It’s pumpkin season! Fall-spiced Kodiak Cakes pumpkin muffins are an easy-to-make breakfast or healthy snack. Plus, they’re perfect for meal prep. For more pumpkin flavor, try Kodiak pumpkin pancakes!
Why You’ll Love Kodiak Cakes Pumpkin Muffins
For the muffin lover in your life, this healthy breakfast recipe will jumpstart your busy mornings and your week. Learn how to make pumpkin muffins with pancake mix for quick and easy meal prep. These yummy muffins are a flavorful, protein-filled way to start your day. And hey, you can even use the extra pumpkin puree to make my pumpkin protein balls!
What You Need to Make this Recipe
- Almond Milk: Almond milk adds moisture and increases the amount of protein in the muffin mix.
- Pumpkin Purée: Include pumpkin puree for added fiber, flavor, and moisture.
- Egg: Along with protein, the egg provides structure and binds the ingredients together.
- Avocado Oil: Keep the muffins moist by including avocado oil or coconut oil.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract lends sweetness.
- Honey: Naturally sweeten the fall-flavored muffins with honey.
- Kodiak Pancake Mix: Packed with hearty whole grains and protein, Kodiak Power Cakes Mix is the main ingredient and a perfect foundation for delicious Kodiak pumpkin muffins. I find the pancake mix at my local Costco, and it often goes on sale.
- Baking Powder: Baking powder adds lift to the batter, so the muffins aren’t so dense.
- Spices: Enhance the Kodiak pumpkin muffins by seasoning the batter with pumpkin pie spice, ground ginger, and a little cinnamon.
Additions and Substitutions
Take my traditional pumpkin muffin recipe up a notch with mix-ins and toppings for extra protein and flavor. Ingredients like chopped nuts can add a satisfying crunch, while you can sweeten the breakfast treat with dried cranberries or chocolate chips to make pumpkin chocolate chip muffins.
- Stir pecans, walnuts, chia, or flax seeds into the muffin batter.
- Include fruit in the muffins, like orange zest, mashed bananas, raspberries, or dried coconut flakes to complement the pumpkin flavor.
- Add a scoop of your favorite protein powder to up the protein content.
- Replace the honey with brown sugar or pure maple syrup. Use monk fruit sweetener for a sugar-free alternative.
- Top the muffins with a scoop of Greek yogurt, peanut butter, or almond butter.
How to Make Kodiak Cakes Pumpkin Muffins
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425℉ (218℃). Add almond milk, pumpkin puree, avocado oil, egg, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Stir in the honey and set the bowl of wet ingredients aside.
Step 2: Whisk the Kodiak Cake Mix, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, salt, ginger, and cinnamon in a separate mixing bowl.
Step 3: Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl with the wet muffin batter and stir to combine, careful not to over-mix.
Step 4: Prepare a muffin tin with cupcake liners and divide the batter into the cups using an ice cream scoop until it’s filled ⅔ of the way. Then, sprinkle some brown sugar over the batter.
Step 5: Bake for 5 minutes. Then, lower the heat to 350℉ (176℃) and continue baking for 10 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown.
Step 6: Remove the muffins from the pan and transfer them to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Spoon and level the flour into the measuring cups for baking accuracy.
- For optimal results, use room temperature ingredients; this especially applies to the eggs.
- Avoid over-mixing the batter, as it can result in dense muffins.
- When filling the muffin cups, aim for about ⅔ full to provide sufficient space for rising.
- Start the Kodiak muffins at a high temperature for a short time to activate the baking powder and allow the muffins to shoot up quickly. Then, turn the heat down and continue to cook the muffins.
SEARCHING FOR MORE LIKE THIS?
If you love these pumpkin protein muffins, try one of these quick breakfast favorites!
What to Do With the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Add the leftover muffins to a reusable bag or airtight container and leave them on the counter until you’re ready to eat.
- Freeze –Let the muffins cool completely. Then, transfer the cool muffins to a freezer-safe container or bag. The Kodiak Cakes pumpkin muffins freeze for two months, but I doubt you can wait that long. Better yet, double the recipe so you can freeze a batch for easy muffins at another time.
- Thaw – Set them on the counter to defrost when you’re ready to eat.
- Reheat – Warm them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use real pumpkin?
If you have the extra time and prefer to use real pumpkin, combine homemade pumpkin puree with the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl and cook the Kodiak Cakes pumpkin muffins as usual.
More Muffin Recipes:
Kodiak Cakes Pumpkin Muffins
- Whisk
- ½ cup almond milk
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup honey
- 2½ cups Kodiak Power Cakes Buttermilk Flapjack and Waffle Mix
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Preheat the oven to 425℉ (218℃). Add almond milk, pumpkin puree, avocado oil, egg, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Stir in the honey and set the bowl of wet ingredients aside.
- Whisk the Kodiak Cake Mix, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, salt, ginger, and cinnamon in a separate mixing bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl with the wet muffin batter and stir to combine, careful not to over-mix.
- Prepare a muffin tin with cupcake liners and divide the batter into the cups using an ice cream scoop until it's filled ⅔ of the way. Then, sprinkle some brown sugar over the batter.
- Bake for 5 minutes. Then, lower the heat to 350℉ (176℃) and continue baking for 10 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown.
- Remove the muffins from the pan and transfer them to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.
- Spoon and level the flour into the measuring cups for baking accuracy.
- For optimal results, use room temperature ingredients; this especially applies to the eggs.
- Avoid over-mixing the batter, as it can result in dense muffins.
- When filling the muffin cups, aim for about ⅔ full to provide sufficient space for rising.
- Start the Kodiak muffins at a high temperature for a short time to activate the baking powder and allow the muffins to shoot up quickly. Then, turn the heat down and continue to cook the muffins.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.