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
Can’t wait to make this! Can I make it in a loaf pan? I know someone else asked but I can’t find the answer! And with all purpose flour?? Thanks!!
This recipe is so GOOD and a great way to use all that pumpkin I cooked and froze! I used whole wheat flour instead of spelt and it turned out great. This past weekend I doubled the recipe and baked it in a 13 x 9 inch dish as a cake for a potluck. I used raw walnuts, coated them with melted vegan butter and some cinnamon and sugar and used them to top the cake before baking. After it cooled I drizzled a little powdered sugar glaze over the cake to dress it up. It was a hit and I had numerous requests for the recipe. I referred them to your website for this and more great recipes.
I have your first cookbook and have tried many of the recipes – they’ve all been delicious. The pumpkin pie smoothie is a favorite!
Thanks for all your hard work! It is appreciated
These are a favorite of ours! We make them weekly, right now ;). I did try with almond flour this morning, and they didn’t work out well. Just as a tip for those experimenting! Regular gluten free flour works great!!
Just made these with my 3 year old daughter who insisted on baking muffins today. (Baking = licking everything.) They were so easy and taste great warm from the oven! I used regular unbleached all-purpose flour and they turned out light and fluffy.
I just made these and am enjoying one as I write. They rose beautifully and are moist, cake-like, and (given that we woke up with a scattering of snow today) comforting. I used regular all-purpose flour and vegetable oil, but that was the only swap I made. The taste of the pie-spiced muffin combined with the toasted walnuts on top is divine. I left some nut-free so my daughter can take them to school. A winner!
Delicious!
Flax seed substitute and using all purpose flour were both absolutely fine.
I made the nut-free version of this, and used the flax in place of chia (same quantities) because the chia I had was manufactured on shared equipment and these were going into a classroom where a few children have severe nut allergies.
I just saw photos from the classroom Thanksgiving event, and it was so lovely to see every kid in the class with one of these muffins on their plate. There are dairy, egg, nut and soy allergies in the class, and my children are vegan. I was able to accommodate every single allergy using this recipe, they tasted moist and delicious, and not one child had to miss out on having the same special treat as everyone else.
LOVE.
Thank you so much, Angela!
I Love these muffins! I made them using “Eat Clean” power flour minus the wheat flour (brown rice flour, amaranth flour, spelt flour, kamut flour, barley flour) and they were delicious. :)
I love pumpkin, so I’m going to try your recipe for sure! Thanks for sharing!
Trying to eat healthier and in doing so, eat more and more vegan. I’m not sure I’ll ever go fully vegan, but finding awesome recipes makes it more appealing! Can’t wait to try this one out, thank you!
These were amazing! I never told anybody that they were vegan and they never guessed. I made them with whole wheat flour.
Just made these with whole wheat pastry flour and they look fantastic! The batter was very thick so I needed to add more water, but then I got 14 muffins out of the mix. They do taste delish and my husband thanks you fro another great recipe as well :)
These are delicious!! Like pumpkin spice meets gingerbread. They turned out really fluffy (I sifted the flour for the heck of it) and super moist! Got a few more than a dozen, so I must have underfilled my tin a bit (had to do 6 at a time due to my tiny Japanese microwave/oven thingy). I’ll definitely be making these again!
These look so delicious!! I love adding molasses to desserts. It give them a little more depth of flavor :)
I was introduced to your blog through the vegan, gluten-free turtle date cookies, and now your recipes have become a mainstay in our house! Thank you for sharing all of your work with the world! In the spirit of sharing… I made your delicious pumpkin gingerbread muffins as a loaf (no muffin pan), and I made it gluten-free by substituting 1 cup oats (ground into flour), 1/3 cup sorghum flour and 1/3 cup tapioca starch for the spelt flour. I baked it at 350 for 50-60 minutes until a knife came out more or less clean. Anyway- this was perfect for our Thanksgiving road trip- moist, dense and full of fall flavor! Thanks again!
Made these with gluten free flour and coconut sugar instead of brown sugar. I also used an egg in place of the flax egg. They were absolutely delicious! I will definitely be making another batch.
This recipe is excellent. As I had no spelt flour I made it using 1 cup whole wheat flour & 2/3 cup unbleached white flour with great success. Also, I didn’t have paper muffin cups so I baked the batter in a loaf pan for about 40 minutes. Delicious. Next time I might try it with a little less brown sugar for a slightly less sweet taste. I love your blog and your cookbook – Thank you!
yummy ,look at the picture of this cake made me very hungry haha :D
These muffins are amazing. The smells that fill the house are irresistible! I use Einkorn flour, which can be a bit wet for things like pizza dough, but I am learning to stir much less with these delicate flours. I measured out exactly as per the spelt flour and they turned out absolutely perfect!
These are wonderful!!!! I used coconut sugar instead of brown sugar and I cut back the amount just a tad – I used 1/3 C of sugar instead of 1/2. Absolutely delicious! Will definitely make these again. Thank you!
I just baked these this morning! They are wonderful!!!!
I added just a dash of (extra) ground ginger and cinnamon besides the pumpkin pie spice to give it extra oomph! I love bold spices. My daughter, who is almost 1 1/2yrs old and my husband love them too! Thanks so much. We have only recently gone vegan/mostly whole food plant based. These are exactly what I need to try to cut down (then eventually out) sugar! You have made my transition much easier! Thanks again!