Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins
These gluten-free pumpkin muffins are made with almond flour! This easy recipe uses simple ingredients, including maple syrup as the sweetener.
Posted by Kathryne Taylor on October 25, 2024
It’s not fall until you’ve made a batch of pumpkin muffins. Right? These muffins fill our kitchen with the wonderful fragrance of pumpkin and spice, which makes it feel like autumn, even when the weather outside is still unseasonably warm.
These gluten-free, almond flour-based pumpkin muffins are tender, fluffy and delicious. My daughter and I have been enjoying batch after batch.
I love these pumpkin muffins for several reasons—
- They’re easy enough to make with a three-year-old, which means they’re really easy.
- They’re wholesome but taste like a treat. I feel great about feeding these muffins to our daughter and her cousins.
- They freeze well for future snacks. Simply defrost one in the microwave until it’s warmed through, and your snack is ready in 20 seconds.
I’ve enjoyed baking with almond flour lately because it lets the other flavors shine, whereas regular flour can dull them. I’ve also been mindful of my blood sugar levels and appreciate that almond flour is lower in carbohydrates than grain-based flours, like all-purpose and whole wheat flour.
I’ll always be a huge fan of my Healthy Pumpkin Muffins, which are made with whole wheat flour and sweetened with maple syrup. This gluten-free recipe has much in common with that one.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffin Ingredients
Mixing these simple, wholesome muffins together by hand is easy—no mixer required! You’ll find the full recipe below, but here are notes on the ingredients if you want to adjust it.
- Almond flour: Almond flour is made from blanched, finely ground almonds. While you could use almond meal, which is made from almonds that still have their skins on, the muffins will have a more coarse texture and less of a pumpkin flavor. Per cup, almond flour varies considerably from brand to brand. I’ve successfully used between 170 to 200 grams flour for this recipe. I like Bob’s Red Mill super-fine almond flour, King Arthur’s and Whole Foods 365. If you’re looking for a nut-free pumpkin muffin recipe, make this one instead (see the recipe notes for gluten-free options).
- Warming spices and salt: Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice or cloves reinforce the pumpkin flavor and make these muffins taste like an autumnal treat. These spices stretch out the ingredients list on first glance, but you probably have them in your pantry already (if you don’t, you could just use the cinnamon).
- Baking powder and baking soda: These help the muffins rise.
- Eggs: Eggs provide structure to these muffins. Without them, they would be a gooey mess. I don’t recommend egg substitutions like flax eggs in almond flour-based recipes.
- Pumpkin purée: We can’t make pumpkin muffins without it. For the best flavor, I like Whole Foods 365 or Libby’s.
- Maple syrup: Maple syrup naturally sweetens these muffins and tastes lovely with the pumpkin and spice. Honey works as well. If you want to reduce the sugar content, you can use 1/4 cup maple syrup for lightly sweet muffins or 2 tablespoons for almost savory muffins (I liked them, but my toddler didn’t).
- Unsalted butter: Melted butter offers a rich depth of flavor. If you’re watching your fat intake, you can use less butter, but the muffins will stick to the paper liners somewhat. For dairy-free muffins, substitute an equal amount of melted coconut oil.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla brings all the flavors together.
- Optional mix-ins: The muffins shown here are plain, but you add up to 1/2 cup chocolate chips, toasted chopped pecans or walnuts, or a mix.
Watch How to Make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins
More Pumpkin Goodness
Here are my best gluten-free pumpkin recipes. Find more pumpkin recipes here, including fun savory options.
- Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups: See the recipe notes for gluten-free topping suggestions.
- Healthy Pumpkin Bread: See the oat flour option in the recipe notes.
- Homemade Pumpkin Chai Latte: This is the perfect way to use small amounts of leftover pumpkin purée.
- Pumpkin Oat Pancakes: These are made with oat flour.
- Pumpkin Spice Waffles: These waffles are also made with oat flour.
Please let me know how your muffins turn out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins
These gluten-free pumpkin muffins are made with almond flour! This simple recipe uses just one wholesome flour and other basic ingredients, including maple syrup as the sweetener. Recipe yields 1 dozen muffins.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (170 grams) blanched almond flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice or cloves
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Up to ½ cup mix-ins, like chocolate chips, toasted and chopped pecans or walnuts, or a mix
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line all 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg and allspice. Whisk to combine, then set the bowl aside.
- In a smaller mixing bowl, whisk the eggs to break them up. Add the pumpkin, maple syrup, melted butter, and vanilla. Whisk until the mixture is fully blended.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, and stir with a big spoon until the mixture is evenly combined. If you’re adding mix-ins, gently stir them in now.
- Fill the muffin cups halfway and divide any remaining batter evenly between the cups. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, until the muffins are turning golden around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Muffins will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Make it dairy free: Substitute coconut oil for the butter.
