Prep your pan and oven: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or lightly grease it.

Make oat flour: Add 2 cups of rolled oats to a blender and blend into a fine flour. Measure out 2 cups of the resulting oat flour. If you want extra texture, keep 1/2 cup whole rolled oats aside to stir in at the end.

Whisk the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup maple syrup (or honey), 2 eggs, 1/3 cup olive oil (or melted coconut oil), 1/2 cup milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth.

Stir in the dry ingredients: Add the 2 cups oat flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon each nutmeg and ginger (plus a pinch of cloves if you like), and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir gently until just combined. If you set aside whole oats, fold them in now.

Add extras if you like: Fold in up to 3/4 cup of dark chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or raisins. Keep the batter thick but scoopable.

Fill the muffin cups: Divide the batter evenly among 12 cups. For a bakery look, sprinkle a few oats or pumpkin seeds on top.

Bake: Place on the center rack and bake 18–22 minutes, or until the tops spring back and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Cool: Let the muffins rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. This helps them set and stay moist.