I finally did it! I’ve been wanting to bake with some alternative flours for some time, and this weekend I finally made this pumpkin muffin recipe using whole spelt flour. And I must say, they are deeeelicious! We’ve definitely been missing out ... the texture is much more cake-like and the taste is milder than regular whole-wheat flour.
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It was super easy to make the 1:1 substitution … I have no idea why I kept putting it off! But if you don't have spelt flour you could definitely use whole-wheat pastry or regular whole-wheat flour instead.
For a gluten-free option, make this Healthy Pumpkin Bread or these Pumpkin Protein Muffins!
Baking Tips
This recipe is super simple to make and it would be really fun to kids to help out. Best of all, you can make the batter in just one bowl—less to clean up! I recommend making a double batch of muffins to have ready in your freezer for a quick breakfast or school snack on busy days.
You can also bake these in mini-muffin tins if you'd like (be sure to check them at around 10 minutes) or bake them in festive muffin cups or paper liners depending on the holiday or season.
For more baking tips, check out this Teaspoon to Tablespoon Conversion!
What Makes These Pumpkin Muffins Healthy?
Whole Grain Flour
Spelt may sound like a “new” grain (at least it did to me), but it’s actually been around for more than 9,000 years. As I mentioned, the flavor is “lighter” than wheat and even though it contains gluten, some with an intolerance to wheat find that they are able to enjoy spelt.
Just like with wheat though, you want to be sure to select “Whole" spelt products as opposed to the refined (white) version. And to keep your whole spelt flour fresh, it’s best to stick it in the freezer (or fridge) along with your other whole grain flours.
Natural Sweeteners
When it comes to sweeteners, I use the least processed sweeteners available, which are honey and 100% pure maple syrup. You won't find any refined sugar in these muffins. But, like with any recipe that calls for sugar or sweeteners, moderation is key ... because "sugar is sugar" no matter how you look at it (learn more in my "Sweeteners 101" post).
Can I Use Halloween Pumpkin?
The simple answer is yes. Once you're done carving your pumpkin for Halloween you can turn it into pumpkin puree, but there are some major differences between your jack-o-lantern and a "pie" pumpkin that you might want to consider.
One of the most common methods of homemade pumpkin puree is roasting it, so a large Halloween pumpkin might not be the best size to fit in your oven. They are also a lot more stringy and have less flesh than the baking ones. And from my experience, the flavor just isn't the same since carving pumpkins have less natural sugar, resulting in less sweetness for those yummy fall desserts.
By all means, you can still turn those festive Halloween pumpkins into a puree if you'd like, but I definitely recommend using a smaller pie pumpkin for the best outcome. Whichever you choose, try one of these two simple methods we explain in this post.
Check out these Fall Breakfast Ideas for more great recipes!
Pumpkin Puree Tip
If you use canned pumpkin, make sure you purchase a can of pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. While they may seem similar, pumpkin pie filling is a blend of squash, sweeteners, and spices—and I've already mentioned how I like to stay away from refined sugars!
What Is Pumpkin Pie Spice?
Whether it's the famous Pumpkin Spice Latte or a holiday Pumpkin Pie at Thanksgiving, the main flavor is Pumpkin Pie Spice. This fall flavor is generally a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and sometimes allspice. You can find a variety of store-bought blends or easily create your own using these measurements (makes about three ounces):
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ tablespoons ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
How to Store Pumpkin Muffins
After you've let the muffins cool completely on a wire rack, transfer them in a single layer into an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 4 days.
If you're worried about soggy muffins, one trick is to line the bottom of the container with a paper towel, add the muffins, then place another paper towel on top. This is supposed to help absorb any moisture, resulting in your muffins staying fresher, longer.
As I mentioned before, I always make a double batch of any kind of muffins to store in the freezer. They are a great time saver for school lunches, on-the-go breakfast, or snacks.
For these pumpkin muffins, or any bread item, there are two ways you can freeze them:
- Freeze them in one layer on a baking sheet. Then once they are frozen, transfer them to a big Ziploc bag or other freezer-safe containers.
- Eliminate a step by separating the layers of food with pieces of wax paper in your freezer-safe container/bag (so nothing sticks together). With certain foods (like muffins) I find that I don’t even need the wax paper.
I recommend only storing them for up to 6 months this way. When you're ready to enjoy them, take your desired amount out of the freezer the night before and let them defrost in the refrigerator overnight, or on the counter at room temperature. If you're in a hurry, you can always pop it in the microwave for a few seconds, too.
Video: How to Make Pumpkin Muffins
I was in LA and got to visit Catherine McCord (of Weelicious) in her kitchen where I showed her how to make these muffins. Check it out in the video below!
