Wholesome Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins Recipe

These Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins are fluffy, moist, and made healthier with whole wheat flour, unsweetened applesauce, and no butter or refined sugar. Brimming with delightful pumpkin essence and cozy spices for the ultimate autumn muffin!

It’s that magical time of year again! Pumpkin season is here, and these Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins have become a staple. Exceptionally soft and moist, this pumpkin muffin recipe is an ideal cozy indulgence for your family this weekend. What makes these healthy pumpkin muffins even better is that you can whip them up in just 30 minutes, created with whole wheat flour, applesauce, and no butter or refined sugar. These muffins are fantastic for a quick breakfast, a nutritious snack, or a sweet treat with your morning coffee!

Reasons You’ll Love These Muffins

• Nutritious ingredients – crafted with whole wheat flour and naturally sweetened with applesauce and maple syrup without any added sugar.
• Deliciously moist – the combination of applesauce, pumpkin purée, and a hint of coconut oil creates muffins that are wonderfully moist and fluffy!
• Customizable – this delectable recipe is easily adaptable with fun mix-ins like chocolate chips, nuts, shredded coconut, dried fruits, or fresh berries.
• Freezer-friendly – make a single batch or double it to savor all season long! Definitely one of our go-to recipes packed with fantastic fall flavor.

Ingredients Required

• whole wheat pastry flour – I enjoy baking with whole wheat pastry flour because it retains the nutritional goodness of whole grain flour while keeping these muffins light and airy. I highly suggest using this, but if unavailable, regular whole wheat flour, white whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour can work too.
• all-purpose flour – when combined with the whole wheat flour, this contributes to an even softer and fluffier muffin, but feel free to use all whole wheat pastry flour if that is your preference.
• baking powder + baking soda – these act as leavening agents to help the muffins rise perfectly.
• pumpkin puree – I opted for canned pumpkin purée; just ensure it’s 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is often filled with sugars.
• eggs – these provide protein and contribute to the structure and height of the muffins.
• sweeteners – I used a mix of pure maple syrup and cane sugar to sweeten the muffins without refined sugar; you may also use honey, brown sugar, or standard sugar.
• coconut oil – adds moisture and fluffiness! You can swap it with another oil type if you like or even butter.
• applesauce – aids in decreasing the necessary oil content and helps keep the muffins moist. Greek yogurt or mash banana can also be suitable substitutes.
• warm flavors – a delightful mix of pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract. You can also create your own pumpkin pie spice using nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves.

Steps to Create Pumpkin Muffins

• Combine ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt, then set this flour mix aside. In a medium bowl, mix the eggs, maple syrup, cane sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, melted coconut oil, and vanilla, blending until fully incorporated.
• Create the batter. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir with a spatula until just incorporated, being cautious not to overmix. This is when you can include any mix-ins like chocolate chips or nuts. Generously coat a muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray (or use muffin liners) and distribute the batter evenly among 12 muffin cups, filling each to almost full.
• Bake the muffins. Place the muffin tin into the oven at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes (I found mine perfectly done at 22 minutes), or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.

Best Practices for Creating Amazing Pumpkin Muffins

• Be sure not to overmix the batter. This can lead to extremely dense muffins, which we want to avoid. Our goal is fluffy and soft!
• You can replace the whole wheat pastry flour with 1:1 gluten-free flour or all-purpose flour. Avoid using almond flour or coconut flour in this recipe.
• Add in other fun elements like chopped walnuts or pecans, shredded coconut, dried fruits, fresh berries, or a full cup of chocolate chips!
• To make these muffins vegan, substitute flax eggs for regular eggs and use vegan cream cheese as the glaze.
• This recipe also yields 24 mini muffins. Pour the batter into 24 muffin cups and bake for 15 to 17 minutes. Perfect for tiny hands!
• If you enjoyed this recipe, don’t forget to try our scrumptious healthy pumpkin bread recipe!

Preparation and Storage

To Store: You can store these muffins in a sealed, airtight container or wrapped in aluminum foil at room temperature for up to a day, but refrigerate after that to extend their shelf life. These nutritious muffins will last up to a week in the fridge within a sealed container.

To Freeze: These muffins freeze very well too! Wrap individual muffins in plastic wrap or place them together in a larger freezer bag. When ready to eat, simply microwave for 30 to 40 seconds or thaw at room temperature. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months!

Additional Pumpkin Recipes

More Muffin Recipes

Enjoy these Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins! If you adore this treat as much as we do, please leave me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delicious creations!