Healthy Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffins or "Cups" {Gluten-free}

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Healthy Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffins are protein-packed from Greek yogurt and gluten-free. Enjoy these baked cups for breakfast or a snack.

There's nothing quite like a pumpkin muffin to put you in the fall spirit, which is why we have many to choose from. We modified our Greek Yogurt Pumpkin Muffins to create this gluten-free version by using oats instead of flour.

The result is a delicious baked pumpkin oatmeal cup perfect for breakfast or a snack. It cooks in a muffin tin, and you can eat on-the-go like any muffin. But, it's unapologetically more filling and has a denser texture than a muffin made with flour.

If you need a chocolate fix, then check out Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins. They're incredible too.

All our yogurt muffins are healthier than a traditional recipe because they use healthier grains, have less sugar, and are oil-free. You can thank Greek yogurt for the protein boost.

The best part is they're not hard to make at all. Even so, we suggest making LOTS of them to freeze so can easily enjoy one all season long!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Directions
• Expert Tips and Variations
• Storing, Freezing, Make-Ahead Tips
• More Healthy Oatmeal Recipes
• 📋 Recipe

Ingredients

You'll find helpful information on the ingredients you'll need to pumpkin oatmeal muffins and healthy swaps below:

• Oatmeal - Use certified gluten-free oats if needed. This recipe calls for old-fashioned rolled oats, not the quick-cooking type. You don't need to grind them first either.
• Pumpkin puree - Use canned or fresh pumpkin puree (link to A Sweet Pea Chef.) Don't use seasoned pumpkin pie filling that may contain added sugar.
• Sugar - This recipe has a reduced amount of sugar. A typical recipe using 1 can of pumpkin calls for 1 cup of sugar. We used half that amount. Use a sugar substitute if desired, but at least ½ cup of bulk is needed to make the recipe work. We use ¼ cup of granulated sugar and ¼ cup of Stevia to make the pumpkin oatmeal muffins pictured.
• Greek Yogurt - Yogurt replaces oil in this recipe. Make sure it's plain or the taste of the muffin will be entirely different. We used non-fat yogurt. But, you can use full fat as well.
• Egg - Choose a large or small egg for this recipe.
• Chocolate Chips - The muffins get a boost of sweetness from chocolate chips too, which is one of the reasons you can cut back on the added sugar. Mini-sized chocolate chips will ensure you have a few in every bite. The darker the chocolate, the better! We used a Stevia Sweetened brand.

The remaining ingredients are all the typical ones you would expect to find in a muffin, such as cinnamon and baking powder.

Please refer to the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and detailed instructions.

Directions

Here's how to make pumpkin muffins with oatmeal:

1. Combine oats, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, egg, and Greek yogurt into the dry mix.
2. Fold in chocolate chips.
3. Fill muffin tins coated with cooking spray with about ¼ cup of batter. (Tip: if using liners, give them a light spritz of cooking spray before filling them.)
4. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the muffins are firm and lightly browned on the top. Allow muffins to rest in the pan for about 5 minutes and then move to a wire rack. They will continue to firm up as they cool.

Expert Tips and Variations

Follow these top tips to make the best oatmeal pumpkin muffins:

• If using paper inserts, LIGHTLY SPRITZ THOSE WITH COOKING SPRAY TOO! Please. Because there is no oil in this recipe, the muffins will stick. (Although, if you wait a few hours, they will peel right off. But, who wants to wait that long?!)
• Oatmeal pumpkin muffins will continue to cook and firm up once you take them out of the oven. Wait 5-10 minutes.
• Raisins or other dried fruit can be used instead of chocolate chips. You can also add finely chopped nuts, like walnuts or pecans.
• Top it with all-natural, sugar-free healthy cream cheese frosting (we got this idea from The Pioneer Woman's Pumpkin Spice Muffins recipe.

Storing, Freezing, Make-Ahead Tips

If you have any Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffins left, store them in an air-tight container. They will keep 1-2 days at room temperature or about a week in the refrigerator.

To store in the freezer, individually wrap each muffin in plastic first.

When you're ready to enjoy one, defrost it in the refrigerator overnight. Or, remove from plastic wrap and microwave on 50% power for about 1 minute and then in 30-second intervals until defrosted.

More Healthy Oatmeal Recipes

📋 Recipe

This recipe was originally published on 10/12/18 and has been updated to improve the reader experience.