Mini Almond Flour Pumpkin Muffins

Recipe Testing

My original idea was to create an almond flour pumpkin cake, similar to the almond flour cake, but I found that when the cake was short, it baked up light and fluffy, but when I made it taller, like a standard cake, it held onto much more moisture and became overly moist. The reason? There’s already quite a bit of moisture from the pumpkin, almond flour, and oil. A taller cake simply has more moisture trapped in the center.

I tried adding more almond flour to compensate, but that muted the pumpkin flavor. And then, I tried baking the same batter as mini muffins—and that was the answer! They had the perfect balance of soft and moist without becoming overly wet, while still keeping that delicious pumpkin flavor. Regular-sized muffins were still too thick and had the same moisture issue, but the smaller size baked beautifully.

As with the spices, I tested this almond flour pumpkin muffin recipe with a blend of cozy fall spices, similar to what I use in my pumpkin loaf cake and pumpkin cupcakes. But they ended up overpowering the delicate flavor of the almond flour. In the end, I kept it simple with just cinnamon—it complements the pumpkin beautifully without taking over.

Tips for Success

• Pumpkin – I like Libby’s pumpkin puree because it’s thick, richly colored, and has a deep pumpkin flavor. Other brands can vary in color and moisture, which may slightly affect the texture.
• Use pure pumpkin – Make sure to use 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which already contains added sugar and spices.
• Almond flour – Use super-fine almond flour, not almond meal.
• Storage – Store cooled mini pumpkin muffins in an airtight container for up to 1 day, or freeze them for longer storage.
• No mini muffin pan? – You can use a regular muffin pan, but fill each cup only about one-third full. The muffins will be shorter, but the smaller amount of batter helps them bake properly.

More Fall Muffins To Try

• Almond Flour Chocolate Muffins are rich, fudgy, and satisfying without being overly sweet. They get a double dose of chocolate from cocoa powder and chocolate chips, making them perfect when you’re craving something chocolatey.
• Apple Cinnamon Muffins are tall, bakery-style muffins with cinnamon-spiced tops and a soft, tender crumb. Freshly grated apples add plenty of moisture and a lovely apple flavor to every bite.
• Persimmon Muffins are made with grated Fuyu persimmons that soften and blend right into the batter.
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins are tall, bakery-style muffins that are easy to make, soft and fluffy, and loaded with melty chocolate chips. They’re such a cozy fall treat!
• Sweet Potato Muffins are soft, moist, and mildly sweet, with freshly grated sweet potatoes throughout. Yogurt helps keep them tender, while a crunchy brown sugar adds the perfect finishing touch.
• French Toast Muffins are a fun twist on classic French toast, topped with a cinnamon-sugar pecan topping. A simple secret ingredient keeps them nice and sturdy, and they’re freezer-friendly for an easy grab-and-go breakfast.