These healthy pumpkin muffins are hearty, nourishing, and cozy. Made with real pumpkin purée, oats, millet, whole grain flour, and sweet raisins, they’re lightly spiced, satisfying, and topped with crunchy pumpkin seeds. Naturally filling and freezer-friendly, these pumpkin oatmeal muffins are ideal for busy mornings or healthy snacking throughout the week.
Do you smell that?
Hang on. Put your face a little closer to your screen. Close your eyes. Inhale deeply. Smell it now??? That’s pumpkin spice, my friend!
Of all of the muffins in my repertoire, this healthy pumpkin muffin recipe is perhaps my favorite. They’re super moist (oh yeah), but also crunchy thanks to toasted millet. They’re perfectly spiced and studded with raisins, so practically every bite has a pop of sweetness.
These wholegrain pumpkin muffins are easy to stir together in one bowl and are freezer-friendly. My favourite afternoon snack is one of these healthy pumpkin muffins with a couple of slices of strong cheese (trust me on this one) and a Pumpkin Chai Latte.
Honestly, they’re the best pumpkin muffins. Make up a batch to keep on hand for holiday breakfasts, grab-and-go snacks, or to throw in your lunch box. Whatever. Just make ‘em. And while you're here, be sure to check our archive of easy and healthy pumpkin recipes for more inspiration!
Let's make healthy pumpkin muffins together!
You'll find detailed instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card at the end of this post. By all means, you can use the "jump" button to head straight on down there. But if you're a visual learner, like me, then please join me for a bit of a scroll, and we'll walk through making these pumpkin oat muffins step-by-step.
Step 1: toast the seeds
Place a small skillet over medium heat. Do not add any oil!
Add the pumpkin seeds and millet to the dry skillet, and toast, stirring often, until they’re fragrant and nutty smelling. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Step 2: mix the wet ingredients
In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, eggs, yogurt, milk, and oil. Use a whisk to mix everything together.
Step 3: add the dry ingredients
Ok, now we're going to add the dry ingredients right on top of the wet. This is my patented lazy-lady one-bowl mixing technique. Just go with it.
Add the brown sugar, flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the same bowl. Use your whisk to lightly combine the dry ingredients, then mix them into the wet ingredients.
Step 4: mix in the oats
Mix in the oats.
Step 5: add the mix-ins
Add the toasted millet, pumpkin seeds, and raisins to the pumpkin muffin batter. Lightly mix together.
Step 6: scoop into muffin tins
Spoon the muffin mixture into prepared muffin tins (I grease mine with butter). Sprinkle the tops with additional pumpkin seeds if desired.
Bake! These healthy pumpkin muffins will bake for about 20-25 minutes.
Step 7: cool
When the muffins come out of them oven, let them sit for 5 minutes. Then, give them a gentle twist and tip up on their sides to cool completely.
That’s it! Your muffins are done!
Healthy Pumpkin Muffins with Oats, Millet, and Raisins
Ingredients
- ½ cup millet toasted
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds toasted
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup light brown muscovado sugar or ½ cup date syrup
- 1 ½ cups pumpkin puree
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup plain yoghurt
- 1 ¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour or 1 cup whole wheat + ¾ cup all purpose
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F / 180°C.
- Liberally grease 12 muffin cups (or 15 if you prefer slightly smaller muffins), or line with parchment muffin liners.
- Set a small, dry frying pan over medium heat. Place the millet in, and toast for 5 minutes or so, until it is fragrant and nutty. Transfer the millet to a small bowl.½ cup millet, ½ cup pumpkin seeds
- Set the same frying pan back on the heat, and now toast the pumpkin seeds for about 5 minutes, until fragrant and nutty. Set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs together with the olive oil, brown sugar, milk, yoghurt, and pumpkin purée.2 large eggs, ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, ¾ cup light brown muscovado sugar, 1 ½ cups pumpkin puree, ½ cup whole milk, ½ cup plain yoghurt
- Add the whole-wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg right on top of the wet mix. Use a whisk to gently mix together.1 ¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- Stir the dry mix down into the wet until just barely combined.
