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Pumpkin Muffins with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Icing (DF)

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It’s Fall and the weather is officially getting straight up cold for us. Somehow, we seem to only get a few weeks of nice, mild weather each Spring and Fall, and the rest of the year is either miserably hot or awfully cold. Muffins always come to mind when I think of something quick, easy, and comforting for an afternoon snack on a chilly day. I’ve been craving fluffy muffins this week and really wanted something without chocolate. So I made my Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread into muffins (without the cinnamon swirl!). And then I added a super simple brown sugar icing spiced with cinnamon because I just couldn’t resist! Glazed and iced breads are just so pretty.

For this recipe you’ll whip up a quick batch of muffins. Really, it only takes two bowls, and 15 minutes in the oven. And then you’ll heat the brown sugar, vegan butter, and plant milk to a boil. Whisk in the vanilla, cinnamon, and powdered sugar, and voilà! You have a delicious icing that pairs perfectly with the pumpkin muffins! Since the icing is heated up, it will set very quickly. Like, don’t even try to pour or drizzle it over your muffins – that won’t work. You want to dip the tops of each muffin in the icing. When your icing starts to get too thick (which it will), place your saucepan back over the heat until it thins and continue working quickly to get those muffins dipped!

Some of the ingredients I like for this recipe:

Whole wheat pastry flour gives these muffins maximum fluffiness! It’s a staple in my pantry, because I just love the texture it creates in my quick breads and muffins.

Coconut sugar is an unrefined, low GI sugar. It tastes less sweet than regular sugar, so it balances out the sweetness of the icing.

Coconut oil brings lots of moisture to these muffins. You won’t taste it at all in this recipe, but if you’re skeptical, feel free to use a refined version. Or you can use another vegetable oil.

Brown sugar is essential for the icing in this recipe. It creates a wonderful flavor that just can’t be replaced by another sugar!

Yield: 10 regular muffins

Pumpkin Muffins with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Icing

Pumpkin Muffins with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Icing

Fluffy and moist pumpkin muffins dipped in a delicious cinnamon brown sugar icing! A perfect Fall treat that can be made dairy-free or vegan!

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

Pumpkin Muffins

  • 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temp (or 2 flax eggs, if vegan)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup plant-based milk, room temp or warm
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Icing

  • 1 Tbsp vegan butter
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp plant-based milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and generously spray a 12-count muffin pan with non-stick spray (I used olive oil spray). Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices; set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut sugar, eggs (or flax eggs), vanilla, coconut oil, and milk. Whisk in the pumpkin purée. Add liquid ingredients to dry and gently mix with a large spatula until no flour pockets remain.
  4. Spoon batter into 10 muffin wells, filling 2/3-3/4 full. If your batter is thick, you can smooth out the tops with a spoon. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
  5. Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes and then gently remove them to cool on a cooling rack.
  6. Once the muffins are totally cool, you can make the icing. In a small saucepan, add the vegan butter, brown sugar, and milk. Whisk together and bring ingredients to a boil. Immediately remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla. Allow mixture to cool for 5 minutes. Whisk in the cinnamon and powdered sugar. You may need to add a little more milk at this point if your icing is too thick - since it cools quickly, you'll have to move fast to dip your muffins. I don't recommend pouring the icing.
  7. Quickly dip the tops of each muffin into the icing (you can tilt your saucepan to help you), turning right side up to set. If your icing begins to get too thick as you're working, put your saucepan back on the stove and heat for a few seconds until the icing thins out, stirring constantly.
  8. Enjoy iced muffins right away. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

  • For vegan muffins, replace the eggs with two flax eggs: mix 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 6 Tbsp lukewarm water and allow to thicken for five minutes
  • You can replace the coconut sugar with white or brown sugar.
  • The whole wheat pastry flour can be replaced with regular, all-purpose flour, but your muffins may not be as fluffy.

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© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: Snack / Category: Breads

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @sugaredandstirred on Instagram and hashtag #sugaredandstirred

More pumpkin recipes!

Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread (DF)
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (DF)
Pumpkin Cookies with Spiced Frosting (DF)
Pumpkin Chai Spice Rice Krispie Treats (DF)
Pumpkin Coffee Chocolate Chip Muffins (DF + V option)

Healthier Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

by 4 Comments

I’ve had the recipe for these muffins sitting in my notes app for a few months now. I have no idea why it has taken me so long to share this recipe with you guys! I know. I know. Another zucchini muffin? Yes. Because these are one of my favorite muffins. Ever. They’re fluffy, tender, moist, not too sweet, and give me a bit of green veggie on top of the chocolate chips. What’s not to like? I added a touch of ground cardamom, along with some cinnamon, and OMG I love these muffins!!

This recipe is super easy to follow. There are a few steps involved, but it’s all worth it in the end! The amount of chocolate chips and the kind of spice you add is totally up to you. I didn’t want these to be overly sweet, so don’t expect the 1/2 cup I have listed to give you a chocolate loaded muffin. But, by all means, load those babies up with a whole cup of chocolate if that’s what you’re in to! I really like ground cardamom, but if you don’t have it on hand, or you’re not a big fan, no worries. You can leave it out, add more cinnamon, or add nutmeg in its place. Have fun with these, and happy baking!

Healthier Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins
Makes ~8 muffins

1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk, room temp*
2 large eggs, room temp*
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white whole wheat flour**
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom***
1 1/2 cups finely grated zucchini
1/2 cup chocolate chips + more for topping

1.) Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare your muffin pan with liners or by spraying it with olive oil/non-stick spray. Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.

2.) In a large bowl, combine the coconut sugar and melted coconut oil. Add the almond milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until totally combined. Place your shredded zucchini on a paper towel and squeeze out and discard the excess juice. Add the zucchini to your mixture and stir until combined.

3.) Sift the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom into the wet ingredients. Gently fold everything together until no flour pockets remain. Fold in the chocolate chips.

4.) Fill your muffin pan almost to the top – you will get between 7 and 9 muffins, depending on how full you fill them. Top with chocolate chips, slightly pressing each chip into the batter. Bake muffins at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean – try to find a spot with no chocolate! 

5.) Let your muffins cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. If you didn’t use liners, slide a butter knife around each muffin before gently removing. Enjoy warm and store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

*it takes a bit of extra work, but if your milk and eggs are too cold, the coconut oil will solidify while you’re mixing
**whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour will work just fine
***if you don’t like cardamom, feel free to leave it out or replace it with nutmeg

Pumpkin Coffee Chocolate Chip Muffins (DF + vegan option)

by 2 Comments

So I’ve been meaning to make a pumpkin quick bread for quite a while now, but then Halloween came and went and I was afraid everybody would be over pumpkin. Well, turns out, people are still totally into pumpkin leading up to Thanksgiving, too! Unlike gingerbread or peppermint, pumpkin basically has two holidays. Good news for me – and you 😉

When Nathan started talking about a coffee pumpkin bread that he used to bake (complete with tons of sugar + milk-filled butterscotch chips) I knew I wanted to tackle a recipe for dairy-free, healthier Pumpkin Coffee Muffins. I decided to add chocolate chips – no one is surprised – because there’s nothing better than biting into a warm, freshly baked muffin loaded with melted chocolate! I’ve been craving that exact bite for over a week, and these muffins did not disappoint. We all love them, including my toddler who couldn’t get enough. I just might be adding these to the Thanksgiving playlist.

Some of the ingredients I love for this recipe:

Pumpkin puree bulks these muffins up and gives them a delightful pumpkin taste.

Instant coffee makes for a quick coffee addition to these muffins. They dissolve, well, instantly, and the flavor pairs well with the familiar fall spices.

Whole wheat pastry flour is my go-to quick bread flour (think muffins, banana bread loaves, etc). It creates an irresistibly fluffier, softer texture than regular, all-purpose flour. You may have to check your local “healthier” grocer to find my favorite version.

