Healthy Pumpkin Muffins

These healthy pumpkin muffins are high in fiber thanks to the addition of red lentils, ground flax and whole grains. The red lentils blend in completely so your kids will never notice!

Hi friends!

If you love my Lentil Banana Muffins, you absolutely need to try these Healthy Pumpkin Muffins. The lentils disappear completely when mixed in a blender or food processor and by adding 1 cup of cooked red lentils, you add a whopping 18 grams of protein and 15 grams of fiber in total to the recipe! Plus the ground flax mixes right in as well and adds even more fiber.

I tested this recipe multiple times so I could pack in as much good stuff as possible without sacrificing the taste or texture.

Are pumpkin muffins good for you?

Most pumpkin muffins are more like dessert – high in added sugar with little to no protein or fiber. These healthy pumpkin muffins have 6g protein and 5g fiber per muffin. While they are still a little high in added sugar, you can play around with reducing it by swapping some of the sugar for mashed banana or reducing the amount of sugar and adding in a few mini chocolate chips.

You can pair one of these muffins with a glass of milk, some scrambled eggs or even a handful of nuts for a healthy, balanced breakfast.

What makes these high fiber?

These healthy pumpkin muffins get their fiber from a few sources:

• 1 cup cooked red lentils – 16 grams fiber
• 1 cup canned pumpkin – 7 grams fiber
• 1.5 cups golden wheat flour – 18 grams fiber
• 1/4 cup ground flax – 7.5 grams fiber

The combination of these 4 ingredients helps give each muffins about 5 grams of fiber.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

To make these muffins, here are the ingredients you’ll need:

• Red lentils – These cook super quickly and are very soft, making it easy to blend them right into the muffin batter so they disappear
• Pumpkin – Be sure to use 100% pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling
• Oil – I use a neutral oil like avocado oil
• Eggs- For structure and lift
• Brown sugar- Feel free to test replacing some of the sugar with mashed bananas or cut back and add a few chocolate chips
• Golden Wheat Flour – A whole grain flour that helps add extra flour without being too dense
• Ground flax – Another easy addition to add fiber – be sure to add ground flax not whole flax seeds.
• Cinnamon – for flavor. Adding some ground ginger in these would be great too!
• Baking soda and baking powder – for leavening.

If you’re looking for a version using apples and oats, try these Pumpkin Apple Lentil Muffins.

How To Make Healthy Pumpkin Muffins

Here’s how to make these muffins:

• Cook the red lentils – Combine 1/3 cup dry red lentils and 2 cups of water in a pan. Cover and bring to a boil. Crack the lid, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Drain any remaining water and let cool slightly. Lentils will triple in size so you should have about 1 cup of cooked lentils.
• In a food processor, combine cooked lentils, pumpkin, oil, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla and process until smooth. You can also do this step in a blender and transfer to a bowl to mix the rest by hand if you don’t have a food processor.
• Add flour, flax, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder and pulse until just combined.
• Add a few chocolate chips if using.
• Scoop into muffin tins – will make 12 large muffins.
• Bake at 375 degrees for about 18 minutes or until cooked through.

Healthy Pumpkin Muffins with Oat Flour

You can try replacing half the flour in this recipe with oat flour if you’d like. I haven’t tried it myself and I would not recommend replacing the entire amount. It will change the texture a little bit.

Healthy pumpkin muffins with banana

Try replacing half the sugar with 2 small mashed bananas to reduce the added sugar.

Healthy pumpkin muffins with applesauce

I tried replacing some of the sugar in this recipe with applesauce and didn’t like it. It made the muffins significantly less sweet and also denser. If you would prefer a refined- sugar free recipe, try replacing the sugar with maple syrup.

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Tips for Best Texture for Healthy Pumpkin Muffins

There are a few reasons why your muffins might be turning out a little dense or gummy:

• Make sure to only cook your red lentils for 5 minutes. They cook super quickly so you don’t want to over cook them. Also be sure not to cook them in too much water and to drain the water completely before added them to the food processor.
• Ground flax makes a great addition but don’t overdo it, especially if you’re not used to adding it to your baked goods. 2-4 Tbsp per batch of muffins is a good starting point.

These muffins can be stored at room temperature in a ziploc bag for 3-4 days. They can also be frozen after they are cooled completely. To reheat simply thaw on the counter or reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds.

Can I Make These For Kids or Toddlers?

Yes! These are perfect for a kid-friendly breakfast. The lentils and ground flax disappear completely and that added fiber will help keep them full until lunch or snack time.

If you prefer, you can definitely make these as mini muffins for the kids. Start checking for doneness after about 12 minutes.

Grab the kids and bring them into the kitchen with you to make these muffins. And if you’re looking for more recipes check out all of my Healthy Muffins and Bars.

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Healthy Pumpkin Muffins Recipe

Here’s the recipe:

Print

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Healthy Pumpkin Muffins FAQs

Can you put lentils in muffins?

Yes you can put lentils in muffins. Lentils are a great way to add extra protein and fiber to your muffins. After cooking them, they blend completely smooth into your muffin batter and won’t be noticed or tasted.

Can you taste lentils in these muffins?

No you cannot taste the lentils in these muffins. The red lentils blend up completely in the food processor or blender allowing the muffins to have a smooth texture and their mild flavor does not alter the flavor of the muffins.

How much flaxseed should I add to muffins?

Start by adding 1/4 cup ground flaxseed to your muffins. As you get used to the increased fiber and the slight texture it adds to muffins, you can experiment with inceasing to 1/3 cup.

Can I freeze healthy pumpkin muffins?

Yes you can freeze healthy pumpkin muffins. After baking, allow muffins to cool completely before transfering to a ziploc or other freezer-safe bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, transfer to the counter to thaw, or micrwave individual muffins for 30 seconds.

Can I use canned pumpkin or pumpkin pie filling?

This recipe for healthy pumpkin muffins used pure 100% pumpkin puree only. Canned pumpkin pie filling has unnecessary added sugar and flavorings.

More Pumpkin Recipes

Want more pumpkin? Try these:

• Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins
• Easy Pumpkin Bread
• Pumpkin Bean Bread
• 30 Healthy Pumpkin Recipes

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Enjoy!
–Lindsay–