1-Bowl Pumpkin Muffins (Vegan + GF)

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Muffin tin filled with freshly baked Vegan Pumpkin Spice Muffins with a Pecan Crumble Topping

You guys, it’s November! (What!?)

Can we still pumpkin?

Please say yes. I have a lot more pumpkin enthusiasm to exert before this year is over.

Stirring wet and dry ingredients together for our gluten-free vegan Pumpkin Spice Muffins recipe

This recipe is inspired by my favorite 1-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread! It’s so tender, crumbly, and bursting with pumpkin flavor I couldn’t resist turning it into muffins.

And the crumb topping is a take on my Vegan Banana Crumb Muffins, which is one of my favorite muffin recipes on the blog.

I took the best of both recipes to make these muffins, which are:

Vegan + gluten-free
Naturally sweetened
(Vegan) butter-free
& 1 bowl required

Sprinkling delicious Pecan Crumble Topping over gluten-free vegan Pumpkin Spices Muffins

I worked hard to perfect the tender yet crumbly texture of the interior of these muffins, and to infuse the perfect amount of sweetness and fall spice. Mission accomplished.

The crumb topping makes these muffins, in my opinion. A mix of coconut oil, muscovado or coconut sugar, pecans, and gluten-free flour creates the perfect crispy, sweet finish. Serious yum.

Tray of vegan, gluten-free, and naturally-sweetened Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Pecan Crumble Topping
Using a fork to slice into a delicious Pumpkin Spice Muffin for a gluten-free vegan fall dessert

I hope you all love these muffins! They’re:

Crumbly
Tender
Pumpkin-y
Sweet
Slightly crisp from the topping
Kind of perfect
& Simple

These would make the perfect take-along snack for work or school. They would also make a lovely holiday gift or dessert for fall parties. And since they’re refined sugar-free, gluten-free, and vegan, everyone can enjoy.

If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and take a picture and tag it @minimalistbaker on Instagram! We’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!

Eight Vegan Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Pecan Crumble Topping for a simple fall dessert

1-Bowl Pumpkin Muffins (Vegan + GF)

1-bowl vegan pumpkin muffins with pecan crumble! Tender, flavorful, and naturally sweetened. The perfect fall snack or dessert!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Two columns of Vegan Pumpkin Crumb Muffins
4.87 from 145 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Servings 9 (muffins)
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Does it keep? 3-4 Days

Ingredients

MUFFINS

  • 1 ½ Tbsp flaxseed meal (to make flax eggs)
  • 4 Tbsp water (to make flax eggs)
  • 2 Tbsp mashed ripe banana
  • 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2/3 cup muscovado sugar* (packed // or sub organic brown sugar or coconut sugar)
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice*
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup almond meal (ground from raw almonds)
  • 3/4 cup rolled oats (certified gluten-free as needed)
  • 1 cup gluten-free flour blend*

CRUMBLE TOP optional

  • 3 Tbsp muscovado sugar (or sub organic brown sugar, organic cane sugar, or coconut sugar)
  • 3 ½ Tbsp gluten-free flour blend
  • 2 Tbsp roughly chopped pecans, pepitas, or walnuts
  • 1 ¼ Tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 pinch each cinnamon + pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (174 C) and lightly grease a standard size muffin tin (will make 9-10 muffins as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Dust with gluten-free flour and shake out excess.
  • Prepare flax eggs by mixing flaxseed meal and water in a large mixing bowl. Let set for 5 minutes.
  • Add banana and mash, leaving just a bit of texture.
  • Add pumpkin purée, muscovado sugar, maple syrup, olive oil, and vanilla extract and whisk for one minute.
  • Stir in baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice, and mix. Add water and whisk once more.
  • Add almond meal, oats, and gluten-free flour blend and stir until just combined. The batter should be thick and scoopable.
  • Divide batter evenly among 9-10 muffin tins (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size), filling all the way full (I like big muffins!).
  • Quickly rinse your mixing bowl and then add crumble ingredients. Mash ingredients together with a fork or your hands until crumbly like wet sand. Generously top muffins with streusel.
  • Bake for 27-32 minutes or until tops are golden brown and a toothpick or knife comes out completely clean. It’s better to slightly over-bake these than under-bake because the gluten-free flour blend takes longer to cook all the way through.
  • Let cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin, then gently remove and cool completely on a cooling rack. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
  • Once completely cooled, store in a covered container at room temp for 3-4 days, though best when fresh. Freeze for longer term storage.

