I love to transform my favourite recipes into something new. Often, it’s not too far of a stretch to take a solid recipe base and create something different and fresh. Maybe I’m a baking nerd, but I just love the process of calculating measurements, swapping new ingredients for others, figuring out new baking times, and streamlining the method. My goal with recipe writing is to provide as many pertinent details as I can so you feel like I’m in the kitchen with you, but I also try to simplify and condense, too. It gives me great joy to refine and improve a dish and the written recipe itself over multiple trials.
Yup, I’m definitely a baking nerd. There’s no denying it.
My Pumpkin Gingerbread Loaf with Spiced Buttercream is a bit of a legend on this blog. I created the recipe for a blogging competition, Project Food Blog, five years ago (side note: my recipe writing style has clearly changed since then!). Despite being buried in the archives, this loaf has stood the test of time and remains popular during the fall and winter seasons. I’ve had requests for a muffin version – something a bit lighter and more wholesome that could pair with breakfast or an afternoon snack. (Wait a second. The original loaf with frosting doesn’t count as breakfast? I’ve been doing it all wrong.)
Joking aside, it’s a great idea. So maybe it’s a few years late, but I’m not a miracle worker! Ok, maybe I am. I made the original loaf more wholesome by using whole-grain spelt flour rather than all-purpose white flour. Despite using this heavier flour, I was astonished by how light and fluffy the muffins turned out! Spelt flour is incredibly tasty with a lightly sweet and nutty flavour that works so well in a muffin. Actually, I kept saying to Eric that these muffins taste a bit like a spiced bran muffin (in a very good way!). In just 1/4 cup of whole-grain spelt flour you’ll find 4 grams of protein and 4 grams of fibre, too. Look for whole-grain spelt flour in the natural foods or specialty section of grocery stores or you can find it online. Keep in mind that it’s not gluten-free so it won’t work for those with gluten allergies. You’ll also find pumpkin, blackstrap molasses (a great source of iron), pumpkin pie spice, maple syrup, and more. It’s like a big fall hug. Get ready, because your place is going to smell like a gingerbread house. No joke.
Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins
Yield
12 large muffins
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Despite using whole-grain spelt flour, pumpkin purée, and molasses, these muffins rise beautifully and they are so light and fluffy! I think you’re going to love them. They are perfectly spiced (not too strong and not too light) and great for fall and winter baking. You won’t believe how incredible these muffins will make your house smell, too. Throw a batch in the oven before company comes over and your entire place will smell like a gingerbread house! This recipe is adapted from a reader-favourite recipe: my Pumpkin Gingerbread Loaf with Spiced Buttercream.
Ingredients
For the wet ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) chia seeds
- 3 tablespoons (45 mL) water
- 1 cup (240 g) unsweetened pumpkin purée*
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) grapeseed oil or melted coconut oil**
- 3 tablespoons (45 mL) pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup (105 g) packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) blackstrap molasses
For the dry ingredients:
- 1 2/3 cups (260 g) whole-grain spelt flour***
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Heaping 1/2 cup (70 g) toasted chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a muffin pan with large paper liners. My favourite brand of liners is “If You Care” brand as they never stick!
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the chia seeds and water. Set aside for a few minutes to thicken.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (spelt flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt).
- In the same bowl as the chia mixture, whisk together the wet ingredients (chia mixture, pumpkin purée, oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, and molasses) until smooth.
- Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. No patches of flour should remain. Be sure not to overmix the batter as spelt is a delicate flour. The batter will be quite thick.
- If using, stir in the chopped walnuts. You can also reserve some for garnish on top, like in the photos.
- Divide the batter equally between the 12 muffin liners. They should be about 3/4 full or a bit more. Add any reserved walnuts on top and gently push down (optional).
- Bake the muffins for 20 to 24 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool the muffins in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, and then transfer each muffin onto a cooling rack until completely cool. Serve with homemade almond milk.
Tip:
- * If your pumpkin purée is a bit grainy, try throwing it into a food processor and processing it until smooth before making this recipe. Or you can beat it with electric beaters. This will simply prevent clumps in the dough.
- ** If using melted coconut oil, make sure that the rest of the wet ingredients are all at room temperature (do not use refrigerated pumpkin, maple syrup, etc. as they will harden the coconut oil).
- *** I haven't tried these muffins with any other flour, but I expect that regular all-purpose flour will work (like in the loaf recipe).
- Make it nut-free: Simply omit the walnuts.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)Photography credit: Ashley McLaughlin Photography
Best. Muffins. Ever.
Dense, chewy and with a Halloween meets Christmas flavour!
My house does smell like a gingerbread house! I’ll have to look for Hansel and Gretel!
