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These pumpkin muffins come courtesy of our friend Mary Lapp, an original member of the AIP blogging community. When she decided to transition her website to focus on new endeavors, she wanted to know if we’d be happy hosting some of her classic recipes, and of course we said yes!
This is a fantastic base recipe that makes lovely muffins or even a cake. What I love about Mary’s recipes is that she gives lots of instructions and options for substitutions. I’ve edited this recipe to reflect my favorite combination, but you can see her suggestions in the “notes” section at the bottom of the page.
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons water
- ¼ cup applesauce
- 2 tablespoons gelatin
- 1 cup cassava flour
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup arrowroot powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (either canned or homemade)
- ½ cup avocado oil
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a muffin tin.
- Add the water and applesauce to the bottom of a small saucepan and stir to combine. Sprinkle with the gelatin, and set aside to "bloom" for a few minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the cassava flour, coconut sugar, arrowroot, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the pumpkin and avocado oil, using a whisk to combine.
- When the gelatin has been absorbed by the liquid, turn the heat on the lowest setting and continuously whisk to combine as the mixture gently heats up. When the gelatin has completely dissolved (slightly warmer than room temperature), turn off the heat and combine with the pumpkin mixture before combining all of the wet and dry ingredients together. Your batter will be a touch drier than traditional cake or muffin batter; this is normal.
- Use a spoon to fill 9-12 muffin cups with batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- When they are finished cooking, cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack. Allow to fully cool to develop the right texture.
1/2 cup tigernut flour, ½ cup cassava flour, ½ cup arrowroot flour
1½ cups cassava flour
1 cup cassava flour, ½ cup tigernut flour
66 comments
Does it really call for a full cup of coconut sugar? It just sounded like a lot of sugar. Thanks!
Megan,
Yes, and it makes 12 muffins or a small cake!
Can coconut or almond flour be used as a substitute?
Mitzi, I doubt coconut flour would work (the texture is very different) but almond might work – I haven’t tried it personally though. Let us know if you discover anything food!
So is this recipe safe for the 1st phase of the diet? Sounds delish!! I am fairly new at this. It calls for coconut sugar, and I thought honey and maple syrup were the only 2 sweeteners allowed. Are all the recipes on this site supposed to be for the 1st, most restricted phase? Thanks!
Heather
Heather-
We saw you asked this question in another spot too. Yes, coconut sugar is compliant. Yes all the recipes on the site are elimination phase compliant. AIP is not a no-sugar protocol, but it is a low-sugar protocol & we try to focus on sweeteners that have some nutritive qualities. Thanks for being here!
Angie,
Thanks for the timely response! I was having some internet issues and didn’t think my first comment went through, so I posted it again when I was reading on your site. Sorry about that! 🙂 There is so much information here, and I am so thankful to have access to it! I am definitely going to make these muffins soon! THANK YOU for the recipes, all the helpful info, and sharing your stories! I have a lot to learn, but I’ll get there!
Heather
Hi Heather! Everything we post here is elimination-phase compliant. Honey, maple, and coconut sugar are all allowed in moderation.
Can the avocado oil be substituted with coconut oil? Thanks, Sue
Susan, I would start by trying a mild-flavored olive oil, but coconut oil may work too.
The recipe calls for 1 cup cassava flour but the substitute options say 1 1/2 cups. Is the extra 1/2 a cup to replace the gelatin?
Thanks. I am excited to try this out.
Kimberly,
That version would be 1 1/2 cups to replace the 1/2 cup arrowroot flour! Hope it helps.
Hi there,
I’m seeing gelatin used in a lot of baking recipes and am curious what its purpose is or what it does in baked goods. I would love to try these but don’t have gelatin. Is there a substitution? Thanks!
Sherrie-
The gelatin replaces egg in a lot of AIP baking. Other substitutes will probably change the texture of these.