Video

Notes

*If you’re unfamiliar with muscovado sugar, read more about it here! You can also just sub organic brown sugar or coconut sugar (brown sugar being the best alternative).
*If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, use this DIY blend: 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp ground cloves.
*You can substitute an equal amount of our NEW 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the gluten-free flour blend in this recipe.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with crumb topping.
*Recipe adapted from my 1-Bowl Vegan Pumpkin Bread and my Vegan Banana Crumb Muffins.

Nutrition (1 of 9 servings)

Serving: 1 muffin Calories: 329 Carbohydrates: 52.6 g Protein: 4.6 g Fat: 12.7 g Saturated Fat: 3.1 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 341 mg Fiber: 4.9 g Sugar: 27 g

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  1. Lynne says

    Hello
    I have been been trying too find your
    Amaizing Vegetable Muffun Recipe
    Sadly I have misplaced it !!
    It was
    Diced Butternut Roasted
    Herbs
    Also had Crumbled Feta on top.
    Can you Recall this Recipe as it was our Absolute Favourite.
    I think it was about 2018 /2019 !!
    I would be so Greatful if you can recall
    the Recipe.
    Warmest Regard
    Lynne ( Australia)

  2. Lea says

    These muffins did not work out for me. I made a couple minor substitutions, so that could have been part of the issue. I subbed Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free flour instead of making my own flour mix. The crumble on top turned out chewy and was an off flavor. I also used oats from a local farm. I think they are thicker than store-bought, and so, the oats were chewy in the muffins. Mostly, the texture is off and the flavor isn’t that notable in this muffins.

    I’m thinking this isn’t a very versatile recipe, but hopefully it works out better for others! I like the concept.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Sorry they didn’t turn out right, Lea! With the strange flavor and texture, we wonder if perhaps you were using the Bob’s All-Purpose GF Flour (red bag) instead of the 1:1 GF Flour (blue bag)? The all-purpose flour has bean flours in it, which creates a more dense result and bitterness.

      • Lea says

        I did use the 1:1 blue bag. The bag is far from being expired, but now I’m wondering if it may be rancid because of the strange flavor that’s very noticeable in the crumble. Thank you for your response. I would try these again with a different flour. :)

  3. Audrey says

    Delicious! Used 1 large egg, coconut sugar, pumpkin instead of banana, subbed apple sauce for olive oil, did not need to add the water & added chocolate chunks! Accidentally upped the cinnamon and ginger but it just enhanced the flavour :) Popped in a mini muffin tin for 25-30 min. Next time I’ll try with the crumble topping. Thanks MB!

  4. The Vegan Goddess says

    Absolutely delicious! I accidentally put 3/3 cups of pumpkin puree in it instead of 3/4 but it turned out fine, albeit a couple of them fell apart when I was moving them. Not a biggie.

    They turned out moist and full of warm spices and flavor.

  5. Diane says

    Loved the aroma this muffin left in the kitchen! The taste was so great….excited to share these with dear friends tomorrow morning!
    Thank you for another muffin recipe that will be made again!
    Muffins are moist without the often dense chewiness when baking GF.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thank you for another lovely review, Diane! We hope you and your friends enjoyed every last bite! :) xoxo

  6. Terri Tobin says

    This seems like a really good recipe. I especially like that it is one bowl. Not sure what I could do differently or if they came out as they were supposed to. I found them very “wet”. Not uncooked, they were browned and toothpick came out clean but so moist as to be soggy. I do intend to make them again and wonder if using fresh pumpkin could have been too watery? Thanks for the recipe.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Oh no! So sorry that happened, Terri. It’s possible the fresh pumpkin had a higher water content, but we also wonder what gluten-free flour blend you were using?

  7. Cathy says

    These were everything as described in the recipe and in the comments. Lovely crumb and texture and flavor. I went a bit heavy on the spices, and used an egg instead of the flax egg. Delicious and I’ll be making again for sure! My GF friends are now very happy to receive muffin gifts!

