These vegan pumpkin muffins with a chocolate swirl are what autumn baking is all about! Spiced pumpkin swirls around layers of moist chocolate for the ultimate autumn treat.
Jump to:
Autumn is my favorite season! The weather is beginning to get a bit cooler and the nights are closing in. Leaves are starting to fall and baking anything with pumpkin in it feels like a warm hug. Speaking of which, have you tried my vegan pumpkin pancakes?
Pancakes aside, I'm a huge fan of fluffy muffins. From raspberry muffins to blackberry muffins, love them all. But these cozy pumpkin muffins are the perfect fall treat. They'll will fill your house with the smell of pumpkin cake, that yummy smell of autumn.
And they're a cinch to make, only taking about 15 minutes hands-on time. Enjoy them with a cup of coffee or tea in the morning, or add one to your packed lunch.
Grab a bowl and a whisk. We're going to make a batch of perfect vegan pumpkin muffins with a delightful chocolate swirl! I promise you'll love them!
Top Tip: If you love all things pumpkin, you might also like my popular vegan pumpkin scones.
💚Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
💚It only takes 15 minutes hands-on time to make delightfully fluffy muffins.
💚These pumpkin chocolate muffins are dairy free, vegan and nut free.
💚Kids love them. They're the perfect lunchbox addition.
💚They're a great meal prep option. Make a double batch and freeze some muffins to enjoy later.
How To Make Vegan Pumpkin Muffins With Chocolate Swirl
- First, preheat your oven to 350 F (180 C), grease your muffin tin, or use muffin liners.
- Sift your flour, baking soda, spices and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside. If you're translating between cups and grams, use my cups to grams converter cheat sheet.
- In a larger bowl, whisk together your pumpkin puree with both the sugars, plant based yogurt, vegan butter and vanilla.
- Now, tip your dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix gently. Be careful not to over mix! A few lumps of flour are fine; they'll disappear when the muffins go in the oven.
- Divide the mixture in half, and split between two bowls. Add the cocoa powder to one of the bowls and mix until everything is well combined.
- Now, layer the mixture into the muffin tin, beginning with the chocolate mixture. You should layer the two mixtures until the muffin liners are ¾ full.
- Bake your vegan pumpkin muffins for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Allow the muffins to cool for 10 minutes before lifting them to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely. Tuck in and enjoy your vegan muffins!
**The full recipe with instructions can be found below.
🍽️Serving Suggestions
🧡Serve warm slathered in vegan butter or cream cheese.
🧡Pumpkin chocolate muffins would be super tasty with a slick of date jam.
🧡Who doesn't love muffins with ice cream? Serve with my hazelnut or chocolate ice cream.
🧡Cinnamon air fryer bananas would be perfect with these muffins.
🧡 Drizzle your vegan pumpkin muffins with some dulce de leche or some vegan royal icing.
💡Variations
Mix it up with these 5 creative variations on pumpkin chocolate muffins:
Vegan Pumpkin Spice Muffins
- Omit the cocoa powder.
- Increase the ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg to 1 tablespoon each for a stronger pumpkin spice flavor.
- Add ½ cup of vegan chocolate chips to the pumpkin batter for extra chocolatey goodness.
Vegan Maple Pecan Pumpkin Muffins
- Omit the cocoa powder.
- Add ½ cup of chopped pecans to the pumpkin batter.
- Replace the caster sugar with ½ cup of pure maple syrup for a natural sweetness.
Vegan Pumpkin Walnut Muffins
- Omit the cocoa powder.
- Add ½ cup of chopped walnuts to the pumpkin batter.
- You can also sprinkle some additional chopped walnuts on top of each muffin before baking for added texture.
Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Omit the cocoa powder.
- Add ½ cup of vegan chocolate chips to the pumpkin batter.
- Dust the muffin tops with a bit of powdered sugar after baking for an extra touch of sweetness.
Vegan Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins
- Omit the cocoa powder.
- Add ½ cup of dried cranberries to the pumpkin batter.
- You can also fold in some orange zest for a citrusy twist.
❄️Storage Instructions
For short-term storage of 1-2 days, keep the muffins at room temperature in an airtight container, ensuring they're completely cool before storing.
If you'd like to extend their freshness for up to 5-7 days, store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container or zip-top bag.