More Pumpkin Recipes
- Pumpkin Oat Scones
- Pumpkin Fluff Dessert
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Whole-Grain Pumpkin Waffles (and Donuts)
- Pumpkin Pie Green Smoothie
- "Pumpkin Spice" Hot Chocolate (or Mocha or Latte)
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread
More Muffin Recipes
- Whole-Wheat Lemon Raspberry Muffins
- Apple Walnut Muffins
- Whole-Wheat Banana (Nut) Muffins
- Fruit, Nut, or Berry Whole-Wheat Muffins
- Whole-Wheat Carrot Applesauce Muffins
Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole spelt flour (can substitute whole-wheat flour)
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup honey
- ⅓ cup butter (melted)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with liners and set aside.
- Using a whisk or fork, mix together the flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Make a well (hole) in the center of the flour mixture and drop in the eggs, honey, and melted butter. Mix together until well combined.
- Fold in the pumpkin puree. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the muffin pan so it’s evenly distributed.
- Bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes clean, about 18–20 minutes. Store at room temperature or freeze for a rainy day.
Gigi says
This is a fabulous recipe! Thank you for sharing! I couldn't believe how moist and light these muffins were!
Christina says
So now that I have made these a handful of times, I used a bit less than a full tbsp of pumpkin pie spice (they were a bit too nutmeggy for me). I also used 1/4 cup of raw honey and 1/4 of pure maple syrup. And instead of butter I used 1/3 cup of coconut oil. They came out a lot more moist, not sure if it was the coconut oil?? But oh my... Heaven. I make them every week, sometimes twice a week as they don't last long with 6 people in the house! My husband takes like 6 for breakfast with his coffee!!! I also pack a couple in my daughters lunch. Thank you again!!!
Michelle M says
Delicious! Thanks for a nice and tasty recipe. I used coconut oil in mine and was amazed how light and fluffy they came out.
Elissa says
The muffins were AWESOME!!! I decided that mine needed frosting. So I whipped up some cream cheese with honey and put a layer on my muffin... a little heaven on earth!!!
Anita Eggleton says
Can I sub the spelt for another flour? If so, would white whole wheat or buckwheat be better?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Anita. I would use the white whole wheat flour, although the buckwheat would be gluten free if that's a concern for you. There is also a whole wheat pumpkin bread recipe if you'd like to try that...https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/09/28/recipe-pumpkin-bread/. Jill
Marissa Fenwick says
I made these yesterday as I wanted to try something new with spelt flour. I had canned pumkin on hand. I thought the mixture looked a bit dry but they turned out perfectly and are super delicious! Thank you so much for this recipe! I am now signing up for the blog and will check out your other recipes.. I have crohn's disease and try as much as possible to cut out processed foods from my diet, so inspiration is always appreciated! :-)
thank you!!
Kari says
I made these yesterday with homemade pumpkin puree and added a few organic dark chocolate chips. I am already making another batch because my whole family is coming over to try them! Even my neighbors son (who is a very picky eater) loved it and asked me for one to take home with him. Thanks so much!
Monica says
I made the muffins with whole-wheat pastry flour and they were delicious! None of that weird texture I sometimes get with whole wheat recipes
Jason Leake with 100 Days of Real Food says
Molly - I just tried it and it worked for me...please try again using 100DAYS (no quotes) and let us know if you still have an issue.
Molly says
This coupon code is not working. Was it for a minimum amount spent? It's just October 3rd, so it should work, right?
Nikki says
we eat a lot of whole wheat flour but I'm not a fan at all. Kids are getting used to it but not loving it. I tried this today and WOW are they moist and delicious! I'm so excited! I have another batch in the oven now made with ground flax, a little less honey and bananas, chocolate chips and cinnamon instead of pumpkin. I hope they are at least almost as good as the original. What a great after school snack!!! thank you!
Stacey says
These are yummy! My whole family (including my picky eaters) enjoyed them for breakfast this morning!
Whitney says
How do you freeze/reheat these muffins?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Whitney. I freeze them in a large Ziploc bag. I take them out in the morning usually for my kids snack before they head off to school and they are defrosted within a few hours by the time they're ready to eat. So, I would just say defrost them on the counter a little while before you're ready for them. Jill
Courtney says
My muffins turned out bitter for some reason. Any idea why?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Courtney. Is it possible that your flour was bad? Jill
Sairey says
My husband devoured these muffins! I liked them too and I'm not a pumpkin person. Next time I may add freshly ground cinnamon and nutmeg to the pumpkin pie spice. I used pumpkin puree in a can...the only ingredients listed were pumpkin and water.
