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Butternut Squash Whole Grain Muffins

Soft, moist, healthy and super delicious Butternut Squash muffins are the best muffins for this fall season. Infused with plenty of Fall flavors, nuts and dry fruits, these muffins pack a punch and are filling and hearty. They are made with whole grains and zero oil. Move over Blueberries, its Butternut Squash season!

Butternut Squash muffins on a cooling wire rack.

Fall is all about pumpkin, its pumpkin this and pumpkin that.. nobody cares about the old and sturdy Butternut Squash. These butternut squash muffins are the best thing you can make this fall. They are made with whole wheat flour and oats, have no oil or butter and loaded with nuts and butternut squash. Cinnamon and nutmeg add a very nice and distinct aroma and flavor to these muffins. Trust me, your entire house will smell amazing with warm and comforting fall flavors!

How healthy is Butternut Squash?

Butternut squash is a winter squash which tastes sweet and nutty just like a pumpkin. This squash is extremely versatile and can be used in many different things. I use it to make curries, soups, stews and even muffins. Its delicious and wholesome. The flesh of butternut squash is orange in color just like a pumpkin or a carrot. And just like a carrot, it is also rich in vitamin A, Vitamin C, Beta-carotene, Magnesium and Potassium.

A butternut squash can be used to make both savory and sweet dishes. It has a long shelf life of two to three months. Be very careful when cutting it, as the skin is really hard. I usually cut the top and bottom and then use a large knife and a mallet to knock the knife into my squash. When the squash is cut in half, its easier to peel and seed. Try my Butternut squash pulusu, its an andhra style stew that goes amazing with rice and dal.

What all goes in the muffin?

  1. Butternut Squash: Obviously! We need butternut squash cooked and pureed in this recipe for moist muffins. There are two ways to make that happen. One is to roast in the oven and the other is cooking in Instant pot. Instant pot method is the best and the easiest!
  2. Grains: Whole wheat flour, Oat flour and whole Old-fashioned oats.
  3. Spices: Cinnamon and Nutmeg
  4. Fruit and Diary: Apple sauce, Eggs and Orange juice
  5. Nuts and Dry fruits: I use walnuts, Raisins and Cranberries. They can be replaced with pecans, dried blueberries, strawberries, anything you like.

How to make the Butternut Squash muffins?

First, we need to cook the butternut squash and make puree. There are two ways to do that.

Instant pot method:
  • Half or Quarter the butternut squash to fit your instant pot. I am using my 3 quart, so I quartered the squash. Scoop out the seeds and discard them(or roast them for delicious seeds).
  • Pour 1 cup water in your instant pot insert. Place a trivet on top and set the butternut squash on the trivet.
  • Close the lid and set the Pressure cook mode for 8 minutes, vent in Sealing position. Let the pressure release naturally (NPR).
  • Once the pressure is released, remove the butternut squash from Instant pot and let it cool down.
  • At this point, the butternut squash peel comes off very easily. Remove the peel and mash the butternut squash with a fork.
Process to make butternut squash puree in Instant pot.
Cooking butternut Squash in Oven:
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Half the butternut squash, scoop out the seeds and rub coconut or avocado oil on the inside and outside of the squash.
  • Put the butternut squash halves, flesh side down, on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 35-45 min.
  • Let the squash cool down completely and then, remove the skin. Scoop out the flesh and mash it with a fork.
Process to make butternut squash muffins.
Making the muffins:
  • While the butternut squash is cooking, get your dry and wet ingredients ready. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grind half of old fashioned oats into a coarse powder.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add whole wheat flour, ground oats, whole old-fashioned oats, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, baking soda and mix them thoroughly with a whisk.
  • Add brown sugar, cranberries, raisins, chopped walnuts, grated orange peel/orange zest and mix well.
  • In another bowl, add butternut squash puree, apple sauce, orange juice and eggs and mix well.
  • Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold it gently till the batter is all combined. Don’t mix it too much.
  • Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners, or you can make the muffins without the liners. Spray the cupcake liners/muffin pan with cooking spray.
  • Fill the cups 3/4 full. Use a cookie or ice cream scoop to make sure the cups are all evenly filled.
  • Bake for 20-25 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Butternut Squash muffins on a cooling wire rack.

A few FAQs:

How to store the Butternut Squash Muffins?

These muffins stay perfectly good at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. Warm it up in the microwave for 20-30 seconds and top with some softened butter.

Can I make the Butternut squash puree on the stovetop?

Yes! I mentioned 2 easy ways to cook the butternut squash in the post above: Instant pot or in the oven. Both these methods don’t require peeling the squash. But, you can make it on stove top too. Peel and cube the butternut squash and cook in a pot with a little water until the squash is tender.

Can I make these muffins eggless?

Yes! Use flax eggs or chia eggs for more added nutrition.

Can I make a loaf instead of muffins?

Yes! Just use a loaf pan, spray with cooking oil spray and bake at 350 F for 40-60 minutes or until the toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Yield: 12-15 muffins

Butternut Squash Whole Grain Muffins

Butternut Squash Whole Grain Muffins

Super healthy whole grain muffins filled with nuts and dry fruits

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

Instructions

To make the butternut Squash Puree:
Instant pot Method:

  1. Half or Quarter the butternut squash to fit your instant pot. I am using my 3 quart, so I quartered the squash. Scoop out the seeds and discard them.
  2. Pour 1 cup water in your instant pot insert. Place a trivet on top and set the butternut squash on the trivet.
  3. Close the lid and set the Pressure cook mode for 8 minutes, vent in Sealing position. Let the pressure release naturally (NPR).
  4. Once the pressure is released, remove the butternut squash from Instant pot and let it cool down.
  5. The butternut squash peel comes off very easily. Remove the peel and mash the butternut squash with a fork.

Cooking butternut Squash in Oven:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 °F.
  2. Half the butternut squash, scoop out the seeds and rub coconut or avocado oil on the inside and outside of the squash.
  3. Put the butternut squash halves, flesh side down, on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 35-45 min.
  4. Let the squash cool down completely and then, remove the skin. Scoop out the flesh and mash it with a fork.

To make the muffins:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Grind 1 cup of old fashioned oats into a coarse powder.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, add whole wheat flour, ground oats, whole old-fashioned oats, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, baking soda and mix them thoroughly with a whisk.
  3. Add brown sugar, cranberries, raisins, chopped walnuts, grated orange peel/orange zest and mix well.
  4. In another bowl, add butternut squash puree, apple sauce, orange juice and eggs and mix well.
  5. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold it gently till the batter is all combined. Don't mix it too much.
  6. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners, or you can make the muffins without the liners. Spray the cupcake liners/muffin pan with cooking spray.
  7. Fill the cups 3/4 full. Use a cookie or ice cream scoop to make sure the cups are all evenly filled.
  8. Bake for 20-25 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Notes

  • Use flax eggs or chia eggs in place of eggs to make these muffins eggless.
  • These muffins stay perfectly good at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. Warm it up in the microwave for 20-30 seconds and top with some softened butter.
  • Don't forget to spray the muffin pan/cupcake liners with cooking spray. Since the muffins don't have oil, they stick to the pan.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

15

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 265Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 176mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 4gSugar: 18gProtein: 5g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

Did you make this recipe?

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