These vegan pumpkin cupcakes are moist, tender, and full of fall flavors. They’re also easy to make, take less than 40 minutes, and are a perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert.
I’m a big fan of baking during the colder months. There’s something special about a warm oven and a sweet smell wafting through your home in the fall and winter. This recipe for vegan pumpkin cupcakes is one of my favorites when the weather starts to drop.
Not only are these cupcakes soft, moist, and rich, but they’re full of autumnal flavors like pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. And, a creamy vegan cream cheese frosting makes this dessert taste pretty indulgent.
These pumpkin cupcakes are fully vegan, and you can easily adapt them to make them gluten-free. The recipe is straightforward and easy to make, and it only takes 38 minutes. Pumpkin cupcakes are perfect as an afternoon treat with a cup of whipped dalgona coffee , or as a party-pleasing dessert during the holidays.
If you’re looking for more easy pumpkin desserts, be sure to check out this vegan pumpkin pie and these vegan pumpkin cookies , too!
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe
Pumpkin cupcakes are a must-make dessert for when the leaves start turning! Here’s why I think you’ll love this recipe as much as I do:
- Perfectly moist. Made with rich pumpkin puree, vegan milk, and oil, these pumpkin cupcakes are so soft and tender! Every bite is divine.
- Fall flavors. You’ll also get a taste of cozy cinnamon and warm pumpkin pie spice in each sweet bite. What could be more comforting?
- Quick and simple. It takes about 20 minutes to whip together these cupcakes, and then they’ll be ready for the oven!
Notes on Ingredients
Here are all of the ingredients that you’ll need to make these vegan pumpkin cupcakes. The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the exact amounts of all the ingredients and the full set of directions.
For the Cupcakes
- All-Purpose Flour – To make this recipe gluten-free, replace this with your preferred gluten-free flour mix.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda – Using both baking powder and baking soda will make these cupcakes extra fluffy.
- Sea Salt – You can also use regular table salt or kosher salt if you prefer.
- Spices – I like to use a blend of cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.
- Pumpkin Puree – Make sure to use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Sugar – You can use any kind of sugar for this recipe. I like to use simple cane sugar, but you can use coconut sugar or brown sugar for a cupcake with more of a caramel flavor.
- Oil – Any type of neutral oil will work.
- Vegan Milk – Use whatever type of dairy-free milk you prefer, just make sure it’s unflavored and unsweetened.
- Vanilla Extract – Be sure to use a 100% pure vanilla extract.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Vegan Cream Cheese – If you want to make your own vegan cream cheese , go for it!
- Vegan Butter – Make sure to use unsalted butter.
- Vanilla Extract – You can also use vanilla paste if you prefer.
- Sea Salt – To balance out and enhance the sweetness.
- Powdered Sugar – Sift out any lumps in the sugar ahead of time to ensure that the frosting comes out super smooth!
- Cornstarch – To thicken up the frosting so that it’s not runny.
What Is Pumpkin Pie Spice?
Pumpkin pie spice is a spice blend that you can find at just about any grocery store. It was made to add to pumpkin puree as the seasoning when making a pumpkin pie. Every company has a slightly different formula, but pumpkin pie spice usually is made out of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and ginger. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can season these cupcakes with a mix of those individual spices.
How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes
Here’s how to make these moist and creamy pumpkin cupcakes (that would look fabulous on a Christmas dessert platter!).
- Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350F and line muffin cups with cupcake liners.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Add the flour, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and baking soda to a mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Stir the milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, oil, and sugar into another bowl. Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer , beat the ingredients together on medium speed for at least 3 minutes. The ingredients should be fully incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Pour half of the dry mixture into the bowl with the wet mixture, and beat for 30 seconds. Add the rest of the dry mixture and mix until everything is fully incorporated.
- Put the batter in the liners. Divide the vegan pumpkin cupcake batter evenly between the 24 cupcake liners.
- Remove the air bubbles. Lift up the cupcake pan and tap it on the counter three times. This will help remove the air bubbles from the batter.
