Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

Name: Vegan Pumpkin Muffins Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 250 g pumpkin puree; 3 tbsp ground flaxseed; 9 tbsp water; 140 g maple syrup; 30 ml olive oil; 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice; 35 g coconut flour; 140 g almond flour; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 2 tsp baking powder; Juice of 2 oranges; Pinch of salt; 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds

These vegan pumpkin muffins are warmly spiced, deliciously moist from the pumpkin, and made entirely without eggs or butter. Instead of eggs, I use ground flaxseed. It works really well as a binder, although these muffins are a little more crumbly than regular pumpkin muffins.

Tip from Simone
From Regular Pumpkin Muffins to Vegan Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients and Substitutions
How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Muffins
Storage
FAQ Vegan Pumpkin Muffins
Recipe Card Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

Tip from Simone

I used ground flaxseed as an egg substitute. Mix 3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed with 9 tablespoons of water and let it sit for a little while. It will turn into a slightly slimy mixture. Don’t worry: that’s exactly what you want.

The flaxseed mainly helps bind everything together. Just don’t expect this vegan version to turn out exactly like a regular muffin made with eggs. They don’t rise as much and they’re slightly more crumbly. Secretly, I might even like them better.

From Regular Pumpkin Muffins to Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

As part of my nutrition training, we occasionally had to do some cooking too. Not that I found that the most interesting part of the course, but it was definitely nice to have an elaborate lunch every class with all the dishes everyone had made.

Each class came with a different assignment. One time we had to make something suitable for the prevention of cardiovascular disease, and another time the assignment was to make something for children. I chose the 4–7 age group because, well… babies really aren’t my thing.

I had to work that day and we were also busy in the studio afterward, so I quickly threw something together in between. It was pumpkin season, so pumpkin muffins it was.

They were a big hit during class. Someone pointed out that they were almost vegan. There was no butter in them, but the original recipe still contained eggs. That got me thinking: how do you replace the eggs if you want to make vegan pumpkin muffins?

Ingredients and Substitutions

Pumpkin puree – The pumpkin adds flavor, color, and moisture to the muffins. You’ll need 250 grams of puree. Make sure it isn’t too watery, as that will affect the batter.
Ground flaxseed – Ground flaxseed works better than whole flaxseed for these muffins. Combined with water, it forms a gel that replaces the eggs and helps hold the muffins together.
Almond flour and coconut flour – This combination gives the muffins a different texture than traditional muffins made with wheat flour. Coconut flour in particular absorbs a lot of moisture, so the batter should be fairly thick.
Orange juice – When I made the recipe vegan, I noticed that the batter became much drier. That’s why I added extra orange juice. It adds moisture, and the citrus flavor works really well with pumpkin and warm spices.
Maple syrup – Sweetens the muffins while also adding some extra moisture to the batter.

How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

Start by mixing the ground flaxseed with the water. Let it sit for a few minutes until it thickens and forms a gel.

Next, combine the pumpkin puree with the olive oil, flaxseed mixture, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, orange juice, and a pinch of salt. Then add the coconut flour, almond flour, baking powder, and baking soda.

The batter is much thicker and drier than standard muffin batter. Divide it among the muffin cups and gently press it down. This helps keep the muffins from falling apart after baking.

Bake the muffins for about 20 minutes at 350°F (175°C). Check for doneness with a wooden skewer or toothpick; it should come out clean. Let the muffins cool completely before removing them from the pan, as they’re a little more fragile while warm.

They won’t rise quite as spectacularly as regular pumpkin muffins, but in the end, I didn’t mind that at all. The flavor more than made up for it. Mission accomplished, as far as I’m concerned!

Storage

Let the vegan pumpkin muffins cool completely before storing them in an airtight container. Since these muffins are naturally a little more crumbly, handle them carefully when removing them from the pan and when storing them.

FAQ Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

Yes. For this recipe, mix 3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed with 9 tablespoons of water. Let it sit until it forms a gel. This flaxseed gel takes over part of the binding function of eggs.

These muffins don’t contain eggs, which normally contribute to the structure and rise of a muffin. The combination of pumpkin puree, flaxseed, almond flour, and coconut flour also makes this batter heavier than traditional muffin batter, so the muffins stay more compact.

That’s normal for this recipe. Coconut flour absorbs a lot of liquid, while the almond flour and flaxseed also create a different texture than regular all-purpose flour. The batter should be thick enough that you need to gently press it into the muffin cups.

I wouldn’t simply replace the coconut flour or almond flour with the same amount of another flour. Coconut flour is especially absorbent, so changing the flour can significantly affect the amount of liquid needed and the final texture.