This recipe looks wonderful! I’ve been looking for the right recipe to make my fall baking debut (I haven’t baked since early summer!), and I think this is the one.
I’m so glad to see new posts on the blog. :) Thank you so much!
made these this afternoon! they are wonderfully light and moist, perfect snack with an almond latte on this rainy autumn day!
I JUST made these and let me say, they are DELICIOUS! Thank you, Angela, for your baking nerd-ism as you are a master in the kitchen. And thanks to you, mine now smells like all things fall with a little christmas on top. Everyone- make these ASAP! You won’t regret it.
These muffins look delicious! I love the flavors of pumpkin and gingerbread together so these are going to be a hit in our house!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Hey Angela! This recipe looks delicious…gingerbread is the best! Just wondering if you had a gluten free option? Thanks :)
Hi Angela!
I was wondering if you could tell me if there is a way to reduce/omit the oil in this recipe? I would love to make it!
Thank you!
I love your blog by the way!
Charlotte
I haven’t tried it but you might be able to swap some of the oil for applesauce?
Ok thanks! I’ll do it and I’ll let you know!! (:
I reduced the amount of sugar to a scant 1/4 cup and used only 2 scant TBSP liquid coconut oil. The muffins turned out really good. Moist and flavorful.
Oh thank you! So what did you replace the rest of the oil with?
I used half the sugar (so half of the maple syrup, brown sugar and molasses) and substituted apple sauce for the same amount. The turned out well.
I can imagine you could just sub applesauce for all of the oil instead of sugar.
Since I reduced the amount of sugar (a “dry” ingredient) I figured that reducing the amount of oil would not impact the wetness of the batter – it did not.
Hey Angela,
I wanted to let you know that I made the exact same muffins (in a cake pan though) with applesauce instead of oil, and it worked perfectly! (:
Thanks!!!
Charlotte
Oooh yum! these sound incredible!!!
Girl- you are talking my language! Perfect timing…I just baked some pumpkin, love ginger and molasses. Can’t wait to smell the deliciousness fill my kitchen…and to stuff my face with muffins ;)
Angela:
I have spelt bread in the house…can I put some in the food processor & make flour out of that ? Would that work so I don’t have to purchase spelt flour?
Thank you for your wonderful recipes! Your background in science & research really is
reflected in each one!!!
I’m so happy to see these, and will definitely make them! I love spelt flour. I’m wheat-intolerant but not celiac, and have found I can eat spelt and einkorn with no ill effect. Spelt crumbles more–not a big deal with all that pumpkin to hold things together–but never adds the bitter flavor that I remember from using whole wheat in place of white flour.
I’m going to try this recipe as a waffle….gluten-free as well. I love the flavors.
Can this be made in a loaf pan?
Eating them now, hot from the oven. Delicious! I didn’t have spelt flour on hand so used whole wheat pastry flour. They are moist, delicious, and perfect for the cooling weather. Thanks for another fabulous recipe!
I am doing the same! also made them with whole wheat pastry flour and couldn’t wait for them to cool to try them, they smelled so good. and taste even better!
I made these last night and they turned out wonderfully! I used whole wheat flour instead of spelt flour because it’s what I had on hand and left out the nuts because of my husband’s allergy. I’m not one for baking, but these were simple and delicious to boot.
Thank you for introducing a fun and simple fall/winter recipe!
I can’t wait to get your second cook book. The first one was amazing :)
–Angelle–
So glad they were a hit! Thanks for your feedback and kind words about my next book :)
Angela:
I love your recipes. Would you consider including the nutritional analysis for future recipes?
Hi Sandra, At this time I’m unable to do the calculations, but I will definitely consider it for the future. In the meantime you can use Nutrition Date or Calorie Count.com websites for free nutritional analyses.
Do you think date sugar would be a suitable substitute for the brown sugar?
Hi Melissa,
Sorry for the delay in getting to your question – I was away for a couple days. Yes I do think date sugar would work! Hope you enjoy!
I always make the loaf of this with whole wheat and always with rave reviews from vegans and non vegans! Will be making this muffin version this weekend! Thank you!
My extremely picky 5 year old ate 3 of these in a row!!! I am so impressed! We left out the walnuts so they could be packed as a lunch at his nut free school and they were still amazing! Thanks Angela!!!
Made these with 1 cup kamut flour and 1/3 cup buckwheat flour, used coconut sugar instead of brown sugar and added 1/3 cup raisins. Mixture was too dry so added some coconut water. Worked very well, but needed a bit extra cooking time. Smelled wonderful while cooking and taste great :)
Hi Anna, So glad they worked out in the end :) Thanks for the feedback!