Hearty Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

As fall rolls around, it’s time for all the pumpkin treats! These hearty pumpkin cranberry muffins are a perfect option for adults and kiddos alike. Make ‘em on the weekend and then you can use them as part of breakfast or for snacks throughout the week. These muffins are made with wholesome ingredients like whole wheat flour and oats, and are naturally sweetened with maple syrup.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here’s a photo of all the ingredients you’ll need, along with selected ingredient notes:

• Pumpkin puree: Look for plain canned pumpkin puree – not pumpkin pie filling. The latter contains added spices and sugar which will affect the taste of this recipe.

• Whole wheat flour: This adds additional fiber and nutrients to the muffins. However, you can substitute with all-purpose flour if that’s what you have on hand.

• Maple Syrup: You want pure maple syrup for this recipe (not pancake syrup). If you prefer, you should be able to use honey instead (though note that I haven’t tested this substitution).

• Pumpkin Spice: This is sold as a blend and works very well in many recipes. If you don’t have it on hand, substitute the 2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice with 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ginger, and ½ tsp nutmeg.

Instructions

You’ll find the full recipe amounts and instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s a helpful overview with photos and tips.

Start by mixing together the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl: the flour, oats, pumpkin spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In another mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, maple syrup, olive oil, and egg.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the cranberries, dried cranberries, and pecans.

Portion that out into a muffin tin that you’ve lined with paper liners. Bake ‘em for 18-22 minutes. The muffins are done when a toothpick pulls clean from the center.

Let them cool in the pan for a 10 minutes, then finish cooling on a cooling rack.

Recipe FAQ

Here are some common questions that may come up as you’re preparing this recipe:

Allergens in this Recipe

Disclaimer: Always double check ingredients and labels yourself prior to making a recipe.  While I try to check all ingredients for allergens, there’s always the chance I may miss something, or manufacturer formulations can change.

As written, this recipe is dairy free.

This recipe does contain wheat/gluten (in the flour), eggs (in the eggs), tree nuts (in the pecans), and may also contain soy (some brands of dried cranberries contain soy). While I don’t recommend substitutions for the wheat and eggs in this particular recipe, you can easily make this free of tree nuts by just eliminating the pecans from the recipe. You can also easily make this soy-free by choosing a brand of dried cranberries that does not contain soy as an ingredient.

More Healthy Muffin Recipes

If you’re looking for more muffin recipes with a more nutritious spin (whether that’s using a natural sweetener, adding protein, or sneaking in a veggie) – be sure to give one of these a try:

• Dairy free banana protein muffins
• Pumpkin banana muffins
• Pumpkin buckwheat muffins
• Spinach and banana muffins

I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you get a chance to try it, please leave a recipe rating or comment below.

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