Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins are soft and fluffy, made with pumpkin puree and classic pumpkin pie spices, and ready in under 45 minutes!

If you love these gluten free pumpkin muffins, check out my Gluten Free Banana Muffins, Gluten Free Cherry Muffins, and Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread!

Pumpkin muffin in a muffin liner cut in half to reveal the fluffy center.

Gluten free pumpkin muffins are the perfect grab-and-go breakfast in the morning. They’re also great cut in half and toasted, then topped with cream cheese or almond butter and paired with a cup of coffee. You can add raisins or dried cranberries to the batter for some sweetness.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients for gluten free pumpkin muffins on a table.

Gluten Free All Purpose Flour – I use the cup-for-cup gluten free all purpose flour. 

Light Brown Sugar – The brown sugar adds a deeper flavor, which goes great with pumpkin muffins. You can use white granulated sugar if that’s what you have. 

Baking Powder – Make sure your baking powder says ‘double-acting’ on the container. This is a key ingredient to make sure your muffins rise properly.

Pumpkin Spice Flavor – I add some extra cinnamon on top of the pumpkin pie spice I’m already using. You can use only pumpkin pie spice, or your favorite combination in general.

Pumpkin Puree – Canned pumpkin works fine (the same one you’d use for pumpkin pie filling). For an alternate recipe, you can replace the pumpkin with mashed bananas. You can also use homemade pumpkin puree if you have it.

Eggs – Eggs help add texture and flavor to baked goods. 

Butter – Butter adds flavor and also helps the muffins to rise while adding a soft fluffy texture. You can swap it for vegetable oil if that’s what you have, or applesauce for a lighter version.

I also recommend using unsalted butter so you can control the amount of salt that goes into the recipe.

Half and Half – Half and half adds a little more fat and acidity to the muffin, helping it have a moist texture instead of drying out. You can also use heavy cream, or whole milk if that’s what you have.

How to Make Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins

Step by step instructions for how to make gluten free pumpkin muffins.
  1. Grease a muffin pan (or add paper liners). Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. In a large bowl whisk all of your dry ingredients together. 
  3. Add wet ingredients to the bowl and mix well. Use an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer. Be careful not to over-mix!
  4. Evenly distribute among the muffin cups and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Jacqui’s Tip! Pour this batter into a bread pan to make gluten free pumpkin bread! It’s ready when a toothpick comes out clean, a total time of around 60 minutes.

How to Make Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins in a Larger Muffin Pan

I made this recipe for a smaller muffin tin. You can make these in a larger muffin tin, but I have a few suggestions if you do:

  • Lower the heat to 375°F and line a larger pan with muffin liners.
  • Doubling the recipe to make sure you have enough batter for a full 6 muffins.
  • Increase the cook time by about 5-10 minutes, or until they’re golden brown on the top and a toothpick comes out clean. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t over cook.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you freeze gluten free pumpkin muffins?

Yes, you can freeze gluten free pumpkin muffins! I like to make a double batch of these, so I can freeze half and grab them on my way out the door to work in the morning. Just make sure to wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and then in a ziplock bag to keep any freezer burn off of them.

How long do gluten free pumpkin muffins last?

Gluten free pumpkin muffins will last on the counter in an air tight container for 1-2 days, and 1-2 months in the freezer. 

Can you substitute baking soda for baking powder?

This recipe uses two tsp baking powder. If you don’t have baking powder, I would recommend substituting 1/2 teaspoon baking soda plus 2 teaspoons of lemon juice in its place. You can also use 2/3 teaspoon baking soda, but I find the acid from the lemon juice helps the muffins rise more.

Jacqui’s Tip! Make sure the baking powder says “double acting” on the packaging or they won’t rise properly!

What can I add to gluten free pumpkin muffins?

  • Add in chocolate chips or dried cranberries to the muffin batter, or a sprinkle of brown sugar to the top of the muffins for some different variations. I would start with 1 cup of chocolate chips with your dry ingredients for this muffin recipe.
  • Add in nuts like almonds or pecans for extra crunch!
  • Sprinkle a tsp cinnamon on top of the muffin batter decoratively before baking.
  • Add a teaspoon salt mixed with a teaspoon ground cinnamon to the top of the muffins for a sweet and savory flavor. Make sure to use flakey salt, and use 1 teaspoon for the whole batch with just a small sprinkle on top of each one.
  • In a large bowl, mix together a streusel topping to make my pumpkin streusel muffins!
  • This recipe calls for 1 cup pumpkin puree, but you can substitute that for other pureed vegetables. Try zucchini, or butternut squash! Just make sure the veggies aren’t watery.
  • Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract for a different flavor. If you don’t have vanilla extract, you can also try other flavors like almond or orange extract.
  • I prefer to eat these with a bit of cream cheese, but you can also add butter or drizzle them with some maple syrup.

