These delicious and healthy Coconut Flour Paleo Pumpkin Muffins are gluten free and clean eating. They make a delicious breakfast or snack.
Update March 2017:
3 1/2 years ago these pumpkin muffin with coconut flour ignited my love for baking with coconut flour. It was my first recipe success with this new (to me) wheat flour alternative.
The coconut flour pumpkin muffins were moist, filling and really healthy. I was newly pregnant at the time and I had a hard time with many foods, but these paleo pumpkin muffins carried me through my work days.
Since then I’ve made many different versions of muffins made with coconut flour. But at least every fall and whenever I have some canned pumpkin puree, I circle back to these pumpkin coconut flour muffins – my original coconut flour success.
This is what the photos in the original post of paleo pumpkin muffins looked like:
Baking with Coconut Flour
You’ll see that I switch up the topping on these gluten free pumpkin muffins, depending on my mood and what I have on hand. Pecans, walnuts, pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and even dark chocolate chips are all really good.
Another difference that you may be able to spot in the pictures, is the texture of the grain free muffins. Originally, I used only coconut flour in the recipe and you can see that the muffins look a little gritty.
Over time and after lots of recipe testing with coconut flour, I realized the coconut flour muffins had a finer crumb texture when I used a starchy powder as well. My starch of choice has been tapioca flour, because it is gluten free, paleo friendly and can be found in most well-stocked grocery stores with an Asian product section.
Alternatively, arrowroot powder, corn, potato, or rice starch can be used, though only the first of these is paleo friendly. But if you don’t have any of these on hand, you can see that the recipe for these paleo pumpkin spice muffins also works with just coconut flour.
From the video you can see that coconut flour batters can easily be whipped up in a blender. Since there is no gluten, there is no risk of over mixing (or over developing the gluten), which would result in tough baked goods with wheat flour.
Substitutions: for Low Carb Pumpkin Muffins
To make this pumpkin paleo muffins recipe low carb you want to leave out the starch and use an alternative sweetener. I recommend sugar-free monk fruit syrup.
If you have weaned yourself off sweet flavors, you may even be ok omitting sweetener all together. Though you may have to add some liquid to achieve a smooth batter consistency in this paleo pumpkin muffin recipe.
Coconut Flour Recipes eBook
All the coconut flour recipe testing that started with this recipe, resulted in me writing my first cookbook. And it’s full of many more delicious coconut flour recipes – even a few more coconut flour pumpkin recipes.
—>>> Check it out here!
VIDEO: How to make Coconut Flour Paleo Pumpkin Muffins
More healthy Pumpkin Recipes:
Paleo Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour arrowroot powder or potato/corn starch can be substituted
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 4 eggs
- 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup coconut oil melted
- 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey, agave, monkfruit syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, pepitas or chocolate chips
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line a muffin pan with parchment or silicone muffin liners.
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In a medium bowl whisk together coconut flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. In a large bowl whisk together remaining (wet) ingredients except for the pecans until smooth and combined.
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Add the flour mix to the wet mixture and stir until all lumps are gone. Alternatively, you can also blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender.
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Divide batter into 12 muffin cavities and top each with chopped nuts (or seeds/chocolate chips). Bake for 17-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Annie
This is great! I’ve been looking for a low sugar, low(er) carb muffin recipe and these muffins sound delicious!
I’ve baked with coconut flour before and I’m actually surprised that a gluten-free flour option is actually not that difficult to work with. And it tastes pretty good too!
I love my muffins fresh and I’ve found that Tupperware containers are the best airtight containers you can buy. When I store muffins and cookies in Tupperware in the freezer, I never get freezer burn. And on the counter, they’ll keep them fresh for days. I use this link (https://www.kimbino.ca/tupperware/) and get it delivered to my door. 🙂
Carol napolitano
Hi Regina, can I just put the batter in a cake pan, and make a cake instead of muffins? I sometimes get dry results with coconut flour, that’s why I’m here now, and using your recipes Thank You
Regina
I haven’t tried making this recipe into a pumpkin cake, but I don’t see why that shouldn’t work. It probably will just take longer to bake through. Be sure not to overbake though.
