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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Vegan Kabocha Squash Muffins

    May 21, 2022 by JURI · This post may contain affiliate links

    5 from 1 vote
    JUMP TO RECIPE JUMP TO VIDEO

    These vegan kabocha squash muffins are made from Japanese pumpkin which is starchy and sweet. No butter or eggs are used, but it's fluffy, moist, and super easy to make.

    Vegan Kabocha Squash(pumpkin) Muffins

    Have you ever tried Japanese pumpkin, kabocha?

    It's our staple vegetable, which is cooked in various ways. The harvest time is summer but the best season is in fall after going through the process of drying and aging.

    The taste becomes rich and sweeter, it's so great for making a dessert.

      Recommend this recipe for
    • Someone who love pumpkin and muffins
    • Someone who want to try kabocha squash recipe
    • Someone who is looking for easy muffin recipe
    • Vegan/Vegetarian

    Let me walk you through the ingredients and how to make them with step-by-step instructions.

    Before getting to the recipe, I will also explain what kabocha is and how to pick a good one, and so on, so please check it out as well.

    Jump to:
    • About this recipe
    • Kabocha Squash - Japanese Pumpkin
    • 📋 Ingredients
    • 🔪Instructions
    • Other ideas to enjoy this recipe
    • Thanks for Sopping By
    • Watch How To Make It
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    About this recipe

    • Use Japanese pumpkin, Kabocha
    • Vegan, easy, one bowl recipe
    • Baking time : 25 minutes

    Kabocha Squash - Japanese Pumpkin

    Vegan Kabocha Squash(pumpkin) Muffins

    If you are not familiar with Kabocha - Japanese pumpkin, let me introduce you to it.

    The most of Kabocha we can find in Japan is something like the picture above. The taste is very starchy and sweet. We can find it all year round at a store but the main season is from fall to winter.

    Kabocha is hard and heavy, you have to hold it in both hands. The skin is green and the inside is beautiful orange color.

    Kabocha is a versatile vegetable. We cook it for many varieties of dishes such as tempura, miso soup, deep fry, salad, simmered dish, oven dish, desserts, and so on.

    What are the health benefits

    Kabocha contains beta carotene, vitamin B group, vitamin E, dietary fiber, and calcium.

    On the winter solstice (December 22, this year), which is the shortest day of the year, we have a habit of eating kabocha to prepare for the cold weather.

    kabocha improves your blood circulation and warm your body, and has the effect of fighting off bacteria and viruses, so it is a perfect food for winter when the air is dry and it is easy to catch a cold.

    How to Pick Good one

    When you go to a grocery store, please check these points and find a delicious pumpkin.

    If you buy a whole pumpkin, check the stem: If the stem looks like a cork, it is a sign that it has matured. And also hold it and check the skin. Good pumpkins are hard, heavy, and have glossy skin.

    If you buy a cut pumpkin, check seeds and stringy pulp: If the seeds are full and stringy pulp is tightly packed, it is a sign that it has matured.

    How to Store

    If it is a whole kabocha, you can store it in a cool and dark place for 2-3 months.

    If it is a cut kabocha, scoop the seeds out, wrap it tightly and keep in the fridge.

    How to cut

    Please check the video for how to cut kabocha squash.

    I used to scare to cut a whole kabocha as the skin is hard and tough to cut but it's actually easy.

    The stem is pretty hard so we are gonna remove it first, then cut it in half and another half to get ¼ size(common size at a grocery store in Japan). Then you can cut into your desired size.

    📋 Ingredients

    Here are the ingredients (amounts are in the recipe card below).

    Ingredients for Vegan Kabocha Squash(pumpkin) Muffins
    • Flour >> I use cake flour but you can also use all-purpose flour or pastry flour (not bread flour)
    • Baking powder >> I use aluminum free baking powder
    • Oil >> I use taihaku sesame oil(no smell and no color) but you can use other type of oil
    • Soy milk >> I use unsweetened soy milk (no sugar or flavor added)
    • Maple Syrup >> I use Canadian maple syrup
    • Sugar >> I use beet sugar. You can use any sugar of your choise.

    *These links are from amazon.jp and as an amazon associate, Chef JA Cooks earn from qualifying purchases.

    Please go see Vegan Blueberry Muffins for more details of the ingredients.

    🔪Instructions

    All right, you have all the ingredients now so let's make the muffins! Please check the video "how to make kabocha muffins" also!

    First of all, preheat an oven to 180 C.

