Paleo Pumpkin Muffins

Paleo Pumpkin Muffins are what fall dreams are made of! They’re made with almond flour, sweetened with maple syrup and filled with walnuts for added texture, making them the perfect gluten free muffin. 

Have I mentioned I’m obsessed with these paleo pumpkin muffins? Because I am! I tested them several times to make sure they were the perfect texture, and just the right amount of pumpkin spice. 

See, I adore muffins, and lately I’ve really taken a liking to gluten free muffins. There’s my almond flour banana muffins, coconut flour banana muffins and the very popular almond flour blueberry muffins -- prepare yourself to add these pumpkin muffins to your list of “favorites!’.

I love the subtle sweetness the maple syrup, along with the pumpkin pie spices, add to this pumpkin muffins recipe. I love using maple syrup in baked goods (looking at you, almond flour chocolate cake), but it really brings out the fall flavors in these muffins. 

Recipe features

• They’re made with almond flour and sweetened with maple syrup, making them both gluten free AND paleo
• Perfectly moist thanks to the pumpkin!
• Loaded with walnuts for added texture, but could easily swap in chocolate chips or pecans if you prefer. 

Ingredient notes:

• Eggs - No substitution! Since these are made with almond flour, the eggs help to bind everything together. If you make these without eggs and they turn out, please let me know!
  
• Pumpkin - Make sure you’re using pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix.

• Maple syrup - In my opinion, pumpkin and maple syrup are a match made in heaven. You can substitute honey if you prefer, but they won’t be as sweet. 

• Almond flour - In order to achieve the correct texture, I recommend using almond flour, not almond meal. 

• Coconut sugar - Optional. I think a small amount of coconut sugar makes these muffins PERFECT, but if you want them to be less sweet, simply omit the sugar. 

• Pumpkin pie spices - For these muffins in particular, I think using separate spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice) rather than actual pumpkin pie spice works best. 

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Whisk the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, pumpkin, maple syrup, and vanilla together until smooth.

Step 2: Add the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, stir the almond flour, coconut sugar, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and walnuts together. Then, pour the dry ingredients into the wet, and use a rubber spatula to stir until the flour disappears. 

Step 3: Divide the batter. Grease or line a muffin tin, then divide the batter (the recipe makes 14-16 muffins, so it won’t all first the first round). 

Step 4: Bake the muffins. Place the tin in the oven and bake the muffins for 23-26 muffins, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Leave the muffins in the tin for 5 minutes, then use a knife to carefully remove the muffins and transfer them onto a cooling rack.

Expert tips and FAQs

• Be careful not to over-mix your muffin batter—a few small lumps of flour are ok!
• If you’re not a fan of walnuts, try adding chocolate chips instead (so they'll taste just like my pumpkin pie overnight oats!).
• To avoid any lumps in the batter, sift the almond flour through a fine mesh strainer before using it.
• If you’re using muffin liners, make sure to spray each one with nonstick spray before adding the batter so the muffins don’t stick to the liners.

Can I make paleo pumpkin bread instead?

You should be able to. Follow the recipe as written, then transfer the batter into a bread pan and bake it for closer to 45 minutes.

Can I use almond meal in this recipe?

You can! If you use almond meal instead of almond flour, the recipe should turn out fine. However, the texture will be grainer and less smooth, so keep that in mind.

How can I tell when the muffins are done?

You’ll know these paleo pumpkin muffins are truly done once you insert a toothpick into the center and it comes out clean or with only a few crumbs on it. If the toothpick has batter on it, you’ll need to bake them for a bit longer. 

Storage

• Room temperature: Line a container with a paper towel, place the muffins on top, place another paper towel overtop, then seal the container. Store muffins in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days. 

• Freezer: Wait for the muffins to cool completely, then wrap each muffin in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. 

More gluten free recipes

• Chocolate Avocado Cake
• Almond Flour Cupcakes
• Flourless Pumpkin Bars

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!