Vegan Pumpkin Muffins
Nothing says fall like vegan pumpkin muffins! This recipe features warming spices, a moist and tender texture, and bakery-style muffin tops you’ll love! Top them with homemade pecan streusel for an indulgent breakfast or tea-time treat.
🧡 Why you’ll love this recipe
- One bowl: The muffin batter comes together in just one bowl, meaning fewer dishes for you. You don’t even need to pull out your mixer!
- Bursting with flavor: The combination of pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice guarantees an iconic autumn taste in every bite.
- Soft & moist: Thanks to the vegan buttermilk and pumpkin purée, these muffins are incredibly tender and moist.
- Crunchy pecan topping: If you need another reason to make these vegan pumpkin muffins, just think about the sweet, crunchy pecan streusel on top!
If you love vegan pumpkin muffins, you should really check out our vegan pumpkin bread, pumpkin banana muffins, vegan sweet potato pancakes, and vegan pumpkin pie.
🎃 Spiced vegan pumpkin muffins
The leaves are changing colors and the air is becoming crisp, so it’s time to make a batch of vegan pumpkin muffins! This recipe is so easy to make (seriously, one bowl!), but the results are irresistibly tender with the perfect amount of warming spices shining through.
Pumpkin purée not only adds a festive fall color but also makes the muffins ultra-moist. Plus, it means there is no need for eggs. Paired with an optional pecan streusel topping (adapted from our vegan sweet potato casserole), each bite showcases a mouthwatering contrast of textures and flavors.
Pair one with a pat of vegan butter or a drizzle of maple syrup with your afternoon tea or coffee. Better yet, make a double batch to gift your family and friends!
🛒 Ingredients & substitutions
- Pumpkin purée: Adds moisture and a distinct fall flavor. We recommend canned pumpkin purée for consistent results, but you can use fresh pumpkin purée if necessary. Just make sure you have pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Brown sugar: Imparts a molasses-like sweetness and more moisture. Coconut sugar will also work as a refined sugar-free substitute, but it won’t add as much moisture.
- Vegan buttermilk: Reacts with the baking soda, giving these muffins their characteristic domed tops. It also tenderizes the texture and adds moisture. Check out our vegan buttermilk post for all the preparation tips and FAQ answers.
- Oil: Provides a rich flavor and moisture. Our go-to for baking is grapeseed oil, but you can also use canola, sunflower, safflower, or even melted coconut oil.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the overall flavor and adds a sweet aroma. Make sure to use pure vanilla extract for the best results.
- All-purpose flour: Gives structure to the muffins. For added nutrition, you can swap up to half the all-purpose flour with spelt or whole wheat flour, but the texture will be denser.
- Baking powder & soda: It may seem like overkill, but we need both leavening agents to help give the muffins bakery-style tops! Ensure they’re well within their expiry dates and properly stored in airtight containers.
- Pumpkin pie spice: We prefer making our own pumpkin spice for better control over the flavors, but store-bought works just as well. If you’d prefer to make your own, use a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.
- Cinnamon: To kick the pumpkin spice into overdrive, we like to add a dash of extra cinnamon. Nutmeg or allspice are also good options.
- Salt: Prevents flat-tasting muffins. Stick to fine-grain salt for an even distribution.
- Vegan butter: For the streusel topping. You can also use melted coconut oil, but the final result will be slightly more oily.
- Pecans: Adds a crunchy texture and nutty flavor to the streusel topping. You can also use chopped walnuts, almonds, or pumpkin seeds as alternatives.
For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.
📝 How to make vegan pumpkin muffins
Step 1: Make the streusel
Melt the vegan butter and mix it with brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and chopped pecans. You want the streusel to have a sticky yet crumbly texture and relatively small pieces.
Step 2: Mix the batter
Combine your wet ingredients in a large bowl, ensuring they’re well combined. Sift in the dry ingredients, then mix the batter until no flour streaks or pockets remain.
It can be tempting (we’re definitely guilty of this), but try not to overmix the batter to prevent dense, hockey puck muffins.
Step 3: Fill the muffin cups
For sky-high muffins, fill your muffin cups right to the brim! We like to use an ice cream scoop for consistency, but a trusty spoon will work too. Top each one with the pecan streusel before popping the pan into the oven.
For even taller muffin tops, space them out by filling every other cup. In this case, you can use two muffin tins or bake the muffins in batches.
Step 4: Bake the muffins
We’ll be using the double temperature method for these muffins (again, for perfectly domed tops). Start them at a higher temperature (425F), then lower the temperature to 350F after 5 minutes and continue baking until a toothpick comes out clean.
After baking, allow the muffins to cool a bit in the tin before transferring them to a wire rack. This helps them set and makes for easier unwrapping. Happy eating!
If you have questions about this vegan pumpkin muffins recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!
🌡️ Storage & reheating
Vegan pumpkin muffins are great to prep ahead of time and keep on hand for quick snacks! Here’s how to properly store them:
- Room temperature: Store the pumpkin muffins in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. This will keep them fresh and prevent them from drying out.
- Fridge: They should keep for up to 6-7 days in an airtight container, but they will dry out more in the fridge.
- Freezer: If you want to store them longer, individually wrap each muffin in plastic wrap and transfer them to a freezer bag or container for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: For the best results, thaw frozen muffins at room temperature. Once thawed, warm them in a preheated oven or toaster oven at 350F for 5 minutes. You can also warm them using the ‘warm’ setting on an air fryer if you have one!
