Pumpkin Muffins | Gluten Free Muffins with Cream Cheese Drizzle

Pumpkin Muffins need to go on your Fall recipes to-make list.

Seriously, everything about these muffins are festive. The bright orange color of the batter, the wafting aroma of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla, and pumpkin as they bake, and the way they taste like the essence of Autumn.

These muffins have a super soft, fluffy crumb. I leave half the batch as-is, and then top the other half with a homemade cream cheese drizzle. Eat for breakfast, for snack, or for dessert. (And try and not do all three in the same day.)

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Looking for More Pumpkin?

Gluten Free Pumpkin Spice Cake – Homemade Cream Cheese Icing

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Or, Apple?

Apple Hand Pies with Gluten Free Pie Crust Recipe

Apple Pie Filling Recipe | Easy Homemade Pie Filling

Gluten Free Apple Muffins with Streusel – Easy Fall Breakfast

Chick-fil-A Market Salad Copycat with Apple Cider Vinaigrette – Gluten Free

Kale Salad with Apples, Craisins, and Goat Cheese – Easy Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette

Okay, it's embarrassingly clear which one I'm more a fan of. I'll work to change that.

What Makes Pumpkin Muffins so Good?

• High quality gluten free all purpose flour containing xanthum gum. I prefer to use Bob's Red Mill GF 1:1 (the blue bag) or King Arthur's GF Measure for Measure. *Avoid flours containing garbanzo/chickpea flour, lentil flour, or pea protein in baked goods because they can leave an unpleasant aftertaste.
• A mixture of granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Double the deliciousness.
• Ground Cinnamon.
• Ground Cloves.
• Ground Nutmeg.
• Pure Vanilla Extract. Adds a touch of comfort and warmth.
• Pumpkin Puree. I use the Thrive Market Organic Pumpkin (Get 40% off your first order + sometimes a free gift.) *Be careful using other brands of organic pumpkin, as some are more watery. You may need to add a touch more flour if your brand of pumpkin is watery. I find the Thrive Market brand to be the perfect consistency for the best price.
• Vegetable oil. This makes the muffins super soft. Avoid using melted butter as well as coconut oil in this recipe, as both harden at room temperature (74-76 F).

How to Make Pumpkin Muffins:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease muffin tray, use paper liners, or use an ungreased silicone muffin tray.
2. To a large mixing bowl; add GF flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Whisk until well-combined. Tip: You can store this seasonal dry mix in a jar in your pantry until ready for use, or even gift it!
3. Add in pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir until just combined.
4. Spoon batter evenly into the muffin tray until the liners are about ¾ of the way full.
5. Bake 22-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

6. Remove from oven. Then, allow to cool in pan at least 5 minutes before removing muffins to a wire cooling rack.

7. Meanwhile, to prepare the Cream Cheese Icing: In a small mixing bowl, beat the room temperature cream cheese, sugar, and pure vanilla extract together until smooth with an electric mixer. If you want a thinner icing, add in a tsp. of milk. *Note: Any muffins topped with the icing must be refrigerated.

8. Once muffins are cool, drizzle the icing over the tops.

9. Store muffins in an airtight container. Muffins not topped with the Cream Cheese Icing can be left at room temperature. Muffins topped with Cream Cheese Icing must be stored in the refrigerator. Enjoy within 3 days.

Notes:

I've also made these in a giant muffin tin (makes six) and it works out great! The batter rises perfectly and does not fall. (Pictures are of both the regular-sized muffins and giant bakery sized.)