  8. Lacey says

    These are to die for! I used a bit more oat flour for both the topping and muffin and subbed more pumpkin for the banana. I also added a handful of pecans and rum soaked golden raisins which resulted in 12 ultra moist muffins that everyone raved about. Seriously making these for life!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Gina! Thank you for the lovely review and happy autumn! xoxo

  9. Lesley says

    Yum! I used brown sugar. I have an almond allergy so used additional gluten free flour instead of almond meal. And I used oats in the crumble instead of nuts so they would be nut-free and school friendly. I made the majority as written but saved a little batter to make 2 muffins with chocolate chips mixed in and a few on top instead of the crumble for my picky eater! Thanks for such great gluten free and vegan recipes!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re excited for you to try it, Brigetté! We’d recommend more almond meal + GF blend. Enjoy!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Kat, we’d recommend using 2 Tbsp each of maple syrup and brown sugar and using less pumpkin pie spice. Let us know how it goes!

  10. Laura says

    This looks like a yummy recipe! Would you have any recommendations for a replacement for the banana? Allergies😔. Could it be left out?
    Thanks! All the good muffin recipes seem to include banana!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Kate, we haven’t tested it that way, but possibly! Brown sugar/cane sugar typically do add more structure than maple syrup though, so the texture may vary. Let us know if you try it!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yes, that should work well! There might be a slight coconut taste, but if that doesn’t bother you, go for it :)

  11. Jasika says

    I developed a plethora of mild food allergies/intolerances out of nowhere about two years ago and found myself in the most depressing food rut because I was so focused on all the things I couldn’t eat instead of what I could. Thankfully I turned a corner recently and came back to MB recipes so that I could revisit them with a better knowledge of ingredients I could substitute. I have had so much success replacing almond flour with sunflower seed, pumpkin seed, and/or pistachio nut flour, which I just make in small batches in my coffee grinder. Sometimes I sift it through a flour sifter to get rid of any chunky bits, but also the chunky bits work well in things like the almond flour crackers. I’ve also successfully replaced oats in this recipe with quinoa flakes, which have a very subtle flavor and still retain some of the texture that’s lacking if you have to get rid of the oats in your recipes. Thanks to you, MB, for helping inspire my cooking spark after such a long time feeling disconnected from my meals!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Aw, we’re SO happy to be able to play a role! You’ve done all the hard work :) Thank you so much for sharing! xoxo

  12. Sarah says

    I used one large egg instead of flaxseed eggs and added dark chocolate chips and pecans to the batter. I made six muffins in a jumbo pan. They turned out DELICIOUS. I will definitely make these again.

  13. Teresa says

    My kids love this! They think it’s the kind of food Harry Potter would eat at Hogwarts. I usually use half the amount of sweetener and it works just fine. I also leave out the oats (because my kids don’t want weird lumps) and replace it with more almond flour. They’re still fluffy and totally delicious. Thank you Minimalist Baker for this wonderful recipe! I think I’ve made it 5 times in the past 3 months :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Ha, we love that! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Teresa!

  14. Elaine says

    I made a bunch of mistakes and they turned out amazing. Moist inside crispy on the top. I accidentally misread the amount of GF flour, so mine had very little. I overground the oat flour and used the extra. I mistook mesquite flour for cinnamon for the crunchy crumble part of the recipe. I also mixed some vegan yogurt into the crumble to soak up the mesquite and GF flour. These are soooo good. Thanks for teaching me how to cook, Dana!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad they turned out well! Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your experience, Elaine! xoxo

  15. Eleni says

    These were delicious, easy to make and a hit at a community gathering. Minimalist Baker is my go to for all things baking related! Thank you!!

  16. Joan says

    I’m really disappointed that my muffins are gooey in the center. I followed the directions and measurements exactly. I substituted with oat flour (made in the vita mixer), and I made my own almond meal (in the vita mixer too). I substituted the sugar with organic cane sugar. I baked the muffins at 350 degrees (pre-heated oven) for 30 minutes, and for an additional 2 minutes, then 5 minutes, and then I realized that my muffins aren’t going to change in consistency and texture. Not sure what to do next time??

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Joan, so sorry this one didn’t work out for you! This recipe does rely on the gluten-free flour blend to absorb the liquid and keep things light. An oat flour substitution would keep the center quite gummy. Next time we suggest using a gluten-free flour blend for this specific recipe! Hope this helps!

      • Joan says

        I tried making the pumpkin muffins again using the gluten free flour (instead of oat flour) and I omitted the the 1/2 cup of water, they turned out perfect!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Ak, this recipe calls for almond meal and we think oat flour or more gluten-free blend would work as subs, though we haven’t tried it and cannot guarantee results! Let us know how it goes!

