flourished by nature

Savory spiced pumpkin muffins

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Whether you add them to your lunch box or keep them in the fidge as quick snack, these savory spiced pumpkin muffins are just as good as their sweet friends. Plus they are vegan, gluten- and nut free!

Image showing one savory spiced pumpkin muffin on a grey stone plate. The plate is placed on a white marbled surface and there are crumbs of muffins as well as a beige kitchen towel in the front of the image. In the background, which is blurry, is a muffin tin with more muffins on a flat wooden table, white and one orange pumpkin, a grey stone pot and a tall jar filled with oats. There are also sprigs of thyme and sage leaves.

I am the first one to admit that I am ususally more of a sweet tooth when it comes to snacks. Growing up we sometimes had crackers with nuts or bread with different spreads and vegetable sticks, but little me was always happier when there was a non-savory option. Like muesli bars, fruit, cookies, yogurt with strawberries,… If it was up to me I probably could have lived off milk rice, porridge and everything sweet a child can only dream off.

I have kept that preference for sweet snacks until now. And will very likely always keep it. However, occasionally I find myself longing for something savory. So I thought I would make something I can quickly grab whenever I am in a hurry or do not feel in the mood to prepare anything. And possibly also because I had no idea what else to make with the big batch of pumpkin purèe in the fridge…Anyways, I am happy we ended up here, with these savoy spiced pumpkin muffins and I can’t wait for you to try them!

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Ingredients

I often try to make my recipes in a way that people with various allergies or intolerances can enjoy them. It does no always work and would sometimes make certain foods less nostalgic, however i try my best to find substitutaions or make my own twist on classics. Here is a list of everything you need to make these savory spiced pumpkin muffins:

Overhead shot of the ingredients standing on a beige marbled surface. The ingredients consist of oat flour, chickpea flour, spices, Tahini, Olive oil, Vegetable broth, apple cider vinegar and pumpkin Purée
  • OAT FLOUR: is pretty much the base of these muffins. I just ground oats into a fine flour by blending them in a high speed blender- you can use gluten free oats/ oatflour to make the muffins 100% gluten free.
  • CHICKPEA FLOUR: adds a little more “savory” flavor, a bit of protein and extra texture.
  • BAKING POWDER& SODA: to make sure our muffins don’t end up too flat.
  • GARLIC& ONION POWDER: add a little more savoriness.
  • FRESH GINGER OR GINGER POWDER: for some spice. Both, fresh ginger and ginger powder work!
  • GROUND CARDAMOM: is a flavor for which I have always had a certain flavor for. And it adds a lovely flavor to these muffins as well!
  • SALT& PEPPER
  • VEGTABLE BROTH
  • PUMPKIN PURÈE: I used homemade butternut squash pumpkin purèe, but any will work.
  • APPLE CIDER VINEGAR: to balance out the overall flavor.
  • TAHINI: adds a a delicious, nutty note to these muffins and makes them more satisfying. Plus it also enriches them with a little protein and healthy fats. If you cannot eat any Sesame, see notes in the recipe card for substitutions!
  • EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL: helps to keep the muffins soft and fluffy. I’ve tried them before without adding the oil and it definitely makes a difference.
  • SUNFLOWER-& PUMPKINSEEDS: for sprinkling on top. It adds some extra texture and looks more beautiful too!

Instructions

Making these savory spiced pumpkin muffins is pretty easy and you only need one bowl to prepare the dough:

  1. First we preheat the oven and line a muffin tin with muffin forms
  2. Then we whisk together all the liquid ingredients in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
  3. Finally we fold in the dry ingredients and stir everything together, making sure that no clumps remain. 
  4. All we need to do now is divide the batter between the forms, sprinkle some extra seeds on top, bake and enjoy!
Image showing a muffin tin on a flat wooden table with the savory spiced pumpkin muffins. The focus is on one pumpkin muffin in the front which is slightly crooked in the form. The background and front is blurry, but you can see a white pumpkin, more muffins, the beige colored surface, thyme sprigs, muffins crumbs and a bit of a jar filled with oats.

Storage

Once completely cooled, you can store the muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. They are also perfect for freezing and will last for a couple months in the freezer. The best way to enjoy them after thawing ins to pop them in the oven for around 3-5 minutes to fully enhance the flavor.

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Let’s get started!

And now, its time to get the ingredients and bake some savory spiced pumpkin muffins! I hope they bring joy to your lunch boxes or provide a tasty little snack. ENJOY!

There would be one more tiny thing left: if you could do me a favor, then please leave a comment and rate this recipe! I am always happy to see others trying any of my creations, so tag me on instagram or send me a picture via direct messages as well 🙂

ALL THE BEST

Print Pin

Savory spiced pumpkin muffins (vegan, gluten free, nut free)

These muffins make a great snack or addition to your lunch boxes. Spiced with ginger and cardamom, they have a warming flavor that is especially great for colder days. Plus they are vegan, gluten free and nut free!
Course Breakfast, Main Dish, Side Dish, Snack
Keyword breakfast, gluten free, nut free, oats, pumpkin, snack, vegan
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 10 muffins

Ingredients

  • 200 g oat flour (gluten free if needed) (oats ground into a fine flour)
  • 60 g chickpea flour
  • 2 Tsp baking powder
  • 1 Tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 Tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 Tsp onion powder
  • 2-3 Tsp fresh ginger or ginger powder
  • 2 Tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/2 Tsp salt
  • 1/2 Tsp black pepper
  • 200 ml vegetable broth *
  • 1 Cup (240g) pumpkin purèe
  • 2 Tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 heaping Tbsp (40g) Tahini**
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp mixed sunflower and pumpkin seeds for sprinkling on top, optional (but recommended)

Instructions

  • Start by lining a muffin tin with 10 muffin forms and set aside. Preheat the oven to 200C.
  • Meanwhile, add the oat flour, chickpea flower, baking powder and soda, salt, pepper and all the spices to a large mixing bowl.
  • Then add the pumpkin purèe, vegetable broth, apple cider vinegar, Tahini and olive oil and combine until smooth and no clumps are left.
  • Divide the batter between the muffin forms, sprinkle each muffin with the seed mix if using and bake for around 20-25 minutes until golden.
  • Insert a wooden skewer to test if they are baked through. It is okay if it does not come out completetly clean, however the center should not be too wet anymore.
  • Remove the muffins from the oven, let cool completely then remove them from the tin. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze them for 2-3 months. Enjoy!

Notes

*For a quick version, add 2/3 of a Tsp of vegetable broth powder and just add the 200ml of water instead of ready made broth.
**If you or the people you share these muffins with cannot eat any sesame, you could swap the tahini for sunflower butter.

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