These vegan and gluten-free tahini pumpkin muffins are festive and versatile. They’re perfect for a quick breakfast or a sweet treat at the end of the day!
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The time has finally come for pumpkin recipes to take over our entire lives. It’s officially fall, and the weather finally agrees (at least where I live), so it’s only fitting that we make these vegan and gluten-free tahini pumpkin muffins ASAP! They’re packed with nourishing ingredients, plenty of chocolate chips, and heaps of pumpkin pie spice. These muffins are perfect as a fun treat or an easy breakfast. Let’s just say they never last long around here.
Wet Ingredients for Tahini Pumpkin Muffins
Pumpkin Purée: A whole can, baby! That means no awkward leftovers you don’t know what to do with. This may go without saying, but be sure to get pure pumpkin and not the canned pumpkin pie mix. Not the same thing!
Tahini: Tahini is simply sesame seeds ground into paste. I love tahini in baked goods, especially vegan baked goods, because it’s so perfect for holding them together and creating a unique rich flavor. My favorite place to buy it is at my local International Supermarket (I can get a huge tub of it for less than 10 bucks). Trader Joe’s has quality budget-friendly tahini too.
Maple Syrup: One of my favorite unrefined sweeteners. It’s got those nutty caramel vibes and a depth of flavor unlike any other sweetener. Costco maple syrup is my go-to. You cannot beat that price.
Almond Milk: Just a little bit to get the batter to the right consistency. Any plant-based milk you prefer will work.
Vanilla Extract: Essential in any pumpkin baked good for enhancing all the different spices and bringing those subtle vanilla vibes.
Dry Ingredients for Tahini Pumpkin Muffins
Almond Flour: I love almond flour for a number of reasons. It’s nutrient-dense, it creates a unique texture in baked goods, and is positively incredible when mixed with oat flour. It can be a pricy ingredients, so I recommend getting it at Costco or Trader Joe’s.
Oat Flour: Seriously. Cannot get enough of the almond flour/oat flour combo. Be sure to use certified gluten-free if needed!
Cinnamon: A heaping tablespoon because we love cinnamon in this household!
Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can get this delightful spice blend pretty much anywhere these days, but Trader Joe’s is my absolute fave.
Sea Salt: To enhance the sweetness of these little muffins.
Baking Powder and Baking Soda: To make our muffins rise properly.
Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips: My favorite are Enjoy Life. If you’re not vegan or dairy-free, feel free to use whichever chocolate chips you fancy.
Tips & Tricks
- Measuring the Flour: Make sure to spoon your oat flour into the measuring cup and then level it with a knife. If you pack the oat flour into the measuring cup, it will create dry muffins, which is a hard pass for me. Almond flour, on the other hand, should be packed tightly into the measuring cup for best results.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder: Make sure you’ve purchased both in the last six months for best results. They lose their effectiveness over time.
- Mixing Your Batter: Don’t over-mix! The almond flour will begin to get oily which significantly affects the outcome of our muffins.
- Oven Time: Ovens can be temperamental and temperature can vary fairly significantly depending on what oven you have. Therefore, I recommend you begin checking your tahini pumpkin muffins at the 25-minute mark.
Storing & Freezing
Storage: Once the muffins have completely cooled, they should be placed in an airtight container or Ziplock/Stasher bag and placed in refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you keep it on the countertop, it will last only 1-2 days.
Freezing: If you would like to freeze these pumpkin tahini muffins, you can wrap individual muffins in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil to avoid freezer burn. It should last for about three months. I like to pop them out of the freezer and heat them in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute before slathering some peanut butter on top.
If you make these vegan and gluten-free tahini pumpkin muffins, be sure to leave a rating and review! This encourages others to give the recipe a try and means the world to me!
More Fun Gluten-Free Baked Goods
- Gluten-Free Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins
- Gluten-Free Olive Oil Lemon Bread
- Super Fudgy Gluten-Free Olive Oil Brownies
Tahini Pumpkin Muffins
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin baking pan
- hand or stand mixer (optional)
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 15 oz can pumpkin purée
- ½ cup tahini
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¾ cup dairy-free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a muffin tin with silicone or paper liners. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Beat all wet ingredients until well-combined. You can do this with a hand or stand mixer or with a whisk.
- Add dry ingredients except chocolate chips and fold in until just combined. Add chocolate chips last and fold in until well-distributed.
- Divide batter evenly into 12 muffin liners or until they are about ¾ of the way full. Bake for 30 minutes or until a tester or toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
- Let sit for 20 minutes before enjoying. You can transfer the rest of the muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
Photography by Hope Agresti
