Whole-Wheat Pumpkin Muffins with Pumpkin Seeds

These whole-wheat pumpkin muffins with pumpkin seeds are crammed with so many nutritious whole-food ingredients that your non-crunchy friends will be asking for seconds. Fluffy and moist, these muffins have a satisfying crunch of toasted pumpkin seeds among oats, whole-wheat flour, and canned pumpkin.

I'm all about wholesome muffins over here; I've been baking healthy homemade muffins since 2009. Next, try my blueberry muffins without milk or these fall apple chocolate chip muffins!

Why you'll love these muffins:

• They're nutrient-dense pumpkin muffins with pumpkin seeds and oatmeal - each muffin contains 4 grams of protein.
• Made with pumpkin seeds to support cycle syncing in the follicular phase, just like my fall granola with pumpkin seeds and flax and my pumpkin hummus.
• These pumpkin muffins are made with oil, making them naturally dairy-free (no yogurt, no butter), just like my morning glory muffins with pineapple!

Ingredients needed

• Pumpkin seeds (pepitas): I use raw pumpkin seeds; however, roasted would work fine too (if they are salted, you can still use them, just don't add any additional salt). I get my pumpkin seeds from Organic Matters, Amazon, or my local bulk grocer. They are also called pepitas.
• Pumpkin puree: I used canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling). This is a perfect recipe to use up leftover pumpkin puree, as the recipe calls for 1 cup of leftover pumpkin puree.
• Rolled oats: I like the texture and the increased nutrition from adding oats to these pumpkin muffins. It gives a bit of a crunch and just more texture. I use rolled oats (not quick oats).
• Whole-wheat flour: I like to use whole-wheat flour in my pumpkin muffins to make them more nutrient-dense (instead of using white flour). Whole-wheat flour can go rancid if you're not using it and buying regularly. I encourage you to check how old your whole-wheat flour is, because it can greatly affect the taste. You can use freshly milled flour for this recipe - I use red fife.
• Cane sugar: I use cane sugar or granulated white sugar to sweeten these muffins. With only ½ cup of sugar for 12 muffins, these muffins are pretty low in sugar.
• Brown sugar: In my recipe, I decided to add a little bit of brown sugar or coconut sugar. This adds a balanced flavor bringing the fall pumpkin muffin vibes all together!
• Oil: Any oil can be used for these muffins, including grapeseed, organic canola, olive oil, or melted coconut oil. I like to use olive oil.

See recipe card for quantities.

Variations and add-ins

Boost these muffins with all your favorite ingredients.

• Flax seeds: Add 2 tablespoons of flax to increase healthy fats.
• Chocolate chips: Add ⅓ cup chocolate chips to the muffin batter for healthy pumpkin chocolate chip muffins!
• Ginger powder: I was tempted to add ginger powder because my friends love ginger, just like in my carrot pineapple muffins...but I'm leaving it as an option for you to decide! Add 1 teaspoon of powdered ginger to the dry ingredients if you desire.
• Pumpkin pie spice: Make these pumpkin seed muffins with all the cozy fall vibes; add 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice (here's my recipe to make your own pumpkin spice mix!) to the dry ingredients.

How to make whole-wheat pumpkin muffins with pumpkin seeds

Step 1: Preheat the oven. Mix the dry ingredients together with a whisk to incorporate well.

Step 2: In another medium mixing bowl, place the eggs, pumpkin puree, vanilla, oil, and brown sugar. Whisk until everything is thick and glossy.

Step 3: Chop the pumpkin seeds (pepitas) into small pieces. Then add the chopped seeds and the flour mixture to the wet mixture of pumpkin puree and eggs. Fold the batter together about 12-15 times; we don't want to overmix the flour.

Step 4: Place the muffin liners into a muffin tray. Add just less than ⅓ cup batter into each muffin cup. Then top with a few whole pumpkin seeds.

Bake the whole-wheat pumpkin muffins then remove them from the oven when they spring back from touch and when the center does not look gooey.

What to eat these muffins with

These muffins do have a good amount of fiber and protein, which will help in making your blood sugar more balanced and keeping you full longer; however, enjoy the following ideas to complete the snack.

• pumpkin seed butter or homemade almond butter spread on top of the muffin halves
• a handful of nuts
• enjoy with a glass of milk (like organic soy milk, which my kids are loving these days!)
• a piece of cheese (my husband's favorite addition to any snack)

More incredible recipes with pumpkin seeds

Do you have leftover pumpkin puree? Make this pumpkin snack cake!

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