Hi Angie and Mickey, what do you know about oxalates? I had a Organic Acid Test done and it came back with high levels of oxalates. I’ve since had to go on a low oxalate diet and have found that the foods that were once staples in my AIP/Paleo diet (i.e. cassava flour, arrowroot powder, cinnamon, spinach, sweet potatoes, etc.) were very high in oxalates. I’ve noticed lot of my symptoms improving since cutting out a lot of these high oxalate foods. I just wondered if there isn’t more of a connection with oxalates and autoimmune symptoms.
Hi! I have done some exploring about oxalates, but personally, and in my work with clients, I have found their potential to cause issues overblown. A lot of the foods you mention are also high in starch, which I do know many folks can react to because of dysbiosis. Personally I would rule out gut issues working with a skilled practitioner versus cutting out a lot of vegetables that also happen to be quite nutrient-dense. An exception would be folks who suffer from kidney stones they know are caused by oxalates. Dr. Ballantyne has a great article here you may find informative: https://www.thepaleomom.com/oxalate-sensitivity-real/
Hope it helps!
I made these muffins yesterday and couldn’t wait to eat one, so I ate it before it cooled completely. It tasted great, but the texture was a little mushy near the bottom. After I let them cool completely I froze them and thawed a couple in the microwave this morning for about 40 seconds (on high). And you are absolutely right – the texture improved by letting them cool completely – they were absolutely perfect!
Babz – that is a funny thing about AIP baking – cooling is almost as important as cooking! Good to hear they turned out for you!
So 1 cup of coconut sugar is permissible!? It seems excessive
I was under the impression sugar of any type should be minimum for a healthy diet.
Hey Marybeth! Yes, AIP is not a sugar-free protocol. At 12 muffins, 1 cup sugar ends up being a little more than a tablespoon each. Some people choose to avoid sugar all together, but others like to have a treat now and then. This recipe fits that bill perfectly 😉
I really needed to have a treat that I could tolerate and saw the recipe for these muffins. I wasn’t sure if they would come out the way they looked, but they did. I enjoy the taste and are perfect when I just need something to satisfy my craving. I will definitely be making these again! Thank you.
I’m happy you loved them Laura!
I made these. The first batch I took out of the pan before the 10 minutes. The second batch I left them in. There was a difference in the texture to be sure. Letting them cool is key. They taste wonderful, you just have to expect them to be a little “spongy”. I will be making these on a regular basis. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for sharing the results of your experiment Jenny! I agree, cooling is a whole part of the process with AIP desserts and necessary for the right texture.
can we use agar instead of gelatin?
Hi Lisa, I’ve never used agar, but you are welcome to experiment!
Hi! Is it possible to leave out the coconut sugar or substitute it with honey or maple syrup?
Hi Karen! No, you can’t substitute solid sugar for liquid sugar in baking recipes. While all sugars don’t behave the same, if you are looking to run your own experiment and try a swap, you should try something like maple sugar or date sugar instead of the coconut sugar.
These were so great! I rarely attempt sweet treats anymore, but even the husband approved. I loved the flavor and texture. I froze half and they reheated well.
I’m glad you loved them Paige!
I didn’t find arrowroot powder in any stores yesterday. Is there anything else I could use instead?
Hi Erin! I haven’t tried this, but sometimes tapioca starch will sub well for arrowroot.
Hi – I’m allergic to coconut so I’m having a tough time finding recipes I can make….or much of anything to eat! Can the coconut sugar in this be substituted with something else?
Hi Laura! I haven’t tried it before so you’d need to do your own experiment, but I think date sugar may work OK for this recipe. Hope it helps!
I clearly messed something up cuz these were VERY gummy. I didn’t have cassava flour so I used tapioca..
Maybe it was too fine? The flavor was good but eating a gummy bear muffin was a little off putting for sure.
Hi Brooke! Tapioca and cassava flour are not interchangeable! Bummer!
Starting AIP this week and made these for breakfast. They’re DELICIOUS! And thanks for the tip about cooling – the bottoms were a little gummy at first but I definitely didn’t let them cool completely. I just had to try one 😊
Melissa, I’m glad you enjoyed them! And I’ve found that AIP baking recipes are super finicky about cooling. It is an important step in developing the right texture!