How to Make Pumpkin Pie Spice

You can buy pumpkin pie spice, but it’s also really easy to make at home! Here’s my favorite pumpkin pie spice recipe that I make a big batch of every year. It’s also worth mentioning that this pumpkin spice is way cheaper than buying it at the store! Just whisk everything together and store in an airtight container.

  • 4 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp ginger
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 1 tsp cloves

More Gluten Free Pumpkin Recipes

Tips and Tricks

  • Don’t replace the half and half for gluten free pumpkin muffins. When you’re using gluten free flour, you want to use half and half or cream instead of milk, because cream has more naturally occurring acid in it. This affects the rise of the muffin, and creates the muffin top we all know and love.
  • Remember that you want to keep the pumpkin pie spice a bit higher than in non-GF baking. It’s all about flavor!
  • Make this a dairy free or vegan pumpkin muffin recipe by using almond milk instead of half and half, oil instead of butter, and try one of these egg substitutes.
  • Cut the prep time down by making a large batch of dry ingredients at night and storing them in an airtight container. Then in the morning, all you have to do is measure out the pre-mixed dry ingredients with the wet ingredients and bake.
  • Pro tip for any gluten-free muffin recipe is to make sure you use the right egg size. This recipe (and most recipes) call for large eggs. Make sure they are room temperature when you start! You also want your butter to be room temperature, to make it easier to mix the batter.
  • I use cup-for-cup gluten free all-purpose flour for this pumpkin muffin recipe. Every gluten-free flour blend is a little bit different. Some have ingredients like (gluten free) oat flour, xanthan gum, or almond flour. Use your favorite blend for this recipe, but results may vary!
  • Use paper muffin cups in your muffin tin to help make cleanup easier.
gluten free pumpkin muffins

If you loved this recipe, be sure to leave a 5 Star review below, and tag me with a photo of your finished recipe on Instagram @Jacqui_DishingDelish!

Pumpkin muffin sitting in a muffin liner on the table cut in half.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins

Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins are soft and fluffy, made with pumpkin puree and classic pumpkin pie spices, and ready in under 45 minutes!
4.18 from 39 votes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Author: Jacqui
Yield: 9 servings

Ingredients
 
 

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup gluten free 1-to-1 all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder, double acting
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup half and half

Equipment

  • 1 muffin tin

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a muffin pan and set aside.
  • Whisk together dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl beat eggs, then add to dry ingredients.
  • Add half and half, butter, and pumpkin puree to dry ingredients. Stir all ingredients together (or use a stand mixer) until well combined. Be careful not to over-mix.
  • Add muffin batter to greased muffin tin evenly among 9 of the cups. (You can spread them among 12, but the muffins will be slightly smaller).
  • Bake for 20-25, or until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Notes

Click on the time in the instructions to start a kitchen timer!
Storage. You can store these muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days.
Freeze (tightly wrapped so it’s airtight) for 1-2 months. Warm up or toast before eating.
Make It Vegan or Dairy Free
Substitute the butter for vegetable oil or applesauce, and use almond milk instead of half and half. Replace the eggs with your favorite egg substitute. 
Tips and Tricks
  • You can add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or raisins to this recipe.
  • I use cup-for-cup gluten free all-purpose flour for this pumpkin muffin recipe. Every gluten-free flour blend is a little bit different. Use your favorite blend for this recipe, but results may vary!
  • A higher acid dairy like half and half or cream will help the muffin tops rise. 
  • Make sure the baking powder says ‘double acting’.
  • Don’t over-mix the batter, it’ll keep the muffins from rising properly.

Nutrition

Calories: 207kcal (10%)Carbohydrates: 33g (11%)Protein: 4g (8%)Fat: 8g (12%)Saturated Fat: 4g (25%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 57mg (19%)Sodium: 93mg (4%)Potassium: 199mg (6%)Fiber: 3g (13%)Sugar: 20g (22%)Vitamin A: 4479IU (90%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 90mg (9%)Iron: 1mg (6%)
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