These pumpkin gingerbread muffins are soft, fluffy and loaded with molasses, ginger and warm holiday spice, and the whole batter comes together in your blender in about a minute. They're made with oats instead of flour, so they're naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and oil-free, too!
Can you hear that? It's the sound of sleigh bells, because it's officially gingerbread season. Just the smell of these muffins baking will put you in the holiday mood. They're made with real molasses for a deep, rich flavor that pairs perfectly with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, and they're packed with pumpkin puree, which you just might have left over after Thanksgiving.
The best part? All you have to do is toss everything into a blender or food processor, like you're making a smoothie. Just don't drink the batter. Pour it into a muffin pan instead, and about 22 minutes later you'll have the moistest, most delicious gingerbread muffins you can imagine. No one will ever guess they're made with ingredients that are actually good for you.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Rolled oats. The blender grinds old-fashioned rolled oats into flour right in the batter, so there's no flour to measure. Use certified gluten-free oats if you're baking for anyone with celiac disease or a gluten allergy. Quick oats work too; steel-cut oats don't.
- Pumpkin puree. Use plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. You can also make your own pumpkin puree; just blot it with a paper towel first if it's watery.
- Molasses. This is what makes them taste like gingerbread. Use regular unsulphured molasses. Blackstrap is much more bitter and can take over the whole muffin.
- Maple syrup and brown sugar. Pure maple syrup does most of the sweetening, with a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar for that classic caramel-y note. Coconut sugar is an easy swap for the brown sugar.
- Almond butter. It adds richness and a little protein in place of oil or butter. Cashew butter or sunflower seed butter work the same way; peanut butter works, but you'll taste it.
- Eggs. Two eggs give the muffins their lift and structure. See the Variations section below for a vegan swap.
- Almond milk. Unsweetened vanilla almond milk adds a hint of vanilla, but any milk you like, dairy or non-dairy, will do.
- Spices. Ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. If you like a bold gingerbread flavor, bump the ginger up to 1 ½ teaspoons.
Helpful Tips
Add the wet ingredients first. Pour the pumpkin, milk, eggs, syrup and molasses into the blender before the oats and dry ingredients. The liquid at the bottom helps the blades move freely, so everything blends quickly without dry pockets of oats getting stuck.
Blend until completely smooth. Give it 30 to 60 seconds on high and stop to scrape down the sides once if you need to. The oats should be fully ground, with no visible flakes. Any flakes left behind make the muffins a little dense and chewy instead of light and fluffy.
Grease the pan well. Oat-based batters are a little stickier than regular muffin batter. Spray your muffin pan generously or use paper liners, and fill each cup about three-quarters full so the tops dome nicely.
Don't overbake. Start checking at 20 minutes. They're done when the tops spring back when you press them lightly and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Because the batter is dark, color isn't a great doneness clue, so go by touch.
Let them cool before you dig in. Oat flour muffins stay soft and slightly fragile while they're hot. Give them 10 to 15 minutes in the pan to set up, then move them to a wire rack. For a pretty bakery-style finish, sprinkle a pinch of coarse sugar on top of each one before baking.
Variations
- Vegan. Swap each egg for a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water and left to thicken for 5 minutes). The muffins will be a touch denser but just as moist. If you'd rather start with a recipe that's vegan from the get-go, try our Healthy Pumpkin Muffins.
- Gluten-free. These are already gluten-free as long as you use oats that are certified gluten-free, since regular oats are often processed alongside wheat. Check your baking powder label too.
- Maple glaze. Whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons maple syrup and 1 to 2 teaspoons milk until thick but drizzly, then spoon it over the cooled muffins.
- Cream cheese glaze. Beat 2 ounces softened cream cheese (or vegan cream cheese) with ½ cup powdered sugar, a splash of milk and a pinch of cinnamon for a tangy topping.
- Crystallized ginger. Fold ¼ cup chopped crystallized ginger into the batter after blending for little bursts of spicy-sweet flavor.
- Chocolate chip. Stir in ½ cup mini chocolate chips after blending. Chocolate and gingerbread are a great match.
Serving Ideas
These muffins are just sweet enough for breakfast. Serve them warm with a smear of almond butter or homemade apple butter, alongside a cup of coffee or a glass of cold milk. For a heartier holiday brunch, set them out with a pot of Apple Ginger Steel-Cut Oats and a bowl of fresh fruit.
They also make a lovely dessert or cookie-tray addition. Top them with one of the glazes above or a dollop of vegan whipped cream, or pack a few in a tin tied with ribbon for an easy homemade gift for neighbors and teachers. Just one bite is sure to put anyone in the holiday spirit.
Storing & Freezing
Keep cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Lay a paper towel in the bottom of the container to soak up any extra moisture so the tops don't get sticky. If you've glazed them, store them in a single layer in the fridge.
These freeze beautifully. Freeze the unglazed muffins on a tray until firm, then transfer them to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for an hour or so, or warm a frozen muffin in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds. A few minutes in a 300°F oven brings back that fresh-baked texture.
More Pumpkin and Gingerbread Recipes
If you're here to plan your holiday menu, don't miss our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
If you loved these pumpkin gingerbread muffins, here are a few more you might enjoy:
- Gingerbread Waffles
- Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
- Vegan Gingerbread Cake With Coconut Frosting
- Vegan Gingerbread Pear Bundt Cake
- Crazy Easy One Bowl Pumpkin Bread
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups rolled oats
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- ¼ cup molasses
- 4 tablespoons almond butter
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin well or line it with paper liners.
- Add the wet ingredients to a blender or food processor first (pumpkin, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, almond milk, molasses and almond butter), then add the oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Blend on high for 30 to 60 seconds, scraping down the sides once if needed, until the oats are completely ground and the batter is smooth.
