Gluten Free Maple Pecan Pumpkin Muffins (V, GF): an easy recipe for deliciously moist, pumpkin spice muffins topped with maple glazed pecans. Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy-Free, Healthy, Refined Sugar-Free.
First there was chocolate pumpkin bread, then an apple crisp, then coconut chips, and then… wait for it… more pumpkin!! Make that Gluten Free Maple Pecan Pumpkin Muffins! Last year, I shared these skillet-roasted maple pecans. I loved the recipe, but didn’t think folks would get that excited about it. But, ya did. Like, really did.
Big time.
So this year, since it’s just one week away from the official first day of fall in the Northern Hemisphere (can I get a what what for looking this up??), I thought it’d be the perfect time to combine two of our fall favorites: pumpkins and maple pecans! You happy? 🙂
Once you bite into one of these muffins, you’ll instantly be transported into fall (nevermind that it’s almost fall… oh, you know what I mean!). All of the things you’ve been dreaming about all year long: the cozy aroma of ground cinnamon, the uniquely bright and cheerful color of pumpkin, fresh-baked goods coming straight out of the deliciously warm oven, and the cartoon-perfect swirls of steam coming off your perfectly domed-topped muffins. They’re here.
It’s time to finally break out the pecans, dust off your poorly neglected muffin pans, and warm up the oven. These refined sugar-free (woot woot), gluten free Maple Pecan Pumpkin Muffins are my mom’s new favorite/oft-requested treat. Now that I’m living so close to her, it’s very easy to drop off my latest creations.
The last few treats I dropped off at my mom’s were: pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, paleo apple crisp, maple pecan granola, and these maple pecan muffins. The verdict: FIVE STARS!! Yep, my mom actually yells that and pumps her fists in the air now. Ever since I told her that her stoic, “sure, sure” isn’t much of a helpful review, she’s switched to one of two responses:
- Um… that’s o-kaaaaaaay (Translation: Danger, Will Robinson!!! Throw out this recipe immediately. It stinks big time.)
- FIVE STARS!!! *fist pumps (Translation: well, five stars!)
I literally cringe when she says, “that’s o-kaaaaaaay.” Then Erik is like, “Grams, you can’t say that!!!” And then my mom is like, “that’s o-kaaaaay. What’s wrong with okay??” Oh, Grams. Honest to a fault. But at least you know what you’re getting right? 😉
So now that we all officially have my mom’s approval on record, we may proceed! These Gluten Free Maple Pecan Pumpkin Muffins are basically baked goods full of fall fun/awesomeness/yum/…quick-someone-get-me-a-thesaurus! Jazz hands!
When in doubt, shout “JAZZ HANDS!!!”
The maple glazed topping is sooooo easy to make, and of course, made with the least amount of sugar I could possibly manage. Remember to use a large cookie scoop to scoop and drop the muffin batter for a nice rounded top. As I’ve mentioned before, my all-time favorite scoop to use is this ice cream scoop. I know, it’s kind of funny, but the darn thing works SO well. It’s how I got the perfectly domed tops that you see in the photo here.
Once those muffins are safely and snugly sitting in their muffin cups, it’s time to prep the pecans! All you have to do is add the pecans and maple syrup to a small bowl, fold and stir until coated, and voila! It’s time to sprinkle those bad boys onto the muffin tops.
Super easy, right?
The result is so incredibly delicious and amazing: moist pumpkin muffins bursting with warm spices and pecans, then topped with glazed maple pecans. When you take that first bite, you’ll be amazed at the pop of maple flavor. It’s splendid.
Just in case I don’t have you convinced yet, let me tell you all about these Gluten Free Maple Pecan Pumpkin Muffins. They’re:
- made in just 2 bowls (blame the maple pecans for that extra bowl!) 😉
- just-right moist
- bursting with ¾ cup pecans in the batter
- and… of course, a generous ¼ cup pecans on top
- deliciously made with the warm spices you love
- vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free
- plenty of your favorite fall flavors rolled into one: pumpkin spice, cinnamon, maple, pecans
- wonderfully refined sugar-free
- plant-based and allergy-friendly
- made with the simple, whole and healthy ingredients you love
- totally FIVE STAR rated by my mom, like woah!
