Healthy pumpkin muffins with maple and cranberry. Dairy-free, whole grain, refined sugar-free and 2 options are provided: vegan or gluten-free.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Put liners in muffin cups.
Whisk together all the dry ingredients. Set aside.
Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl, then add in the oil, then the applesauce, and then add the mashed pumpkin, until smooth.
Mix wet mixture in flour mixture until just combined. Fold in cranberries with a rubber spatula.
Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be very full), then sprinkle the chopped pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries on top of each muffin (optional). Bake until puffy and golden brown, and a clean knife comes out clean, approx. 35 minutes.
Cool in pan on a rack five minutes, then transfer muffins to cooling rack to cool completely. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days.
Option: For a decadent treat, mix 1/4 cup icing sugar with 1 Tbsp water until completely dissolved. Drizzle over the muffins.
The pumpkin needs to be baked ahead of time.
For vegan option: mix 2 Tbsp of chia seeds with 1/3 cup water, wait 5-10 min before using instead of eggs. Follow the rest of the recipe instructions as normal.
For gluten-free option: replace the flours with 1.5 cup brown rice flour and 1/2 cup tapioca starch. Add 1 tsp to the wet mix as well. Follow the rest of the instructions as normal.