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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.
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Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins
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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)![pumpkinspicegingerbreadmuffinsvegan pumpkinspicegingerbreadmuffinsvegan](/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/pumpkinspicegingerbreadmuffinsvegan.jpg)
Photography credit: Ashley McLaughlin Photography
Hi Angela! I’m a huge fan of your instagram as a quick dose of daily inspiration, especially as I try to fit these holiday recipes into my family’s decidedly not vegan rotation :)
I’m not sure what your policy is on suggestions from the vegan community in the comments, but a few friends and I made a tongue-in-cheek tee for vegans that I was hoping you’d check out. You can see it here: https://teespring.com/YesVegan – if you like it or know anyone else who might, we’d would love your support! My apologies if you prefer receiving things like this in your contact form!
Add this to the list of OSG recipes I’ve made and loved: every single one has been a hit! I used white whole wheat flour (Nutriflour) and left out the nuts so that my kids can take them to school. I didn’t think you usually used brown sugar in your recipes, or am I remembering incorrectly? I may try these with coconut sugar next time. Thank you!
What is the nutritional value and calorie count per muffin?
My whole family is in love with these! Even my 2 and 3 yearold! Thank you!
I prefer to make your recipes as-is (at least the first time), but I reeeeally wanted to make these despite being too lazy to go to the store :-) So I subbed 2/3 cups oat flour for the amount of spelt flour I lacked, subbed 1/8 cup brown rice syrup and 1/8 cup barley malt syrup for the blackstrap molasses, and added 1 tsp vanilla. They turned out super fluffy, moist, and very flavorful. Thank you so much for creating such a wonderfully healthful way to enjoy the holiday season!
Has anyone tried using almond flour for this recipe?
If you are looking to make these gluten free, I used 1 cup brown rice flour, 2/3 cup tapioca flour and 1 tsp zantham gum as a replacement for the spelt flour. The muffins were great! I tried them previously without the zantham gum and they were too soft and were falling apart. Hope this helps!
Amazing recipe!! Thanks so much, Angela for another good one :)
I stumbled across the blog recently and this was the first recipe I tried. It is fantastic! I didn’t have whole spelt flour, so I used white whole wheat, which worked just fine. I also cut the amount of brown sugar in half because I like to minimize my use of refined sugars. Otherwise, I made the recipe exactly as instructed and it is definitely a winner. These are so moist and chewy and have wonderful flavor! I can’t wait to try some other recipes!
SO glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for your feedback Kristin :)
I tried these muffins but I used gluten free flour (Bob’s Red Mill) and they turned out fabulous. Love this recipe!!
I made these on the weekend, but instead of spelt flour I used 1 1/3 cup of white whole wheat flour and 1/3 cup flax meal. The texture came out great and the muffins were quite good although I did find them a tad bland. Next time I will add a little extra pumpkin pie spice and maybe a tad more molasses. But overall a very good recipe!
I just finished turning our jack-o-lantern into 21 cups of puree! I’m definitely gonna tackle these muffins. Thanks you! Just wondering though – I’d like to omit the brown sugar… think it will affect the “light/fluffy” quality of the muffins you mentioned? Any suggestions?
I can’t get over how moist, fluffy, and delicious these are! I did use a couple of substitutions – whole wheat all-purpose and fancy molasses. They turned out amazing, despite! Would love to make them again with the blackstrap to see the flavour difference.
Thanks for another amazing recipe!!
Hi Angela,
Another winning recipe. I made these muffins and they were terrific. Wouldn’t change a thing. Can’t wait for your cookbook in 2016.
These muffins are amazing! Definitely going to be a recipe I make all winter long. :)
What a great recipe! Great comfort food for winter…and vegan too! Great blog, thank you!
You mention refrigerated milk in your ** comment, but I don’t see milk in the ingredient list. Was something left out?
Hey Courtney, My apologies I shouldn’t have mentioned milk in the note (I was thinking about it in a general sense I think!) it’s not in this recipe. Will remove that now :)
This recipe is incredible!! INCREDIBLE!!
Delicious – the perfect mid-day snack!!
Hey! I know you get thousands and thousands of comments, but I wanted to say this recipe rocks. I couldn’t find the spelt flour, so I used whole wheat pastry flour. I wouldn’t imagine molasses could taste so good!
Hey Diego, So glad this worked out for you! Thanks for your feedback :)
I don’t know if someone else already came up with this but I made a pumpkin coconut whipped cream for these. Very easy, I just added pumpkin puree, the pumpkin spice and sweetener! So good
These are to DIE for. I don’t really like muffins, my husband is a skeptic of all things healthy, and my two kids are notoriously picky… however, these have one EVERYONE over!!! Thanks for yet another amazing recipe that makes my family happy :)
I made these with regular whole wheat flour that was on hand (worked out just fine) and topped with the icing from the loaf recipe – result is nothing short of delicious :)