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.
Featuring all new, protein-packed salads, hearty toppers, flavour boosters, and dressings you'll want to drink, my new cookbook will transform the way you think about salads. Oh, and be sure to flip to the back for a surprise dessert chapter!
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
These are to die for!! I shared them with my Dad and he just kept saying: “They taste like cake! They taste like cake!” Thanks for sharing!
Hi there Angela…I just made these muffins and simply loved them!
I did not have pumpkin on hand so I substituted it for freshly cooked and pureed
butternut squash…they turned out perfect.
Hard to believe that these are so healthy while still tasting great!
Yes, my house smells amazing…just like my Grandma’s.
My daughter and I prepared your delicious muffins this morning as a birthday breakfast in bed for my husband. You had asked for a posting if we used an alternative to spelt flour…I used Chef Thomas Kellerer’s pricey but incredible “Cup for Cup” GF flour and WOW, were they delicious!! My husband was lucky to have any left by the time he woke up to eat them. Thank you for your wonderful recipe and the 30+ others I have made since my husband came home 3 years ago and “announced” he was vegan. I had never touched an uncooked lentil before that day and now, we cook like chefs and dine like kings! I even use many of your recipes as the basis for one of my coaching programs on designing and experiencing a life of joy. Thank you for the gift of your passion, talent and guidance!
I have made these 4 times in the past two weeks! I can’t stop! I have used a combination of different flours that i’ve had on hand (ww, oat, ap, spelt), and each time they have turned out beautifully. Also, i’m not vegan, and was skeptical of a muffin recipe that didn’t include eggs. But, this is possibly my new fav muffin recipe…by far!
Angela, way to go! These are really really GOOD! My whole family loved them! I omitted the brown sugar, and instead of maple syrup I used coconut sugar… still sweet enough and that way a bit more suitable for my breakfast cravings. Love the taste of the molasses in there :)
Hi Angela, I was thinking of making these for holiday dessert an topping them with coconut whip, do you think they would work as dessert, or are they a real muffins muffin?
These are delicious, and have a really nice texture. A new favourite for sure! I used pecans instead of the walnuts, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. My 22 month old helped to stir :)
Well, I tried this recipe and it came out pretty well. I had organic sprouted spelt flour and all the other ingredients as well except for your pumpkin pie spice. I had something labelled pumpkin pie spice that I bought at a health food store in the bulk aisle, so I used that instead. I think I’ll try yours next time. I didn’t use muffin liners like you did. I just used nonstick pans. Anyway, the taste was delicious and the muffins were really light but maybe a bit too light because after they had cooled and I removed them from the pans they kind of squished down in size and didn’t hold together as well as I would like. They also didn’t rise very much in the oven. I’m not sure exactly why that is but I do know that spelt is kind of a dense flour so that could be it. I might try it with half spelt and half organic sprouted whole wheat next time to see if that changes things. Thank you for the recipe, Angela.
I feel the molasses flavor is too strong in these. I would not make these or the loaf with spiced buttercream again. I do love lots of your other recipes but I don’t feel this one is a winner.
Loved these muffins! I needed them to be Gluten Free so I used the following flours
2/3 cup buckwheat flour
2/3 quinoa flour
1/3 coconut flour
I added a banana and left out the molasses
I just finished roasting a pumpkin, made 8- 2 c bags of puree for the freezer, then found this recipe. So my pumpkin made 2 batches yeah! I used the spelt flour even though I never had before. I loved the light airy muffins. I also used 1/4 c stevia & brown sugar blend which cut the sugar calories in half. I’ve already been sharing the muffins and the recipe with friends even though I don’t personally know any vegans. Everyone loves these muffins. Thanks for the great recipe.
These were very tasty, rose well and were moist but not gummy. I made mini-muffins, cooked about 13 – 14 minutes. Unfortunately two Labs thought they were very tasty too and stole over a dozen!
This is an amazing recipe I am new to the vegan cooking style and never baked before. And these turned out so well they lasted 1 day and have to make another batch. Thank you
Could I substitute almond flour? I’m gluten free :) Thanks!
So excited to try these (and the legendary pumpkin loaf). Thanks so much for sharing!
I made these for the first time for my vegan son and daughter in law, and they loved them!! I used organic whole wheat and they were still light and fluffy. no buttercream, though :(
Hey Angela,
I tried these with 100% regular whole wheat flour. They are delicious. They didn’t rise as much but they are still amazing! My husband has always loved your loaf and also loved these muffins.
My 2 year old loved those, he ate two while they were still warm. I omitted the nuts but I found that I missed the crunch or some different texture. I might try raisins next time, overall the taste and texture were good, I am not a huge fan of molasses hence only the 4 stars.
Loved these! I used whole wheat pastry flour instead of spelt and thought they turned out great. I also added 1/4 cup applesauce and omitted the maple syrup. These will definitely be in the fall rotation!
Yummy! I made them gluten free by cutting out the spelt flour and using 1+1/3 cup millet flour and 1/3 cup arrowroot starch/flour. Bake immediately after combining dry and wet ingredients. Thanks Angela for another great recipe!