- Pour the batter into the muffin tin, filling each cup about ¾ full. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Kristi Rimkus says
I love that I can make these in a blender and skip the bowl. I've pinned these yummy looking muffins for holiday baking!
Sarah Cook says
Thanks Kristi! I hope you enjoy them! 🙂
Esther says
I made these together with my toddler and they were delicious!
We followed the instructions, baked 22mins at 175c celcius fanbake, and it made 12 standard sized muffins perfectly.
We did substitute some ingredients with what we had on hand:
- the almond butter with 4 TBSP coconut oil
- the molasses with 3 TBSP honey + 1 TBSP brown sugar
- omitted the extra 2 TBSP brown sugar
and used raw cows milk
Yum! will definitely make again.
Thank you very much for the recipe!
Jennifer says
Do you think these would work with an egg replacer, like flax eggs?
Sarah Cook says
I had a reader leave a comment on a similar muffin recipe stating that she was able to make it work with flax eggs. But everyone has different expectations of the outcome. I personally think the texture would be too wet inside but if you're brave enough to try it, please let us know how it turns out!
Amanda says
I tried the recipe using flax eggs and they turned out great. They're super moist and delicious!
I'm adding this to my regular muffin recipe routine - bake muffins, put them in the freezer when they're still slightly warm, pull one out in morning and it's ready to go by the time I get to work!
Sarah Cook says
That makes me so happy to hear, Amanda! Thanks for letting us know. Happy holidays! 🙂
Andrea says
Great! I was just wondering about this. I'm going to do it right now!!! I made them with eggs the first time and loved them, but was wanting to make them vegan, so I'm glad they turned out!
Fox Kitchen says
Yummy! Makes me feel really christmas-y! 🙂
Sarah Cook says
Good! That was the goal. 🙂
Thuy says
Is there a non-grain flour that would work in place of the oat flour? Maybe almond or coconut flour?
Sarah Cook says
Hi Thuy! I haven't tried myself so I can't say for sure. My guess it that you would need more eggs to make either of those flours work. If you give it a try, please let us know how it turns out!
sisters, jeans & messy buns says
Hey!
This combination sounds interesting, but it looks so so so delicious, I have to try it! 😀
Love, Natascha
Sarah Cook says
Thanks Natascha! I hope you get a chance to try them! 🙂
C. Marie says
Ate one for breakfast, and loved it—so moist and flavorful! This recipe was the perfect way to start off December.
Sarah Cook says
Yay! That makes me so happy to hear. Thank you for the feedback! 🙂
Lindy says
These look fabulous! My son is allergic to nuts though, any suggestions for what to sub for the almond butter? thanks!
Sarah Cook says
Hi Lindy! The almond butter is used instead of oil so you can sub oil in it's place, such as sunflower or canola. Another option is sunflower butter but that might make them turn green after baking. They're totally safe to eat but the color might not look too appetizing, lol. I hope that helps! 🙂
Sarah says
I wanted to ask the same. It's for a toddler Christmas party, so the green might be ok!
traci | vanilla and bean says
SO nice to see you here at OMV, Sara! And these muffins? Genius! Honest, I wanted to drink the batter, then remembered, I'm not a fan of drinking raw eggs! Hehe I can't wait to whip these up.. so quick and easy! Thank you my dear!
Sarah Cook says
Aw, thanks Traci! I'm not a fan of raw eggs either. They're much better baked! 😉
Kate says
Oh yum! Gingerbread is my favorite Christmas treat. I think I'll make them for my husband's birthday breakfast on Sunday. Happy Holidays!!
Sarah Cook says
That's so sweet of you, Kate! I hope your husband loves them as much as I do! 🙂
Isabelle says
Made them yesterday. Sooo good et so easy to make!! Thanks!
Sarah Cook says
So happy to hear that, Isabelle! Thank you for the feedback! 🙂
Robin says
I am so excited about these! They are delicious! And come on! All in the blender?! I NEED more recipes like this in my life. 😉
Sarah Cook says
Thank you so much for letting us know, Robin! I'm so glad you liked them! 🙂
Cyndi F. says
Hi! When I awoke this morning, I had pumpkin & gingerbread on my mind, so did a quick Google search and up popped this recipe. I have sensitivities to gluten and dairy, so this recipe met those needs...bonus! I read the comments and noted that others had inquired about using flax eggs instead of chicken eggs and what to sub for almond butter. I would've had those same questions b/c I tend to lean toward vegan ingredients and don't have almond butter on hand. So...I made/used 2 flax eggs and used 4 tbs melted coconut oil. The results were PERFECTION! Definitely adding this recipe to my go-to collection!! 🙂
Sarah Cook says
I'm so happy to hear that they worked with flax eggs! Thanks for letting us know, Cyndi! 🙂
Liz says
Hi! I just made these and they are really tasty. The texture is lovely, like a regular muffin. I did leave out the brown sugar and I skimped a bit on the maple syrup as I don't like things super sweet. They came out perfect - just sweet enough for me ? I'll definitely make them again! Thanks for a great recipe!
Sarah Cook says
I'm so happy you liked them, Liz! They're one of my favorites. 🙂
Sunny says
These muffins are out of this world delicious! Great recipe...thank you! The only addition I made was to add chopped crystallized ginger...heavenly 🙂
Gabi says
These are very tasty! A tiny bit too sweet to my taste, though, so I'll go with 1/3 cup maple syrup and leave out the brown sugar next time. Loved the flavors (very christmas-y, indeed!), and so easy to make. I tripled the recipe and froze it. Thank you!
Katie Trant says
Yay for muffins in the freezer! That's the best!