Heather
Excellent! I made this exactly as written and used arrowroot powder. I even used your recipe for the home made pumpkin pie spice. I have been looking for more coconut flour recipes especially with arrowroot. I appreciate your calculating the calories/carbs. What would happen if I doubled the amount of pumpkin puree to give it a more pumpkin flavor, would they still turn out?
Lauren
I make these and doubled the recipe but my batter turned out very thick. They are baking right now and not setting at all after 17 min . Not sure what I did wrong. Is arrowroot more fence then tapioca flour? Do you have to sift coconut flour lol you do regular flour? They smell great. I’ll have to try again.
Bethany Beyer
Thanks! These really hit the spot. I was out of pumpkin spice so I used a chai blend. Now I just need to grow some pie squash like the sweet orange canned stuff! I just learned this year that the canned stuff is closer to a butternut than a sugar pumpkin shocking!
Regina
Chai spice sounds like an amazing substitute! And I can only imagine how awesome this would be with homegrown pumpkin!
Cindy
Made these today and I love them. I have been aip for 9 months now (with egg reintroduction) and have tried a few coconut baking recipes and by far this is the best one. So much like traditional muffins. Thank you
Regina
Thanks so much for the wonderful review! Comparing them to traditional muffins is like the best praise these could get 😀
Carol
I made these tonight omg they are delicious! I felt out the arrow root.
Sheri
Do you know if these would work with applesauce instead of egg??? My daughter has an egg allergy. Thanks!
Regina
Hi Sheri, I don’t think applesauce will provide enough structure for these muffins, especially since there already is pumpkin puree. Other commenters have mentioned using flax or chia eggs, though I can’t vouch for the success as I haven’t tried it myself.
Joanna
This is my go-to muffin recipe! However, I preferred the original recipe. Would you be able to post it? Thank you!
Regina
I believe the only difference in the original was no tapioca flour and 1 teaspoon baking powder + 1/2 t baking soda for leavening
Joanna
Thank you!
Regina
You are very welcome! I am so glad you are enjoying the recipe
Nadine
So 1 teaspoon baking powder + 1/2 t baking soda replaces the 1/4 c. tapioca flour? Or should I make the coconut flour 3/4 c.? Also, can I use almond flour?
Regina
No, the same recipe also works without tapioca. No need to make any other adjustments. Also I used to use baking powder + soda but to make them paleo I use only baking soda now.
Almond flour will work differently. This recipe is specifically tested for coconut flour
Carol
I am waiting right now for them to cool so I can try one. The recipe called for pumpkin pie spice but i didn’t see that on the list of ingredients so I added a half teaspoon so I Wil see how they turned out. Also I did not have enough coconut oil so I finished with avocado oil. We will see what the end result is in a while.
Regina
Thanks so much for pointing out the missing ingredient in the list. I am fixing that right now. I have successfully used avocado oil in this recipe before. Hope you enjoyed these
Rachel Lewter
Celiac equates to gluten free eating. I’m so excited with all your recipes, especially the pumpkin morning Muffins. Several drink recipes to try as well, gosh where to begin?….. I have Pumpkin, this girl is headed to the kitchen to try out the recipe.
Thanks for sharing.
Kathleen Cazander
I think the Morning Glory Muffins would be the first ones I make.
Lance
I know men do not get much notice in things like this . but i love to bake and use new things. I had never heard of coconut flour till reading your article today . I love the flavor of coconut ever since drinking my first coconut milk straight from the coconut in Venezuela . Now i cannot wait to try your muffin mixes. we are all early risers around here and bad at fixing breakfast but i find any kind of grab and eat food like muffins are a big hit. so would love to try those out and experiment with those as well.
Patty
I want to try these pumpkin muffins. I love all pumpkin.
Kirsten
Pumpkin muffins! I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Nathan
I want to make this pumpkin muffin recipe. It looks great, and I have been trying to figure out what to do with coconut flour.
Jill Weber
I would love to try the pumpkin muffins
kara
Your coconut flour chocolate muffins look very good!! I may have to find me some coconut flour in my small town (ha ha) or the next time I make it to a larger city so that I can make them!)
Oceana
These coconut flour pumpkin muffins look delicious for dessert, right after that tilapia recipe of yours. Yum!
Lindsay selk
My husband is GF, I have never tried coconut flour and would love to try any of these recipes!