These moist and fluffy Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins are loaded with seasonal flavors, packed with spices and perfectly sweet. The ideal treat to enjoy this holiday season. Gluten free, dairy-free.
Jump to RecipeOriginally published December 2017. Updated December 2020.
Paleo Gingerbread Muffins
‘Tis the season for love, gratitude, togetherness and all things warm and cozy….like these Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins.
All the warm seasonal flavors packed into one perfectly Paleo, naturally sweetened, dairy-free and gluten free muffin. These beauties are the perfect thing to enjoy on a chilly December morning with a cup of coffee or to serve to the family as they open stockings on Christmas morning.
It is no secret that muffins are one of my favorite things to make. In fact, I’m pretty obsessed with anything that I can make in a muffin tin.
And I couldn’t possible let the holiday season pass us by without some sort of festive veggie-loaded muffin recipe.
Why these pumpkin muffins are going to be your new holiday jam…
- Mixed all in one bowl. Pfffft. There is enough to do around the holidays and dishes shouldn’t be one of them! Get your holiday baking on with these muffins without making a stack of dishes in your skin.
- Easy! Again, who has extra time this time of the year? These muffins come together quickly, are perfect to make with the kids and will fulfill that holiday baking bug that hits us all at one point or another.
- Naturally sweetened. Molasses + maple syrup are all you need for these beauties.
- Naturally gluten free + dairy-free but require no fancy or hard-to-find alternative flours.
- Family-friendly. Your crew is going to adore these!
- Great to make as part of meal prep. Bake these the night before (or a day or two ahead!) and relax in the morning while still getting an awesome breakfast on the table.
Where to find pumpkin puree
During this time of the year, I almost always have pumpkin puree on hand. It makes veggie-loading all the foods super easy. I find it quite easily in the fall and winter in my local grocery store. It is usually stored with the other canned vegetables.
FYI: When you grab a can of pumpkin puree, make sure it is JUST pumpkin on the ingredients and not “pumpkin pie filling”. The filling has added spices and sugar. Which are nice, but will throw off this recipe a bit.
If you can’t find canned pumpkin or you are just someone who likes to keep things as homemade as possible, you can absolutely make it yourself. And it is pretty easy! Just follow this simple recipe and store leftover puree in your freezer for when you want to make something else pumpkin-loaded!
What is “natural almond butter?”
“Natural” is a word that is thrown around a lot these days and doesn’t have any real regulation on it. So, pretty much anyone can claim that their product is “natural” without it being anywhere close to it.
So, how do you know how to pick a natural almond butter? It is going to require you turning the jar around and taking a peek at the ingredient list.
Natural almond butter should have one or maybe two ingredients. Peanuts and maybe salt. No artificial sweeteners, colors, preservatives or ingredients that my fourth grader can’t easily read.
Some nut butter companies add cane sugar, coconut sugar, honey or maple syrup to their butters to sweeten them up. And that is not a terrible thing as long as you know that there is sugar hanging out in there so you can adjust this recipe accordingly.
Some of my favorite natural almond butters are the Trader Joe’s and Costco brands. I know there are many others out there, but I love how these two are so affordable and accessible.
Suggested adaptations for making pumpkin gingerbread muffins
- Switch out the pumpkin puree with butternut squash puree or sweet potato puree. I find these are pretty interchangeable in most recipes! Plus, sometimes butternut squash or sweet potato puree is easier to find.
- Make them with natural peanut butter. Just switch the almond butter for PB! Heads up, it will change the flavor of these muffins, but you might enjoy that if you are a peanut lover!
- Turn them into cupcakes. Top them homemade whipped cream or whipped coconut cream.
Other gluten free muffin recipes you will love
- Chocolate Zucchini Paleo Muffins
- Paleo Almond Butter Blueberry Zucchini Muffins
- One-Bowl Carrot Paleo Muffins
- Lemon Paleo Muffins
- Healthy Chocolate Muffins (with butternut squash)
Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins (gluten free)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
- 1 cup natural smooth almond butter
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt omit if nut butter you are using is salted
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons molasses not blackstrap
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a muffin tin with 9 liners.
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Stir until throughly combined.
- Portion the batter out into the prepared muffin tin. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean and the top of the muffins are completely set.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes before enjoying.
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container in fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!
Comments
I just came across these gingerbread muffins and they sound perfect for this winter morning. I’m going to try them right now! Thank you.
They are wonderful for a cold morning! I hope you love them!
I just made 2 batches of this wonderful muffins. Its delicious, easy to make, no fussy ingredients did I say its delicious. I made another recipe yesterday and not nearly as good as this one. I give it 5 stars.
So yum! And easy!
Hi, I’ve made you’re grain free gingerbread muffins several times but now i can’t find it! Can you please please post it again? 🤤🙏🏻😁
So easy to make! Yummy holiday flavors.
Glad you enjoyed them!
Hey Taesha! You have NO idea how much I adore your recipes. THANK YOU for all you do. Regarding this one, why not blackstrap molasses?
Hi Lauren! I am so glad to hear you enjoy my kitchen creations! It means a lot to hear that! So, let’s talk molasses. Black strap has more of bitter flavor. You can use it, but just be aware that because these don’t have as much sugar as traditional gingerbread cookies…the bitter flavor might come out more.
I made these for my toddler, but it was my husband who DEVOURED them. He said it was the best muffins I’ve ever made 🙂 Thank you! These are going to be a new staple!
Yay! I am so glad, Steph!
Wow!!! These were awesome! I was amazed that they came out so fluffy even though they’re flourless. I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
I’m so glad, Jill! I love this one too!
Made these yesterday and it was a hit! Very fluffy and flavorful. I made some changes – used just 2 Tbsp of homemade date paste instead of maple syrup, and added in some hemp seeds for extra healthy fat and protein. Hubby asked for this to be on rotation ! Thank you for sharing this recipe 👍🏻
I love using date paste in baking and bet it was delish in these muffins. So glad the whole family enjoyed them. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Could I make these egg free by using flax eggs?
Hi Rose! Unfortunately I have not had luck making nut butter based baked goods egg free with flax or chia eggs
Can these be made with natural peanut butter instead of almond butter? I love these muffins!! Thanks!
Absolutely! I have done it several times. PB has a much stronger flavor (in my opinion) than almond butter, but I love the combo with the pumpkin and gingerbread.
Can you substitute mashed sweet potato for pumpkin purée?
Sure! That should work fine