Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a mini muffin tin well to prevent sticking. You can use a standard-size muffin tin if you prefer larger muffins; just note that the bake time will increase slightly. I always make sure to grease the tin thoroughly to help the muffins release easily after baking.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the finely ground almonds or almond flour, sugar or sugar-free substitute, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice blend. Stir the dry ingredients together until they are fully combined and uniformly mixed.

Whisk in the canned pumpkin and egg (or flaxseed egg) into the bowl with the dry ingredients until you have a smooth, even batter. If you like, gently fold in a handful of mini chocolate chips at this stage for extra sweetness.

Divide the prepared batter evenly among the greased mini muffin cups. Place the tin on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes for mini muffins, or about 15 minutes if using a standard muffin tin, until the muffins are set and slightly golden.

Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the tin. As they cool, the muffins will continue to firm up. Once cooled, carefully go around the sides of each pumpkin muffin with a knife to loosen them and gently pop them out of the tin. I always let the muffins cool completely before serving, as this makes them less likely to break apart.