These Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins are tall and fluffy, perfectly spiced with warm fall flavors, loaded with chocolate chips, and dairy-free.
It's officially pumpkin season and this gluten-free pumpkin muffin recipe is one of our fall favorites. Similar to my cranberry orange muffins, this recipe took several attempts to perfect but it certainly was worth the effort. These pumpkin muffins have a crispy domed top when cooled, while the center of the muffins stays soft and moist. They are decadent and worth every bite. Packed with a sweet cinnamon pumpkin spice flavor and loaded with chocolate chips. You can serve these for breakfast or dessert.
For more fall recipes, check out our Gluten-Free Cranberry Orage Muffins, Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread, Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, Pumpkin Flaxseed Granola, Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bundt Cake, and Homemade Apple Butter.
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Why you will love this recipe
Easy to make: These gluten-free pumpkin muffins are easy to make with a few simple steps. No stand mixer is needed!
Simple ingredients: A blend of healthy ingredients you can feel good about serving your friends and family. They also happen to be gluten-free and dairy-free!
The perfect pumpkin muffin: These really are the best pumpkin muffins ever! The texture and pumpkin flavor is like nothing I've ever had before. Rich pumpkin spice flavor met with melted chocolate chips, a match made in heaven.
Ingredients
- Gluten-Free Flour: My favorite gluten-free flour blend is Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. It gives these muffins the perfect texture.
- Almond Flour: Adding almond flour helps create a tender crumb.
- Dark Brown Sugar + Sugar: A combination of dark brown sugar and regular sugar gives these muffins the perfect balance of sweetness.
- Pumpkin: Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Oil: Unrefined coconut oil helps keep this recipe dairy-free. You could also use avocado oil.
- Eggs: Two large eggs help with the rise of these muffins and create a soft fluffy texture.
- Vanilla Extract: Use a high-quality vanilla extract for best results.
- Lemon Juice: The lemon juice activates with the baking soda for an extra lift.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda: Both baking soda and baking powder are used to create sky-high domed muffins.
- Salt: Helps bring forward all of the flavors.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice + Cinnamon: The perfect blend of warm fall spices.
- Chocolate Chips: Mini dairy-free chocolate chips as opposed to regular-sized are recommended.
Instructions
- Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl whisk the dry ingredients. Set the bowl aside.
- Whisk the wet ingredients. In a separate medium-sized mixing bowl whisk together the wet ingredients until smooth.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Using a rubber spatula fold until just combined, do not over-mix.
- Add the chips and rest the batter. Fold in the chocolate chips. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil and allow the batter to rest on the counter for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the muffin pan. Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease a 12-count muffin pan with unrefined coconut oil or line it with cupcake liners. Spoon the batter into the liners or muffin tin depending on what you use, filling them all the way to the top. Bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool. Remove the muffins from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
Substitutions and Variations
- Dairy-Free: In this recipe, we use oil instead of melted butter which not only makes these muffins dairy-free but creates an extra moist crumb.
- Nut-Free: For a nut-free version, replace the almond flour with ⅓ cup of gluten-free flour.
- Mix-ins: We love the addition of chocolate chips, but other delicious mix-in options include white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, walnuts, pecans, and pumpkin seeds.
- Spices: Try adding a mix of ground cinnamon and ground cardamon, ½ a teaspoon each along with the warm pumpkin spices.
Tips for the best gluten-free pumpkin muffins
- Weigh your ingredients: The most accurate way to measure your ingredients is to use a kitchen scale.
- Let the muffin batter rest. Resting the batter helps hydrate the flour and creates fluffy moist tender muffins with sky-high muffin domes.
- Grease the muffin pan or muffin liners. Personally, I've never found a cooking spray that works well or has quality ingredients. Instead, I use unrefined coconut oil to grease my muffin tin (if skipping the liners) and it works wonders, trust me. I also haven't found muffin paper liners that do not stick to the muffins. When using liners, I take a pastry brush, dip it in coconut oil, and lightly grease the inside of the muffin liners prior to filling them with batter. This is a great technique that will help the liners to easily pull away from the freshly baked muffins.
- Fill the batter to the top. This will help create tall bakery-style muffin tops.
- Start with a high oven temperature. Starting the muffins off at a higher temperature causes the batter to rise rapidly. This sets the outer surface of the muffin and produces a dome shape. Just don't forget to lower the temperature!
- Fill every other muffin cup. If you want even taller muffins, line a 12-count muffin pan with 6 muffin liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin cup with batter. Bake accordingly and then repeat until all the batter is used. The extra space allows for the muffin domes to expand.
Storage
To Store: These muffins are best served the same day they are made, but any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
The top of the muffins will lose their crispiness after storing but are still delicious. You can place a paper towel in the storage container, place the muffins on top of the paper towel, and then place a second paper towel on top of the muffins before sealing with the lid to help absorb some of the liquid produced from the pumpkin when stored overnight.
To Freeze: After the muffins have cooled, transfer them to a freezer bag or sealed container and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature the night before serving.
FAQ
For a nut-free version of this pumpkin bread recipe, replace the almond flour with ⅓ cup of gluten-free flour.
No, it's important to use plain pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling has extra sugar and spices.
Yes, you can make the batter ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. When ready to use, allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes at room temperature and bake as directed.
Recipe
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins With Chocolate Chips
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1½ cups gluten-free flour, (200g), Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
- ½ cup almond flour, (50g)
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- 1½ cups pumpkin, (360g)
- 1 cup sugar, (200g)
- ½ cup dark brown sugar, (100g)
- ½ cup unrefined coconut oil, melted, (120ml)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Fold In
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl whisk the dry ingredients. Set the bowl aside.
- Whisk the wet ingredients. In a separate medium-sized mixing bowl whisk together the wet ingredients until smooth.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Using a rubber spatula fold until just combined, do not over-mix.
- Add the chips and rest the batter. Fold in the chocolate chips. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil and allow the batter to rest on the counter for 30 minutes
- Prepare the muffin pan. Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease a 12-count muffin pan with unrefined coconut oil or line it with cupcake liners. Spoon the batter into the liners or muffin tin depending on what you use, filling them all the way to the top. Bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool. Remove the muffins from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Weigh your ingredients: The most accurate way to measure your ingredients is to use a kitchen scale.
- Let the muffin batter rest. Resting the batter helps hydrate the flour and creates fluffy moist tender muffins with sky-high muffin domes.
- Grease the muffin pan or muffin liners. Personally, I've never found a cooking spray that works well or has quality ingredients. Instead, I use unrefined coconut oil to grease my muffin tin (if skipping the liners) and it works wonders, trust me. I also haven't found muffin paper liners that do not stick to the muffins. When using liners, I take a pastry brush, dip it in coconut oil, and lightly grease the inside of the muffin liners prior to filling them with batter. This is a great technique that will help the liners to easily pull away from the freshly baked muffins.
- Fill the batter to the top. This will help create tall bakery-style muffin tops.
- Start with a high oven temperature. Starting the muffins off at a higher temperature causes the batter to rise rapidly. This sets the outer surface of the muffin and produces a dome shape. Just don't forget to lower the temperature!
- Fill every other muffin cup. If you want even taller muffins, line a 12-count muffin pan with 6 muffin liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin cup with batter. Bake accordingly and then repeat until all the batter is used. The extra space allows for the muffin domes to expand.
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