Are you ready for this jelly? Okay, by ‘jelly’ I mean muffins. It’s time to whisk, stir, fold and chop our way to the coziest goshdarn fall, like, EVER. I’ll grab the orange and brown leaf-print aprons, you grab the pumpkins? 😉 I’m so excited to spice up the holidays with you. Thank you for baking and making all the wonderful treats here with me. I can’t wait to hear what you think of this recipe. In the meantime, tell me:
What are your happiest fall memories?
Sending you all my love and maybe even a dove, xo Demeter ❤
And a few Fall-inspired Plant-based, Allergy-Friendly Recipes for the road…
- 4 Ingredient Vegan Candied Pecans
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Super Fudgy Paleo Maple Pecan Brownies
- Paleo Apple Crisp
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies
- Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
- Gluten Free Banana Muffins
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SHOP THE RECIPE
Here are a few items I used in today’s recipe. .
Muffin Pan | Organic Pumpkin Puree | Coconut Oil | Parchment Cupcake Liners | Glass Mixing Bowls | Silicone Spatulas | Maple Syrup | Coconut Sugar
Gluten Free Maple Pecan Pumpkin Muffins (GF, Vegan, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free)
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
Description
Gluten Free Maple Pecan Pumpkin Muffins (V, GF): an easy recipe for deliciously moist, pumpkin spice muffins topped with maple glazed pecans. Vegan, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Healthy, Refined Sugar-Free.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup 100% pure pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water, whisk together, set for 15 mins)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free oat flour – if using homemade oat flour, make sure it’s very finely ground (not coarse)*
- ½ cup almond meal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice**
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Add-in Ingredients
- ¾ cup pecans, chopped
Toppings
- ¼ cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place cupcake liners in a standard, 12-muffin pan. Set aside.
- Add the wet ingredients to a large bowl: pumpkin, coconut oil, maple syrup, sugar, flax egg, and vanilla. Whisk until well incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients: oat flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, spice and salt. Whisk together until just incorporated, making sure no flour patches remain. If needed, use a rubber spatula to fold in the last bit of flour. Fold in ¾ cup pecans.
- Using a large scoop, scoop and drop batter evenly into the muffin pan. I like using this ice cream scoop to create a beautiful round top. If needed, use a rubber spatula to smooth batter into an even layer with a domed top. Note: batter will bake up very close to how it looks raw.
- In a small bowl, add Topping ingredients: 1/4 cup pecans and 1 teaspoon maple syrup. Stir and fold until pecans are well-coated in maple syrup. Evenly sprinkle maple pecans over muffins. Gently press into muffin tops. Bake for 18-25 minutes. Mine took 20 minutes.
- Allow to cool on a cooling rack for 1 hour, or until completely cool. Enjoy! Storing instructions below.
Notes
- Adapted from my One Bowl Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread and my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins.
- *If using homemade oat flour, make sure to sift the flour to remove coarse bits of oats that could create grainy, overly moist muffins.
- **Instead of pumpkin pie spice, you can use: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, and ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg.
- Storage notes: Cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- To freeze: store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Allow to thaw at room temperature for 10-20 minutes, or heat in the microwave in 15-second increments until warm.
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Muffins, Fall, Thanksgiving, Gluten Free, Vegan, Healthy, Whole Grain, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
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If you enjoyed these plant-based, allergy-friendly Gluten Free Maple Pecan Pumpkin Muffins, then you’ll just love these delicious healthy recipes:
☀︎ More Gluten Free Vegan Bread, Muffins & Fall Recipes ☀︎
Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Bread (Whole Grain, V, GF, DF) | One Bowl Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (Vegan, Dairy-Free, GF) | Skillet-Roasted Maple Cinnamon Pecans (Paleo, Gluten-Free, V) | One Bowl Gluten Free Vegan Pumpkin Bread (V, GF, Dairy-Free) | No Bake Paleo Chocolate Pecan Bars (V, GF, Refined Sugar-Free) | Maple Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten-Free, Vegan) | and… No Bake Brownie Energy Bites, just for fun. 😉
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Although not gluten/dairy free vegan myself, I have a number of friends who are. We frequently joke “it’s vegan, gluten-free and probably tasteless” when we try a new recipe. This muffin recipe was very delicious (definitely NOT tasteless) and enjoyed by the group- even those not on restricted diets. This recipe is a keeper. Thanks!
