Vegan Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
Vegan Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins- made with rolled oats and cornmeal, these muffins are naturally gluten-free and refined sugar-free with an oil-free option too!
Chili season has officially arrived which means it’s time to bake some cornbread!
I recently decided to update one of my favorite chili recipes (this Best-Ever Quinoa Chili) and realized that I needed to make some cornbread to go with it. I also happened to have some leftover pumpkin puree sooooo…that’s how these little pumpkin beauts came to be.
They’re somewhat similar to these Vegan and Gluten-free Cornbread Muffins however they use rolled oats instead of brown rice flour, and coconut oil in place of vegan butter. I tested them with tahini as well (for an oil-free option) and they work that way too, although we prefer the coconut oil version.
I used rolled oats by combining them with the wet ingredients in a high speed blender. Then I poured them in a bowl with the remaining ingredients, stirred everything together and the batter was good to go. So easy!
Of course if you don’t have a high speed blender, you can sub equal amounts oat flour and use two bowls instead of a blender.
If it’s one thing I’ve learned about posting baking recipes over the past 4 years is that it always helps to have options because you guys are going to want them. :)
Overall these muffins have a slightly sweet flavor and are moist with a delicate crumb. You might suspect a gummy texture since they’re gluten-free and don’t have any starches but I promise they are not gummy. Not even the slightest bit. Can you tell how happy this makes me happy?
If you’re looking for a simple homemade cornbread that’s vegan and gluten-free, I hope you’ll give these a try because they’re pretty darn amazing. Especially paired with a warm bowl of quinoa chili. ;)
Vegan Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
Yield: 10 muffins
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 25
Total Time: 35

Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons ground flax + 3 tablespoons water (or two eggs, if not vegan)
- 1 cup almond milk + 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar*
- 1 cup finely ground cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or 3 T honey, if not vegan)
- 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil (or tahini)
- 1 cup rolled oats**
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, combine the ground flax with tablespoons water. Whisk together then set aside to thicken.
In a measuring cup, combine almond milk with apple cider vinegar. Stir then set aside. In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal with baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Sift together then set aside.
In a high speed blender, combine the pumpkin puree, liquid sweetener, ground flax, almond milk, melted coconut oil and rolled oats (in that specific order!). Blend on high until smooth. Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl with cornmeal. Using a spatula, fold together until a smooth batter forms.
Lightly grease or line 10 muffin cups then fill each one about 3/4 of the way full. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-28 minutes, until light golden brown and cooked through. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes then serve and enjoy!
*Sub soy milk for a nut-free option
**If you don’t have a blender you can sub equal parts oat flour. Sift together in the bowl with the cornmeal and combine wet ingredients in a separate bowl before adding to the cornmeal. Be sure to use certified gluten-free oats/flour for allergies.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback!
It finally got cold outside! Chili season is my favorite. One of favorite things to do this time of year is open the windows, put some football on tv, and make chili and cornbread. And probably light a pumpkin-scented candle for good measure haha.
That sounds like fall perfection!
These look so cozy and hearty – perfect for chili! I’m going to send this recipe to my mom for Thanksgiving instead of traditional cornbread… since they’re muffins, they’re already perfectly portioned out for everybody!
These look delicious! Are you using the brand Bob’s Red Mill fine cornmeal for your recipe?
I’m so glad you asked that, Jerilyn! I try to only buy organic cornmeal and I haven’t been able to find a finely ground cornmeal made by Bob’s, otherwise I would use that brand for sure. So I buy Arrowhead Mills, usually from Vitacost.com online. But they’ve been out so I got it on Amazon this time: http://amzn.to/2yyxg9W It came with 6 so I’m stocked up for a while, haha!
Thanks for all this helpful info! Much appreciated. I’ll be going to my local Coop this weekend and I’ll see if they sell organic finely ground cornmeal in their bulk bins. I know they sell organic REGULAR and POLENTA, which I know is not what you’re calling for. :)
I’m reporting that I just made them today and they were delicious. For those interested, I used 1 egg instead of the flax egg, unsweetened coconut milk from a 64 oz. refrigerated organic container, regular grind cornmeal from my Coop bin (not polenta!) and oat flour. Mixed the wet ingredients well in one bowl, and mixed the dry ingredients well in larger, second bowl, then poured the wet into the dry and mixed lightly until all was incorporated. They came out of my oven looking like Sarah’s. :)
I’m so happy they turned out well for you, Jerilyn! Thank you for taking the time to write a review. I really appreciate it. Hope it’s cooling off for you in California! :)
This recipe makes me want to start a fire, turn on football, and curl up on the couch with my dog. It’s the quintessential fall recipe. Looks amazing!
Could these be made with eggs instead of flax eggs?
Yes, that should work!
Pumpkin cornbread?!? Ohh YES PLEASE! I am definitely trying these very soon! Such a great idea!
How much cornmeal
These pumpkin cornbread muffins with a bowl of quinoa chili sounds amazing! I’ve never had pumpkin cornbread muffins before, so kudos to you for getting creative with this recipe.
The pumpkin flavor is super subtle! It just makes them more moist. I know everyone hates that word but I can never think of a synonym for it, haha!
Cornbread is one of my favorite things on the planet and adding squash makes it so super moist…not to mention giving it the perfect autumn hue. :) These look so delicious and I’m craving these with a big bowl of chili!
These sound Amazing! I never would have thought about pumpkin in cornbread but I’m definitely going give these a try with a big bowl of chili! Yum!
Three cheers for chili season!! And definitely some cornbread to go along with it! I just made my go-to cornbread the other day for dinner but I am sooo going to have to try these with the pumpkin – too much fun!
This recipe was super yummy! I mean SUPER. Definitely adding to my favorites binder! One little detail I noticed is that oats weren’t listed in the instructions (unless I just missed it?)- but it was easy to figure out they go in the blender.
Aw thanks Riley! I appreciate the sweet comment and the heads up for the error. I’ll be sure to fix that now. I’m glad it didn’t cause any issues for you!
I also wanted to mention that I made these a second time for a family I cook for and used 1 egg instead of the flax (they didn’t have any flax). Equally delicious!! Thank you for your brilliant creation!
That’s great to hear! Thanks for sharing that with us, Riley!
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What a WONDERFUL recipe! I didn’t have coconut oil or tahini, so I used Earth Balance spread melted…SO GOOD! Perfectly fluffy and smooth and lightly sweet. Thanks for sharing your baking talent with us all
I’m so glad to hear they turned out well! Thank you, Lisa!
Has anyone tried making these without the sweetener? How did they turn out?
I used date paste in place of maple syrup/honey options. Came out well.
Could I sub almond flour or teff flour for oat flour?
I’m sorry but I don’t think that will work the same. Almond flour is very high in fat and provides moisture whereas either of those flours will absorb moisture. You would have to alter the entire recipe for that to work.
Thank you! I now have a use for all the canned pumpkin I receive at the food bank.
These are really good! The texture is excellent compared to most gluten free muffins. Blended oats really seem to help with that. The first batch I made didn’t even last 24 hours… planning to make again today. Thanks for a great recipe!
Yay! So happy you like them. They’re one of my favorites too! :)
I dont like pumpkin, what can I use instead?
Can you freeze the Vegan Pumpkin
Cornbread Muffins? I want to make them for Thanksgiving.
Yes you can! Just make sure they are cooled completely before freezing and then place them in an airtight container with parchment paper in between them so that they don’t freeze together. :)