Wholesome Breakfast Pumpkin Muffins

I didn’t start making pumpkin muffins until my kids began asking for them every October. Before that, I thought pumpkin belonged in pie and that was it. My mom never baked with canned pumpkin, so it felt weird to me.

But once I tried making these breakfast muffins, I realized how easy pumpkin baking actually is. You just open the can and measure it out like any other ingredient. No peeling or chopping required. These muffins come together in one bowl and taste like fall morning should taste.

What Kind of Pumpkin Puree Should I Use?

For these muffins, you’ll want to grab a can of plain pumpkin puree from the baking aisle – just make sure it’s not pumpkin pie filling, which already has spices and sugar added. Libby’s is probably the most common brand you’ll find, and it works perfectly for this recipe. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can definitely make your own pumpkin puree by roasting a sugar pumpkin and blending the flesh, but honestly, the canned stuff is convenient and tastes just as good. Just give the can a good stir before measuring since the puree can sometimes separate a bit.

Options for Substitutions

These muffins are pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some easy substitutions you can make:

• Whole wheat flour: You can use all-purpose flour instead if that’s what you have on hand. The muffins will be a bit lighter in texture but just as tasty.
• Pumpkin puree: Don’t skip this one – it’s what makes these pumpkin muffins! But if you’re really in a bind, you can use the same amount of mashed sweet potato or butternut squash.
• Coconut oil: Vegetable oil or melted butter work great here. If using butter, let it cool slightly before mixing with the other wet ingredients.
• Apple sauce: You can substitute with an equal amount of mashed banana, Greek yogurt, or even more melted coconut oil if needed.
• Dried cranberries: Raisins, dried blueberries, or mini chocolate chips make great swaps. You could also leave them out entirely.
• Pecans: Walnuts, almonds, or pumpkin seeds work well here. If you have nut allergies, just skip them or add extra coconut flakes.
• Pumpkin spice: Make your own by mixing 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon cloves.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making these muffins is overmixing the batter, which creates tough, dense muffins instead of light and fluffy ones – mix just until the dry ingredients are barely combined with the wet ingredients, even if there are still a few lumps.

Another common error is using pumpkin pie filling instead of pure pumpkin puree, which will throw off the moisture balance and make your muffins too sweet and soggy.

To prevent your add-ins like cranberries and pecans from sinking to the bottom, toss them in a little flour before folding them into the batter, and don’t forget to fill your muffin cups only about 2/3 full to avoid overflow.

Finally, test for doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center – it should come out with just a few moist crumbs, not completely clean, since these muffins will continue cooking slightly as they cool.

What to Serve With Breakfast Pumpkin Muffins?

These hearty pumpkin muffins are packed with so much good stuff like carrots, apples, and cranberries that they’re almost a complete breakfast on their own! I love pairing them with a hot cup of coffee or chai tea since the warm spices in the muffins complement those drinks perfectly. If you want to make it more of a full breakfast spread, try serving them alongside some Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey, or even cream cheese for spreading on top. They’re also great with a glass of cold milk or fresh orange juice to balance out all those cozy fall flavors.

Storage Instructions

Store: These pumpkin muffins stay moist and tasty when kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. I like to line the container with paper towels to absorb any extra moisture from the carrots and apple. They’re perfect for grab-and-go breakfasts all week long!

Freeze: You can freeze these muffins for up to 3 months, which I do all the time for busy mornings. Just wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap or pop them in a freezer bag with parchment paper between layers. They thaw beautifully overnight on the counter.

Warm Up: To bring back that fresh-baked taste, warm your muffins in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds or pop them in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes. The coconut oil and apple sauce keep them nice and tender even after storing, so they taste almost as good as the day you made them.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2600-2900
• Protein: 30-38 g
• Fat: 110-125 g
• Carbohydrates: 390-430 g

Ingredients

For the dry mixture:

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the wet mixture:

• 3/4 cup pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 large apple, coarsely shredded
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated carrots (about 3 medium)

To fold in:

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Step 1: Prepare the Muffin Tin and Oven

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

This ensures that your oven and pan are ready when the batter is mixed.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt

In a medium bowl, add the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, packed light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt.

Whisk these ingredients together until thoroughly combined, ensuring an even distribution of the leaveners and spices.

Step 3: Combine the Wet Ingredients

• 3/4 cup pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 large apple, coarsely shredded
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated carrots (about 3 medium)

In a large bowl, add the pure pumpkin, unsweetened applesauce, melted coconut oil, coarsely shredded apple, vanilla extract, and grated carrots.

Whisk everything together until well combined.

I like to make sure the coconut oil is fully melted and slightly cooled so it blends smoothly.

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures and Fold in Mix-Ins

• dry ingredient mixture from Step 2
• wet ingredient mixture from Step 3
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Add the dry ingredient mixture (from Step 2) into the wet ingredients (from Step 3).

Stir gently until just combined—be careful not to overmix, as this will help keep the muffins tender.

Fold in the dried cranberries, sweetened coconut flakes, and chopped pecans until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Step 5: Bake the Muffins

• batter from Step 4

Divide the muffin batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups.

Bake in the preheated 400°F oven for 24 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.

Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

I find that letting them rest briefly in the pan helps set their structure and makes them easier to handle.

Wholesome Breakfast Pumpkin Muffins

Delicious Wholesome Breakfast Pumpkin Muffins recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 14 minutes mins

Cook Time 29 minutes mins

Total Time 43 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 2750 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the dry mixture:

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the wet mixture:

• 3/4 cup pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 large apple, coarsely shredded
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated carrots (about 3 medium)

To fold in:

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

 

• Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and set aside. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). This ensures that your oven and pan are ready when the batter is mixed.
• In a medium bowl, add the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, packed light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk these ingredients together until thoroughly combined, ensuring an even distribution of the leaveners and spices.
• In a large bowl, add the pure pumpkin, unsweetened applesauce, melted coconut oil, coarsely shredded apple, vanilla extract, and grated carrots. Whisk everything together until well combined. I like to make sure the coconut oil is fully melted and slightly cooled so it blends smoothly.
• Add the dry ingredient mixture (from Step 2) into the wet ingredients (from Step 3). Stir gently until just combined—be careful not to overmix, as this will help keep the muffins tender. Fold in the dried cranberries, sweetened coconut flakes, and chopped pecans until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
• Divide the muffin batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake in the preheated 400°F oven for 24 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. I find that letting them rest briefly in the pan helps set their structure and makes them easier to handle.