I followed recipe exactly and the outside got hard the middle was mushy. Didn’t bake and I left it in longer than 30 minutes.
Hi Amanada, did you let the muffins cool completely?
This is my 3rd try at baking AIP muffins. Two other attempts from other providers but all using same AIP ingredients basically. These, as others, turned out gooey in centre or bottom. Do you know which ingredients would cause this? They taste great but need to find solution for texture. Thanks 😊
Hi Rachelle, are you sure your oven is cooking at the correct temperature, and what kind of muffin tin are you using?
Can you make this in a bread pan to make pumpkin bread instead of muffins?
Gretchen, I haven’t done this before, so if you try it out, you’ll be running your own experiment! I think it might work with a longer cooking time.
Which brands of coconut sugar do you recommend
Hi Rosie, I have used Wholesome and Nutiva in the past!
These are SO GOOD!! AIP baked goods can be kinda weird sometimes but these were so perfect you wouldn’t know they were AIP. Given all the recommendations to wait until they were completely cool I actually did and the texture was light and spongy. My husband and I ate the first batch in 2 days and he’s already wanting more – this is definitely going into our rotation!
I’m so happy you loved them Holly!
These are so good. They are so good, I have made them there times and I’m only on week two of AIP. I have transitioned from 12 years of being 100% plant based, to paleo/ keto for 9 mo, and now trying AIP. After the birth of my first daughter I was diagnosed with many food allergies including most nuts, gluten, and landed myself with an inflammatory disease, Rosacea. Trying to heal the gut I have found myself here. It took me a long time to get the nerve to eat meat again but I have found your your website, cookbook, and podcasts extremely helpful and enjoyable to do so. Loving these backed goods like this so not only can I have a yummy treat, but also serve them to my 100% plant based husband (i skipped the gelatin and just used coconut milk fat) and my dairy free kids. Thanks!
Welcome, Clara! Happy this recipe was a hit for you!
These sound awesome, but I can’t do anything with apples. Can I sub the applesauce for something else, or maybe omit entirely? Would love to hear your thoughts! Thank you!
Hi Kalie! I haven’t tried this, but you could try banana instead of the applesauce!
Will do! Thanks!
I’m obsessed with these! They’re SO good! curious if you know the macros per muffin? I may try to do the math.
Hi Jessica, sorry we don’t provide the macros. Glad you love them!
Hi Jessica! We don’t provide nutritional info, but it should only take a minute or two to plug into a calculator to find out.
Can you suggest possible calculator websites to find out the nutritional info?
Can’t wait to make these. Thanks
[…] Pumpkin Muffins […]
Just curious if you can leave the applesauce out altogether.
Hi Marisa, no I don’t recommend leaving out any ingredients, or the recipe is likely to not turn out.
So thankful I saw this recipe at just the right time! I was feeling so defeated at 6 days in not being able to feel satiated from just meat and veggies. This was such a nice afternoon treat to help fuel me and make me feel better about continuing on with the elimination phase. I think I undercooked them a little, but the flavor was wonderful! I omitted the coconut sugar and used a little honey to sweeten instead since I am also eliminating coconut as a potential trigger. Will be eating these whenever I feel that “I can’t do this” feeling! 🙂
These came out so good! Cooking is key let me repeat cooking is key 🙂
That should say cooling! Cooking is also key lol but I was trying to say cooling! My phone had other ideas
How many eggs does the applesauce/water/gelatin mixture replace? I am thinking 4 eggs?
Mindy, I am not sure specifically as many AIP recipe authors don’t adapt non-AIP recipes, they start from scratch. If you try adding eggs to this recipe, you’ll be experimenting on your own!
I love this recipe so much! Just started AIP about two months ago. Before that, I did a lot of gf/df/ef baking, but this was my first recipe using a gelatin egg. I love the texture so much!! This recipe isn’t overtly pumpkin, so I use this as a base for all my muffins and add in whatever I have to make different flavors (apple chunks, strawberry chunks, homemade swirls of AIP jam, etc.) I never want to lose this recipe!