Coconut sugar is an unrefined, low GI alternative to white sugar. It doesn’t taste like coconut, and it gives these muffins the perfect sweetness!

Coconut oil adds moisture to these muffins!

Yield: 9 Regular Muffins

Pumpkin Coffee Chocolate Chip Muffins

Pumpkin Coffee Chocolate Chip Muffins

Delicious and moist spiced pumpkin muffins with a touch of coffee and loads of chocolate chips! A warm and cozy treat perfect for Fall!

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup plant-based milk, room temp
  • 2 Tbsp instant coffee granules
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, liquid
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs, room temp (or 2 flax eggs if vegan)
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 cup + 1/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips

Notes

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare your muffin pan by spraying with non-stick spray or lining with paper liners. Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for about 10 minutes.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the almond milk and instant coffee until granules have dissolved. Whisk in the coconut sugar, coconut oil, vanilla, and eggs until totally combined. Whisk in the pumpkin until smooth.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Whisk in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips. Add the pumpkin coffee mixture and gently mix until no flour pockets remain.

4. Divide your batter into nine regular muffin wells, filling each well nearly to the top. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, pressing the chips slightly into the batter. Bake at 350°F for 18-24 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean - be careful not to over bake as you'll have to prick around the melty chocolate chips.

5. Allow your muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Enjoy warm! Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

9

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 344Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 255mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 6gSugar: 16gProtein: 9g
calculated nutrition information may not always be accurate
© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: Breakfast / Category: Muffins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @sugaredandstirred on Instagram and hashtag #sugaredandstirred

Other pumpkin recipes you may like:

Pumpkin Chai Spice Rice Krispie Treats (DF)
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (DF)
Vegan Pumpkin Butter Poptarts

Dairy-Free Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies

by 2 Comments

Okay, you guys. These ultra soft molasses cookies are one of the best cookies I’ve ever had. Yes. They’re that good. They’re spicy and soft and make you feel all kinds of warm feels. I had to stick my baked cookies in the freezer before I ate them all!

These cookies are so quick and easy to get together. The dough doesn’t need refrigeration – you just mix and bake! I rolled the dough balls in granulated sugar, because I really wanted that classic molasses cookie look. And the slight crunch from the sugar is nice, too. This dough is very soft, so shaping the dough balls will be more challenging than with other doughs. I like to roll my dough balls in the sugar, place them on a baking sheet, and then carefully re-shape them using my fingers to poke and prod the dough until I get a nice round shape.

If you’re a big fan of ginger spice, then I recommend adding a 1/4 tsp of extra ginger. That’ll kick the ginger flavor up a notch, and you’ll definitely get lots of yummy spice! Happy baking!

Dairy-Free Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies
Makes 8 cookies

1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup coconut oil, solid
1 large egg yolk, room temp
2 Tbsp molasses
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2-1 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp granulated sugar for rolling

1.) Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bring your egg to room temperature by placing it in a glass of warm water for 10 minutes.

2.) In a medium bowl, use a spoon or spatula to mix together the coconut sugar and solid coconut oil. I like to mash the coconut oil into the sugar, making sure that all lumps of oil are well mashed in. Add the egg yolk and mix until combined. Then add the molasses and mix until combined. Set aside.

3.) In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Add dry mixture to the wet ingredients and stir, leaving some flour streaks. Add 1/2 Tbsp of water and stir until all ingredients are totally combined. If your dough is looking dry, add the extra 1/2 Tbsp of water.

4.) Roll your dough into 2 Tbsp balls – the dough will be very soft. Add the granulated sugar to a small bowl and roll the dough balls in the sugar. I like to do 6 at a time right before I bake them. Place your sugared dough balls on your parchment-lined baking sheet, re-shaping the dough as necessary.

