Instructions

    • Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners.

    Preparing the pumpkin muffins:

    • Add the wet ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk until combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix until there are no big lumps. Make sure you don't overmix the batter.
    • Use an ice cream scoop or a spoon to divide the batter in your muffin pan (note 2). The batter should fill each cup almost entirely (check the reference images above).

    To make the crumb topping (optional):

    • Add all ingredients for your crumb topping to a mixing bowl (use the same bowl that you used for your batter to minimize dirty dishes). Mix with a spoon or your fingertips until combined and the mixture is flaky and crumbly.
    • Generously sprinkle the crumb topping onto your muffins.

    Baking and storing the muffins:

    • Bake the muffins for 25-28 minutes or into you can insert a toothpick in a muffin and it comes out completely clean.
    • Allow the muffins to cool in the muffin pan for 10 minutes (or until they aren't too hot to handle). Remove the muffins and allow them to cool on a wire rack.
    • Enjoy the muffins warm or at room temperature. They're perfect by themselves or with some vegan butter.
    • Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. If the crumb topping softens, you can reheat the muffins in the oven for 10 minutes at 160°C (320°F) or until heated through.

    Notes

    1. For homemade pumpkin pie spice, use 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger and ½ teaspoon ground cloves. If you don't have any of those spices, use more of the others.
    2. For the highest muffin tops, I recommend baking 6 muffins at a time in a 12-cup muffin tray. Spacing apart the muffins allows the hot oven air to bake them faster, resulting in higher tops. This means you'll need to bake the muffins in 2 lots.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 muffin with topping | Calories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 17g | Sodium: 209mg | Potassium: 165mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 5514IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 3mg
    Did you Make this Recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @rainbownourishments on Instagram and hashtag #rainbownourishments!

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Hollie says

      November 30, 2022 at 11:56 pm

      5 stars
      i’m terrible at baking - especially vegan recipes but this was very simple and came out SO GOOD

      Reply
    2. Fary says

      November 16, 2022 at 10:02 pm

      5 stars
      Ils sont parfaits !

      Reply
    3. Nora says

      November 05, 2022 at 10:21 am

      5 stars
      Baked these muffins this morning and wow, they're so fluffy and I love those huge muffin tops! Better than any bought muffin I've bought at a cafe! Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        November 05, 2022 at 10:09 pm

        Aw, that's amazing to hear! The muffin tops are my fav too. Thanks so much for your lovely comment 🙂

        Reply
    4. Katka_bu says

      October 19, 2022 at 1:37 am

      5 stars
      Simply amazing and delicious 🤤 I felt in love with these! Tastes like spicy autumn 🍂 The structure is spot-on and this crumble on top? Oh myyy ❤️

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        November 05, 2022 at 10:43 am

        Aw I'm so happy that you loved these muffins! And I love the sound of spicy autumn :).Thanks so much for your lovely feedback x

        Reply
    5. Nicole C. says

      October 15, 2022 at 2:27 am

      This recipe looks amazing! Would it be possible to swap out unsweetened apple sauce for the vegetable oil? Thanks in advance!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        October 19, 2022 at 8:22 am

        Hi Nicole! Unsweetened apple sauce may work but I haven't tested it myself so I'm not 100% sure how it will affect the texture. I hope that helps!

        Reply
    6. Sofie says

      October 13, 2022 at 12:47 am

      5 stars
      Oh my god! These are delicious! And very easy to make! Thank you for the recipe ❤️

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        November 05, 2022 at 10:43 am

        Aw that's music to my ears! Thanks so much Sofie!

        Reply
    7. Nicole says

      October 10, 2022 at 8:11 am

      Hello can coconut oil be used in place of vegetable?

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        October 10, 2022 at 10:29 am

        Yes, but I recommend eating the muffins slightly warm because coconut oil tends to solidify at a certain temperature and can make baked goods feel drier than normal!

        Reply
    8. Alina says

      October 08, 2022 at 5:22 am

      I baked Pumpkin Muffins for over 40 minutes, but I'm still not sure it's done. I got a completely different texture.

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        October 08, 2022 at 4:49 pm

        Oh no, that doesn't sound right at all! Did you change any of the ingredients?

        Reply
    9. Jung says

      October 07, 2022 at 8:55 am

      What is the white liquid topping you spooned over the baked muffins? Condensed milk?

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        October 07, 2022 at 10:31 am

        Hi Jung, it's just a simple icing made from powdered sugar and a small amount of dairy-free milk.

        Reply
    10. Mamatha says

      October 04, 2022 at 3:49 am

      Pumpkin muffin n vegan one absolutely Devin. I'm already in love with this flavor. I'll give a try, for sure...

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        October 07, 2022 at 4:29 pm

        I hope you enjoy the muffins!

        Reply
    11. Tess says

      September 27, 2022 at 3:11 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious, moist, and fluffy. I've found my new go to pumpkin muffin recipe.

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        September 28, 2022 at 6:18 am

        I'm so glad that you enjoyed this recipe Tess! Thanks for your feedback 🙂

        Reply
    12. Alina says

      September 22, 2022 at 11:33 pm

      5 stars
      Anthea, thank you for the recipe! I’ve been waiting for it 🙂 I’ve already made your carrot muffins and lemon muffins - they were extremely delicious! So I’ve been looking forward to a new autumn season recipe:-) Tell me please how can I prepare pumpkin purée by myself?

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        September 25, 2022 at 8:46 pm

        Aw I'm so glad that you loved my carrot and lemon muffin recipes! To make your own pumpkin puree, I recommend either:
        1. Peel and cut your pumpkin into cubes and steam it. Or cut your whole pumpkin in half, remove the seeds and roast it until the flesh is super soft. Scoop out the flesh and discard the skin.
        2. Use a food processor or stick blender to puree the pumpkin!

        I hope that helps 🙂

        Reply

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