For long-term storage, freeze the muffins by individually wrapping them in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn, and then placing them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. Muffins can typically be frozen for up to 2-3 months.
When you're ready to enjoy them, simply thaw them at room temperature for a few hours or overnight, or warm them up in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 5-10 minutes or in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.
🙋Frequently Asked Questions
Vegan pumpkin muffins can be a relatively healthy snack or treat, depending on their ingredients and portion size. They typically contain pumpkin puree, which is rich in vitamins and fiber, and use plant-based alternatives to traditional dairy and eggs. However, the overall healthiness of the muffins depends on factors like the amount of added sugar, the type of flour used, and any mix-ins like chocolate chips. Opting for whole-grain flour, minimal added sugar, and moderation in portion size can make vegan pumpkin muffins a healthier choice.
Yes, you can freeze pumpkin muffins. For long-term storage, freeze the muffins by individually wrapping them in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn, and then placing them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. Muffins can typically be frozen for up to 2-3 months.
Yes, you can. All you need to do is to substitute your favorite gluten free flour blend for the all purpose flour.
Leftover pumpkin puree can be used in a variety of delicious ways. You can incorporate it into smoothies for added creaminess and nutrition, or use it in oatmeal or yogurt for a seasonal twist. Pumpkin puree is also great for making soups, stews, or chili, adding a rich, earthy flavor. Additionally, it can be used as a base for homemade pumpkin salad dressings, sauces, or even as an ingredient in baked goods like pancakes, waffles, or muffins to make more pumpkin treats. Just store any leftover pumpkin puree in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days or freeze it in portions for longer-term use.
Craving More Easy Vegan Recipes?
The Most Delicious Vegan Banana Bread
Roasted Pumpkin and Cauliflower Salad
The Best Vegan Blueberry Donuts
📖 Recipe
Vegan Pumpkin Muffins With Chocolate Swirl
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup caster sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup plant based yogurt
- ½ cup vegan butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F degrees Celsius (180° C). Grease a muffin tin or line with muffin liners.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, spices and salt. Set Aside.
- Combine pumpkin puree with caster sugar and light brown sugar in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the yogurt, vegan butter and vanilla extract and whisk until everything is well combined.
- Add the the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Tip half of the batter into a second bowl and add the cocoa powder.
- Spoon the pumpkin and cocoa batters into the muffin tin, alternating between batters until the cups are ¾ full.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Lift onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
Notes
- You can make these muffins gluten free by substituting your favorite gluten free flour blend for the all purpose flour.
- Vegan pumpkin chocolate muffins can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
ramona
These pumpkin chocolate muffins look super delicious and they are perfect to make for this month! Thank you for sharing this recipe, I cant wait to give it a go!
Keri Bevan
Hi Ramona, Thank you! So glad you liked the muffins. This is one of my favorite fall recipes:)
Marcellina
These muffins are so pretty with the swirl of chocolate and pumpkin. The combination of four spices makes this muffin recipe a winner!
Keri Bevan
Thank you Marcellina, I'm so happy you liked the recipe.x
Maretha
Oh my, these look so professional, yet so simple to make. Thanks for a great recipe!
Keri Bevan
Hi Maretha,
That's what I love about these muffins. They're so simple, but they look bakery style. Thank you!
Natalie
Can`t go wrong with pumpkin and chocolate. This is a great fall dessert, thanks!
Keri Bevan
Agreed! Thanks for your feedback Natalie. x
Freya
I loved the marbling effect on the muffins, it made them look so fancy and they did don’t need icing!
Keri Bevan
Hi Freya, Thank you for your feedback. Glad you liked the recipe. x
Claire
I love muffins! Trying it in this flavor is very new to me but I definitely want to try this soon!
Keri Bevan
Hi Claire, I hope you like them. They're super easy to make and very tasty!
Beth Sachs
Delicious fluffy muffins! The pumpkin goes great with the chocolate!
Keri Bevan
Thank you! So pleased you liked them.:)
Kate
Delicious! All the spices are such a perfect match for the pumpkin, and the chocolate swirl is gorgeous. A great vegan bake, thank you!
Natalie
These muffins were delicious. Easy to make and quite flavorful. I will make them again, for sure.
Danielle Wolter
These sound delicious - really loving the ginger and nutmeg in these. Can't wait to try them!
Keri Bevan
Thanks Danielle! Hope you like them!