The Best Recipe for Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins

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The best recipe for gluten free pumpkin muffins

This recipe for gluten free pumpkin muffins is so easy. They are moist, light and subtly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. My kids love the added chocolate chips. But, feel free to leave them out if you want a more classic pumpkin muffin. Either way these will fill your home with the most amazing autumnal aroma. I make them often during this season.

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Recipe, photos and text updated 9/12/23.

The joy of gluten free pumpkin muffins!

I’ve discovered, that deprivation brings true appreciation–and my kids are thrilled beyond measure when they have something delicious for breakfast, on a weekday especially. And so it was with these gluten free pumpkin muffins. I had a couple of cans of organic puree left over from last year that were getting close to their expiration date. In anticipation for the new batch coming in shortly, I did what any reasonable human would do–I made pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips.

It was my first attempt at the gluten-free version, so I did what I usually do–I used my all-purpose gluten-free flour blend in my regular recipe. Happily, it was a huge win! I love it when that happens. The muffins are light and tender, subtly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, and they’re spiked throughout with rich, semi-sweet, mini chocolate chips. Of course, you know what the best part is already…they made my house smell fabulous, and I knew, for a few moments at least, that I was the best mother in the world.

The best recipe for gluten free pumpkin muffins

Is Canned Pumpkin Gluten Free – Does Pumpkin Puree Have Gluten in It?

Canned pumpkin is gluten free. Pumpkin puree does not contain gluten. Of course it’s always a good idea to read labels no matter what, but I have never found any canned pumpkin that contained gluten.

How to Make this Easy Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffin Recipe

This is the easiest recipe to make – one bowl, no stand or hand mixer required. I like to add individual spices but an equal swap for pumpkin pie spice works just as well. Make sure to use pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling (which is pre-sweetened).

Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin Ingredients

  • Pumpkin puree
  • Vegetable oil – I prefer avocado or light olive oil
  • Large eggs
  • Sugar
  • Gluten Free Flour Blend (I like Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1)
  • Spices – cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves are typical. But you can try adding ginger and/or allspice as well!
  • Baking soda + baking powder
  • Chocolate chips – any kind works well…I’m especially fond of dark chocolate chips here
The best recipe for gluten free pumpkin muffins

Is it possible to bake your kids happy?

I once worked with a woman who insisted on baking something every night so her children would “go to sleep with happy thoughts.”  Okay. That’s cool. I mean, the thought is really, really good. And it sounded reasonable to me. Because I didn’t have kids yet. That fantasy went right out the window when my first son was born.

I read that new babies are supposed to sleep for twenty out of twenty-four hours. He had that reversed…and also his days and nights. Things haven’t gotten much better in the nearly 15 years that I’ve been a mom. I find myself collapsing on the couch after working, housework, cooking dinner, driving my lovelies to their various activities, supervising homework, and doing the million and one things we moms do day after day after day.

For awhile I was left wondering if I was sort of an inferior species, incapable of mothering properly. I too wanted my kids to go to sleep with visions of sugarplums in their heads. But quite honestly, save the occasional scented candle or pot of essential oil, lit to help assuage the guilt, I’ve come to terms with the fact that I can’t make my house smell delicious every single night.

But sometimes I can.

Love pumpkin spice and everything nice? We’ve got you covered!

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The best recipe for gluten free pumpkin muffins

The Best Recipe for Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins

Alison Needham
These muffins are moist, light and subtly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. My kids love the added chocolate chips, but feel free to leave them out if you want a more classic pumpkin muffin. Either way these will fill your home with the most amazing autumnal aroma, and I make them often during this season.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 12 muffins
Calories 226 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin, or line with paper liners.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, eggs and sugar until evenly incorporated.
  • Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, salt and xanthan gum (if using) and whisk until smooth. Fold in ½ cup of chocolate chips.
  • Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle the tops with additional chocolate chips, if desired.
  • Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffins comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffinCalories: 226kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 193mgPotassium: 54mgFiber: 2gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 3218IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins
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Pinterest Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins

