Quick and easy vegan pumpkin oatmeal muffins you can make plain or with your favourite add-in. They’re fluffy, moist, and filled with warm spices. These delicious snacks are also dairy-free, egg-free and can be made refined sugar-free and gluten-free, too!
Another pumpkin recipe? Of course! It's that time of year, pumpkin season! Today, it's these amazing vegan pumpkin oatmeal muffins that are perfect to enjoy with coffee, tea, or just on their own.
I usually add chocolate chips to mine, but if you don't want to do the same, feel free to use a different add-in you prefer. See below for some options.
Before you head down further, bookmark these other delicious vegan muffin recipes to make this week (or next week!) for meal prep and snacks.
Ingredients You'll Need
In addition to basic, simple muffin ingredients, you'll need a few others to make these special. Keep reading for details and substitution info for each one.
Ingredient and Substitution Notes
Flour - This recipe was developed and tested to be just vegan or vegan AND gluten-free, so you have two choices for the flour you use.
For vegan gluten-free pumpkin oatmeal muffins: Use Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-free Flour Blend in the RED bag.
For vegan pumpkin oatmeal muffins: Use all-purpose white flour.
I have not tested this recipe with any other type of flour than those mentioned above, so if you use something different, your result may not be the same as mine.
NOTE: Measuring flour accurately for baking is essential if you want to get the best results. Read this article: "How to Measure Flour Correctly" before you start.
Rolled Oats – The only type of oats you can use in this recipe is old-fashioned rolled oats. If you're making the vegan gluten-free version of this recipe, make sure that your oats are certified gluten-free.
Steel-cut oats and quick-cooking / instant oats / quick oats cannot be used since they have different textures than rolled oats and will affect the texture of your muffins.
Pumpkin Purée - Make sure to use unsweetened pure pumpkin purée (either canned pumpkin purée or homemade pumpkin purée) and NOT pumpkin pie filling. If you don't have access to pumpkin, you can use a different puréed squash, like butternut squash since their flavours are similar.
Sugar – You can use either brown sugar or coconut sugar, but note that each type calls for a different amount, so pay attention to that when making the recipe. I have not tried making it with liquid sweeteners (like pure maple syrup or agave) or any sugar alternatives, so I'm not sure if they would work well.
Oil - Use a neutral-flavoured vegetable oil, like safflower, or sunflower. Melted coconut oil can also be used, but make sure your other ingredients are at room temperature when adding the coconut oil so it does not solidify when it's combined with the other ingredients.
I have not tried to make these muffins oil-free; the combination of the oil and pumpkin gives these muffins their extra soft and moist texture.
Flax Eggs – This recipe is made without eggs, so flax eggs are used as an egg replacer. Chia eggs can be instead of flax to keep the recipe eggless.
Spices – You can either use a pre-made pumpkin spice blend or you can use a mix of three different spices, see the recipe notes.
Baking Powder and Baking Soda - Both of these ingredients help the muffins to rise and give them the proper texture. Make sure they are both fresh.
Vanilla Extract and Salt - Both are important for enhancing the flavour of the muffins.
Mini Chocolate Chips- This is one of my favourite ingredients to add to muffins, but they can easily be replaced with raisins, chopped walnuts or pecans, dried cranberries, dried currants, pumpkin seeds, or even sunflower seeds.
You also have the choice to not use an add-in. If you don't use one, the muffins will be a little smaller since each one will have less volume. You'll also need to take a minute or two off the baking time.
Need a warm drink to enjoy alongside your muffin? How about an almond milk latte, an oat milk latte, a vegan pumpkin spice latte or an oat milk hot chocolate?
How to Make Them
(Note: I’ve outlined the step-by-step on how to make this recipe here, but find the full recipe, ingredients, and directions in the recipe card at the end of this post.)
1. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a small bowl, and set aside.
2. Mix the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
3. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together to form a batter.
4. Add the mini chocolate chips (or other add-in, see above) to the batter and fold them in.
5. Divide the muffin batter into your prepared muffin pan. You can use either a spoon or a trigger ice cream scoop to do this, just make sure to divide it evenly so all of the muffins are the same size and finish at the same time.
6. This step is optional, but if you'd like, you can sprinkle a small amount of rolled oats or mini chocolate chips on top of each muffin.
7. Bake.
8. Carefully remove the muffin tin from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes before transferring the muffins.
Next, carefully remove the muffins from the muffin pan and place them on a wire rack to cool. Serve your pumpkin oat muffins warm or fully cooled.
Storing and Freezing
Store them in an airtight container for up to four days. As with all muffins, they will be at their best on the same day and the day after they are made.
Freezing
To freeze, once thoroughly cooled, wrap them individually, place them in a container or freezer bag, and freeze for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature when you are ready for them.
What's the Texture Like?
