Erin’s Recipe Rundown
Texture: Moist, light, and tender crumb.
Taste: Full of warm pumpkin spice flavor + an AMAZING cream cheese frosting!
Ease: So easy to make! Perfect fall recipe.
Top Tip: I like piping the frosting with this piping tip to create a professional, bakery-style look!
Recommended GF Flour: Be sure to use a high-quality gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. I like King Arthur Flour and Bob’s Red Mill.
Would I make these again? Yes! These are a fall favorite and such crowd-pleaser for fall parties!
xoxo erin
These gluten-free pumpkin cupcakes give you everything you want in a cupcake. They’re moist, but also have a light and tender crumb. They’re pumpkiny and bursting with plenty of warm spices.
Take them to your Halloween parties, fall dinners, or even bring them for Thanksgiving dinner. They’re sure to be a hit with the whole crowd!
Table of Contents
- Erin’s Recipe Rundown
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Storage/Make Ahead/Freezer Instructions
- Can these gluten-free pumpkin cupcakes be made dairy-free?
- Can I use canned pumpkin for gluten-free pumpkin cupcakes?
- Recipe Tips
- More Gluten-Free Pumpkin Recipes
- Perfect Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make these gluten-free pumpkin cupcakes. See the recipe card below for exact measurements
- Pumpkin: Be sure to use canned pumpkin for this recipe, not pumpkin pie filing! Canned pumpkin is pure pumpkin puree, while pumpkin pie filling has added pumpkin pie spice and sweetener.
- Oil: Any neutral-tasting oil will work for this recipe, such as vegetable, avocado, or canola oil. Using oil instead of butter in cupcakes helps create a light, fluffy crumb.
- Gluten-free flour: Be sure to use a high-quality gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. I like to use King Arthur gluten-free measure-for-measure baking flour. Bob’s Red Mill is a great option too!
- Spices: Warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice create the pumpkin spice flavor we all know and love!
- Powdered sugar: Make sure your powdered sugar is well-sifted so the frosting doesn’t have any lumps. This is important for that bakery-style, professional look you’re going for! You can even use a sifter to make sure it’s nice and smooth!
- Butter: I prefer using salted butter for my baking. It has more depth of flavor than unsalted butter! Be sure to use room temperature butter for a smooth, creamy frosting.
- Cream cheese: Soften crean cheese to room temperature before creaming with butter. This helps ensure a smoother frosting consistency.
For more pumpkin desserts, try these recipes for gluten-free pumpkin roll, gluten-free pumpkin bars, gluten-free pumpkin pie, gluten-free thanksgiving dessert and gluten-free pumpkin cheesecake.
How to Make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cupcakes
Here’s an overview of how to make this recipe. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
- Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
- Mix wet ingredients. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and pumpkin.
- Combine ingredients. Add dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Scoop batter. Use a medium food scoop to scoop batter into a lined muffin tin.
- Bake cupcakes. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Make frosting. Beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt.
- Frost cupcakes. Frost cooled cupcakes however you’d like. I use this large round piping tip. I like to chill the cupcakes for 30 minutes before serving so the frosting is set.
For more gluten-free cupcake recipes, try these gluten-free vanilla cupcakes, gluten-free chocolate cupcakes and gluten-free red velvet cupcakes.
Storage/Make Ahead/Freezer Instructions
To store: Store gluten-free pumpkin cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To make ahead: These cupcakes can be made up to three days in advance. Store cooled, unfrosted cupcakes in the fridge, then frost them the day you want to serve. Once frosted, store cupcakes in the fridge to ensure frosting is set.
To freeze: Store unfrosted cupcakes in a Ziplock back in the freezer for up to three months. Remove from freezer and defrost when ready to enjoy. Prepare frosting, then frost cupcakes as usual.
Can these gluten-free pumpkin cupcakes be made dairy-free?
Yes! These pumpkin cupcakes are naturally dairy-free and gluten-free on their own, but the frosting contains dairy. For a dairy-free version of the frosting, swap butter and cream cheese for dairy-free alternatives.
Can I use canned pumpkin for gluten-free pumpkin cupcakes?
Yes, canned pumpkin puree is gluten-free and commonly used in gluten-free pumpkin cupcake recipes. Be sure to use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which may contain added ingredients like sugar or thickeners that could include gluten.
How do you keep gluten-free pumpkin cupcakes moist?
Gluten-free cupcakes can sometimes be dry, but the moisture from the pumpkin helps keep them soft and tender. Using additional ingredients like eggs and oil can also enhance moisture. You can also add a bit of milk or dairy-free milk to the batter for extra softness.
Recipe Tips
- These are my favorite liners for gluten-free pumpkin cupcakes. They’re easy to remove and rarely stick to the cupcakes!
- I like piping the frosting with this piping tip! The piping bag and piping tip helps create a consistent, professional look that’s just like your favorite bakery-style cupcakes.
- Be sure to use a high-quality gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. I like to use King Arthur gluten-free measure-for-measure baking flour. Bob’s Red Mill is a great option too!