- Bake the cupcakes. Place the cupcakes in the oven on the center rack. Bake until the center is cooked all the way through, about 20-22 minutes, then place the cupcakes on a wire rack to cool.
- Beat the cream cheese. Place the cream cheese and butter in a bowl, and beat with a mixer until they’re fully incorporated. This should take about 2 minutes. Next, add the vanilla and salt, and mix everything together.
- Add the sugar. Pour in a cup of the sugar and all of the cornstarch. Beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Continue adding sugar until the frosting is the consistency that you prefer.
- Frost the cupcakes. Using a spatula or a piping bag, frost the cooled cupcakes with the vegan cream cheese frosting.
Tips for Success
Here are some tips to help you make the best vegan pumpkin cupcakes every time.
- Make the frosting ahead of time. You can frost these cupcakes as soon as the frosting is done. However, it will be even better if you make the frosting ahead of time, and let it sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours, and ideally overnight. This will thicken up the frosting and make it even more indulgent, while also intensifying the flavors.
- Make sure the cupcakes are fully cooled. It’s important to only frost the cupcakes when they’ve finished cooling. If the pumpkin cupcakes are still warm when you frost them, the frosting might melt.
- Use room temperature ingredients. When making the frosting, use room temperature vegan butter and cream cheese. When these ingredients are cold, they don’t break down and mix with other ingredients as well. Using them when they’re at room temperature ensures that the frosting comes together nicely, and is smooth and creamy.
- Check the middle with a toothpick. To know when your cupcakes are done, insert a toothpick into the middle of one of them. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cupcakes are done baking, and you can take them out of the oven.
- Add some toppings. You can add an extra element of flavor and texture with some toppings on top of the frosting. I like to add pecans, but you can also try other nuts, cinnamon, orange zest, or mini chocolate chips.
How to Store Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes
It’s best to store these cupcakes in an airtight container or bag. They’ll last at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Can I Freeze This Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe?
You can freeze these vegan pumpkin cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature or overnight in the fridge before eating.
More Pumpkin Recipes
Hopefully you enjoy these fall cupcakes as much as I do. And, if you do, then check out some of these other autumnal pumpkin recipes.
- Pumpkin Muffins
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
- Vegan Pumpkin French Toast
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Brownies
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour , (240g) (or gluten-free flour mix)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree , (425g)
- 1 ½ cups sugar , (300g) (brown sugar, cane sugar or organic white sugar works)
- ½ cup oil , (100g)
- ½ cup vegan milk , (120 mL)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces vegan cream cheese , at room temperature
- ½ cup vegan butter , (4 ounces) (at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract , or vanilla paste
- pinch sea salt
- 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar , (360-480g) (sifted)
- ¼ cup cornstarch , (32g) (sifted)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Line muffin cups with cupcake liners or foil bake cups.
- In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer in a larger bowl, add the pumpkin puree, sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and milk. Mix together for at least 3 minutes on medium speed until all the ingredients are fully incorporated and mixed together.
- Add half the dry ingredients in, mix for about 30 seconds on medium, then add the other half, mixing for another 30 seconds, scraping down the sides as needed. Mix for no more than 2 more minutes on medium speed until everything is fully incorporated.
- Working quickly, divide the batter evenly between 24 cupcake liners. You can use an ice cream scoop to help! Tap the cupcake pan on the counter three times (lift and tap down slightly) to remove any excess air bubbles before baking.
- Place the pan in the middle rack of your oven and in the center of that rack. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until the center is fully cooked through.
- Remove from the oven and let them cool in the pans for about 5 minutes, then remove onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese together for about 2 minutes until fully incorporated.
- Add in the vanilla extract or paste and a pinch of salt.
- Add in a cup of sifted powdered sugar and all of the sifted cornstarch. Mix for about 1 minute or until incorporated. Add in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until the frosting has reached the desired thickness.
- Place the frosting wrapped or covered into the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight, until being used. You can enjoy it right away, but it will thicken up beautifully in the fridge.
- Frost cupcakes and decorate. The frosting will set at room temperature. Enjoy!
