Healthy Butternut Squash Muffins

This Healthy Butternut Squash Muffins recipe is quick and easy to make, naturally gluten-free (made with blended-up oats), and made with the coziest comforting chai spices.

Once the calendar flipped over to September this year, I instantly started craving a batch of my favorite healthy pumpkin muffins. But there was just one problem — I couldn’t find any cans of pumpkin puree in Barcelona! Turns out that the little American import store where I buy pumpkin (the only place you can find it the city) wasn’t planning to receive a shipment this year until the middle of September. And there were no sugar pumpkins available at our neighborhood market to make a batch of homemade pumpkin puree myself. Sooo, I decided to improvise by making a batch using some mashed-up roasted butternut squash instead, and you guys…

…these butternut squash muffins were total winners. ♡♡♡

Turns out, the mashed butternut squash works like a charm. (It’s especially great if you happen to have leftover squash.)  And I was reminded yet again how much I love the base recipe for these healthy muffins, which is made with oat flour (just blitz old-fashioned oats in your blender) and sweetened with maple syrup (not too much). But instead of adding in my usual pumpkin pie spice, I added in some chai spices instead (a simple blend of ground cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and cloves). And well, let’s just say that we’re already on our third batch of these muffins in two weeks. We love them so much, and I think you will too!

Let’s make a batch!

Butternut Squash Muffins Ingredients:

To make this butternut squash muffins recipe, you will need…

• Mashed cooked butternut squash: I mashed up some leftover roasted butternut squash. But however you cook it (oven, stove, slow cooker, microwave, etc.), you just need 1 cup of mashed cooked butternut squash.
• Oats: Regular old-fashioned oats, which we will blitz in the blender to become oat flour. (Or you are welcome to use pre-ground oat flour instead; see notes below.)
• Chai spice (or pumpkin pie spice): I made these with a yummy impromptu chai spice, using ground cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. But if you have pumpkin pie spice on hand, that works great too!
• Baking soda, fine sea salt, eggs, vanilla extract: The normal muffin suspects. ;)
• Coconut oil: This recipe uses just a touch of oil, and any neutral-flavored oil will do.
• Milk: I used unsweetened plain (or vanilla) almond milk, but any kind of milk that you prefer will do.
• Maple syrup: Or honey.
• (Optional) Turbinado Sugar: For sprinkling on top, if you would like. Or really, any kind of sugar would do.

How To Make Muffins:

To make this healthy muffin recipe, simply…

1. Blend dry ingredients. Pulse together the oats, chai seasoning (or pumpkin pie spice), baking soda and salt together in a blender until the oats reach a flour-like consistency.
2. Whisk together the wet ingredients. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, mashed butternut squash, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla extract until evenly combined.
3. Fold everything together. Fold the dry ingredients in with the wet ingredients, and stir until the mixture is just combined. Portion the ingredients into 12 baking cups, and sprinkle a pinch of turbinado sugar on top of each.
4. Bake. At 375°F for about 15-18 mins, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean. Remove and let cool for about 5 minutes, then serve warn and enjoy!

These muffins can be refrigerated container for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.

Possible Recipe Variations:

Want to customize your butternut squash muffins recipe? Feel free to…

• Add chocolate chips: Because…chocolate. ♡
• Add nuts or seeds: Such as pepitas, pecans, sunflower seeds, walnuts, etc. You can either sprinkle them on top of the muffins, or fold them into the batter.
• Add dried fruit: Dried cranberries, raisins, apricots…whatever you love.
• Drizzle on a maple glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar and maple syrup until they form a glaze-like consistency, and drizzle over your muffins for extra sweetness.

More Favorite Muffin Recipes:

Looking for more healthy muffin recipes? Here are a few of my faves…

• Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
• Healthy Apple Muffins
• Healthy Banana Muffins
• Healthy Zucchini Muffins
• Wholesome Carrot Muffins

Healthy Butternut Squash Muffins

4.85 from 13 votes

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Makes: 12 servings

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This Healthy Butternut Squash Muffins recipe is quick and easy to make, naturally gluten-free (made with blended-up oats), and made with the coziest comforting chai spices.

Ingredients

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• 3 cups old-fashioned oats*
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chai seasoning (see below) or pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, plain or vanilla
• 1 cup mashed cooked butternut squash
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil (or any mild-flavored oil)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• optional: turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

• ▢
  Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with parchment or cupcake liners, or lightly grease with cooking spray.  Set aside.
• ▢
  Puree oats in a blender or food processor until they reach a flour-like consistency.  Add in the chai seasoning (or pumpkin pie spice), baking soda and sea salt, and pulse until the mixture is evenly combined.  Set aside.
• ▢
  In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, mashed butternut squash, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla extract until evenly combined.  Fold the dry ingredients in with the wet ingredient mixture, and stir until the mixture is just combined.  (Try to avoid over-mixing.)
• ▢
  Portion the ingredients into prepared baking cups*.  Then sprinkle a pinch of turbinado sugar on top of each muffin, if you would like.
• ▢
  Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes.
• ▢
  Serve warm.  Or let the muffins cool to room temperature, then store in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

*Oat flour: Or feel free to substitute in 240 grams (8.4 ounces) oat flour.  And as always, be sure to use certified gluten-free ingredients if making this recipe gluten-free.

*Chai spice: I used a blend of 2 teaspoons ground cardamom, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.  (A little more than 1.5 tablespoons, but it works!)

*Baking cups: You can either grease the baking cups with baking spray, or add paper liners.  I used homemade parchment liners.

Recipe adapted from my Healthy Pumpkin Muffins.

Additional Info

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!