Easy Gluten Free Dairy Free Pumpkin Muffins

These gluten free dairy free pumpkin muffins turned out light, fluffy and moist, which are my 3 “musts” when it comes to muffins. They are warmly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg and sweetened with agave.

There are no eggs and no butter. Pumpkin puree, unsweetened applesauce, coconut milk and a little olive oil keep the batter tender, and the whole thing comes together in two bowls.

The Best Gluten Free Vegan Pumpkin Muffins (Light, Fluffy and Moist)

This was my first time baking with gluten free flour. I was playing The Game-On Health Challenge and chose a gluten free meal plan. I LoVe muffins WAY too much to give them up for 6 weeks. So, I needed to find a solution.

I was nervous waiting the 15 minutes while they baked, but they turned out light, fluffy and moist! A reader even noticed the great peak on top of these muffins, and they were nice and light and fluffy.

The secret is the binder. The flaxseed meal or xanthan gum helps the gluten free flour bind so the muffins are not so crumbly. If you do not need them gluten free, you could definitely use regular flour or whole wheat flour instead. You can swap the gluten free flour and xanthan gum for whole wheat flour. Of course, they will no longer be gluten free, but they should still be fluffy and tasty.

The batter itself is simple: pumpkin puree, applesauce, agave, coconut milk, olive oil and pure vanilla stirred into a spiced flour mix. Bake them in a lightly greased muffin pan until the tops are slightly golden brown and you have a dozen fall muffins with no eggs, no dairy and no gluten.

Why You’ll Love These Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

• Light and fluffy. Gluten free flour plus a flax or xanthan gum binder bakes up tender instead of crumbly.
• Egg free and dairy free. Applesauce, coconut milk and olive oil replace the eggs, milk and butter.
• Warm fall spice. Cinnamon and nutmeg bring out the pumpkin in every bite.
• Quick to bake. About 15 to 20 minutes in a 375°F oven for a full dozen.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here is what goes into these gluten free vegan pumpkin muffins and why each one is there. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

• Gluten free all purpose baking flour: The base of the muffins. I use Bob’s Red Mill. Gluten free blends behave differently from wheat flour, so stick with an all purpose baking blend rather than a single flour like rice or almond flour. If you do not need these to be gluten free, regular flour or whole wheat flour works too.
• Flaxseed meal or xanthan gum: The binder. Without gluten, the flour has nothing to hold it together, and this little bit keeps the muffins from being crumbly. Ground flax also adds a mild nutty flavor. Skip it only if your flour blend already contains xanthan gum.
• Baking powder and baking soda: These give the muffins their rise and that nice domed top. Read the ingredients, because some brands are NOT gluten free.
• Cinnamon, nutmeg and salt: Classic pumpkin spice flavor. The pinch of salt keeps the sweetness from tasting flat.
• Pumpkin puree: Use plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. It adds moisture, color and that earthy fall flavor.
• Unsweetened applesauce: Replaces the eggs and much of the fat. It keeps the crumb soft and moist and adds a little natural sweetness.
• Organic agave: The sweetener. You could substitute honey if you are not vegan.
• Olive oil: A light olive oil keeps the muffins moist. Oil stays liquid at room temperature, so the muffins stay soft after they cool. A reader asked about coconut oil, and melted coconut oil is a common swap in muffins.
• Coconut milk: A little coconut milk loosens the batter and adds richness without dairy.
• Pure vanilla: Rounds out the spice and makes the pumpkin taste sweeter.

How to Make Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins

1. Heat the oven. Preheat to 375°F and lightly grease a muffin pan. A fully heated oven gives the batter a quick burst of rise.
2. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the gluten free flour, flaxseed meal or xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Mix well so the binder and leaveners are spread evenly through the flour.
3. Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, stir together the pumpkin, applesauce, agave, olive oil, coconut milk and vanilla until smooth and evenly orange with no streaks of applesauce.
4. Combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. Gluten free batter does not get tough the way wheat batter does, so make sure there are no dry pockets of flour. The batter will be thick and spoonable.
5. Fill the pan. Pour about 1/3 cup batter into each muffin cup. Even scoops help every muffin finish baking at the same time.
6. Bake. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. The tops will be slightly golden brown and spring back when you press them lightly.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins FAQs

• Can I make these without the xanthan gum or flaxseed? The xanthan gum or flaxseed helps the gluten free flour bind so the muffins are not crumbly. If you leave it out, use a flour blend that already contains xanthan gum.
• Can I use regular flour instead of gluten free flour? Yes. Regular flour or whole wheat flour works. They will no longer be gluten free, but they should still be fluffy and tasty.
• Can I use honey instead of agave? Yes, honey works if you do not need the muffins to be vegan.
• Can I use coconut oil instead of olive oil? Melted coconut oil is a common swap for olive oil in muffins and adds a light coconut flavor. Olive oil works just fine too.
• Are these muffins dairy free? Yes. Coconut milk and olive oil replace the milk and butter, so there is no dairy in the batter.
• How do I know when they are done? Bake 15 to 20 minutes at 375°F, until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops are slightly golden brown.
• Why are my gluten free muffins crumbly? Usually the binder was left out or the flour blend had none. The flaxseed meal or xanthan gum is what holds the crumb together, so measure it carefully and mix the batter well before scooping.
• How should I store them? Keep cooled muffins in an airtight container for a couple of days, or freeze them and thaw on the counter when you want one.

Vegan Pumpkin Muffins (Gluten Free)

Vegan pumpkin muffins that are gluten free, egg free and dairy free, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg and sweetened with agave. Applesauce and coconut milk keep them light, fluffy and moist.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Breakfast, Snack

Servings 1 dozen

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups Gluten Free All Purpose baking flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
• 1 tsp flaxseed meal (or xanthan gum)
• 2 tsp baking powder (read ingredients… some are NOT gluten-free)
• 1 tsp baking soda (read ingredients… some are NOT gluten-free)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup organic agave (could substitute honey if not vegan)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, flaxseed meal or xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix well.
• In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine pumpkin, applesauce, agave, olive oil, coconut milk, and vanilla.
• Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. In a lightly greased muffin pan, pour about 1/3 cup batter into each muffin cup. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. The tops will be slightly golden brown.

Notes

Yields 1 dozen

Keyword dairy free pumpkin muffins, egg free pumpkin muffins, gluten free pumpkin muffins, gluten free vegan pumpkin muffins, vegan pumpkin muffins

Made these muffins? Leave a star rating in the recipe card and tell me how they turned out in the comments below. Need other gluten free ideas? Try my Breakfast Quiche and my Gluten-free Crepes. More pumpkin, please! The Healthy Pumpkin Muffins on our sister site, Everything Muffins, are another great fall bake.

More Recipes You’ll Love

• Pumpkin Banana Applesauce Muffins
• Fluffy Gluten Free Pancakes
• Healthy Pumpkin Waffles with Whole Wheat Flour
• Eggless Pumpkin Pie (Dairy Free)
• Easy Applesauce Muffins (Whole Wheat and Chia)