These 1-bowl healthy pumpkin muffins are moist and delicious! They are naturally sweetened, 100% whole wheat and perfect for a healthy fall breakfast or snack!
My kids have been eating these since I don’t know when.
Well, let's see. You can’t give honey to a baby before age 1 — nor would I dream of letting an infant have honey or sugar — but I let M have sweetened things starting around 18 months. J a little earlier. Second baby 😉 So that's when.
Still, it feels like I’ve been making batches of these for ages and ages. It’s one of their very favorites and I know why.
These are loaded with pumpkin and lovely spices and have a wonderful moistness to them. The oil makes them nice and hearty, too, and I feel good about giving them some healthy fats.
And they make your house smell AMAZING!Another great fall muffin recipe you might want to check out is these apple cider muffins that are also whole grain and naturally sweetened.
Recipe Notes:
- Flour: I use white whole wheat flour, which is 100% whole grain but has a lighter consistency and taste. You can also use whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, or use a mixture of all-purpose and whole wheat flour if you prefer.
- Oil: I use canola oil for these muffins. You could substitute vegetable oil or coconut oil if you prefer.
- Lightened up: If you want a lighter version for adults, you can sub part or all of the oil with unsweetened applesauce.
- Bread: If you want to bake this as pumpkin bread, instead of muffins, just pour the batter into a greased 9x5 bread pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Nuts: You can add ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter if you'd like.
Pumpkin is a year-round thing in our house, not at all reserved for autumn. See pumpkin chocolate chip oat bars. A fave!
And these whole wheat pumpkin muffins are one of our “restaurant/weekend” lunches for the kids. We know it will make them happy and eating, so we can enjoy our food, too. Beet hummus does the trick, as well.
I've also got a peanut butter pumpkin muffin recipe, with optional chocolate chips, for a different twist!And my healthy pumpkin bread is a fall favorite of the kids and adults. It's so light and springy!
I love muffins, though, for how portable they are. And they also freeze great.
Storage Tips:
- Pumpkin muffins, once cooled, can be stored in a covered container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
- You can also store them in the refrigerator to extend the shelf life. They'll keep for 5-6 days.
- They freeze beautifully too! Let the muffins cool completely then wrap each one in aluminum foil. Place the wrapped muffins in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. Label and date it and freeze the muffins for up to 5-6 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator or unwrap and pop in the microwave, directly from the freezer, to reheat.
It's so helpful to have healthy, homemade food like this on hand to make breakfast, school lunch packing and after school snacking that much easier.
Hope you get as addicted to these as we are!
Enjoy!
XO,Kathryn
Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour (see notes)
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup oil (see notes)
- ½ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 heaping cup pumpkin puree
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients - the flour through the salt.
- Make a well in the center and add the eggs, oil, honey, vanilla and pumpkin. Stir wet mix together in the well and then stir together with the dry ingredients until combined. Don't overmix.
- Line a muffin tin with muffin liners and distribute the batter evenly. They will be about ⅔ full.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool and store at room temperature for 3-4 days or wrap in aluminum foil and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Malinda @mybrownpaperpackages
I love baking with pumpkin and I know my kids will eat these so I'm adding it to my Pinterest arsenal. And yes, the second child gets the softer parenting 🙂
Kathryn
Thanks Malinda! My kids are addicted to these. They are a must-have around here 🙂 And glad to know I'm not the only one slacking a bit on the second child 😉
Sammie @ The Annoyed Thyroid
I love baking with pumpkin and that spice combo is just the best!
Kathryn
Thanks Sammie! These seriously smell amazing when they are baking and fresh from the oven! So warm, so comforting, so delicious!
Lucy @ Bake Play Smile
How yummy!!! I love that these are a bit healthy too. Perfect for a mid morning treat. Thanks for linking up with our Fabulous Foodie Fridays party xx
Kathryn
Thanks for hosting, Lucy! These are definitely a good morning snack... and breakfast... and afternoon snack... and midnight snack... 🙂 XO
Jenny Rice
I've made these three times already this fall. What a great use for our cooked up jack o lantern! Since I'm almost incapable of following a recipe, I did sub ALL the oil for applesauce. I also add raisins and pecans. They are amazing! Perfect for a mid morning snack, or even part of breakfast for the kids. Thanks!!
Kathryn
That's so great Jenny! We eat these on repeat ALL year long! So much for being seasonal... 😉 Love your substitutions/additions - will have to do that to mix things up!
Linda George
My husband and I are trying to cut down on sugar. I love this recipe except for the honey. Is there a substitute for it? Thanks! Just found your site today and love it!
Kathryn
Hi Linda! Most baked goods needs some sort of sweetener. I use honey for these since it's a natural sweetener. You could try substituting maple syrup or reducing the amount of honey a bit if you are OK with less sweet things. You could also try substituting mashed banana or unsweetened applesauce but I haven't tried that and can't vouch for the results. I hope that helps and would love to hear what you think!
Heather
Hey Linda! I have been researching the science of baking. For 1 C of whole wheat flour you need 3-4 Tbsp. of sweetener. So for the 1.5 C of whole wheat flour this recipe calls for, you should probably plan on 1/3 C of sweetener, but I wouldn't go any lower. The type of sweetener is totally up to you, and different ones will obviously change the end flavor some. Good luck!!!
Jenni
I’ve made these several times, starting with Thanksgiving breakfast, and they are a big hit. I’ve made a batch with chocolate chips mixed in, a batch with pecans, and tonight my son suggested mixing both in. I used all applesauce and no oil to make up for the chocolate chips and pecans. I also have used maple syrup in place of the honey as I love the flavor of maple with pumpkin.
Kathryn
I'm so happy to hear you love these muffins Jenni! And thanks for sharing your additions and substitutions - that's really helpful! (And also sounds yummy!)
Lisa
Can I sub Greek yogurt for oil?
Jenni
I usually sub applesauce for it, and it comes out great. Greek yogurt should work well, too.
Kathryn Doherty
Agree with Jenni! You can use applesauce in place of the oil, which works well consistency wise. Greek yogurt is a lot thicker so you probably wouldn't use as much but you could try it that way too.
Afton
Hey! My daughter has Celiac disease, can i sub GF flour for the whole wheat flour in this recipe? Any other adjustments I would have to make? Thanks!
Kathryn Doherty
Hi Afton! Yes, you can substitute a gluten-free baking mix for the whole wheat flour in this recipe. The muffins likely won't rise much, but hopefully the flavor will still be great. Would love to hear if you try it!
rotisserie
good work.
Delie
These were delicious! I wanted to make pumpkin cream cheese muffins, so I put about 3/4 of the batter into the muffin tin, added a spoonful of neufchatel cheese to each muffin, and topped with the remaining batter. They needed a couple of extra minutes in the oven but turned out beautifully. I also reduced the honey to a generous 1/4 cup and added stevia.
Kathryn Doherty
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed them! And love those tweaks you made - sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!