Leftover pumpkin? Make pumpkin chai lattes or store the rest in a freezer bag for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
so delicious and healthy too! thanks for sharing – Love ❤️
Hooray, thanks Debbie!
Want to try the recipe, but I cannot have egg whites.
Have you ever tried using ‘flax eggs’?
Suggestion for substitute?
Hi Jill, I’m sorry, I have not had much luck substituting flax eggs in almond flour-based recipes. The almond flour really needs the structure that eggs provide. I wish I had a solution for you! You can try my healthy pumpkin muffins instead—if you’re looking for a gluten-free option, flax eggs with GF all-purpose flour or oat flour should work better.
I’m grateful for a GF muffin recipe- Thank you. That said, I’ve not yet tried these. I don’t eat cane or brown sugar. I do eat SMALL amts of maple syrup & honey…1/3 c of maple syrup sounds like a lot to me- Do you think these would work with 1/4c max?
(Our maple syrup is made by a neighbor & is stronger in flavor and perhaps sugar content.)
Thanks-
Barbara
Hi Barbara, yes, you can use 1/4 cup maple syrup for lovely, lightly sweet muffins. I tried as low as two tablespoons and they were borderline savory. I liked them but my three-year-old didn’t reach for another.
Previous comment accidentally rated these 3 stars…I would definitely give this recipe 5 stars!
The Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins baked up wonderfully. They are moist, fine in texture, and have the perfect amount of spicy flavor.
I had no butter on hand so I substituted avocado oil, which worked out very well.
Thank you, Karen! I’m glad to hear that avocado oil worked well.
Made these this weekend and they turned out perfect! They were even better and more flavorful the second day. We added some finely chooped chocolate but otherwise stuck to the recipe. Loved the use of almond flour too. It really does let the pumpkin shine through more! Thanks for a winner!!
Thank you so much for your feedback, Joy! I’ll have to try these with chocolate chips next. :)
These turned out fantastic! I did not have pure maple syrup and used Mrs. Butterworth’s and used Coconut Oil instead of butter. I had my own home made pumpkin puree. I did add 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Most Gluten free recipes taste that way but NOT these! Will definitely make more!
Thanks Kelly! Your version sounds great. I’ve had a lot of fun using almond flour lately.
Thank you for a gluten free pumpkin recipe!
While easy to make and extremely moist, I was looking for a more spiced pumpkin forward flavor.
Will try the recipe again to make sure I didn’t miss anything.
Let me know how it turns out the second time! You can add more pumpkin spice next time.
Knowing me, maybe I forgot to add the cinnamon!
I really like the pumpkin muffins. In the future, please be specific about using “fine ground” almond flour in the ingredients.
Thanks so much!
Thanks, Liz, I’ll keep that in mind!
Wow – such a specific instruction, for a recipe that was given to you for free ..
Came to your page to look for pumpkin bread and saw these. So quick and easy to throw together in time for my daughters after school snack! They are really good! Love your page, its bookmarked and one of my favorites to find yummy recipes!
Thanks, Marla! They’ve been a great snack for my daughter, too. :)
Could you substitute pumpkin pie space for the spices and add some extra cinnamon?
Yes!
Oh, my goodness. Had all the ingredients at home so decided to make these on a whim. Followed the recipe exactly with the exception of swapping in a tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice for the individual spices. My teenage boy loves them, and he is not normally a fan of any “healthy” baked treats!!
That’s awesome to hear! Thank you for letting me know.
These muffins are fantastic. I added 1/2 cup chopped pecans and sprinkled a few on top. I felt the spice was right on. Love these!
Pecans sound lovely! Thank you, Patti!
These were delicious! My kids loved them.
I’m so glad to hear it! Thank you for letting me know.
Looks yummy. What can be used in place of eggs for this recipe? Thank you.
Barbara
Hi Barbara, I have not had much luck substituting flax eggs in almond flour-based recipes like this one. The almond flour really needs the structure that eggs provide. I wish I had a solution for you! You can try my healthy pumpkin muffins instead—if you’re looking for a gluten-free option, flax eggs with GF all-purpose flour or oat flour should work better.
Another fantastic recipe Kate! Thank you for using almond flour since it’s the go-to one in our home. These muffins were perfectly moist and so, so tasty. I added pecans and subbed sweet potato for pumpkin since it’s what I had. I will definitely make these frequently this fall. Thank you again!
Thanks so much, Hillary! I’m glad to hear that it turned out well with sweet potato.
Kate!!! Great muffins. I’m embarking on a gluten free diet so these muffins are perfect for breakfast. Thank you!!!
Hooray! Thanks for letting me know!
I would love to make the recipe, but cannot buy pumpkin puree here in Sweden. How canI make it myself?
