Vegan Pumpkin Muffins (Oil Free)

These oil-free vegan pumpkin muffins are a little taste of fall with their warming flavors from pumpkin pie spice and extra cinnamon.  Serve them for breakfast, snack, or dessert for an autumn treat.    

They’re deliciously spiced whole wheat pumpkin muffins that are oil-free, dairy-free, and egg-free.  They also freeze well!

Tips for Making Oil-Free Pumpkin Muffins

• Spoon the flour into the measuring cup, then use the back of a knife to level off the excess flour.  Flour can become compact during storage, so using the measuring cup to scoop out the flour can scoop out more flour than is needed for the recipe.  Too much flour can create a drier vegan pumpkin muffin. 
• 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: so it has 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 does peel off easier, but they absorb some of the 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.  If you’ve ever eaten a baked good that had clumps of baking powder or baking soda that didn’t break up, you know it isn’t pleasant.

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.  Whole wheat pastry flour can help with this, but it’s not always available in stores (like my store).  The whole wheat flour also gives a slightly nutty flavor to these oil-free vegan pumpkin muffins.
• 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.

How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Muffins With No Oil

Preheat the oven to 375 (190 C).  Line a 12-cup muffin tray with silicone cups or lightly non-stick cooking spray. Mix the 2 tablespoons of ground flax seed with 5 tablespoons of water and set aside for about 10 minutes.

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

In a medium bowl whisk together the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, applesauce, milk, vanilla extract, and flax eggs. 

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

Fill 12 standard muffin cups and bake for 21-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean and the muffin tops bounce back when pressed. Cool in the muffin tray for 10 minutes, then move to a cooling rack to continue cooling.

Storage

The dairy-free pumpkin muffins will keep on the counter in an airtight container for a couple of days.  For longer storage refrigerate them for up to a week.  For even longer storage freeze for up to 3 months.  

To freeze the oil-free muffins 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 in order to freeze separately.

Defrost the frozen vegan pumpkin muffins in the refrigerator overnight.  If you’re in a hurry, warm them up in the microwave to defrost them.  I would only do a couple at a time.

More Vegan Pumpkin Recipes

• Vegan Pumpkin Overnight Oats
• Instant Pot Pumpkin Oatmeal (also has stove top instructions)
• Pumpkin Peanut Butter Muffins

As always, I hope you enjoy these dairy-free pumpkin muffins!

Originally published on December 23, 2019, updated on October 19, 2021.

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