Pumpkin cupcakes that are sweetened with dates and made with whole wheat flour. There’s also a vegan and gluten-free option!
Today, I’m happy to be sharing a delicious holiday treat: Pumpkin cupcakes with chai cream cheese frosting.
Yes, CHAI cream cheese frosting.
The cupcake itself is not only made with whole wheat flour, but it’s also sweetened with dates. You’ll also find some healthy fats, pumpkin puree and of course, an abundance of pumpkin spice. This results in a moist and delicious high-fiber cupcake with no added sugar.
Top it with a date-sweetened cream cheese frosting. Trust me, it’s such a delicious addition to this cupcake! Cream cheese and pumpkin go perfectly together.
To take it to the next level, I added some chai spices to the frosting. And guys!? It’s the best cupcake I’ve ever had! Sugar-free or not!
If you’re vegan, don’t worry, you can still enjoy these little pumpkin cupcakes! I did try them once without the egg and believe me, they turned out very similar to the original. I simply added 2 additional tablespoons of water to compensate for the loss of moisture from the egg. I know water won’t do the same as an egg in baking, but due to the pumpkin puree and dates, the cupcakes turn out equally moist and delicious. They still raised similarly to the egg-version as well. To make them vegan, you would also have to use vegan cream cheese. Or you could easily omit the frosting and eat them like muffins. I mean, they’re basically muffins with frosting.
As for a gluten-free version, I haven’t tested one yet. However, they’re based off my pumpkin bread recipe, which originally uses buckwheat flour. That being said, feel free to try them with the same amount of buckwheat flour.
These cupcakes would be the perfect addition to any Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
If you make these pumpkin cupcakes, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love to hear from you guys. And of course, if you try this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!
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Hey, Caroline! Thanks for the recipe. Is it possible to use coconut flour, almond flour, or any other gluten free flour, or will that ruin the outcome of the cupcakes?
Hi Sarah, the recipe is based on my pumpkin bread, which is made with buckwheat flour. You can try substituting the whole wheat flour for buckwheat flour if that's something you use? I haven't tried them with other gluten-free flours. My guess is that coconut or almond flour would result in a dense cupcake. But it may still be good! Let me know if you try it. Hope this helps. :)
I love this recipe!! I've made it a few times, using whole grain spelt flour in replace of whole wheat flour and is was lovely! The cream cheese adds a nice touch! I've tried making the icing with dates only and with maple syrup, both worked well. Yum!
It's good to know that spelt flour worked, thank you for the feedback!
I’ve been making these for a couple years and for the first time I added the cream cheese frosting. So good! I’ve added both apple sauce and Greek yogurt to the recipe to add moisture and protein. Love these. And it’s pumpkin spice time again....
Hi Karrie, thank you so much for taking the time to leave your feedback. I'm happy to hear you love them! Enjoy pumpkin season. :)