Packed with goodness, Pumpkin-Oatmeal Muffins taste good, too!
Muffins of any kind are a great option for breakfast or a snack. They’re portable, sweet, sometimes contain fairly healthy ingredients, and are usually very easy to make. In fact, making muffins was one of the first things I baked with my kids when they were little. You can mix the batter in one bowl, just by hand, and the cook time is fairly quick, so there’s no waiting around (my kids were never patient!) for the finished product. Pumpkin-oatmeal muffins are a wonderful option and taste like the essence of fall and all things cozy.
Besides their wonderful flavor, pumpkin muffins are chock-full of fiber-rich ingredients like oatmeal, whole-wheat flour, and pumpkin purée. Don’t worry, though; they are still sweet, and the texture is delightful: a little crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. The whole-wheat flour gives them an almost nutty-tasting flavor profile, which goes really well with the fall-themed pumpkin pie spice.
Pumpkin muffins are lovely for breakfast or as part of a larger brunch spread, with other baked goods and dishes. And they’re not just for breakfast! Enjoy them as an afternoon snack or bedtime snack with a glass of milk. Finally, you can make them in any size muffin tin you like: regular, jumbo, or mini. Just adjust the bake time accordingly.
What is applesauce doing in my pumpkin muffins?
If you’re surprised to see applesauce in a pumpkin muffin recipe, here’s the deal. Applesauce is a great ingredient to use in baked goods as a partial or full replacement for oil. It has a high moisture content and is low in fat, and the apple flavor does not permeate the finished product once it’s baked. The key is to use unsweetened applesauce. If you only have sweetened applesauce on hand, decrease the brown sugar by about a tablespoon so the muffins aren’t too sweet.
How do I store leftovers?
Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week. The muffins can also be wrapped in plastic and stored in a Ziploc bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Serving suggestions
First, let’s talk about add-ins. While pumpkin-oatmeal muffins are delightful when made as directed, you can also add in mini chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, or golden raisins. Or all three! My kids always like the mini chocolate chips; about a half cup is sufficient.
To serve, you can make a breakfast out of pumpkin-oatmeal muffins by serving some protein with them. Think Sunny-Side-Up Eggs or Air-Fryer Turkey Bacon, both of which are easy even on busy weekday mornings. Alternatively, for a larger weekend breakfast or brunch, try serving the muffins alongside a main like Crock-Pot Breakfast Casserole and rounding out the meal with fresh fruit plus other baked goods like Banana Bread or Spiced Applesauce Bread.
Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
- 3/4 cup rolled oats
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a muffin tin or line with paper liners.
- Whisk the eggs, pumpkin purée, applesauce, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and light brown sugar in a bowl until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the dry ingredients.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the muffins light.
- Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each roughly 3/4 full.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
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