Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins Recipe {No Flour}

Name: Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins Recipe {No Flour}
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 cups rolled oats (sub in gluten-free oats if necessary); 2 teaspoons cinnamon; 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/3 cup mini dark chocolate chips (can use dairy-free if necessary); 1 egg (beaten); 1 cup 100% pure pumpkin puree; 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce; 1/4 cup maple syrup; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Craving pumpkin spice? These Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins are a delicious and portable breakfast or snack option. They can be prepared in advance so they make the perfect breakfast for busy mornings! {Gluten-free, Vegetarian & Dairy-free}

Three healthy pumpkin oatmeal muffins stacked on top of each other.

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Table of Contents

Easy Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins

If your mornings are more than a little hectic (I know ours definitely are!), then these healthy pumpkin oatmeal muffins could be the answer to your prayers!

Perfect for easy grab and go breakfasts or morning or afternoon snacks throughout the week, you can make up a big batch and freeze them so you always have some extras on hand.

They take less than 15 minutes to prepare and require only about 20 minutes of cooking time in the oven, so they’re ideal if you have a crazy busy lifestyle (who doesn’t?!)

These baked oatmeal cups are so perfect for the fall season, with flavors of pumpkin spice in every bite.

Additionally, they’re lower in sugar than your typical muffin, contain no flour and the oats provide fiber to keep everyone feeling full and satisfied until lunchtime.

With all the delicious flavors and textures, this healthy pumpkin muffins recipe is sure to be a hit!

For more healthy fall recipes that use up that extra pumpkin puree, be sure to try my Almond Flour Pumpkin Bread and Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies too!

A pumpkin oatmeal muffin next to cinnamon sticks and chocolate chips.

These pumpkin oat muffins are for you if…

You’re looking for a quick breakfast option
Are trying to shave some time off your morning routine (and hit that snooze button for a few minutes longer ;)
Need something that’s portable and portion-controlled
You prefer to meal prep and make breakfast in advance
Require a kid-friendly option
Are looking to add more fiber, vitamin A, C and antioxidants to your diet
You’re looking to reduce your intake of refined sugars and flours
Need an option with simple ingredients that’s just plain tasty!

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients to make healthy pumpkin oatmeal muffins recipe.

Oats: Rolled oats (also known as old fashioned oats) are best to use for this recipe since they provide a chewier texture. You can sub in quick oats if desired, however the texture won’t be as chewy. If you require a gluten-free option, be sure to use GF certified oats.
Seasonings: Cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt flavor up these muffins. You can add also add nutmeg, ginger or cloves.
Baking Powder: So that your muffins rise when they are baked and are perfectly light and fluffy.
Chocolate chips: No muffin is complete without some chocolate chips! I prefer to use dark, but white or milk will also work well. Use dairy-free chocolate chips if required.
Egg: Used to bind the ingredients together. You can also replace the egg with a flax or chia egg.
Applesauce: Used to naturally sweeten the muffins as well as add some moisture.
Pumpkin puree: A pumpkin muffin isn’t complete without some pumpkin puree! Use a pure puree with no added spices or sugars. You can use canned or fresh pumpkin puree.
Maple syrup and vanilla extract: Along with the applesauce, these sweeten and flavor the muffins. Use pure maple syrup, or you can substitute honey instead if you prefer.
Add-ins: These oatmeal muffins are pretty great as there are, but you can easily add in dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds or chopped nuts too.

How to Make Pumpkin Muffins with Oatmeal – Step-by-Step

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a regular sized muffin tin with cooking spray or line with silicone muffin liners.
Add all of the dry ingredients including the rolled oats, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt to a large bowl and mix together.
In another medium-sized bowl, beat the egg, and add the unsweetened applesauce, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Evenly distribute the muffin batter into each of the twelve muffin cups into each of the twelve muffin cups using a spoon or ice cream scoop, filling them about 3/4 of the way full.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until inserted toothpick poked into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to cool before removing oatmeal muffin cups from muffin pan.

Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full pumpkin muffin recipe!

Tips for the best pumpkin muffins

Use pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling is loaded with added sugar and we’re looking to minimize added sugar in this recipe. The two look very similar, so be sure to read the label on the front of the can and double check the nutrition facts table. If the sugar content is really high, chances are it’s pumpkin pie filling.

I recommend allowing the oatmeal muffins to cool for at least 15-20 minutes as they will firm up during this time, making it easier to remove them from the pan.

For even easier removal of these muffins from the tin, I recommend baking these muffins in silicone baking cups.

It’s highly recommended that you make up a double batch of these muffins and freeze them. They make a great grab and go breakfast or snack!

Feel free to play around with additional add-ins. I just added chocolate chips but you can definitely add nuts, seeds, or dried fruit as well to switch it up.

Two oatmeal muffins on top of each other.

Storage Guidelines

Refrigerator: Once cooled, you can store these muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

To freeze: Once the muffins are done baking, allow them to fully cool to room temperature. Next, you can package them up in a large ziplock bag or in individual snack bags or saran wrap to make them super convenient if you’re taking them to go. They can also be stored in an air-tight container separated by parchment paper for up to 3 months.

To thaw out: Simply leave in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for several hours. You can also pop them in the microwave for about 30 seconds or so to make them warm and get that chocolate all nice and melted.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use quick oats or steel cut oats instead of rolled oats?

If you don’t have rolled oats (AKA large flake oats or old-fashioned oats) on hand or prefer the taste of quick cooking oats, you can sub in the quick oats instead. There won’t be as much texture or chewiness as with the rolled oats, but it should still turn out just fine. If required, you can also sub in gluten-free rolled oats to ensure there is no cross contamination with gluten.

Steel cut oats, however, are not a suitable replacement since they’re too hard and chewy and require a longer cooking time. For best results with this recipe, stick to the rolled or quick oats.

What type of pumpkin should I use?

For the purpose of these oatmeal pumpkin muffins, you’ll want to go with the 100% pure pumpkin puree, which is not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling. They’re usually both found in the baking aisle, so it’s easy to pick up the wrong type.

To double check, look at the nutrition label. The pure pumpkin puree will be lower in sugar than the pumpkin pie filling since that generally has quite a bit of added sugar.

If you have some homemade cooked pumpkin kicking around, you can certainly use that as well! Just make sure that you give it a good mash so that it’s a puree consistency. Great way to use up that leftover pumpkin!

Can I make these oatmeal muffins without the egg?

If you have an intolerance to eggs or want to make this recipe vegan, you can certainly make it without the egg. The solution? Use chia seeds or ground flaxseed as an egg replacement.

To make a chia or flax egg, simply combine 3 tablespoons of water with one tablespoon of chia seeds or ground flax seed. Allow the mixture to sit for about 5 minutes to thicken up and then add it to the bowl with the wet ingredients as a replacement for the egg.

Optional Add-Ins

These delicious pumpkin oatmeal muffins certainly have a ton of flavor on their own, but you can always switch up the ingredients to incorporate different flavors and textures, or to meet your dietary needs.

Try any of the following add-ins:

Pumpkin seeds
Dried cranberries
Chopped walnuts
Chopped pecans
Sliced almonds
Hemp hearts
White chocolate chips

Serving Suggestions

Serve these muffins warm, cold or at room temperature.

You can also top them with a bit of almond butter or peanut butter or serve them along with some Greek yogurt, a smoothie (try this banana smoothie without yogurt), some creamy scrambled eggs or some fruit for a balanced breakfast or snack.

They also taste delicious with this pumpkin iced coffee recipe or turmeric latte with almond milk!

Three pumpkin oatmeal muffins stacked on top of each other with a bite taken out of the top one.

Recipe Variations

To make vegan: Use chia or flax eggs instead of a regular egg.
To make gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free oats.
To lower sugar content: Add less maple syrup.

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A stack of three healthy pumpkin oatmeal muffins with chocolate chips.

Course Dessert, Snack