★★★★★
Omigosh, that joke!! Haha. Yep, basically true most of the time… except when you’re here (I hope!). I do try my best to make my VGF recipes as tasty as possible, so it means the world to me that you and your friends enjoyed it. 🙂 Thanks for letting me know. Happy baking & eating!
I tried making these for my friends dad.
They were really good. I used a combination
of maple sugar and coconut sugar.
I also made a gluten free streusel to top them.
My friends father thought they were awesome.
That’s so sweet of you! I’m glad everyone enjoyed the recipe. 🙂
I made these for me. My grandkids wanted to try them and now the won’t stop bugging me to make more. Excellent recipe. Thanks.
Haha how cute! I’m so happy you and the grandkids are enjoying the recipe Anna!
These are delicious. I loved the texture. I used applesauce instead of oil. Thanks for a yummy recipe.
★★★★★
It’s so wonderful to hear that you enjoyed my recipe, Christina! 🙂 Thank YOU for letting me know (also about the applesauce sub!). Happy baking!
Would it be possible to use only maple syrup (increasing the amount if needed for sweetness) and leave out the coconut sugar?
Hi Juliet, you’d most likely need to increase the maple syrup to account for the missing coconut sugar–but how much, I’m not sure as I haven’t tried it. Maybe by 1/4 cup or so? Good luck!
I tried it, i just double maple syrup and it works , so delicious!!
Are these similar in texture to the easy blueberry and the lemon muffins or do they come out a little denser like the banana blueberry muffins? It seems like the pumpkin may be like the mashed banana and I found that when I used the banana instead of the plant based milk like in the banana blueberry, it came out just a little more dense. Would the pumpkin muffins be similar before I make?
Hi Pam, these pumpkin muffins are pretty dense & pumpkin-bread-like. I recommend trying The recipe as-is, then, if it’s not dense enough for you, trying your banana swap. Enjoy!
Would it matter if I used the lighter almond flour instead of the meal or do you think it specifically needs the unblanched almond meal?
Hi Pam! If you use blanched almond flour, it will give the muffins a lighter texture compared to the meal, but both will work. Happy baking!
Made these this week! They are DELICIOUS!!!
That’s awesome, Bernadette! I’m so happy to hear it. 🙂 Happy baking!
Made these according to the recipe, but substituted monk fruit extract 1:1 for the coconut sugar, and I used egg replacer instead of flax egg. They were excellent! Best muffins ever!
★★★★★
Oooh, I love that you used monk fruit extract and it worked! Did you use granulated monkfruit (such as Lakanto monkfruit sweetener)? I’m so happy you enjoyed them!! 🙂
Not my usual to comment but these were so delicious! They turned out just like the picture and were a hit with everyone I shared. It’s hard to share when you want them all yourself.
★★★★★
LOL I know what you mean Patty! . I am so happy to hear that the muffins were such a hit!
These are so decadent that they taste like exotic cupcakes! I made a batch in August and savored every last one of them. I substituted monkfruit for the coconut sugar to reduce the calorie count (sometimes works, sometimes dries out breads, etc) and was grateful that it worked out fine. Thanks for the fun recipes .
★★★★★
Oh my! Your description alone made me drool! I love that you used monkfruit and it worked so well. Thank goodness! Thanks so much for reporting back & letting me know how it turned out. Happy baking, Cat!
These are terrific and are what I take to family and church dinners. Last week I made these for our Pastor who can’t have white sugar or white flour – he raved about them!