- Add the oats, and stir to combine.½ cup rolled oats
- Now fold the toasted millet, ¼ cup of toasted pumpkin seeds (reserve the rest for sprinkling on the muffin tops), and raisins into the muffin batter.½ cup millet, ½ cup raisins, ½ cup pumpkin seeds
- Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tins, then sprinkle the tops with the remaining toasted pumpkin seeds.
- Set in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the muffin tins for 5 minutes before removing the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Nutrition values are an estimate only
Nutrition
Cassie K says
Delicious and filling! We had to make some substitutions to avoid dairy, and added chocolate chips because we were low on raisins. These definitely help us feel fuller longer compared to some other pumpkin muffins we had been making.
Katie Trant says
Hey Cassie, so happy to hear you loved these muffins as much as we do. I've never tried adding chocolate chips to them, but I'll have to do that next time.
patty says
Is the 3/3 of brown sugar a typo??
Katie Trant says
Whoops! Yes, it's 3/4 cups. Fixed now!
Valerie Cholette says
This recipe is the reason why I stock canned pumpkin purée in my pantry. Then, even when I'm out of home made purée, I can make those delicious muffins. The crunch of the millet is just wonderful. A favorite at home. And now I fell like making a batch... Thanks for the recipe.
Katie Trant says
These are definitely my favourite as well!
Emily says
I made these last night and would make again. I love the millet crunch and that they are not super sweet. One note is that they made much more than 12 in my standard muffin tin (which is not a complaint!).
DEnnis says
Love these muffins. The recipe has most of my favorite ingredients.
Anna Prichard says
These muffins are my favourite they are so delicious.
Sustainable Cooks - Sarah says
I would never consider kale as a holiday green; how interesting!
Millet is so distinctive and yummy. I love these muffins.
Dennis says
Katie, I need a nutritional mid-morning snack after my morning run. This looks like a good one given the season.
Katie Trant says
These make a great snack! And I love the crunch from the millet.
Sandra Lea says
I just made these and they are so moist and tender. I would maybe up the spices a little bit next time but otherwise they are great. Thanks for the recipe.
Katie Trant says
Glad you enjoyed them! I'm also a spice lover and bet that you can even double it if you're up for it!
Azzah says
I am on strict calories intake. Any idea how many cal in each muffin?? Thanks
Katie Trant says
Hi Azzah, I don't post calorie counts for a variety of reasons, but there are a number of wonderful recipe calculators online you could enter the recipe in to find out.
Isadora @ she likes food says
It is crazy how sometimes we take for granted that we can walk into the grocery store anytime of year and find whatever produce we want. I hope you start seeing more squash soon! I have a big bag of millet in the cupboard and I've been trying to think of how to use it and I think I know how now! These muffins sound awesome 🙂
Katie Trant says
Yeah, these days we live in a seasonless boarderless food world. It is a bit crazy, isn't it? I think you'll love the millet in these muffins, so give it a go!
Cammy says
But could they possibly be better than orange earl grey millet muffins? I've eaten no less than 100 of those to date 🙂 I'll give 'em a go and let you know.
Katie Trant says
You'll have to do a side by side comparison and let us know!
Tara says
Going to give these a try with flax eggs and non-dairy yogurt. Will let you know how they turn out:)
Katie Trant says
Definitely let us know! I'd recommend using a non-dairy milk with a touch of lemon juice for a buttermilk effect rather than trying a non-dairy yoghurt. Either way, let us know what you do and how they turn out for you 🙂
Alissa says
I've got my fingers crossed that Sweden gets it's squash act together! I'm at least happy to see that you're making good use of your limited selection. I've been wanting to experiment with adding some millet to baked goods for a while, and pumpkin muffins sound like the perfect way to go. I've got pumpkin puree stockpiled at this point, so these just might end up on my breakfast table this weekend.
Katie Trant says
Do it! Millet in muffins is so crunchy good. It adds such a lovely toasty flavour as well, and is full of great nutrition.