The texture is soft, moist, and fluffy, BUT, to replicate my results, you must follow the recipe exactly as it’s written. This applies to both versions of the recipe.
If you make any changes or substitutions, other than what is listed above in the “Ingredient and Substitution Notes” section, you risk your muffins not turning out as they should.
Tips for Success
- Measure and have all your ingredients ready to go before starting. This will make the process run smoothly, quickly, and easily.
- Measure your ingredients correctly. I highly recommend using a scale (this is the one I have) and my weight measurements. Please read my article about how to measure flour correctly.
- Use the same flour I use. If you're making the vegan gluten-free version, remember that vegan gluten-free baking can be tricky because different flours and blends produce different results. To get the same results I do, please use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour (in the RED bag!).
- Make sure your baking powder and baking soda are fresh. These ingredients are very important for the muffins to have the correct texture. If they are not fresh, your muffins will turn out dense and gummy.
- Use a trigger ice cream scoop to add the batter to the muffin pan. If you don’t have a scoop, use a tablespoon. Make sure that each muffin cup has roughly the same amount of batter so they are all the same size and finish baking at the same time.
- Don’t over-bake or your muffins will dry out.
- Read this post from top to bottom before you start. I’ve shared lots of tips so you get things right. Also, read through the actual recipe before getting started.
- Follow the recipe exactly as it’s written for the very best results.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, they can but they will need to be baked for less time. Bake them for 10-11 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the largest muffin comes out clean.
If you prefer to not include the oats, you can make my pumpkin muffins instead, they can also be made just vegan or vegan and gluten-free.
I don't recommend it since pumpkin pie filling contains added ingredients like sugar and spices. Using it will throw the flavour of your muffins off. Stick with canned pure pumpkin or homemade fresh pumpkin purée. The only ingredient should be “pumpkin.”
Love muffins? Then make sure to browse through all of my vegan muffin recipes to find some more to make!
If You Make This Recipe...
Please tell me all about your delicious pumpkin oatmeal muffins, I'd love to hear how things went. Leave me a comment and star rating below and/or post a picture on Instagram and tag me so I can see, I'm @delightfuladventures.
If You Like This Recipe...
Then you may like these other delicious and easy vegan pumpkin recipes:
Vegan Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins
Suggested Equipment:
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- 6 tablespoons water
- 1 ¼ cups (175g) gluten free flour blend OR all-purpose white flour (if using all-purpose flour, use 1 ¼ cups (156g), **please see important notes about flour below**
- ¾ cup (75g) rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (see note below)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (240g) unsweetened pumpkin puree
- ⅔ cup (133g) brown sugar (or ¾ cup 113g coconut sugar)
- ¼ cup (60ml) oil (see note below)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (90g) mini chocolate chips (optional, or another add-in of your choice, see note below)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Prepare your flax eggs by whisking together ground flax seeds and water. Set aside to thicken for 10 minutes.
- Add muffin liners to your muffin pan or generously grease the inside of each cup with oil.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and flax eggs together.
- Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir until combined, don't over-mix.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Using a spoon or a large scoop, divide the batter into the 12 muffin cups.
- OPTIONAL: Sprinkle a little bit of rolled oats, mini chocolate chips, nuts, or seeds on top of each muffin.
- Bake for 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the largest muffin comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the muffin pan for a few minutes, then remove and place them on a cooling rack.
Recipe Notes:
- Please read all of the info above and below before making this recipe.
- The cup amount for both types of flour is the same but the weights are different because they have different properties and densities. If you are baking by weight, please take note of each weight and weigh your flour correctly.
- If you are making the vegan gluten-free version, it's important to know that different gluten-free flour blends use different ingredients and ratios, so results will always vary if you substitute. I have never used any other brand of flour to make this recipe (other than Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour (Amazon link) in the red bag, NOT the blue bag), so please know that your results may not be the same as mine if you substitute with another gluten-free flour blend. This recipe will NOT work with coconut flour or any other single gluten-free flour.
- If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, use the following in its place: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon ground ginger.
- Pay attention to the sugar amounts, both options have different cup AND weight measurements.
- Any type of neutral-flavoured oil can be used. If you use melted coconut oil, make sure that all of your ingredients are at room temperature so it doesn't harden when it's added to the recipe.
- If you don't want to use chocolate chips, try raisins, dried currants, chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans), dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds instead.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days.
- To freeze, once they have thoroughly cooled, wrap them tightly, individually, so they're airtight, place them in a container or freezer bag, and freeze for up to two months.
- The nutrition info listed below is based on one muffin made as the recipe is written using gluten-free flour, brown sugar, and mini chocolate chips. The muffins made with all-purpose flour have a calorie count of 207 per muffin. Nutrition info is only to be used as a rough guide. Click here to learn how nutrition info is calculated on this website.
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