I am so grateful for your efforts and recipes because I haven’t only made them for vegans and gluten-sensitive loved ones, but they have also helped hubs and me eat healthier, thank-you!
★★★★★
Woohoo!!! I’m so happy to hear that these are such a big hit! 🙂 I am truly so grateful to you, Cindy, for taking the time to try my recipes and to leave such wonderful feedback. Here’s to many more heathy treats that’s truly satisfy!
How big is your can of pumpkin puree?
Hi Tracy! I use 15 oz cans of pure pumpkin purée. Hope this helps!
Hi there…I can’t wait to try these. I have more of a curious question I guess. Is there a way to make this recipe into a loaf? Any thoughts on how long I would need to cook it? I plan on doing the cupcakes, but I was thinking your recipe would be wonderful as a cake or loaf as well. Thank you either way! And thank you for all your creative juices! Life is good with you in it!
Hi Blue Dawn (what a pretty name)! Use the recipe for my Gluten Free Vegan Pumpkin Bread. 🙂 Thank you for your kind words!! Hugs!
I made these exactly as written except for subbing in brown sugar for coconut sugar and I love them! Finding a gluten free, egg free muffin has not been easy. A lot of baked goods without eggs fall flat. It must be the pumpkin puree that adds the missing structure. These are delicious and nutritious! Thanks! I’m off to peruse your other muffin recipes 🙂
★★★★★
I’m SO happy to hear that you love these, Deborah. 🙂 My main goal with this recipe was to get that domed top (with a little help from an ice cream scoop). 😉 Can’t wait to hear what you try next. Enjoy!
I appreciate the recipes you post and have tried several of them. I notice you use oat flour in numerous recipes. Is there a substitute for oat flour? All wheat flours are out for me and so is oat. Thank you!
Hi Lori! Thank you for the kind words. You can try substituting the oat flour for a GF 1:1 blend using the same quantities. I’ve had other readers do this on various recipes with good results. Happy baking!
Hi! These look amazing. I want to make them for Thanksgiving, but my father in law is allergic to pecans. Strangely, he’s ok with almonds but not with pecans. Can I leave out the pecans, or should I substitute them with almonds?
★★★★★
Hi Kathleen! Thank you! Yes, you may substitute the pecans with almonds. I hope you both enjoy these muffins! 🙂
Hi! I made these as written and they are to die for! Somehow my batter made more than 12 muffins so I put the extra in a mini loaf pan. Maybe I didn’t fill the muffin cups enough (need to get that scoop!). These are wonderful in taste and texture and the points I earned with my vegan son didn’t hurt, either, lol. Thank-you, Demeter, for the recipe.
★★★★★
Hi Cindy! It’s fantastic to hear that you enjoyed these so much. 🙂 Batter: yeah, I definitely wanted these muffins to be nice and big! I’m always here & happy to help you score points with your vegan son. 😉 Thanks for taking the time to let me know. Hugs!
Wow, these look absolutely insane. And I mean that in the absolute best way possible. Definitely need to try!
Thanks Karly! Hope you love them! 🙂
I was wondering if I could sub out the flax egg for egg replacer, in this recipe, and any of your other delicious recipes?
Thanks,
Melissa
Hi Melissa, great question! Yes, I think that would work just fine in most of my recipes (except for ones calling for a “modified flax egg”). I’ve had a few readers try egg replacer with good results. Can’t wait to hear what you try!
These muffins are fantastic, thanks for sharing this recipe!!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Julie! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know!
Love these muffins as i knew i would as i love anything pumpkin. Because i’m on a low fat diet i sub the coconut oil with the liquid from a can of white beans AKA auguafaba.Mine took like 35 minutes to cook.Thanks for the recipe ; )
★★★★★
It’s so wonderful to hear that you loved these, Scott! What a creative way to substitute the coconut oil. I’ve got to try it some time! Thanks for stopping by and leaving feedback. 🙂
Wow ! These are perfect !
★★★★★
And thank you for taking the time to leave a rating! 🙂
Hi, I’ll be making these muffins tomorrow…they look divine !