Notes
- To store. It’s best to store these cupcakes in an airtight container or bag. They’ll last at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- To freeze. You can freeze these vegan pumpkin cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature or overnight in the fridge before eating.
Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g) (or gluten-free flour mix)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (425g)
- 1 ½ cups sugar (300g) (brown sugar, cane sugar or organic white sugar works)
- ½ cup oil (100g)
- ½ cup vegan milk (120 mL)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces vegan cream cheese at room temperature
- ½ cup vegan butter (4 ounces) (at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- pinch sea salt
- 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar (360-480g) (sifted)
- ¼ cup cornstarch (32g) (sifted)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Line muffin cups with cupcake liners or foil bake cups.
- In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer in a larger bowl, add the pumpkin puree, sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and milk. Mix together for at least 3 minutes on medium speed until all the ingredients are fully incorporated and mixed together.
- Add half the dry ingredients in, mix for about 30 seconds on medium, then add the other half, mixing for another 30 seconds, scraping down the sides as needed. Mix for no more than 2 more minutes on medium speed until everything is fully incorporated.
- Working quickly, divide the batter evenly between 24 cupcake liners. You can use an ice cream scoop to help! Tap the cupcake pan on the counter three times (lift and tap down slightly) to remove any excess air bubbles before baking.
- Place the pan in the middle rack of your oven and in the center of that rack. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until the center is fully cooked through.
- Remove from the oven and let them cool in the pans for about 5 minutes, then remove onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese together for about 2 minutes until fully incorporated.
- Add in the vanilla extract or paste and a pinch of salt.
- Add in a cup of sifted powdered sugar and all of the sifted cornstarch. Mix for about 1 minute or until incorporated. Add in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until the frosting has reached the desired thickness.
- Place the frosting wrapped or covered into the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight, until being used. You can enjoy it right away, but it will thicken up beautifully in the fridge.
- Frost cupcakes and decorate. The frosting will set at room temperature. Enjoy!
Notes
- To store. It’s best to store these cupcakes in an airtight container or bag. They’ll last at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- To freeze. You can freeze these vegan pumpkin cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature or overnight in the fridge before eating.
Nutrition
Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes https://jessicainthekitchen.com/vegan-pumpkin-cupcakes-dessert-christmas/ December 5, 2022
These buttery vegan spritz cookies are a lot of fun to make, and they’re a lot of fun to eat, too. They’re cute and festive, but also rich, moist, and buttery. A perfect holiday cookie!
It’s not exactly a big secret that I love cookies. And these buttery vegan spritz cookies are some of my favorites. These cookies are super simple, and take less than an hour to make. But don’t let that fool you … the flavor is absolutely popping! With both vanilla and almond extract, these vegan cookies are sweet, nutty, and rich.
But my favorite thing about these cookies (other than how fun and cute they are) is the texture. Some vegan cookies are dry and crumbly, but not these spritz cookies. They’re moist and tender, and just soft enough to melt in your mouth, but just firm enough to hold their shape. These are one of my go-to vegan Christmas cookies.
Notes on Ingredients
These cookies only use a few ingredients, and they’re all items that you probably have in the pantry or fridge. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the article to see the exact quantities for each ingredient.
- Vegan butter – Make sure the butter is unsalted, and at room temperature.
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract – You should use pure vanilla extract, not a product that uses artificial ingredients.
- Almond extract – Similarly, make sure you use an almond extract with no artificial ingredients.
- Salt
- Tapioca starch – You can also use cornstarch.
- Vegan milk – Whatever vegan milk you prefer will work for this recipe, just make sure it’s unsweetened and not flavored.
How to Make Buttery Vegan Spritz Cookies
Here’s how to make these soft and sweet cookies.
- Prep. Preheat your oven to 350F.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Place the flour, tapioca starch, and salt in a mixing bowl, and whisk until well combined.
- Cream the butter. Add the vegan butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until the mixture is fluffy, which should take about 3 minutes.
- Add the rest of the wet ingredients. Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, and milk to the bowl, and beat until smooth. This should take 1-2 minutes.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and beat on the lowest speed until all the ingredients are combined. You want the dough to be soft, but not too sticky. Add more milk if the dough is too dry.
