Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes w/ Cinnamon Marshmallow Frosting

Name: Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes w/ Cinnamon Marshmallow Frosting
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 31 min
Yield: 10 Cupcakes
Ingredients: 1 c. gluten-free flour blend, spooned and leveled (we used Bob's RedMill 1:1 for this recipe); 1/4 tsp. salt; 1 tsp. baking powder; 1/2 tsp. baking soda; 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice; 1/2 tsp. cinnamon; 1/8 tsp. nutmeg; 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil; 1/2 c. pumpkin puree; 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted; 1/4 c. sugar; 1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. brown sugar, packed; 2 large eggs, room temperature; 1 tsp. vanilla; 2/3 c. unsalted butter, room temperature; 2/3 c. Crisco shortening; Pinch of salt; 2 1/3 c. powdered sugar; 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch; 1 tsp. vanilla; 2/3 c. marshmallow fluff; 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (or to taste)

Desserts

Oct 4

Written By Kali Terry

Post Published Oct. 4, 2026

There are certain desserts that just feel like fall.

You know the ones.

The second they come out of the oven, your kitchen smells like cinnamon, brown sugar, and every cozy candle you've ever bought. Suddenly you're considering a sweater even though it's still 70 degrees outside, you're looking for an excuse to make a cup of coffee, and somehow pumpkin spice is involved in your plans for the rest of the day.

These gluten-free pumpkin spice cupcakes with cinnamon marshmallow buttercream are exactly that kind of dessert.

pumpkin spice cupcakes with marshmallow buttercream

Jump to Recipe

These cupcakes are soft, tender, warmly spiced, and full of all those classic fall flavors we wait all year for. The cupcakes are made with pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and nutmeg, with brown sugar and vanilla adding even more warmth and flavor. Then they're topped with a fluffy cinnamon marshmallow buttercream that is sweet, creamy, and just a little bit nostalgic.

And honestly, the marshmallow buttercream is what really makes these cupcakes special.

It's not your standard vanilla frosting with a sprinkle of cinnamon thrown in at the end. There's actual marshmallow fluff whipped right into the buttercream, giving it a light, fluffy texture and that unmistakable marshmallowy flavor.

Then we finish everything with a little dusting of cinnamon. It's basically fall in cupcake form.

And while these look like the kind of cupcakes that belong on a fancy fall dessert table, they're actually incredibly simple to make.

The Pumpkin Makes These So Soft

One of my favorite things about pumpkin desserts is how naturally soft they tend to be, and these cupcakes are no exception.

The pumpkin puree adds moisture to the batter, which is especially nice in gluten-free baking. Gluten-free cakes and cupcakes can sometimes have a reputation for being dry or crumbly, but these are soft and tender with a texture that's identical to a traditional cupcake.

The combination of pumpkin, eggs, butter, and oil gives these cupcakes plenty of moisture and richness without making them heavy.

They're the kind of cupcakes where you take a bite and immediately understand why pumpkin season comes back every year.

And Then We Have the Marshmallow Buttercream

Let's talk about this frosting because it deserves its own moment.

A regular cinnamon buttercream would obviously be delicious on these, but adding marshmallow fluff takes it somewhere else entirely. The marshmallow gives the buttercream a light, fluffy texture and adds that nostalgic marshmallow flavor that somehow makes the cupcakes feel even more like a fall treat.

It's sweet, but the cinnamon helps balance it out. And because the frosting is made with both butter and shortening, it has that classic buttery flavor while still being fluffy and stable enough to hold those pretty swirls on top of the cupcakes.

Honestly, I could eat this frosting on just about anything. Brownies. Cookies. Graham crackers. A spoon…

Why I Love These as a Fall Dessert

I think the best fall desserts are the ones that don't require a special occasion.

Sometimes you just want to bake something that makes your house smell amazing and gives you an excuse to have a cupcake with your afternoon coffee.

These are perfect for that.

But, they're still a perfect dessert for fall parties, Friendsgiving, Halloween gatherings, bake sales, school events, birthdays, or pretty much any situation where you need a dessert that feels seasonal without being overly complicated.

Let the baking begin!

TIPS AND TRICKS:

- Always preheat your oven.

- All refrigerated ingredients should be room temperature unless stated otherwise.

- Be sure to spoon and level your gluten-free flour.

These gluten-free pumpkin spice cupcakes with cinnamon marshmallow buttercream are exactly what I want a fall cupcake to be.

They're soft and tender, full of real pumpkin flavor, warmly spiced, and topped with a fluffy marshmallow buttercream that tastes like the best parts of fall all at once.

The pumpkin puree keeps the cupcakes moist, the brown sugar adds that deeper caramel-like sweetness, and the combination of pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and nutmeg gives them that classic cozy flavor.

But the cinnamon marshmallow buttercream is what really makes them stand out. It's sweet, fluffy, creamy, and just different enough from a traditional buttercream to make these cupcakes feel a little more special.

Add a little cinnamon on top, put them on a pretty plate, make yourself a coffee, and you've basically created the perfect fall afternoon.

And honestly, if pumpkin season is going to take over every grocery store, coffee shop, candle aisle, and social media feed for the next few months, we might as well enjoy it.