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These fluffy gluten free pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting are super moist, tender, and bursting with warm pumpkin spice flavor. They’re the perfect EASY fall dessert to make and decorate for any occasion!
If you’re looking for more pumpkin desserts, try my gluten free pumpkin roll and these sweet and gooey pumpkin cheesecake bars, next!
There are few things I love more than sinking my teeth into a freshly frosted, soft, and tender homemade cupcake. It’s an instant mood lifter. With the rainy fall we’ve had lately, a batch of fluffy pumpkin cupcakes was in order! These moist gluten free pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting are the definition of a festive fall dessert. They’re packed with real pumpkin, warm spices, and caramelized brown sugar. Best of all, they’re easy to make completely from scratch!
Why I Love This Pumpkin Cupcakes Recipe
- 100% gluten-free. These easy pumpkin cupcakes are the perfect fall treat if you have a gluten allergy or intolerance.
- Packed with pumpkin flavor. Real pumpkin puree and a blend of cozy spices load these cupcakes with flavor and moisture. They’re so delicious. One bite and the flavors of fall are dancing on your tastebuds! The tangy cream cheese frosting compliments the flavors of these cupcakes perfectly.
- Adaptable. I make these cupcakes with gluten-free flour, but you can absolutely swap in all-purpose flour if you aren’t making them gluten-free. It’s also easy to adapt the frosting, spices, and add-ins like nuts or chocolate to suit your tastes.
What You’ll Need
This gluten free pumpkin cupcakes recipe needs only a few gluten free baking essentials. You’ll find some quick notes on what you’ll need for the cupcakes and frosting here. Scroll to the recipe card for a printable list with the full recipe amounts.
For the Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Gluten-free flour – I use King Arthur Measure for Measure, but you can use any 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend you’d like.
- Baking soda and baking powder – You’ll need both types of leavening for light, fluffy cupcakes. Make sure your leavening is gluten-free and not past its expiration date.
- Spices – I use a combination of cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and a pinch of salt. You can use homemade pumpkin pie spice, or buy it ready-made from the store.
- Pumpkin Puree – Make sure you’re using canned pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. They aren’t the same product!
- Oil – I recommend vegetable oil, like canola, or coconut oil.
- Brown Sugar – I like to use light brown sugar. It meets in the middle between white sugar and dark brown sugar, for the best flavor and moisture. You can substitute it with granulated sugar in a pinch.
- Eggs and Milk – Brought to room temperature before you start.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Butter – The best is unsalted butter, softened to room temperature. You should be able to press your finger into the butter and leave a dent.
- Cream Cheese – Also at room temperature to avoid a lumpy frosting. I highly recommend using full-fat blocks of cream cheese as opposed to the kind you buy in a tub.
- Vanilla Extract – Clear vanilla extract will keep the icing bright and white. If you can’t find it, use pure vanilla extract.
- Powdered Sugar – Also called icing sugar or confectioner’s sugar.
- Cinnamon – You can also use extra pumpkin pie spice to dust over the frosted cupcakes.
How to Make Gluten Free Pumpkin Cupcakes
Before you begin, don’t forget to take ingredients like eggs, milk, butter, and cream cheese out of the fridge! Room-temperature ingredients are easier to mix, for better consistency in the cupcakes and the frosting.
Next, line a muffin pan with cupcake liners, and get started on your cupcakes by following the steps below. Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable recipe instructions.
- Make the cupcake batter. Start by whisking together the dry ingredients in one bowl, and the wet ingredients in another. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until that’s combined. Leave the pumpkin cupcake batter to rest for about 30 minutes.
- Bake. Afterward, divide the batter evenly among the wells of a lined muffin pan. Pop the cupcakes into the oven at 350ºF for about 20 minutes, or until the cupcakes are cooked through. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
- Make the frosting. Meanwhile, cream together butter and cream cheese, then add in the vanilla. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar a little at a time, until you reach a smooth, fluffy consistency.
