These Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes are like individual pieces of pumpkin pie! We combine rich pumpkin, warm fall spices, and creamy coconut to form the base and top them with a dollop of fluffy coconut whipped cream.
Easy Pumpkin Cupcakes Recipe
I’ve always been a huge fan of pumpkin pie. When it comes to Thanksgiving desserts, it’s hard to beat the classic. But what about the rest of the year? Sometimes, I want a little taste of that fantastic pumpkin flavor without the hassle of making an entire pie.
Enter Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes. Each cupcake is like a little individual piece of pumpkin pie! They’re perfect for a fall snack, dinner parties, or even an easier take on Thanksgiving dessert. Any way you slice it, these pumpkin spice cupcakes are the best.
You’ll notice these bite-sized desserts don’t really look or act like other cupcakes you may have made. That’s ok – they’re not supposed to! The base should resemble pumpkin pie instead of cake. We’ll chill them for a bit before serving so they’re nice and firm.
How Do I Make My Own Pumpkin Spice?
Pumpkin pie spice is one of those versatile spice blends that seems to find its way into all my baking this time of year. You can buy pre-made blends from the store or spice retailers like Penzys, or just make your own from spices you have in the pantry. Pumpkin pie spice is made from a combination of those amazing ‘warm’ spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice. That’s it!
What You’ll Need
These healthy, gluten-free fall cupcakes come together with just a few ingredients. Scroll down to the recipe card for the amount of each ingredient.
- Gluten-Free Flour
- Pumpkin Pie Spice – You can use a pre-made pumpkin spice blend, or make your own from cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice.
- Salt
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Pumpkin Puree – I like to use organic pumpkin puree, but any kind will work. Just be sure to not grab a can of pumpkin pie filling – that’s super sweet!
- Coconut Sugar – Coconut sugar has a much lower glycemic index than granulated sugar and keeps these cupcakes a little healthier!
- Eggs – I like to use large eggs for all my baking.
- Coconut Cream
- Coconut Milk
- Almond or Coconut Whipped Cream – Use whatever kind of whipped cream you like the best. If you want to use regular whipped cream, check out this recipe I used on my Lemon Cupcakes.
How to Make Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes
If you’ve been looking for a pumpkin cupcakes recipe, your search can stop here! These little treats are gluten-free, healthy, and oh-so-good. Even better, your active prep time is only ten minutes. Here’s how to put these Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes together.
- Prepare for Baking. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Combine the Dry Ingredients. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk everything together until its well combined. You want to see the color from the spices fully mixed in the flour.
- Combine the Wet Ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, coconut sugar, eggs, vanilla, coconut cream, and coconut milk until well combined. This may take a couple of minutes.
- Add the Dry Ingredients to the Wet. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until you form a cohesive batter. There should be no streaks of flour and the batter should be smooth at this stage.
- Fill the Muffin Cups. Fill each muffin cup 3/4 of the way full.
- Bake. Bake the pumpkin cupcakes for 20 minutes or until a skewer poked through the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Chill. Let the cupcakes cool slightly in the pan. Once they’re cool enough to handle, remove the cupcakes and chill them in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Top With Whipped Cream. Top the chilled cupcakes with whipped cream and dust with a little more pumpkin spice. Serve and enjoy!
How to Store Leftovers
If you have any leftovers, you can store pumpkin spice cupcakes in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make sure you put them in an airtight container, or they can start to dry out. To serve, take out a cupcake, put a big dollop of whipped cream on top, and enjoy!
Can I Freeze Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes?
You sure can! When freezing these cupcakes, I like to set them on a cookie sheet and freeze them directly. After they’re frozen, place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. Doing it this way will help prevent them from getting smooshed together and losing their shape. Frozen pumpkin cupcakes will stay fresh in the freezer for up to three months.
To serve, take the container out of the freezer and thaw overnight in the fridge.
More Tasty Pumpkin Dessert Recipes
Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup gluten-free flour
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 15 oz pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar
- 2 eggs large
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup coconut cream
- 1/4 cup coconut milk or any nut milk
- almond or coconut whipped cream
Instructions
- Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
- In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, coconut sugar, eggs, vanilla and coconut cream and coconut milk until well combined.
- Add in dry ingredients and whisk until no streaks of flour remain and batter is smooth.
- Fill each muffin cup ¾ of the way full.
- Bake for 20 minutes and let cool.
- Remove cupcakes from the pan and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with more pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon on top and before serving.