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19 Comments

  1. Thanks for making a gluten free chocolate chip. I will sure do this on the weekend.

  2. Hello! I made your pumpkin muffins a while back and my family loved them! I’m not seeing the recipe for some reason. Would you be willing to send it to me? Thanks! Sara

    1. Hi Sara, I’ve been having trouble with my ziplist plugin. Thanks for letting me know. I updated the recipe and hopefully it should be working again. Have a great day. xx

  3. All right, this is on my “sometime this week” list. I see xanthan gum listed but it doesn’t say to omit if in the AP flour mix, which it is bc I’m using ur fabulous recipe for flour. Do I add the addl xanthan?

    1. Hi Dawn-Marie! If you are using my flour blend go ahead and add the extra xanthan. If you are using another mix (which usually contains a lot more xanthan than mine…omit it.). 🙂

      1. I used your flour, of course! Lots of ingredients in it but they all come together for the perfect all purpose baking flour. 😉 I made this recipe the other day as a loaf and it turned out beautifully. So moist and delicious. Another hit! Off to try banana bread next… 🙂

        1. Awesome! I’m making these for breakfast this morning at our house. And I think you will LOVE the banana bread. 🙂

  4. I spent an inordinate amount of time searching for GF recipes last night. We’re talking an hour or more. It was ridiculous and really depressing. I settled on a GF crustless pumpkin pie and had all the ingredients out, then realized that it called for TWO HOURS and I only had one. I was about to throw everything back in the cupboard and did one last search, and found this.

    I got everything together super fast and even had the oven preheating, which I never do.

    Except when I opened the oven, it was cold. Just my freaking luck, right?

    In desperation, I took two of my muffins (already in paper, of course) and stuck them in the microwave for 90 seconds. I figured they’d turn into blobs, stick to the paper, and not cook all the way through but at this point I was desperate. It’s been a month since I’ve had a baked good, and it was a recipe that I totally didn’t like.

    Anyway…OH MY GOD THESE ARE AMAZING. I’ve printed the recipe out and saved it on EverNote in case I somehow lose the printed version.

    So, thanks. It was nearly a disaster, but instead I have amazing muffins.

    1. Jenny–Thanks for your comment…you had my cracking up this morning. And microwaving the muffins?? I never would have thought of that. Glad you got a fix, and sorry about your oven. 🙂

  5. brittanie soto says:

    So I should be working on my art history paper but I was really craving muffins….pumpkin muffins that were gluten free & dairy free. These muffins are AMAZING. They are not dry, gritty, or tastes “gluten free”. They are perfectly moist & tastey…..& I want to eat like five more. Alison, thank you & I will definitely be making more recipes from here!!! 🙂

  6. Hi, I am a big fan of how easy bite-sized muffins are to share at large gatherings. Would there be any adjustments to the recipe/temperature/cooking time if making smaller muffins? How many mini-muffins do you think this recipe would yield?

    Thanks so much! 🙂

    1. Hi! It will probably yield about 3 dozen mini muffins. Reduce baking time a bit…check them after 12 min. 🙂

    1. Debora G De Farias says:

      Delicious! My 5 years old loved them. I used only 1 cup coconut sugar, instead regular sugar. Divine

  7. First time on your site. Looking forward to making these. I noticed in the comments that you have your own flour blend. Can I get the recipe?

  8. Debora G De Farias says:

    I made mini muffins, smaller muffin pans. No variation on recipe, just 20-25 minutes baking time.

  9. Hi, cupcakes were delicious! Always happy when I can smuggle a few veggies into my little girls diet. I didn’t have any choc chips so I left out the spices and added some good quality cocoa powder. Yum! You’re GF recipes are always a big success around ours. And I love that they can be nut free then my little one happy takes them along to playgroup!

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