Horraayy, I FINALLY have my hands on some pumpkin puree, which means it’s pumpkin spice time my friends! I may be a little late to the pumpkin spice and all things nice party. However, these gluten free pumpkin spice muffins are pretty darn delicious, so it’s better late than never in my eyes!
I’ve found when speaking to friends & family recently that pumpkin isn’t as loved as we seem to think in the food blogging world. In savoury dishes it can fall short when compared to other squashes such as sweet potato and butternut squash. The main reason being it can be a little watery and tasteless.
However, in baking it’s a beautiful ingredient to use! A less overpowering flavour means it’s perfect for pumpkin spice muffins, gluten free waffles or even porridge. I tested these muffins on a few anti-pumpkin people at work and they were pleasantly surprised…what can I say!
A DELICIOUS PUMPKIN SPICE MUFFIN
Lightly spiced and fragrant with pumpkin goodness, these gluten free muffins won’t hit you in the face like a Starbucks PSL. They are subtle and are oh so more delicious because of it. Don’t get me wrong, I like to spend my evenings with all my autumnal candles on, drinking homemade pumpkin spice lattes and using my pumpkin spice handcream (too much?) However, there’s nothing worse than eating a big mouthful of overpowering spices like cinnamon and nutmeg!
My secret to these heavenly muffins is my homemade pumpkin spice blend:
- 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp ground cloves
Simply mix the spices in a little bowl and transfer to a small spice container (retro labelling is optional but totally recommended). In this muffin recipe I only use 2 tsp of this pumpkin spice blend, so it’s a subtle hint of spice, without being overpowering. You can then use the leftover spice blend sprinkled over porridge, pancakes and waffles – yum!
FINISHED WITH A PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING
Once you have your delicious gluten free pumpkin spice muffins ready, it’s time for the finishing touch: a creamy peanut butter frosting! Loosened with a drop of dairy free milk and sweetened with maple syrup, this PB frosting only has three ingredients.
For any nut butter recipes I share, I will always recommend using a 100% natural product. By this, I mean one where the oils separate from the nut butter. Don’t be put off by this, you only need to give it a quick stir before using it! If you use a peanut butter with palm oil, it won’t be runny enough to make the frosting. Not to mention palm oil isn’t great for your health or the environment, so it’s better off all around it you buy the natural variety.
Simply mix together the smooth peanut butter and maple syrup in a small bowl. Then, add in the DF milk (1 tbsp at a time) until you have the perfect consistency. You want the frosting to be quite loose, but still firm enough that it will hold itself on the muffins.
INGREDIENTS
Pumpkin Spice Muffins
160g GF oat flour
60g ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder
100g coconut sugar
2 tsp pumpkin spice blend*
pinch salt
100g coconut oil
2 eggs
270g pumpkin puree
Peanut Butter Frosting
4 tbsp smooth peanut butter
3 tbsp maple syrup
drop DF milk
RECIPE
- Preheat oven to 180c/160 fan and line a muffin tin with cases, or spray a silicone muffin tray with 1-2 sprays.
In a large bowl, whisk together the GF oat flour, ground almonds, baking powder, salt, coconut sugar and pumpkin spice blend. - Add wet ingredients to the same bowl: pumpkin puree, coconut oil and eggs. Mix until combined.
- Bake for 25 mins, until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool completely.
- While the muffins are cooling, make the PB frosting. Simply mix together the peanut butter and maple syrup in a bowl, then gradually add the milk until you have a smooth and creamy consistency.
- Ice each of the muffins and decorate with sliced figs and dried raspberries.
Looking for an autumnal gluten free breakfast recipe? Try my Cinnamon Maple Pancakes with Spiced Apples!
Sophie x
Oat So Delicious 