Hi Karin! Canned pumpkin has a more consistent texture for baking projects like this but I think you’ll have good results nonetheless. Here are my instructions that I pulled from another recipe. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut off the top-most part of the pumpkin where it meets the stem. Slice the pumpkin into two, from the top through the bottom. Use a large metal spoon to scoop out the seeds, reserving them for roasted pumpkin seeds if you’d like. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush the flesh of the pumpkin halves with a light coating of olive oil and place facedown on the baking sheet. Roast until the skin is easily pierced with a fork, about 45 to 55 minutes. Turn the halves over and let them rest until cool enough to handle. Use a large spoon to scoop the flesh into a food processor or high-powered blender (I found that I could just pull the skin off). Blend well. Measure out one cup for this recipe. Once the rest has cooled down, store it in the fridge, covered, for a few days or in an air-tight bag in the freezer for up to a few months.
Hi Kate, I want to make the pumpkin muffins. What size can of pumpkin purée did you use?
Hi Cathie, you’ll need 1 cup of purée. You’ll have some extra leftover from 1 standard can (15 ounces).
Soooo good. Not too squishy (actually moist) like some GF breaded items. Easy mix, easy cook. Took about 5 min longer to get to the right look and clean toothpick, but well worth it.
Hi Nicolas, thank you! I’m happy to hear your muffins turned out well. If you notice a trend that your oven requires more time than suggested, you might try an oven thermometer to double-check that your oven is heating properly (they’re about seven dollars online).
Brilliant, thank you, sometimes the most obvious…………….
The only problem with these muffins is that I couldn’t stop eating them.
Kate, any chance you could make an almond flour “corn bread”?
These muffins reminded me of cornbread, and I’d love an alternative to corn but a similar product in the end.
Hi Elena! That’s an interesting concept and I might already have the solution! Try my Gluten-Free Almond Cake but omit the lemon zest and skip the topping. You could probably reduce the maple syrup to 1/2 cup or even 1/3 cup for a sweetness level closer to cornbread.
Awesome!
I’ll give it a go and let you know how it is!
Thank you!
I will definitely be making these! I am in the process of more mindful eating choices and find these are way healthier than many bars toting the same message. I will opt for home-baked!
Kathy, I commend your efforts! Hope you love the muffins!
Just made these this morning. Absolutely delicious! I added some walnuts and a few chocolate chips. The recipe came together very easily and quickly and was not too sweet, just right. My celiac self will definitely be making theses again, the kitchen smelled Devine. Thanks for a great recipe!
Thank you, Wendy! Happy to hear it. Thanks for taking the time to leave a note!
Wow! These are very delicate. I wasn’t expecting that, as muffins are so usually dense. They are really good. I added in chocolate chips and coconut because my daughter likes that combo. Thank you for a new muffin for our weekend mornings.
Awesome! I’m so glad the recipe was a hit. Thanks for letting me know!
The BEST GF recipe! So light, fluffy and delicious! And so easy to make. Followed exact recipe – used Earth Balance and Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chips for dairy free. Oiled muffin tins vs using tins. Gobbled up by everyone – kids and adult – GF or not!
Hooray! Thanks for letting me know, Lisa!
Can these be made with 1/2 oat flour?
Hi there! I really can’t say without trying it first. It very well might work. Please report back if you give it a try!
I made these following the recipe except for using oil in place of the butter to make them DF. The flavour was fantastic but I found the texture a little strange – spongy and moist? Maybe it’s normal for a GF muffin but I was expecting a wheat flour muffin texture since no one mentioned the texture. Maybe I’ll try adding in some oat flour next time. Oh and this was using the Kirkland brand almond flour.
Hi Christina, these muffins are a bit different in texture from standard muffins. I’ve found that different brands of almond flours behave quite differently and I haven’t tried Kirkland’s yet. I’m thinking about writing a whole post about it.
These muffin are delicious. In fact, I will be making them ahain. I did not see the nutritional information. By chance, do you have it? Thank you!
I made some pumpkin muffins in the past which I loved, but I forgot to save the recipe. These look great but wondering if I can do half almond flower and half oat flour, just to keep the cost a bit lower. Let me know what you think or I can experiment and let you know! :)
Sub’d out maple syrup for date syrup (only thing in the fridge) and coconut oil for butter. Also added choco chips.
And wow!! Delicious, moist, just sweet enough, fluffy
Perfect muffin recipe!
Thank you.
I love all of your muffin recipes, but this one is my new go-to! I originally made them for my infant daughter, but the whole family loves them, so I bake them in batches and freeze. We don’t follow a gluten free diet, but the almond flour is so delicious! Like others, swapping butter for coconut oil and maple syrup for honey has worked beautifully! Thank you for this great recipe.