5.) Bake at 350°F for 7 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for two minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Your cookies will be a little puffy until they’ve cooled. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

Vegan Pumpkin Butter Sweet Rolls

by 1 Comment

When I set out to make homemade pumpkin butter I knew I needed to make a sweet roll with the stuff. If you’ve never had pumpkin butter before, it’s a delicious spread made with pumpkin, sugar, and spices – the same ones you’d find in a pumpkin pie. And it is good. These sweet rolls are slightly spiced, filled with pumpkin butter and coconut sugar, and then topped with a pumpkin spice glaze! They’re the perfect fall roll. And also, my toddler can’t get enough, so I think it’s safe to say that even if you’re not that into pumpkin, there’s a good chance you’ll still find these delicious.

Yeasted breads can be intimidating. And time consuming. What I love about this dough is that it uses instant rise yeast, so you only have to proof it once! That cuts back on a lot of the time it usually takes to make homemade sweet rolls. When I made these rolls, we were staying away from home, which means I didn’t have my regular kitchen – or regular supplies. I threw this dough together in a makeshift bowl (read: rectangular disposable container), kneaded it by hand, and rolled it out using a plastic cup. So I’m confident that you can make this recipe work for you!

The pumpkin butter filling and glaze are both super simple. You’ll basically throw some ingredients into a pot or bowl and stir. Don’t be afraid to play around with your spices – adding or subtracting what you are or aren’t fond of! I tend to like more spice, so you can always start with less. Happy baking, friends! I hope you love these rolls as much as we do!

Vegan Pumpkin Butter Sweet Rolls
Makes 8-10 rolls

Dough
1 packet instant rise yeast
1 cup warm water
3 1/2 cups bread flour
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3 Tbsp olive oil
Filling
~3/4 cup pumpkin butter (see recipe below!)
3 Tbsp coconut sugar
Pumpkin Spice Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp almond milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves

1.) Preheat your oven to 200°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the packet of yeast to 1 cup of warm water and let sit for 5 minutes. Your water shouldn’t be anywhere near boiling, or your yeast will die. At the end of five minutes your yeast should be a bit foamy.

2.) Make the dough: in a stand mixer bowl*, use a dough hook to mix together the flour, coconut sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. With the mixer on low, add the olive oil and warm water/yeast. Mix at low speed for 1 minute and then at medium speed until dough comes together. Hand knead your dough until it’s smooth and springs back when you press a finger into it, adding a bit more room temp water or flour if your dough is dry or sticky.

3.) Assemble the rolls: on a lightly floured surface, or piece of parchment paper, roll your dough into a rectangle roughly 12×16″. Spread 3/4 cup of your pumpkin butter over the dough and then sprinkle with 3 Tbsp coconut sugar. Carefully roll your dough, beginning on one of the long sides. The pumpkin butter will want to ooze out, so do your best to roll slowly and keep it in. When you get near the end, pick up the bottom and fold it up and over (I found this helped keep the pumpkin butter in). Use a string or piece of floss to cut your rolls about 1 1/2″. Arrange your rolls on your parchment-lined baking sheet, oozing side up, and then spread more apple butter over the tops.

4.) Proof and bake: cover your rolls loosely with plastic wrap (to keep moisture in) and proof them in the oven at 200°F for 15-20 minutes or until they’ve doubled in size. Remove from the oven and preheat your oven to 400°F. Take the plastic wrap off and bake your rolls at 400°F for 13-18 minutes, or until golden brown.

5.) Make the glaze: in a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, spices, vanilla extract, and 1/2 Tbsp of the almond milk. Add more milk to get the right consistency. You want it thick enough that when you drizzle it holds shape for a couple of seconds. Spoon or spread the glaze over your rolls (I spooned mine on in a circular, spiral motion). The glaze may seem too thick at first, but it will continuing to slowly spread over and down the sides of your rolls.

*if you don’t have a stand mixer, the original recipe calls for using a hand mixer. I made these rolls using a fork to whisk the dry ingredients and then my hands to bring the dough together and knead.

Recipe adapted from the Southern Living Party Cookbook (2006) page 61

Pumpkin Butter
(makes ~2 cups)
1 15 oz can pumpkin
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup coconut sugar or white/brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves

1.) Add all of the ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a slight boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Allow your pumpkin butter to cool, and store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Recipe adapted from allrecipes