Is there a way to print your recipe ? Maybe I’m missing it.
Thanks,
Deb
Hi Deb, thank you! The print button is right below the square photo thumbnail, right next to the “save” button. Feel free to email me if you need further help (I can send you a screenshot there). Can’t wait to hear what you think! 🙂
I just didn’t see where to print…thank you !
I made the muffins today and omg, they are fabulous and my husband loves them too !
Can’t wait to try more of your gf, vegan recipes.
Thanks again,
Deb
Phew! So happy you found it. 🙂 I’m so happy to hear that you and your husband loved them! Seriously can’t wait to see what you try next! 🙂
Hi… My husband is allergic to flax seeds and almonds… so what would you substitute for them?
★★★★
Hi Isabel, you can substitute the ground flax with ground chia seeds. 🙂 Make the chia “egg” just as you’d make the flax egg. As for substituting the almond meal, here’s what I said to another reader about that: “you can try subbing the almond meal with: 1) 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons oat flour, OR, 2) 1/2 cup sunflower meal (sunflower seeds ground to a meal). You might need to adjust the amounts to get just the right texture!” Hope this helps. Let me know how it turns out for you! 🙂 P.S. Cashew meal might work too!
I am wondering if I can substitute date sugar for coconut sugar and avocado oil for coconut oil? These look amazing!
Hi Kim, hmm… good question. I’ve never tried using either of those subs in this recipe, but they sound like they might work. Let me know how they turn out if you try it! 🙂 Happy baking!
How many Eggs does this call for instead of doing flax egg ?? Thanks !!
Hi Miriam! It’s typically a 1:1 ratio. So in this recipe, you’d use one egg to replace the one flax egg. Hope you love it! 🙂
These were AMAZING! I made a double batch and put mini chocolate chips in half for my kiddos and then the pecans in the other half. Both were so yummy!
★★★★★
Fantastic! I’m so pleased that you and your family enjoyed these. 🙂 Such a great idea to do half a batch for the kiddos and the other half for yourself. Thanks for sharing how they turned out. 🙂
Can you sub the coconut sugar for brown sugar or organic cane sugar? Will it change the texture much?
Hi Cailey, you should be able to use brown sugar with similar results. 🙂 Can’t wait to hear how these turn out!
LOVE how pumpkin keeps muffins so moist and delicious. These look ab-fab!
Right!! Thanks so much!
Hi! Is there another type of flour you think I could use instead of oat flour to make these muffins Paleo? Like possibly coconut or almond flour??
Hi Sami, unfortunately, coconut flour and almond flour have very different absorbency levels than oat flour (which completely affect the end results). I’m afraid there’s no easy/quick way to sub them. Sorry about that!
Maybe sub buckwheat flour? I’m allergic to oats & try to use that as a substitution whenever I can.
Thanks for the suggestion, Tracy! Let me know if you try that and how it turns out. 🙂
Can you replace almond flour with anything else?? Thanks!!
Hi Theresa, I haven’t tried subbing the almond flour. However, you can try subbing the almond meal with: 1) 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons oat flour, OR, 2) 1/2 cup sunflower meal (sunflower seeds ground to a meal). You might need to adjust the amounts to get just the right texture! 🙂 Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Thank you for your reply:)
I will let you know if I make it with these substitutions!
These muffins look absolutely delicious, Demeter! Pumpkin muffins are definitely a favourite of mine to eat in the mornings (no matter the time of year)! 🙂
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Marsha! 🙂 Pumpkin is sooo tasty all year-round!
Can you please tell me, is this recipe using commercially canned pumpkin? My homemade pumpkin puree is usually thinner (more like applesauce), so I should adjust it if that is the case. This recipe sounds SO YUMMY! Thanks!
Hi Sarah, yep, I’m using canned pumpkin. My pumpkin puree was quite thick, not at all like applesauce–so it’d be a fantastic idea to adjust. Can’t wait to hear what you think! 🙂
Thanks for the prompt reply! I will have see what I can do to adjust, ’cause the muffins sound like they would be worth it! 😉