Savory Pumpkin Muffins (Easy Fall Appetizer)

These pumpkin muffins were a labor of love, but so worth the effort! They’re cheesy little bites of goodness with a subtle pumpkin flavor. Perfect alongside all your fall meals or arranged on a platter as an easy Thanksgiving appetizer, they’re a must-make!

Made with pumpkin purée, almond flour, and Muenster cheese, these cheesy little muffins bake quickly, are gluten-free, and totally addictive. A touch of dried thyme is the secret ingredient and blends beautifully with the pumpkin flavor. The hardest part is waiting for them to cool!

This recipe uses only a small amount of pumpkin, so it’s a great way to use up that leftover pumpkin purée probably sitting in the back of your refrigerator this season.

As I mentioned above, these were a labor of love. I gravitate towards savory pumpkin recipes, and it dawned on me that I rarely see recipes for savory pumpkin muffins. After much trial and error, these have become one of our favorites. One bowl, less than 15 minutes in the oven, and you’ve got a cheesy savory muffin that pairs perfectly with all your fall dinners!.

They’re a perfect side dish for soups, chili, and stews, or just serve them warm with butter. We’ve been eating them with breakfast every morning. Who doesn’t love a savory cheesy little muffin?

Savory Pumpkin Muffins

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Pumpkin is an inherently wet ingredient; baking with it can be finicky. I tried different variations using almond and coconut flour, and in every single one the coconut flavor was overwhelming. An almond flour base gave me exactly what I wanted: a cheesy muffin with a subtle pumpkin flavor.

Have realistic expectations when using almond flour. If you don’t eat gluten-free or low-carb and you’re expecting a light, fluffy muffin texture you would typically get from white flour, this recipe isn’t it. These are more like cheesy cornbread with a subtle pumpkin flavor.

Add these to your fall meal lineup to enjoy all week. They keep well in the fridge for about five days and reheat easily. I prefer to pop them in the air fryer for a few minutes, but a few seconds in the microwave works too.

Step By Step Instructions

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• After preheating your oven, place a thick lint-free paper towel on a plate. Add the pumpkin purée directly onto the paper towel. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes to absorb moisture. Fold over the sides of the paper towel and gently pat the top to absorb as much moisture as possible. It should look like a dry pumpkin patty as shown in the first image.
• Add the pumpkin purée and egg to a bowl. Vigorously whisk, making sure the egg is fully incorporated into the pumpkin purée.
• Add the almond flour, baking powder, and dry seasonings to the pumpkin-egg mixture.
• Mix well and let the batter rest while you grate the cheese. (see tip)

• Add the cheese to the batter, reserving about 1/4 cup to sprinkle on top.
• Gently fold in the cheese, making sure it’s evenly incorporated into the batter.
• Spray a 12-cup mini muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. 
• Add a heaping teaspoon of batter to each muffin tin, filling them as evenly as possible.
• Gently lift and drop the muffin tin a few times to settle the batter evenly into the muffin cups.
• Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of each muffin.
• Bake on the middle rack for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and let the muffins completely cool in the pan for 15 minutes.

Tips & Variations

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• This recipe has a lot of cheese. As it melts, it clings to the sides of the muffins, which is why the resting period matters. During that resting period, the caramelized cheese around the edges solidifies and releases, which brings me to my next point.
• I don’t love using nonstick cooking sprays, but sometimes you just need them. I tried brushing the sides with butter and using parchment liners. The butter worked better than the liners, but in both cases, some of the gorgeous brown, cheesy crust on the outside of the muffin was lost. I highly recommend you use non-stick cooking spray like Pam for this recipe
• You cannot substitute any other flour. Gluten-free baking is finicky, especially when you’re using wet ingredients like pumpkin and a lot of cheese. I tested this many times with every combination of gluten-free flour I had, and 100% almond flour gave the best results.
• For variations, you can use a different kind of cheese, but I recommend sticking with a mild flavor. Strong flavors like sharp cheddar or Swiss will overpower the pumpkin.