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    Home » Recipes » Snacks and dips

    Pumpkin Peanut Butter Muffins

    Published: Sep 22, 2022 . Modified: Apr 18, 2024 by Allie

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    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    These pumpkin peanut butter muffins are made with whole wheat flour and are oil-free.  They’re perfect for a fall treat using warm spices like pumpkin pie spice and more cinnamon.  The peanut butter gives these delicious dairy-free pumpkin muffins a little depth of flavor.   

    Pumpkin peanut butter muffins in a muffin tray with cinnamon sticks.

    We enjoy them as a sweet treat for snack time or dessert.  They freeze well too, which comes in handy for school lunches or for a ready-to-go snack time treat. Need more vegan pumpkin recipes? Try vegan pumpkin overnight oats, pumpkin steel-cut oats, or oil-free pumpkin muffins. For more whole wheat oil-free muffins, try vegan raspberry muffins.

    Jump to:
    • Tips
    • Tips for using whole wheat flour
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Substitutions
    • Instructions
    • Storage
    • Related recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    Tips

    • Spoon the flour into the measuring cup, then use the back of a knife to level off the excess flour.
    • Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix (filling).  The pumpkin pie filling is exactly what it sounds like.  It’s a mix ready for a pie, with salt, sugar, and spices already added in.
    • Paper liners tend to stick to oil-free muffins.  I have noticed that after refrigerating the muffins, the paper peels off easier, but it absorbs some moisture. So either use silicone muffin liners or lightly coat a 12-cup muffin tray with non-stick cooking spray. 
    • If your baking powder and/or baking soda clumps, then sift them so they distribute evenly in the dry muffin mix.  Sometimes just whisking doesn’t break up the small clumps.  

    Tips for using whole wheat flour

    • If you’re new to baking with whole wheat flour, the baked goods tend to be denser than if made with all-purpose flour.  Using whole wheat pastry flour can help with this, but it’s not always available in stores (like my store). 
    • Over-mixing the flour can cause extra gluten development.  To prevent this I like to stir the batter a few times before adding nuts or chocolate chips. Then I fold it together, don’t over mix.  Do this by using a silicone or rubber spatula and scraping the bottom of the bowl towards you, then up the side of the bowl, and over the top.  Turn the bowl and repeat.  Keep turning the bowl and repeating until there are no more streaks of flour.

    Frequently asked questions

    How to Check if the Muffins are Done?

    A lot of oven temperatures are inaccurate.  For years I've used just an inexpensive stainless steel instant-read oven thermometer to remedy this issue.  Oven temperatures vary so the amount of time your muffins need will vary also.  
    Use the toothpick test to test your whole wheat vegan muffins.  If the toothpick comes out clean, then the pumpkin peanut butter muffins are done.  If the toothpick comes out with batter, bake the muffins for 1-2 more minutes and check again.

    Can I Make These Gluten-Free?

    I don’t use all-purpose gluten-free flours and I haven’t tested with them, so I can’t say.  Whole wheat flour adds a naturally nutty flavor to baked goods, complementing the overall taste of the vegan pumpkin muffin.

    What To Do With Leftover Pumpkin Puree?

    I measure the leftovers into 1-cup increments and freeze them.  So the next I make pumpkin muffins I have the exact amount.  
    For smaller leftover portions, it can be used as an oil-free replacement in some baked goods recipes, like applesauce (when substituted for oil).  
    A small amount can be added to chili to make it creamy or try my pumpkin overnight oats. 

    Substitutions

    • Almond butter can be used instead of peanut butter.
    • For anyone with nut allergies, sunflower butter should work as a substitute for peanut butter.
    • I use natural peanut butter that just contains peanuts and/or salt.  So I recommend using a brand with no added oils or sweeteners.  The added oils and sweeteners may alter the taste and texture of the muffins.
    • Chopped walnuts or pecans can be used instead of chocolate chips.

    Instructions

    To bake pumpkin peanut butter muffins, start by preheating the oven to 375 F (190 C) and line a 12-cup muffin tray with silicone liners.  Make two flax eggs by stirring together the ground flax seed and 5 tablespoons of water.  Set aside and let it sit and gel for about 5-10 minutes.