♻️ Variations
- Oil-free: Instead of vegetable oil, use an equivalent amount of applesauce for an oil-free and healthy vegan pumpkin muffins recipe.
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for baking. Our top choices are Bob’s Red Mill and King Arthur Baking.
- Nutty: Mix in a handful of chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds for added crunch.
- Chocolate chips: Add a half cup of vegan chocolate chips for bursts of sweetness.
🧑🍳 Top tips
- Room temperature ingredients: Ensure all ingredients, especially vegan buttermilk, are at room temperature before mixing the batter.
- Mix gently: Mix the batter just until combined to prevent the muffins from becoming dense and tough.
- Avoid overfilling: Fill the muffin cups right to the top, but don’t let them overflow to achieve the proper muffin shape.
- Skip every other muffin: Leaving space between the muffins means more heat can reach each one, resulting in a much better rise and fluffier muffin tops.
- Bake high then low: For the best muffin tops, bake for the first 5 minutes at 425F then reduce the temperature to 350F. This helps kickstart the leavening agents!
- Set your timer: Set a 5-minute timer so you don’t forget to reduce the heat!
- Rotate the pan: For even baking, you can rotate your muffin tin halfway through.
- Test doneness: Insert a toothpick or skewer to ensure muffins are fully baked before removing them from the oven.
💬 FAQ
Yes, you can use fresh pumpkin. Just ensure it’s properly roasted and puréed to achieve a smooth consistency. Additionally, if it’s especially watery, pat it dry with a paper towel until it looks more like canned purée.
Overmixing the batter can lead to dense vegan pumpkin muffins. Remember, you only want to mix the batter until it’s just combined.
If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own blend with 2 tablespoons of cinnamon, 2 teaspoons of ground ginger, 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg and allspice, and ½ teaspoon of ground cloves.
Of course! However, note that reducing the sugar will slightly alter the texture of the muffins along with the sweetness.
If your streusel isn’t as crumbly as you expected, it may be because the butter was too hot when it was mixed with the dry ingredients. Ensure it’s melted but not too boiling.
🍴 More dessert recipes
If you enjoyed this vegan pumpkin muffins recipe, we’re sure you’ll love these other holiday-inspired treats:
- Vegan Pumpkin Cookies: Spiced autumn flavors and a soft, cakey texture.
- Vegan Sweet Potato Pie: Velvety sweet potato filling infused with warming spices.
- Vegan Apple Cider Donuts: A warm and cozy recipe made in under an hour!
- Vegan Ginger Molasses Cookies: Holiday flavors loaded in every bite.
Tender Vegan Pumpkin Muffins
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula
- Sifter or fine-mesh strainer
- Saucepan
- Muffin liners
- 12-cup muffin tin
Ingredients
Streusel topping
- 2 ½ tablespoons vegan butter (melted)
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
Wet
- 1 ½ cups canned pumpkin purée (we use Libby’s)
- ¾ cup organic brown sugar
- 1 cup vegan buttermilk
- ½ cup neutral vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dry
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine-grain salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. For extra tall and domed muffins, line every other cup so you only have 6 muffins (see the photo in the post above for reference). In this case, you can use two muffin tins or bake the muffins in batches.
Streusel
- Melt the vegan butter in a small saucepan over medium-low. Add it to a mixing bowl with the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and chopped pecans.
- Mix the streusel topping together with a spoon or spatula until it resembles small crumbs. Set aside.
Batter
- Add the pumpkin purée, brown sugar, vegan buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl. Whisk together until well combined.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt into the bowl of wet ingredients.
- Stir the batter together with a spatula just until there are no flour streaks remaining. Be careful not to overmix the batter to prevent dense muffins.
Bake
- Spoon the muffin batter into the lined muffin tin, using a large cookie/ice cream scoop or a spoon. Make sure to fill the cups to the top (you should get 12 muffins out of this recipe). Top each muffin with a spoonful of pecan streusel.
- Bake the muffins at 425°F for 5 minutes, then (without opening the oven) lower the heat to 350°F. Continue baking for another 15-16 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling for another 30 minutes. Happy eating!
Video
Notes
- Room temperature ingredients: Ensure all ingredients, especially vegan buttermilk, are at room temperature before mixing the batter.
- Mix gently: Mix the batter just until combined to prevent the muffins from becoming dense and tough.
- Avoid overfilling: Fill the muffin cups right to the top, but don’t let them overflow to achieve the proper muffin shape.
- Skip every other muffin: Leaving space between the muffins means more heat can reach each one, resulting in a much better rise and fluffier muffin tops.
- Bake high then low: For the best muffin tops, bake for the first 5 minutes at 425F then reduce the temperature to 350F. This helps kickstart the leavening agents!
- Set your timer: Set a 5-minute timer so you don’t forget to reduce the heat!
- Rotate the pan: For even baking, you can rotate your muffin tin halfway through.
- Test doneness: Insert a toothpick or skewer to ensure muffins are fully baked before removing them from the oven.
- Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.
Nutrition
Mitch Chapman is a food writer, photographer, and one of the founders of Broke Bank Vegan. With a background in healthcare and the restaurant industry, he has a passion for sharing healthy yet flavorful plant-based food.