There is something irresistible about moist spiced pumpkin muffins that make your house smell like your favorite fall scented candle- only these are edible! Perfectly sweet and absolutely delicious, these healthy spiced pumpkin muffins are made with nourishing ingredients and are super easy to make!
Pumpkin muffins ‘sound’ healthy since we know that pumpkin is rich in vitamin A, potassium and fiber. But don’t be deceived because most of them are not…
Several weeks ago I was looking for the perfect pumpkin muffin recipe to use as a ‘cupcake’ for my daughter’s 1 year ‘pumpkin’ birthday. To my dismay, I had difficulty finding a recipe that fit my criteria so I decided to make up a recipe on the fly. Many of the recipes I viewed had 1.5-2 cups of added sugar (yikes!) and a measly 1 cup of pumpkin (what are you supposed to do with the rest in the can?).
I believe that real, wholesome food can taste amazing and won’t give you crazy blood glucose spikes. These are few ways I made these healthy spiced pumpkin muffins absolutely delicious and nutritious:
- No refined sugar- these muffins have the perfect amount of sweetness from honey (or maple syrup) to make them taste amazing without needing to label them ‘dessert’
- 100% whole grain- using 100% white whole wheat flour adds fiber and keeps them light and moist
- Perfect pumpkin flavor- a whole can of pumpkin boosts the nutrition and pumpkin flavor and the spice blend enhances the flavor even more
These muffins are eggless, using a ‘flax egg’ instead of a real egg. We buy whole flaxseeds and grind them in a spice grinder before use, but they can also be purchased pre-ground. Keep the bag of flaxseed in your fridge to preserve them for several months. While the flax seed is not detectable, it is totally fine to use an egg. We make muffins without eggs due to my girls’ egg allergy but you can modify based on your preferences and what you have in the house.
Other modifications you could make might include topping the muffins with chopped walnuts or pecans, making a pumpkin bread instead of muffins, or topping with a cream cheese frosting for cupcakes (my original plan).
A few tips on making moist muffins:
- Avoid over-mixing the batter- a few small lumps are okay. Overmixing makes muffins tough- this is true with any recipe.
- Preheat the oven and don’t add the muffins until it reaches the proper temperature.
- Set your timer! I have learned this lesson the hard way way too many times!
A note on nutmeg… This pumpkin muffin recipe was created using fresh ground nutmeg. Pre-ground nutmeg will work perfectly fine. But if you have ever wondered if there is a difference- there is! The actual nut has a more potent flavor and scent that is intoxicating and adds amazing flavor to this recipe. The nutmeg ‘nuts’ can be found on Amazon and likely at your local spice store. It may come in a hard shell, similar to a walnut. Simply crack open the shell and use a microplane to grate the nutmeg. Store the extra ‘nuts’ in a glass jar with a screw on lid in your pantry.
This recipe was tested many times to perfect the sweetness. My goal is always to make delicious food and add as little added sugar as possible. If you want to reduce the added sugar a bit, add ⅓ cup of honey along with 1 large very ripe banana (mashed) instead of the ½ cup of added honey. There is a faint banana flavor but it is mostly overpowered by the warm blend of spices and pumpkin. Both version were very popular in our house!
Our family values absolutely delicious food. But as the mom, dietitian and primary cook, I value EASY recipes and nourishing ingredients. These muffins are perfect for a holiday brunch, a gift for a neighbor or simply a weekday breakfast (along with some protein, of course!).
Yummy spreads to spear on your healthy spiced pumpkin muffins:
- Creamy Pumpkin Dip
- Goat cheese
- Whipped cream cheese
- Salted butter
- Pumpkin Butter
- Almond butter or pecan butter
Healthy Spiced Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup white whole wheat flour
- 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp nutmeg fresh ground preferred
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 15 oz can pumpkin puree' not pumpkin pie filling
- ½ cup honey or maple syrup
- ⅓ cup coconut oil melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp flaxseed ground
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with muffin wrappers and lightly spray with oil spray (I use a Misto).
- Combine ground flax seed with 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl; set aside to thicken for 5-10 minutes (this becomes a flax 'egg').
- In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger; whisk together to combine.
- In a separate medium bowl combine pumpkin, melted coconut oil, vanilla, honey, and flax 'egg.' Gradually mix dry ingredients into the wet until most of the lumps are gone.
- Fill muffin tin and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy with a smear of almond butter, pumpkin butter, apple butter or goat cheese! Of course, they are yummy warm with a dab of salted butter too!
Notes
- An egg can be used in place of the ‘flax egg’ if preferred
- Top with chopped walnuts or pecans for a bit of crunch
- Pour batter into a greased loaf pan or mini loaf pans for pumpkin ‘bread’
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