- Rest. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Prepare your spritz gun. Follow the instructions to prepare your spritz gun for use, then fill it with the chilled cookie dough.
- Dispense the cookies. Use the spritz gun to dispense cookies on a dry baking sheet. Leave about an inch between each cookie.
- Decorate. Cover the cookies with the sprinkles of your choice.
- Bake. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake until the bottoms of the cookies are golden brown, which should take 7-8 minutes.
- Cool. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack, and let them rest until they’ve cooled.
Tips for the Best Spritz Cookies
Here are a few tricks to use when making these vegan holiday cookies.
- Freeze the baking sheet. Occasionally the cookie dough will stick to the baking sheet. To keep that from happening, place the baking sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes before putting the cookie dough on it.
- Don’t overmix the dough. When you add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, make sure that you don’t overmix the dough. Overmixing will break down the gluten in the flour, and make the soft cookies hard and dense.
- Freeze the cookies before baking. This dough is fairly wet, so sometimes the cookies can spread out too much when baking. If this happens, you’ll lose the great shape of the spritz cookies. To keep this from happening, dispense the cookies onto the baking sheet, then place the baking sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking.
Recipe Variations
Here are a few variations that you can try with this buttery vegan cookie recipe.
- Make it gluten-free. These cookies have just one ingredient in them that has gluten: all-purpose flour. If you want to make gluten-free cookies, simply replace the all-purpose flour with gluten-free 1:1 flour blend.
- Add some colors. These cookies are super cute, and they look great when they’re colored. Add wet food coloring to the wet ingredients, or dry food coloring to the dry ingredients, to make these spritz cookies whatever color your heart desires.
- Change up the flavors. I like the subtle flavor of vanilla and almond extract in these cookies. But if you want, you can add some different flavors quite easily, either in place of or in addition to these extracts. You can add other extracts, such as coconut extract, orange extract, or maple extract. You can add spices, like cinnamon or nutmeg. Or you can add citrus zest, such as lemon or orange. If there’s a flavor you want in these cookies, add it!
How to Store Buttery Vegan Spritz Cookies
You can store these vegan Christmas cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can also store them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
You can absolutely freeze this recipe. Keep the cookies in an airtight container, and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months. Defrost in the fridge or at room temperature before eating.
More Cookie Recipes to Try
If you liked these buttery vegan spritz cookies, then try some of my other favorite cookie recipes.
- Banana oatmeal cookies
- Gluten-free vegan chocolate chip cookies
- Vegan pumpkin cookies
- Vegan sugar cookies
- White chocolate macadamia nut cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegan butter , room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch , or cornstarch
- 2-3 tablespoons vegan milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
- Combine the flour, salt and starch in a small bowl. Whisk well to mix. Set aside.
- Add butter and sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl.
- Add the vanilla, almond extract and 2 tablespoons milk. Beat for 1-2 minutes more until smooth. Scrape down the bowl.
- Turn to lowest speed and add the flour mixture. Stir until just combined. The dough should be soft but not sticky and you should be able to easily make a fingerprint in the dough. If the dough is too dry, add the additional 1 tablespoon of milk.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 30 minutes.
- While the dough is chilling, prepare your spritz gun according to the manufacturer’s directions.
- Grab a portion of the chilled dough and roll it into a log shape and slide it into the tube of the spritz gun.
- Replace the top and pull the lever until the plunger has pushed all the dough to the bottom.
- Place the nozzle of the gun directly on an ungreased, unlined baking sheet at 90 degree angle. Pull the trigger to dispense a cookie. Repeat leaving about an inch between the cookies.
- Decorate the cookies with your choice of sprinkles.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 7-8 minutes, until the bottoms are just beginning to be golden brown. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- To keep the cookie dough from sticking to the baking sheet, place the baking sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes before using.
- To keep the cookies from spreading too much in the oven, place the cookies on the baking sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking.
- Don’t overmix the cookie dough.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week, in the fridge for 2 weeks, or in the freezer for 6 months.