    As a prep, cut the pumpkin into bite-sized pieces and steam them. Or you can boil or use a microwave oven. (I like to steam as the sweetness is richer than other methods)

    How to make Vegan Kabocha Squash(pumpkin) Muffins
    1. Mash cooked kabcoha >> Remove the skin, put them in a mixing bowl and mash to make puree. I don't want that green color in muffins so remove them but the skin contains plenty of vitamins so use them for a salad or miso soup instead of throwing away.
    2. Add wet ingredients >> Add soy milk, oil, sugar and maple syrup in the bowl
    3. Blend >> Blend until combine
    4. Add dry ingredients >> Place a strainer on the bowl, add flour and baking powder, and shift them
    5. Blend >> Blend lightly (because if you mix too much, the muffins become hard)
    6. Bake >> Pour the dough into a muffin pan and bake in preheated 180 C oven for 25 mins
    Vegan Kabocha Squash(pumpkin) Muffins

    Here you go! Leave the pan on a cooling rack for some time. Once it cools down, remove them from the pan and enjoy!

    If the muffin is stuck and hard to take it out, next time be sure to grease some oil on the inside or simply use a glassine cup.

    Storage

    If you don't eat right away, keep it in the fridge. It will last up to 3 days. When you eat it, warm it up in the microwave and it will be fluffy again.

    You can also freeze it by wrapping it in plastic wrap. It will last up to one month.

    Other ideas to enjoy this recipe

    After making this plain kabocha muffin, why not try changing the texture and appearance for the second, and third time and enjoy the variations?

    • Gluten-free version >> Replace all flour into rice flour
    • Healthier version >> Replace half of flour into whole wheat flour
    • Change the appearance >> Topped with pumpkin seeds, or topped with chopped nuts, or mix chocolate chips in

    Thanks for Sopping By

    holding a vegan kabocha squash muffin

    How did you like the recipe?

    Seasonal kabocha is sweet and starchy so perfect for making desserts. I hope you will enjoy the recipe and have a fun break time with these easy homemade muffins!

    Thank you for taking the time to read my blog♡ If you’ve tried this recipe(or any other recipe on the blog), please give it a star rating below!

    Also, feel free to leave comments if you have any questions. I love hearing from you!

    Chef JA Cooks is a Japanese food blog that shares simple and healthy Japanese home cooking recipes include vegan and vegetarian. From traditional Japanese recipes to modern recipes with step-by-step instructions.

    More Kabocha Squash Recipes You Might Like

    • Veggie Quinoa Salad
    • Lotus Root, Pumpkin and Hijiki Salad
    • Pumpkin Miso Soup
    • Pumpkin Dango

    Watch How To Make It

    📖 Recipe

    Vegan Kabocha Squash(pumpkin) Muffins

    Vegan Kabocha Squash Muffins

    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep: 10 minutes
    Cook: 25 minutes
    Total: 35 minutes
    Servings: 6 pieces
    Author: JURI
    This Vegan Kabocha squash Muffins is made from Japanese pumpkin which is starchy and sweet. No butter or eggs are used, but it's fluffy, moist and super easy to make.
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 c Kabocha, without skin (100g)

    Wet Ingredients

    • ¾ c Soy Milk, 160g/185ml
    • 4 tablespoon Oil, 60g/65ml
    • 3 tablespoon Sugar, 30g/45ml
    • 1 tablespoon Maple Syrup, 20g/16ml

    Dry Ingredients

    • 1 c & 3Tbsp All-purpose flour or Cake flour, 150g/285ml
    • 2 teaspoon Baking Powder, 8g/10ml

    Instructions

    • Preheat an oven: 180 C
    • Steam kabocha: Cut kabocha into small size and steam (or boil) for about 10 mins
    • Mash kabocha: Remove the skin, put them in a mixing bowl and mash to make puree.
    • Wet ingredients: Add wet the ingredients to the bowl and mix.
    • Dry ingredients: Sift dry ingredients into the bowl and roughly blend with a spatula.
    • Pour to a pan: Pour the dough into a muffin pan evenly.
    • Bake: Bake in preheated 180 C oven for 25 mins.

    Video

    Notes

    • You can boil kabocha or use microwave oven instead of steaming
    • I use 6 cups muffin pan
    • I use cake flour but you can use all purpose flour or pastry flour(not bread flour)
    • You can use plant milk or other type of milk instead of soy milk
    • If the muffin is stuck and hard to pull it out, next time be sure to grease some oil on the inside or use glassine cup

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1piece | Calories: 229kcal | Protein: 4.2g | Fat: 10g | Sodium: 21.6mg | Sugar: 15.1g
    Course: Desserts
    Cuisine: Japanese
    Keyword: kabocha muffins, vegan
    Did You Make this recipe?Please Leave a star rating!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Caroline

      December 21, 2021 at 2:43 am

      5 stars
      Hello Juri,
      I made these muffins this morning and they are very good! Thank you for another lovely recipe! Happy holidays to you and your family!
      -Caroline

      Reply
      • JURI

        December 21, 2021 at 3:31 am

        Thank you for your comment, Caroline!! So glad you love it!! Have a happy holiday too!!

        Reply

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    I'm mama to two energetic children and passionate about making healthy meals for the family. I love sharing simple Japanese home cooking recipes, mostly plant-based recipes (vegan and vegetarian). More about me...

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