Ashley Boyer says
The pumpkin muffins were delish! Such a great recipe!! Thanks for sharing!
Amber says
Can you use normal can pumpkin in this recipe? I hope so because I just bought some plus the spelt flour so that I can make them for a party tonight!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Amber. Yes. I use organic canned pumpkin. Jill
Georgia says
Made these this morning & whole heartedly agree with the multiple praises! New to this lifestyle and grateful for all the good advice & tips!
Jenn says
That was a reply specifically for Carrie Lisenbe.
Jenn says
Here's a website I thought you might want to know about. My friend's child also has a corn allergy. http://www.cornallergens.com/
Substitution : 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar + 1/4 teaspoon baking soda =1 teaspoon baking powder or as mentioned use Hain featherweight baking powder.
Know that both options are higher in potassium, which is typically ok in small amounts, but if there's any kidney issues or other medical concern consult your doctor.
Christina says
Just whipped these little bad boys up! I must admit... I licked the entire bowl clean after loading the muffin tin. It tasted exactly like pumpkin pie! Irresistible. The muffins are really tasty! My kids devoured them! I used Bob's Red Mill Spelt Flour, I couldn't find VitaSpelt at Whole Foods. I will be making them again!!! And again... And again... Thanks for another great recipe!!!
Kristin says
Thanks for the suggestion, if your Whole Foods doesn't have vita-spelt, our whole foods probably won't either as it's super small. However, one of the large grocery stores in town carries a huge selection of Bob's Red Mill products, so I'll try there instead.
Kristin says
Yikes, why does spelt flour have to be so expensive? I went to my local large grocery store, Woodman's. Woodman's has a pretty large natural foods section, so I thought they would have spelt flour. Unfortunately, they only had white spelt flour and gosh was it expensive when compared to TJ's white whole wheat. I'll have to see if Whole Foods carries "whole" spelt flour. Though spelt it will most likely be more expensive at WF, so I'm not sure how often I will be able to bake with it :( Still, I like the idea of baking with something other then wheat, so thanks for the information!
Ashley says
Can you grind spelt or do you just buy the flour? If you can grind them, is it more nutritional like wheat berries? I'd really like to know, thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Ashley. I buy the flour, but, I did read that you can grind it. Jill
Sharon says
Thank you for this. The local farm I go to was telling me about this flour and how great it is. I wasn't sure and just kept using white whole wheat. It is great to know I can use spelt.
Do you all keep other flour on hand or are you able to use spelt for everything?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Sharon. No, we keep others on hand. I use white whole wheat, spelt, buckwheat, oat and almond flour mostly. We enjoy the variation. Jill
Diane Y says
How funny! I was just coming to the site to post on your pumpkin bread recipe that I had just made it (as muffins) and that it was AMAZING!
Those pumpkin muffins are, by far, the best whole wheat baked item we've had yet. We had to put them in the freezer right away so we wouldn't eat them all in one sitting.
Now I'll have to try it using Spelt too.
Jenny says
I LOVE spelt. But I agree that grinding it fresh is best if you can. I love making spelt pasta, spelt bread (oh so good), spelt waffles, cakes, muffins, and biscuits and tortillas....oh I am hungry now! The only thing that hasn't worked as well is cookies since spelt absorbs and releases water quickly so they can spread super flat. I have some recipes and spelt info on my blog http://www.littlebeanfoodstorage.blogspot.com (if that's okay to put on here?) I buy mine from Azure Standard in large organic bags...it is my favorite to use and then soft white wheat (which makes super yummy pastry flour).
Simple recipes says
Simple and delicious recipes
Murray says
I'm a bit new to this game but keen to try everything and anything. Pumpkin puree??? Any particular type of pumpkin to puree? I assume your not talking of the stuff in a can? Thanks
Anna says
I get organic pumpkin puree at Fred Meyer in the 'healthy' secton. I'm sure other food stores have them to.
Kristin says
Pie pumpkins work best for making pumpkin puree. Plus, they are super cheap at farmer's markets right now. I usually buy 3-4, bake them, then puree the flesh with my immersion blender and freeze. A few years ago I got even smarter and started freezing the pumpkin in exact quantities for use in my favorite pumpkin recipes such as pie, muffins, pancakes, bars, etc. Then when I want to make a pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, I simply take out a bag of pumpkin labeled pie.
