Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins that are lower in sugar and fat than standard muffins and a great source of whole grains. Made with oats instead of flour, these healthier muffins are a wholesome treat.
Each year when fall breezes its way into our area, I’m always eager to bake batches of pumpkin treats to take full advantage of pumpkin season.
Some of my favorite pumpkin recipes include, but are not limited to my Double Chocolate Pumpkin Bread, Grain-Free Pumpkin Pie Bars, and my Instant Pot Paleo Pumpkin Chili.
And now, these delicious pumpkin oatmeal muffins make my top favorites too!
Not only are they a lovely feature of pumpkin spice flavors, but they also are on the healthier end of the spectrum.
Made with oats instead of flour and less added sugar, they are a great treat to enjoy alongside some sort of protein (like Greek yogurt or eggs) for breakfast or a lovely midday snack.
Looking for additional options for pumpkin muffins made with different kinds of flour? Try my Almond Flour Pumpkin Muffins, Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins with Streusel Topping, and Chickpea Pumpkin Muffins.
Let’s discuss the wholesome ingredients for these healthy pumpkin muffins.
Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins Ingredients:
Quick Oats or Rolled Oats: Taking the place of regular all-purpose flour, we grind whole grain oats into a flour using a blender. This adds complex carbs to the muffins, which lessens the potential blood sugar spike.
For gluten-free pumpkin muffins, be sure to use certified gluten-free oats. I use gluten-free sprouted oats.
Coconut Sugar (or Brown Sugar or White Sugar): The sweetener here. We lightly sweeten these lower sugar muffins with coconut sugar for a lower glycemic treat.
You can also use brown sugar, regular cane sugar, or any kind of sugar-free sweetener that is designed to be a 1:1 replacement for sugar. You can increase the amount depending on your personal taste.
Pumpkin Puree: The reason we’re all here! We need some canned pumpkin puree to add moisture and that traditional squash flavor to these healthy muffins.
Read the label on the back to be sure there is only pumpkin in your canned pumpkin purée.
Pumpkin pie filling contains other ingredients like sugar and spices, which also works in these muffins but we’re relying on our own sugar and spices to make a healthy muffin recipe.
Eggs: A couple of large eggs help the muffins rise for the best texture.
I haven’t tested the recipe with an egg replacer like flax eggs but based on my limited experience with oat flour goods, the muffins might turn out fairly dense without the eggs.
If you’re able to bring the eggs to room temperature prior to starting the recipe, great!
Avocado Oil: We need a little fat for a moist crumb, and I love using avocado oil for this task.
It has a neutral flavor, and is a decent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Melted butter, melted coconut oil, or olive oil works as a replacement too.
Pure Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla extract brings warm flavor to the muffins for an added nuance.
Baking Powder: Used as the leavening agent here, we need some baking powder to help the muffin batter rise.
Pumpkin Pie Spice and Sea Salt: Did you know the primary reason pumpkin treats taste pumpkin-y is due to pumpkin pie spice? This magical spice blend includes ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.
You can easily make your own pumpkin pie spice blend out of these warm spices if you’d prefer.
I typically buy my pumpkin pie spice at Whole Foods, because it is inexpensive compared to some of the other brands I see at other grocery stores.
Chocolate Chips: Listen, I say the chocolate chips are optional, but for me they are quite mandatory.
They add a fudgy texture to the centers of the muffins through little pockets of melted chocolate goo. They also add richness and sweetness to further level up the flavor of the muffins.
Looking for ways of changing up these healthy pumpkin oatmeal muffins? Here are some options.
Recipe Adaptations:
- Replace the oat flour with 1 2/3 cups of whole wheat flour.
- Use pure maple syrup instead of coconut sugar.
- For sweeter muffins, add more sweetener.
- Replace the chocolate chips with white chocolate chips or butterscotch chips.
Now that we’ve covered the basic ingredients, let’s make a batch of pumpkin oat muffins.
How to Make Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin tin with paper liners. If you don’t have paper liners, you can liberally spray the muffin pan with cooking spray, although I recommend using liners for easy cleanup.
Place the oats in a high-powered blender and blend until oat flour forms, about 30 to 60 seconds.
Add the coconut sugar (or granulated sweetener of choice), baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and sea salt. Blend until the dry ingredients are well combined.
Transfer the pumpkin puree, eggs, avocado oil, and vanilla extract to a large bowl (wet ingredients) and mix until combined.
Pour the dry ingredients into the large mixing bowl with the wet ingredients and mix well until a thick batter forms. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Fill the muffin cups ¾ of the way up and if desired, sprinkle the tops with extra chocolate chips.
Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the muffins are fully baked.
A great way of discerning whether the muffins are cooked through is to take their internal temperature using a digital thermometer.
The ideal internal temperature for muffins is 190 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit. Insert a thermometer into the center of a muffin to get an accurate read.
Allow muffins to cool completely in the muffin pan before peeling off the muffin liners to enjoy. If you try peeling off the muffin papers while the muffins are still warm, you will lose some muffin to the papers.
Store muffins in an airtight container or in a zip lock bag or freezer bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
These muffins are best when enjoyed warm with a pat of melted butter. I like to heat them in the microwave for 20 seconds with a little butter and enjoy them alongside a mug of tea or morning coffee.
The next time you’re craving a lovely pumpkin treat, whip up a batch of these wholesome pumpkin muffins!
This pumpkin muffin recipe makes 9 larger muffins, so make a double batch if you want more on hand. Whip up a batch for busy mornings or healthy snacks for your workweek.
You don’t have to wait for the fall season to enjoy these oatmeal pumpkin muffins, as they are so delicious no matter the time of year.
If you enjoy healthy muffin recipes like this, also try out these reader favorites.
More Healthy Muffin Recipes:
- Almond Flour Morning Glory Muffins
- Blueberry Protein Muffins
- Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Banana Muffins
- Spiced Apple Carrot Muffins
- Double Chocolate Sweet Potato Muffins
Pumpkin pie spice treats on constant rotation!
Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups quick oats
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar brown sugar, or white sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup avocado oil
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract optional
- ½ cup chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin tin with paper liners. If you don’t have paper liners, you can liberally spray the muffin pan with cooking spray, although I recommend using liners for easy cleanup.
- Place the oats in a high-powered blender and blend until oat flour forms, about 30 to 60 seconds. Add the coconut sugar (or granulated sweetener of choice), baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and sea salt. Blend until the dry ingredients are well combined.
- Transfer the pumpkin puree, eggs, avocado oil, and vanilla extract to a large bowl (wet ingredients) and mix until combined.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the large mixing bowl with the wet ingredients and mix well until a thick batter forms. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Fill the muffin cups ¾ of the way up and if desired, sprinkle the tops with extra chocolate chips.
- Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the muffins are fully baked.
- A great way of discerning whether the muffins are cooked through is to take their internal temperature using a digital thermometer. The ideal internal temperature for muffins is 190 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit. Insert a thermometer into the center of a muffin to get an accurate read.
- Allow muffins to cool completely in the muffin pan before peeling off the muffin liners to enjoy. If you try peeling off the muffin papers while the muffins are still warm, you will lose some muffin to the papers.
Nutrition
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