5 from 4 votes

These Vegan Kabocha Muffins are the perfect fall snack! Made with Japanese pumpkins and packed with natural sweetness, they’re irresistible.

Looking for simple kabocha dishes? Try these 16 easy kabocha recipes!

I’ll walk you through the ingredients and step-by-step instructions. I hope you enjoy it!

Featured Comment

From Eurico: “This is my first-time making muffins and they turned out great, very delicious. I owe it all to your eloquent, easy to follow instructions. Every recipe I’ve made from your website has turned out great. Thank you.”

Why You Will Love This Recipe

These vegan kabocha muffins have just the right amount of sweetness without being overwhelming.
They contain no butter or eggs, making them suitable for everyone.
With a fluffy, moist texture, these muffins are a delightful treat you’ll love.

Kabocha

Kabocha, also known as Japanese pumpkin, is a winter squash commonly used in Japanese cooking. It has a dark green outer skin and bright orange flesh that’s sweet and starchy. It’s a delicious vegetable for making creamy soups, roasting, and frying.

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Vegan Kabocha Muffins:

Ingredients for Vegan Kabocha Squash(pumpkin) Muffins

Kabocha: Kabocha’s harvest time is summer, but fall is the best season after going through drying and aging, and the taste becomes richer and sweeter. Pick the one with bright orange and filled with pulp and seeds. If you are unsure how to cut it, check out this recipe, “How to cut a Kabocha squash.”
Flour: This recipe works well with all-purpose and pastry flour. For a gluten-free option, substitute rice flour.
Oil: You can use any oil that does not have a strong smell or flavor, such as light vegetable oil.
Soy milk is my preference, but you can also use other plant-based milk options, such as almond milk or oat milk.

How To Make Vegan Kabocha Muffins: STEP BY STEP

Here are some quick visual instructions! For the video and all the detailed ingredients and instructions, go to the printable recipe card below.

Step 1

Set a steamer basket in a pot with water and steam kabocha squash.

Step 2

Remove the skin and mash the steamed kabocha.

Step 3

Add soy milk, oil, sugar, and maple syrup, and blend well. Sift the flour and baking powder into the mixture to complete the batter.

Step 4

Pour the batter into a muffin pan and bake.

Once baked, let the muffins cool on a wire rack. Enjoy your delicious snack anytime!

Recipe Tips

Steaming the pumpkin is the best way to preserve its natural sweetness, though boiling or microwaving also works.
To prevent sticking, use muffin cups or grease the pan with oil.
For added flavor and texture, try mixing in chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruit.
To make a larger batch, just double the ingredients.

Storage

If you’re not eating them right away, store the muffins in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the microwave to restore their fluffiness. You can also freeze the muffins by wrapping them in plastic wrap. They’ll stay fresh for up to one month.

Dive Deeper into Cooking Kabocha!

To learn more about kabocha, you can explore these articles:

Grab Your Kabocha eBook!

Easy and Tasty Kabocha Recipes

Discover everything about cooking with kabocha squash and delicious recipes in one handy ebook!

Get the ebook

More Kabocha Recipes You Will Love

Leave a Rating!

I hope you enjoy these Vegan Kabocha Muffins! If you try it, don’t forget to leave a rating to share your thoughts—I love hearing from you!

Vegan Kabocha Muffins (Japanese Pumpkin Recipe)

5 from 4 votes

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Prep: 10

Cook: 25

Total: 35

Servings: 6 pieces

Author: Juri Austin

These Vegan Kabocha Muffins are the perfect fall snack! Made with Japanese pumpkins and packed with natural sweetness, they’re irresistible.

Equipment

Large mixing bowl
6-cup muffin pan

Ingredients

Instructions

Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 180°C (356°F).
Cook the Kabocha: Cut the kabocha into small pieces and steam or boil them until tender.
Mash the Kabocha: Remove the skin and mash the kabocha in a bowl until smooth to make a puree.
Prepare the Batter: Add the soy milk, oil, sugar, and maple syrup to the mashed kabocha and mix until well combined. Shift cake flour and baking powder into the bowl, then mix until a batter forms.
Bake: Pour the batter into a muffin pan evenly and bake for 25 minutes at 180°C (356°F).

Video

Notes

Storage: They will be good for three days in the fridge and one month when wrapped with cling film and stored in the freezer.
Steaming the pumpkin is the best way to preserve its natural sweetness, though boiling or microwaving also works.
To prevent sticking, use muffin cups or grease the pan with oil.
For added flavor and texture, try mixing in chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruit.
To make a larger batch, just double the ingredients.
1 cup: 240ml

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 229kcal | Protein: 4.2g

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: vegan kabocha muffins

Did You Make this recipe?Please Leave a star rating!

5 from 4 votes (2 ratings without comment)

8 Comments

Dianne says:

Jul 24, 2024 at 3:04 PM

I have not made these but have a question. Are these considered a sweet muffin for dessert or more of a sweet bread you would eat like a dinner roll? I am wondering if adding cinnemon would be a good addition to this? Thank you!

1. Juri Austin says:
  
  Jul 25, 2024 at 5:02 AM
  
  Thanks for your question, Dianne! I consider it as a sweet dessert, but if you reduce the sugar, it can also be enjoyed as a dinner roll. Adding cinnamon would be a wonderful idea! I hope you like it!
  
Jessica Dinger says:

Jan 12, 2024 at 3:31 AM

The recipe was not good for doubling or tripling the recipe in metric. I did double and used suggested amount for the wet ingredients by tablespoons but for the dry ingredients I used the scales to measure in metric because it’s easier but it was a complete failure because you did not double the amount of the dry ingredients. In other words, I did double wet and single dry because the recipe did not double. It was horrible after baking and I had to throw everything away. Please update the metric part for double and triple recipe.

1. Juri Austin says:
  
  Jan 12, 2024 at 3:48 AM
  
  Hi Jessica, thank you for sharing your experience, and I really appreciate your feedback. I will thoroughly review the measurements to ensure they are appropriate for doubling and tripling the recipe.
  
Eurico says:

Oct 10, 2022 at 3:22 PM

Hi Juri
This is my first-time making muffins and they turned out great, very delicious. I owe it all to your eloquent, easy to follow instructions. Every recipe I’ve made from your website has turned out great. Thank you.
Eurico

1. JURI says:
  
  Oct 11, 2022 at 4:24 AM
  
  Hi Eurico, I’m so happy that you enjoyed the muffins. Your comment always encourage me to keep making recipes:) Thanks for that!
  
Caroline says:

Dec 21, 2021 at 2:43 AM

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

1. JURI says:
  
  Dec 21, 2021 at 3:31 AM
  
  Thank you for your comment, Caroline!! So glad you love it!! Have a happy holiday too!!