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Pumpkin pucks are mini pumpkin pies disguised as cupcakes — creamy in the middle, warmly spiced, and free of the usual can of sweetened condensed milk. Pumpkin purée and almond butter whip together into a rich, almost custardy center. They deliver serious pumpkin power in every punch.
Pro Tips
- Fill the greased muffin cups only ¾ full — these won't rise, and overfilling makes them unpleasantly dense instead of creamy.
- Pull them at 20 minutes when they're firm to the touch; a tester knife will NOT come out clean, and that's exactly right — waiting for clean means overbaking.
- Whip the pumpkin and almond butter together first until completely smooth; any streaks of nut butter stay visible after baking.
- They're perfect plain — the optional mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts are pure decoration.
- Store them chilled for up to a week and serve them cold; the texture turns even more pumpkin-pie-like in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn't my knife come out clean?
It's not supposed to. Pumpkin pucks set like a soft mini pumpkin pie rather than a cake, so the center stays creamy and the tester stays coated.
Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned purée?
Yes — roast and purée your own, but cook off any excess moisture first. Watery purée makes the pucks weep instead of set.
Are these like pumpkin pie?
That's the idea — all the spiced pumpkin custard flavor of pie, in handheld cupcake form, without any condensed milk.
How do I store pumpkin pucks?
Chilled in a sealed container for up to a week. They're even better cold, straight from the fridge.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- 1.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- 2. With electric mixer or stand mixer, whip pumpkin and almond butter together until thoroughly combined.
- 3.
- Add honey and syrup and beat in eggs one at a time.
- 4.
- Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until just combined.
- 5. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full in greased muffin tin (they will not rise but more would be too dense).
- 6.
- Top with decorations if you choose, but we think they are perfect without anything.
- 7.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, will be firm to the touch but a testing knife or stick will not come out clean.
- 8. Store chilled for up to a week or me.