  17. Jennifer says

    Incredible!! I made these for my work colleagues and they all raved. I didn’t even mention that they were GF/vegan! These are a marvel.

  18. Mandi says

    Love these!

    Modified with organic light brown sugar in place of muscovado sugar and turned out great.

    Also used dairy free butter (earth balance) in place of coconut oil in the crumble. Worked very well.

    Didn’t bother with the mashed banana. Used two tablespoons of pumpkin instead.

    Instead of listed GF flour blend I used 1:1 King Arthur GF all-purpose flour I had in the kitchen. Again, another substitution that worked.

    Served these to my parents warmed up with butter while we watched great British baking show.

    Both said how good they were … and my dad usually says things I make are just “OK.” Mom said to save the recipe because they were delicious. :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Mandi! Sounds like the perfect day!

  19. Ashley Johnson says

    Let me start off by saying these are absolutely amazing. They are moist and fluffy. I did not have any banana so I used extra pumpkin instead. my boyfriend loved them and we are trying not to eat them all. They pair well with a hot beverage. YUM!!!!!!

  20. Alyssa says

    I have been trying to make vegan pumpkin muffins every year in fall for the last few years after I needed to cut out dairy and egg due to food allergies. My previous attempts have always resulted in wet doughy muffins that don’t seem cooked enough, even after leaving them in the over for two times the cooking times called in the recipe.

    I am happy to say these muffins turned out quite fluffy for vegan baking, and they are cooked all the way through and have a pleasant cake texture when you bit into it!

    I made the recipe mostly as written but we are ok with gluten in this house so I used sprouted whole wheat flour and not the GF flour. I used golden brown sugar not the muskavado sugar. Also I can’t eat banana anymore so I added a few extra table spoons of pumpkin.

    I will make these again, and probably mixed in chopped walnuts with the batter.

  21. Calli says

    these are super dope. would 100% recommend.

    followed as is and they turned out great. brought them to brunch and they were gone in a flash

  22. Josie says

    These are excellent. I use spelt flour instead of GF. And I have to reduce the water by a couple of tablespoons to get the right consistency, probably because my homemade pumpkin puree is a little runnier than store-bought. Fantastic recipe, thank you!

  23. Diana says

    These are incredibly tasty muffins. My son is a vegan. His girlfriend is GF. My partner is a very, very picky eater (think of a 5 year old). This is one of those rare recipes that pleased everyone. I made the recipe exactly as written and I wouldn’t change a thing! Your V, GF recipes have consistently been a hit with my family. Thanks so much!

  24. Dixie says

    Fabulous! I used real eggs because the folks that I bake for are fine with dairy. It’s a popular recipe and you cannot tell that it is GF! I’ve made these often and they are always a hit.

  25. Tia says

    These were very good breakfast and snack muffins enjoyed by the whole family over the Thanksgiving holiday. I could not find almond meal in the store so I made my own out of raw almonds. YUM! I used a coffee grinder that I usually use for flax meal and ground spices. Worked perfect. I used coconut sugar because that is what I had in the cupboard and that worked perfect as well. I did sub out 1/3 of the coconut sugar with 1/3 cup pumpkin seed protein powder. I like my baked goods to be a little less sweet and a little higher protein. This was an excellent substitution that did not compromise the texture or taste. This recipe created a high quality home baked good – thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Wonderful! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed them! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Tia! xo

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Oh no! So sorry to hear these didn’t work out for you, April! They are quite a moist muffin by nature, but did you happen to make any modifications to the recipe when you were making it? We’re here to help troubleshoot, if you would like!

      • Alex Gosselin says

        The taste is great. I have made these before with all purpose flour, and they turned out amazing.

        However, this time I tried the gluten free blend because I am cooking for a friend. I followed the recipe exactly. They are taking a lot longer to cook and the batter was thick, but almost soupy. I think maybe I should have omitted the extra water because the muffins are a little gummy.

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Alex, sorry that’s happening! Which gluten-free blend are you using? It does sounds like either it’s not absorbent enough or there’s too much liquid!

  26. Kim says

    Another great recipe from Minimalist Baker. I used applesauce in place of banana since I didn’t have any on hand, homemade pumpkin puree, and pepitas in the crumb topping. The batter made a full dozen for me. Overall, muffins were easy to make and tasted great. Will definitely make again and will freeze the leftovers so I don’t eat an entire pan by myself. :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! We love to hear this. Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Kim!