These healthy vegan pumpkin banana spelt muffins are easy to make and so tasty at breakfast or snack time, especially with a smear of nut butter!
I don’t know about you, but I have some specifications when it comes to a muffin. First of all, it has to have some heft and density to it. It’s a muffin, not a cupcake, gosh darn it! Second of all, it has to be perfectly moist. There’s nothing more frustrating to me than biting into a dry, crumbly muffin, or one that is too moist in the middle. Third, it has to be sweet enough without being too sugary; in other words, breakfast-appropriate. Well, folks, I’m happy to report that these vegan pumpkin banana spelt muffins tick off all the aforementioned boxes, and then some.
While I’m definitely more comfortable with creating savoury recipes, I’ve been trying to get better at developing recipes for baked goods and desserts during the pandemic. I can happily say that the efforts are finally paying off, and the proof is in a couple of my most recent dessert recipes, such as the sweet potato brownies that I shared the other week, and these muffins!
As I mentioned in my chocolate hemp smoothie post, I like to shake up my breakfast routine from time to time. Most recently, I’ve been enjoying a healthy muffin such as this along with a smoothie for breakfast, and it’s such an energizing combination that is guaranteed to put a spring in your step. I was so happy when I tasted these muffins for the first time at breakfast the other week. They’re a great way to use up over-ripe bananas, and the pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices provide that warm and cozy touch, plus some extra moisture. They’re sweetened with maple syrup and coconut sugar (plus the bananas), and are completely amenable to any other mix-ins you enjoy, such as walnuts/pecans, chocolate chips, dried fruit, or a little bit of everything! I also love to sprinkle a little bit of coconut sugar over top of each muffin before baking so that they come out with a crispy sugar topping.
vegan pumpkin banana muffins ingredients
- Ground flax, water, bananas, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, coconut sugar, coconut oil, non-dairy milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, rolled oats, spelt flour, walnut or pecan halves, chocolate chips, and/or dried fruit (raisins or cranberries).
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instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Whisk together the ground flax and water in a large bowl and wait a couple of minutes for it to thicken. Add the mashed banana, pumpkin puree, coconut sugar, maple syrup, coconut oil, and non-dairy milk. Whisk to combine. Next, mix in the spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, followed by the rolled oats. Finally, whisk or stir in the flour. If using chocolate chips, stir them in now, reserving 2 tablespoons for sprinkling over top. If using dried fruit, mix in all of it now.
- Using a heaping ⅓ cup in each muffin cup, divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups.
- Sprinkle the walnuts or pecans over top, followed by the reserved chocolate chips, if using. Sprinkle each with ½ teaspoon of coconut sugar, if desired.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for a few minutes before using a butter knife and your fingers to gently lift each one out of the pan.
- Transfer onto a cooling rack and let them cool completely before placing in an airtight container. You can store them at room temperature for 3-4 days, or in the fridge for at least a week or the freezer for a couple of months.
more of my vegan pumpkin recipes
- Vegan Pumpkin Spice Nanaimo bars (No-Bake)
- Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes (Maple Sweetened)
- Cashew Pumpkin Spice Latte (Dairy-Free)
I hope that you love these vegan pumpkin banana spelt muffins! If you make them, let me know how you enjoyed them by leaving a comment and rating below the post. And if you share a photo to Instagram, tag it @upbeet.kitchen and #upbeetkitchen. I love seeing what you’ve made.
Enjoy!

Vegan Pumpkin Banana Spelt Muffins
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These healthy vegan pumpkin banana spelt muffins are easy to make and so tasty at breakfast or snack time, especially with a smear of nut butter!
Ingredients
- 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 2.5 tablespoons water)
- 1 cup mashed very ripe banana (from about 3 medium bananas)
- ¾ cup unsweetened pumpkin puree
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ⅓ cup virgin coconut oil, melted (may sub organic sunflower oil)
- ½ cup non-dairy milk*
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1 ½ cups spelt flour
- ½ cup chocolate chips or dried fruit (optional- if using chocolate chips, reserve 2 tablespoons for sprinkling over top)
- ⅓ cup walnut or pecan halves, chopped (for sprinkling over top)
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar (for sprinkling over top-optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Whisk together the ground flax and water in a large bowl and wait a couple of minutes for it to thicken. Add the mashed banana, pumpkin puree, coconut sugar, maple syrup, coconut oil, and non-dairy milk. Whisk to combine. Next, mix in the spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, followed by the rolled oats. Finally, whisk or stir in the flour. If using chocolate chips, stir them in now, reserving 2 tablespoons for sprinkling over top. If using dried fruit, mix in all of it now.
- Using a heaping ⅓ cup in each muffin cup, divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups.
- Sprinkle the walnuts or pecans over top, followed by the reserved chocolate chips, if using. Sprinkle each with ½ teaspoon of coconut sugar, if desired.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for a few minutes before using a butter knife and your fingers to gently lift each one out of the pan.
- Transfer onto a cooling rack and let them cool completely before placing in an airtight container. You can store them at room temperature for 3-4 days, or in the fridge for at least a week or the freezer for a couple of months.
Notes
*Because melted coconut oil hardens upon contact with the cold non-dairy milk, I recommend melting the coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat to begin with, then adding the milk right to the saucepan and allowing it to warm up slightly so that it doesn’t cause the coconut oil to harden.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Snack, Breakfast
- Method: Bake
Sheila says
These muffins are the best! The texture and flavour are so good. Perfect start to my day, great with coffee too.
Allison says
Thanks so much! I’m going to make another batch this weekend myself. 🙂
Margot says
A vegan muffin that is full of flavour, chewy, crunchy, fabulous and fun. My kids loved these muffins too!
Allison says
Thanks so much, Margot! Glad your kids enjoyed them, too- that’s always a plus!
Erin says
These muffins made for a perfect breakfast, I love the pumpkin and banana combination, and the nuts too. So good with coffee.
Allison says
Thank you so much!! ?
Izabell Hollis says
I haven’t made these yet I was wondering if I could use quinoa flakes in place if the rolled oats or omit them and could I use an egg in place of the flax one ? These look amazing thanks so much ?????? can’t wait to try
Allison says
Hi Izabell, I’m sure that those substitutions will work! I hope that you love these muffins! Have an awesome weekend! ??
Jenna says
Hi! I don’t have any spelt flour, what is the best substitute? Thanks
Allison says
Hi Jenna, you can use whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour instead. Enjoy! 🙂