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It may sound hard to believe, but you can make a delicious, perfectly fluffy muffin without using flour, oil, or refined sugar. It’s magical!
These muffins originated years ago when I was experimenting with my almond butter blondie recipe. I was trying to make them with a different sweetener, and accidentally added an extra egg to the batter, but the result was amazingly fluffy. I knew they had to be turned into muffins!
Adding pumpkin puree to the mix makes the batter light and fluffy, with the perfect hint of Fall flavor. And since pumpkin puree is available canned year-round, you won’t have to wait for pumpkins to hit the shelves before trying them.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“These muffins are SO good. I think I’ve made them every week since I found this recipe.” -Noelle
Paleo Pumpkin Muffin Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Almond Butter. Instead of using flour or oil, almond butter provides both fiber and healthy fats. I recommend shopping for one without a strong, roasted flavor. (I like Trader Joe’s “Raw” Almond Butter or homemade almond butter.)
- Pumpkin Puree. I use canned pumpkin puree for convenience. Since this recipe doesn’t call for the entire can of pumpkin, I’ll share more recipes below so you can use it all up.
- Maple Syrup. This natural sweetener provides the perfect flavor and promotes a fluffy texture as the muffins bake.
- Eggs. These not only bind the muffins together, but also create an airy texture. Don’t use an egg substitute in this recipe, as the results won’t be the same.
- Baking Powder. Not all baking powder is Paleo-friendly, as it can contain cornstarch. Shop for one that is made with arrowroot, or substitute this with 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda for slightly less lift as the muffins bake.
- Spices. Pumpkin pie spice and salt complete the flavor profile, but if you don’t have the spice blend on hand, I’ve included a homemade version below.
Variation: For a chocolate brownie-like experience, try my Double Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins, which are also Paleo-friendly.
How to Make Paleo Pumpkin Muffins
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a standard muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
In a large bowl, combine the almond butter, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, eggs, baking powder, pumpkin spice, and sea salt. Stir the batter well until it is smooth.
Step 2:
Use a 1/4 cup measure to divide the batter among the muffin liners, and sprinkle the tops with chopped pecans, walnuts, or chocolate chips. (You can also stir the mix-ins into the center of the muffin if you like.)
Bake at 350ºF until the muffins rise and look firm in the center, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Serving & Storage Tips
Let the muffins cool in the muffin pan for at least 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. They have an amazingly fluffy texture, without using any flour!
This paleo muffin recipe should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days for the best shelf life. Or you can store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond butter
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (or 1/2 teaspoon baking soda)
- 2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips, walnuts, or raisins (optional mix-ins)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF, and line a muffin tin with 12 parchment paper liners. (I don't recommend making these without a liner, as grain-free baking is prone to sticking.)
- In a large bowl, combine the almond butter, pumpkin, maple syrup, eggs, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Stir well, until the batter is completely smooth.
- Fold in any of the optional add-ins, then use a 1/4 cup measure to scoop the batter evenly among the 12 baking cups. Top with a few extra chocolate chips or walnuts, if you like.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 350ºF, until the centers puff up and feel firm to a light touch. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Because these muffins are pretty moist, store them in the fridge for the best shelf life. They will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or you can freeze them for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Pumpkin Spice Latte (~1 T per serving)
- Pumpkin Oatmeal (1/4 cup)
- Dairy-Free Pumpkin Ice Cream (1 cup)
- Savory Pumpkin Pasta Sauce (1 cup)
- Pumpkin Mug Cake (1/4 cup)
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
- Banana Almond Meal Muffins
- Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
- Almond Flour Muffins
- Spiced Applesauce Paleo Muffins
If you try this Paleo Pumpkin Muffin recipe, please leave a comment below letting me know how you like them.
So easy to whip up and we both loved them.
I added walnuts and dark chocolate chips.
Thanks so much for providing good, healthy recipes!
Just made these for these second time. Added a handful of chopped pecans and some raisins and turned out very tasty 🙂
So good! I followed the recipe but made 6 jumbo muffins instead of 12 standard muffins. Baking time was 25 minutes.
Love these. Indeed very fluffy, also very tasty, couldn’t be easier to make.
This recipe turned out really good! My husband is on a diet to help beat cancer (based on ChrisBeatCancer Square One program) and has cut out pretty much all carbs. He does use maple syrup on occasion and honey daily in tea. Lol So I cut the maple syrup back to 1/2 a cup, and it still tasted great! I added raisins in it to help with sweetness. 🙂 I used carrot puree instead of pumpkin, just to try it, and you can’t tell the difference!!
I didn’t have almond butter on hand, so made that according your directions, and wow is it so much better than store bought!!!! I made it in the food processor, took OUT half a cup, then added the rest of the ingredients (minus the raisins😄) and mixed it in the processor…save me another dish! Then I mixed the raisins in with a spoon. I also put it in a baking dish (I think its 8×11) with parchment paper and that worked great! I have been loving several of you recipes, bout your 2 detox books, and am looking forward to trying many more!! Thank you so much!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the muffins AND almond butter, Amanda. Mixing them together all in the food processor is genius. Hope you enjoy the recipes in my cookbooks, too!
Has anyone used a protein based almond butter like Rxin this recipe? It could use a lil
Protein! I would scale back the maple syrup to compensate
Have made these multiple times. I love the texture of these muffins–they’re so light and hold together so well, despite being grain-free!
Question: could I make this recipe into a 9×13 sheet cake?
Would flax egg work in place of
Eggs?
There used to be an old Pumpkin Spice Recipe on your site that I used many times, the photo had chocolate chunks in it, and the recipe was very similar without flax. What happened to that one?
This post just got updated, so you’ll see it here now without the flax!
I’ve made these at least a dozen times and they are a family favorite now! I don’t use cupcake liners, but use a greased silicone cupcake pan and they don’t stick at all! Thank you for this delicious healthy recipe!
Hi, I love your site! After having my son, i wanted real healthy snacks and I found your recipe for spinach muffins (for picky eaters). My son (and all my friends) loved it! For this recipe, is there an alternative for the ground flax seed. Thank you so much for providing healthy and easy recipes!
Ground chia seeds would be the most similar swap, or you can use a little more almond butter instead.
Oh my word!!! These are amazing! Just made them, I don’t use baking powder so I did a third of a tsp of baking soda and 2/3 tsp of cream of tartar. I can’t believe how moist and fluffy they are! I was surprised that there was nearly no flavor from the almond butter and that the pumpkin really came through after they were cooked. Will be keeping this recipe on hand!