- Frost the cupcakes. When the cupcakes are fully cool, use a piping bag (or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off) to pipe swirls of cream cheese frosting onto the tops of each cupcake. Finally, give your frosted cupcakes a light sprinkle of cinnamon, and serve!
Make-Ahead Tip
The baked, unfrosted cupcakes can be kept airtight in the fridge for up to 4 days. The frosting is also a breeze to make ahead and store separately, and it will keep for about 4 days in the fridge, too. I recommend taking the frosting out of the fridge about an hour ahead of time to let it warm up before you frost the cupcakes.
Recipe Notes
- Don’t overmix the cake batter. Overmixing the batter will lead to a dense, tough cupcake. So, go easy there, Sir Mix-a-Lot. Only mix the dry ingredients into the wet batter until everything is just combined.
- Rest the batter. Resting the cupcake batter before baking allows the gluten-free flour time to absorb the liquids, for a perfectly-textured cupcake.
- Check that your cupcakes are done. The easiest way to check these pumpkin cupcakes for doneness is with the “toothpick test”. Stick a toothpick into the center of the cupcake, and if it comes out clean, they’re ready to come out.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely. Warm cupcakes will lead to a slippery situation when it comes time to frost them. Make sure they’re 100% cool before you pipe on that frosting!
More Ways to Decorate
These sweet and simple, gluten free pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting are perfect as-is, or you can make them your own by changing up the frosting and decorations. It makes them great for parties and holidays! Here are some easy cupcake decorating ideas:
- Different frosting. If cream cheese frosting isn’t your thing, you can frost your gluten free pumpkin cupcakes with vanilla frosting or chocolate frosting instead. Or, amp up the fall flavors with my pumpkin spice frosting.
- Add a filling. Hollow out the centers of your cupcakes and fill them with extra frosting.
- Add a drizzle. Top your frosted pumpkin cupcakes with a drizzle of chocolate glaze or caramel sauce.
- Chocolate chips. Sprinkle the tops of these cupcakes with mini chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or peanut butter chips. You can also stir baking chips right into the cupcake batter.
- More garnishes. Top your cupcakes with toasted coconut or crushed nuts, like chopped pecans.
- Holidays. Turn these into witch’s cauldron cupcakes for Halloween!
How to Store These Cupcakes
- To store. The unfrosted pumpkin cupcakes can be stored airtight at room temperature for a day or two. Once frosted, it’s best to keep these cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Freeze. If you plan on freezing your cupcakes, leave off the frosting. Store the unfrosted cupcakes airtight in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge, and then whip up a batch of the cream cheese frosting before serving!
Shop the Recipe
WHISK: I absolutely love my KitchenAid Mixer for many things, and it’ll definitely help make your frosting fluffy and smooth. But you the cupcake batter, a simple whisk will do.
SCOOP: The best way to ensure you make cupcakes the same size that will bake evenly.
PIPING BAGS AND TIPS: It really is simple (and faster!) to pipe frosting that makes your cupcakes look gorgeous and totally professional.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Cupcakes
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cupcakes:
- 1 3/4 cups gluten free flour (I use King Arthur Measure for Measure)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup canned pumpkin purée
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1/3 cup milk at room temperature
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 tbsp clear vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- Sprinkle of cinnamon for topping
Instructions
Make the Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line muffin pan with 12 muffin liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin spice. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together pumpkin puree, oil, brown sugar, eggs and milk. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Do not over mix the batter. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for 20-30 minutes.
- Once the batter is ready, fill each cupcake liner 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Test to see if your cupcake is cooked through by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, your cupcakes are done.
- Let cupcakes cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to completely cool.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Using a standing mixer at medium speed, cream the room temperature butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
- Add in vanilla extract.
- With the mixer at slow speed, start adding powdered sugar and beat until smooth and thick, one cup at a time. If the frosting is too runny, add in more powdered sugar.
- Use on completely cooled cupcakes.
- Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Did you make this?
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Second time I’ve made these muffins! They are so moist and tasty! My family loves them! ( I use ready made cream cheese frosting.) Freeze some for later and they freeze well! Thank you!