More Gluten-Free Pumpkin Recipes
Perfect Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcake Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (300g) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Cupcake Other Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (106g) brown sugar
- 1 cup (240ml) neutral oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree
Frosting Ingredients
- 16 ounces (454g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup (226g) butter at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 5-6 cups (600-720g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two standard muffin pans with paper baking cups.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and ginger.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, vanilla and pumpkin.
- Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and whisk together until smooth.
- Using a kitchen scoop or large spoon, fill each baking cup ¾ of the way up
- Bake for 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cupcakes cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Make the Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter and sour cream on medium-high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed and whip for2 minutes. Add more powdered sugar if needed to get a thick but spreadable consistency. Frost the cupcakes as desired.
Notes
- These are my favorite liners for gluten-free pumpkin cupcakes. They’re easy to remove and rarely stick to the cupcakes!
- I like piping the frosting with this piping tip! The piping bag and piping tip helps create a consistent, professional look that’s just like your favorite bakery-style cupcakes.
- Be sure to use a high-quality gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. I like to use King Arthur gluten-free measure-for-measure baking flour. Bob’s Red Mill is a great option too!
My family loved these❤️
Unfortunately, I should not be eating sugar therefore I was unable to have any.
Is there any way to change out the sugar for a substitute sugar?
If so, what do you recommend?
Hi Val, we’re so pleased the cupcakes were a hit with the whole family! Unfortunately, we don’t bake with sugar substitutes. Since sugar plays into flavor and texture/structure, it’s hard to say how a sugar substitute would change the results.
Where is sour cream on frosting recipe ?
Hi Barb, we’re not sure where the sour cream measurement disappeared to, but it’s been fixed. We hope you enjoy the cupcakes!
I noticed that in the list for ingredients for the frosting, it calls for 4 cups of powdered sugar, but in the instructions it indicates adding 3 cups powdered sugar.
Hi Janet, thank you for bringing this to our attention! We’ve updated the frosting measurements to reflect our most current version of this recipe (featured in Let’s Bake Gluten-Free Volume 2). We hope you enjoy!
Hi, would it be possible to indicate on your recipes many it will make?
Hi Deb, thankyou for your question! At the top of the recipe card you’ll find prep time, cook time, and servings. This gf pumpkin cupcake recipe makes 24 cupcakes. We hope this helps!
Delicious!!
We’re so glad you loved the recipe, Hope! Thank you for your positive feedback!
Hello I have to make GF and regular pumpkin cupcakes can I use this for both and just substitute regular flour same amount?
Yes, that should work, Daryl! We hope you enjoy the recipe!
These were amazing!!! I’ve been gf for 11 years and this is the best recipe for pumpkin cupcakes I’ve ever made!! GF or not they’re moist and perfect! No one will know the difference they’re absolutely amazing!!
We’re so glad you loved them, Andrea! Thank you for taking the time to share your positive experience with us!
I am not a pumpkin fan, but these cupcakes are a new favorite! I did make a few tweaks. At first, I weighed the vegetable oil, but it really looked to be a lot. I weighed a cup of the brand of canola oil I used, and I ended up removing about 1/4 cup. Also, I cut the cloves to 1/4 tsp and increased the ginger to 1/2 tsp. OMG – these were so perfect, rose beautifully, were moist, delicious, and are my family’s new favorite. I also used my own cream cheese frosting recipe only because I knew I would be able to pipe all 24 cupcakes the way I wanted. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
We’re so glad you liked it, Leanne! Thanks for sharing your feedback with us. Happy baking!
Hi Mary, we’re sorry for the confusion! In addition to the visual ingredient and how-to sections, we also include a recipe card that has the ingredients (with quantities) and the steps all in one place. At the top of the page, you can click on “jump to recipe” to go straight to that section. Here is the link that will take you straight to the pumpkin cupcake recipe card. We hope this helps!
These were amazing! Very easy to make and delicious. I wouldn’t ever think of a pumpkin cupcake, but they might be my new favorite. I used avocado oil instead of vegetable oil and it seemed to work fine. I loved the cream cheese frosting.
I’m blown away at how delicious these cupcakes are! Super moist and wonderful flavor. I had to modify this recipe slightly, I only had about 200g of gluten free flour and had to sub in almond flour, and they still were fantastic! Thank you!
Hooray! I’m so glad they turned out for you!
two cups of King Arthur gf flour has 240 grams according to the back of the pkg. Your recipe for the cupcakes says 300gr of flour. Which is correct or am I missing something?
This is a very common question that comes up! I find that 1 cup of KAF weighs much closer to 150 grams. At the end of the day a cup measurement is subjective – and I think the manufacturer doesn’t realize gluten-free flour is denser than traditional wheat flour. Traditional wheat flour is 120 grams/cup. I like to make my recipes so they will turn out for both people using cup measurements and grams measurements. It is my way of doing it on this website (it’s consistent through all my recipes) even if it’s not the same as KAF. I hope this helps!