    Two flax eggs in a white bowl.

    In a bowl, whisk the peanut butter and maple syrup together. 

    Maple syrup and peanut butter whisked together in a bowl.

    Then whisk in the pumpkin puree, applesauce, milk, vanilla extract, and flax eggs.

    Wet ingredients for muffins mixed together.

    In a large bowl, whisk together the whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. 

    Then pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Stir a few times, then add the chocolate chips.  Then gently fold everything together until just combined.     

    Wet and dry ingredients for muffins folded together.

    Disperse the batter evenly in a standard 12-cup muffin tray and bake for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean and the muffin tops bounce back when lightly pressed.

    Unbaked muffins in muffin trays.

    Storage

    These pumpkin peanut butter muffins can be stored on the counter in an airtight container for a couple of days.  For longer storage refrigerate them for up to a week.  They can also be frozen for 3 months.  

    To freeze them separately place them on a baking tray that will fit in the freezer.  Once frozen remove them from the tray and place the frozen muffins in a freezer-safe container.  Now they’re frozen separately, or you can individually wrap each muffin to freeze separately.

    Defrost the frozen muffins in the refrigerator overnight.  If you’re in a bit of a hurry (or prefer to keep them frozen like I do so I don’t eat too many), warm them up in the microwave to defrost.  I would only do a few at a time.

    Pumpkin peanut butter muffins in a muffin tray with cinnamon sticks.

    Related recipes

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    • orange cranberry oatmeal bars
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    • Vegan raspberry muffins on a cooling rack with raspberries in a bowl.
      Vegan Raspberry Muffins (Oil-Free)
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      Vegan Pumpkin Muffins (Oil Free)
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      Vegan Carrot Muffins (Oil-Free)
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    I hope you enjoy these dairy-free pumpkin muffins! If you like the recipe, feel free to rate it and leave a comment.

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    Recipe

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    Pumpkin peanut butter muffins in a muffin tray.

    Pumpkin Peanut Butter Muffins


    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    5 from 1 review

    • Author: Allie
    • Total Time: 36 minutes
    • Yield: 12 muffins 1x
    • Diet: Vegan
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    These pumpkin peanut butter muffins are made with whole wheat flour and are oil-free.  They’re perfect for a fall treat using warm spices like pumpkin pie spice and more cinnamon.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 2 tablespoons (15 g) ground flax seed (+ 5 tablespoons water)
    • ¼ cup (65 g) natural unsweetened peanut butter
    • ½ cup (120 ml) maple syrup
    • 1 cup (230 g) pumpkin puree
    • ½ cup (122 g) unsweetened applesauce
    • 2 tablespoons of dairy-free milk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1  ¾ cups (220 g) whole-wheat flour, spooned and leveled
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ½ cup (90 g) vegan chocolate chips

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C).
    2. Make two flax eggs by stirring together the ground flax seed and 5 tablespoons of water.  Set aside and let it sit and gel for about 5-10 minutes.
    3. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tray with silicone liners (or lightly spray the muffin tray with non-stick cooking spray).
    4. In a bowl, whisk the peanut butter and maple syrup together.  Then whisk in the pumpkin puree, applesauce, milk, vanilla extract, and the flax eggs.
    5. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon.
    6. Then pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Stir a few times, then add the chocolate chips.  Then gently fold everything together until just combined.
    7. Fill 12 standard muffin cups full and bake for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean and the muffin tops bounce back when pressed.
    8. Cool in the muffin tray for 10 minutes, then move to cooling rack to continue cooling.

    Notes

    I use natural peanut butter that just contains peanuts and/or salt.  So I recommend using a brand with no added oils or sweeteners.  The added oils and sweeteners may alter the taste and texture of the muffins.

    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 21 minutes
    • Category: snacks, dessert, breakfast
    • Method: oven
    • Cuisine: american

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      Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    1. Katie

      October 16, 2022 at 6:19 pm

      Pumpkin and peanut butter muffins! Yum, the combination works really well.

      Reply
      • Allie

        October 17, 2022 at 4:42 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed the muffins!

        Reply

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    Pumpkin peanut butter muffins in a muffin tray.