Alicia says
Immersion blender - what an excellent idea! I've always used a food processor that can only puree 1 cup of pumpkin at a time. Just hink of all that time saved I could be doing other things, with much less of a mess! I also love your idea of freezing exact portions. I cant wait to try your methods out! :)
Jason Leake with 100 Days of Real Food says
Murray - We used organic pumpkin puree from a can, although if you have access to fresh you could certainly use it :)
Cindy says
I have looked everywhere for a container similar to the one you use for your wheat flour(shown in your real food freezer pix). Help! Any ideas?
Kathy says
Try the Container Store. That is where I got mine for the freezer.
Jason Leake with 100 Days of Real Food says
Hi Cindy - You can get the square plastic canisters here on Amazon. Since the photograph was taken we have since started phasing them out for glass jars that you can get pretty cheap from Amazon.
Cindy says
Thank you.
Lisa says
I grew up on spelt, but haven't experimented much with it as an adult. As a child with a wheat & allergy, there weren't many options for me (this was the 80's!) but my parents relied heavily on spelt.
Also, spelt pizza crust is DELICIOUS! That was a staple in our household! I can't wait to try the pumpkin muffins.
DaNelle Wolford says
Told ya' Spelt was the way to go;)
DaNelle recently posted...How to stick to ANY diet plan.
Stephanie says
Carrie - you can make baking powder by combining 1 part baking soda to 2 parts cream of tartar. Hope that helps!
Lori Hannah says
I enjoy reading your blog, but notice your diet is very heavy on the grains, especially whole wheat. Most of the vitamin E in wheat degrades and becomes rancid within 72 hours of grinding the grain. It is best to use whole spelt or wheat berries, freshly ground to get the most nutrition bang for your buck. Then, if you really want to do it the right way to reduce the phytic acid, you need to sprout your grains, dry them out and THEN grind them, for the best nutritive value. Your body can then absorb the nutrients more efficiently. Soft pastry wheat berries are wonderful to use for pancakes, muffins, waffles and quick breads. There is less gluten in soft pastry wheat berries.
Amy says
Oh my goodness, I thought I was doing well to cook with whole wheat flour, period! Where do you find the time to do all of that? I can't imagine sprouting and drying all of the wheat my household goes through. Do you do this?
Jason Leake with 100 Days of Real Food says
Amy - We don't soak and dry our grains. We typically grind wheat berries with our Nutrimill and purchase other high quality whole grain flours in the bag or from bulk bins.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Lori. Glad you are enjoying the blog. Although we have a lot of recipes with whole wheat, that does not necessarily mean that's what we consume as an average daily diet. I appreciate your feedback though and the tips on spelt, wheatberries and sprouted wheat products. Jill
Martha says
I realize you have a spelt sponser, but can it be bought in stores like Earthfare or does it have to be ordered?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Martha. Spelt flour can also be found in stores such as Earthfare and Whole Foods, although, it may be more expensive (not certain though). Jill
Carrie Lisenbe says
Do you have any suggestions for alternatives for Baking Powder? My daughter has a corn allergy and baking powder has cornstarch in it. She can have baking soda, though. Just wondering:)
Stephanie says
I posted a comment below, without realizing I could reply directly to you! :) To make baking powder, combine 1 part baking soda to 2 parts cream of tartar. Hope that helps!
Brenda says
Hain makes a corn free baking powder. Order online if stores around you do not carry it.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Carrie. You should probably be able to sub the baking soda then. You might just want to do an internet search to double check if it's a 1:1 conversion. Jill
Anna says
I don't know a lot about spelt. Is it like a grain that I can grind? Can't wait to start cooking with it!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Anna. Yes, I believe that you can get spelt berries (or kernels) and grind them like you would wheat. Jill
Ellen says
The muffins look really yummy! If I were to make them as a pumpkin bread in a loaf pan instead (due to time crunch or laziness!!), do you know how long I would cook them? Thank you!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Ellen. I would suggest 30-40 minutes, but, I would watch it closely to make sure it doesn't burn. Jill
Crystal says
Thank you for posting the muffins. I love everything spelt. Blueberry spelt pancakes are great and spelt bread is amazing.
Kassie says
I can't wait to try those muffins! Are you able to sub spelt for flour in any recipe? I recently have been cutting flour and sugars out of our diet, so would this be a healthy alternative? I need to learn more, I obviously do not know anything about it!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Kassie. I've read that you can pretty much substitute spelt flour for whole wheat. Spelt is said to be much easier to digest than whole wheat. It is also higher in protein than whole wheat flour. Jill
Melanie says
Sounds delicious! I've made muffins with Katie's single muffin recipe over at Chocolatecoveredkatie.com. I just multiply the recipe for how many servings I want and they always turn out great. I usually use spelt and I think it is sooo tasty! I'll have to give these a try too.