Armed with an abundance of freshly roasted pumpkin from the Carrot Pumpkin Soup I shared recently, I turned my sights towards a batch of pumpkin muffins for weekday snacks. With two young kids at home, I like to ensure that what I'm baking has plenty of good stuff snuck into the mix (like in this Yellow Squash Bread!), so when I baked these Pumpkin Streusel Muffins I knew I wanted to add some chickpeas and wheat bran for extra fiber.
It's still pumpkin season, and if you went crazy with porch decorations, I'd encourage you to try roasted some of those un-carved pumpkins! I share how I make freshly roasted pumpkin over in this Carrot Pumpkin Soup recipe, and I have another few pumpkins destined for the oven this week.
I love to roast them, then freeze the pumpkin to save for future use. You can, of course, use canned pumpkin, but there's a marked difference in the taste with fresh!
Substitutions
I get it, sometimes you go to make a recipe and discover at the last minute that you're missing an ingredient or two! Here are a few ways you can make this recipe a bit more flexible.
- Chickpeas - If you don’t have chickpeas, white beans can be used instead. They’re just as neutral in flavor and add a creamy texture without altering the taste.
- Flour - You can replace up to 50% of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour to increase the fiber and give the muffins a slightly nuttier flavor. Be careful not to replace all of the flour, as it can make the muffins too dense.
- Pumpkin - Despite these being Pumpkin Streusel Muffins, if you’re out of pumpkin, sweet potato or roasted butternut squash purée works as a substitute. Both have a similar texture and natural sweetness that complements the spices well.
FAQ
Yes, you can! Canned pumpkin is an easy and effective substitute. It saves time and provides consistent texture. If you prefer a deeper, more caramelized flavor, roasting fresh pumpkin is a great option, but both work well in this recipe.
Blending chickpeas with pumpkin adds extra protein and fiber while keeping the muffins moist. You won’t taste the chickpeas, but they enhance the nutritional content of the muffins.
Yes, the wheat bran is added for extra fiber and a heartier texture, but it’s optional. You can omit it or substitute it with oat bran if you want a different texture.
If your pumpkin and chickpea mixture is too thick to blend smoothly, add 1 tablespoon of milk (or non-dairy milk) to thin it out slightly.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Muffins:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ cup wheat bran
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk or unsweetened non-dairy milk of choice
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup roasted pumpkin or canned
- 1 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon milk optional, to thin out the pumpkin and chickpea mixture
For the Streusel Topping:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup salted butter cold and cubed
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ cup brown sugar
Instructions
Preheat and Prep:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease the tin to prevent sticking.
Blend Pumpkin and Chickpeas:
- In a blender or food processor, combine the 1 cup roasted (or canned) pumpkin and 1 15oz can of rinsed and drained chickpeas. Blend until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of milk to help thin it out slightly. Set aside.
Mix Dry Ingredients:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and ½ cup wheat bran. Make sure everything is evenly mixed.
Combine Wet Ingredients:
- In a separate bowl, whisk the 2 eggs, 1 cup milk, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in the pumpkin and chickpea puree until fully combined.
Combine Wet and Dry:
- Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the muffins dense.
Prepare the Streusel Topping:
- In a small bowl, combine the ½ cup flour, ¼ cup cold cubed salted butter, ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and ¼ cup brown sugar. Use a fork or your fingers to cut the butter into the mixture until it forms a crumbly, sand-like texture.
Fill Muffin Tin:
- Spoon the muffin batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about ¾ of the way full. Sprinkle the streusel topping generously over each muffin.
Bake:
- Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. The tops should be golden and the streusel crisp.
Cool and Serve:
- Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before removing them from the muffin tin and transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Since this makes 20 muffins, I removed the first batch of 12 when done, cooled them, and used the rest of the batter in a second batch. Enjoy warm or at room temperature!
Notes
- If you're using fresh pumpkin, simply roast it in the oven at 400°F (200°C) for about 45 minutes, then mash or blend until smooth. Make sure it's well-pureed and not watery! Roasting gives a deeper, more caramelized flavor, but canned pumpkin is an easy and effective substitute and I've used it when making these in the past.
- These muffins freeze beautifully! Wrap them individually and store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Simply thaw at room temperature or warm in the microwave before serving.
- Blending the chickpeas with pumpkin adds a boost of protein and fiber while keeping the muffins moist. If your mixture is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of milk to thin it out slightly.
- Adding wheat bran increases the fiber content, making these muffins heartier. You can omit it if desired, or substitute with oat bran for a different texture.
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand, mix 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ginger, and ¼ teaspoon cloves or allspice to make your own.
Kristian Bauer says
SO GOOD! Couldn't even tell there were chickpeas in them! The streusel and pumpkin combo is DIVINE! These did not last long and the kids LOVED them!