Dive into the flavors of fall with our simple yet scrumptious Pumpkin Spice Muffins. These moist, pumpkin-filled delights, coated in cinnamon sugar, are the perfect easy-to-make treat. Whether for a quick breakfast or a sweet snack, they’re sure to be a hit.
Ring in Autumn with this Pumpkin Muffin Recipe
Pumpkin Spice Muffins are a beloved fall favorite, capturing the season’s essence with their rich pumpkin flavor and warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. They’re not just delicious but also comforting, perfect for cool autumn days.
Their simplicity is key to their popularity. With straightforward ingredients and easy steps, these muffins are accessible to bakers of all levels. They’re a hassle-free treat that doesn’t compromise on taste, ideal for quick baking sessions.
Versatility is another charm of these muffins. Suitable for various occasions, they can be customized with add-ins like nuts or chocolate chips, catering to different tastes. This adaptability makes them a crowd-pleaser, enjoyed by all who try them.
Why you will love this Pumpkin Spice Muffin Recipe
- Perfect for fall with a warm and cozy taste of pumpkin, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
- An easy recipe – no mixer needed, simple and foolproof.
- Moist, flavorful muffins with a sweet cinnamon crunch.
- Great for breakfast, as a snack or a fall dessert
Pumpkin Muffin ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- pumpkin pie spice
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- vegetable oil
- white sugar
- brown sugar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- canned pumpkin puree
Don’t have pumpkin pie spice? No worries! We can tell you how to make your own!
How to make Pumpkin Pie Spice for Pumpkin Spice Muffins
Mix the following ingredients together to make your own pumpkin pie spice:
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
How to make Pumpkin Muffins
These pumpkin muffins are made from scratch and are a totally no-fail, easy recipe. You can even make them without a mixer, which is a total score in my book.
To get started, first we whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda & salt.
It’s important that you whisk together the dry ingredients first so that the spices, baking powder & baking soda are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Feel free to use premade pumpkin pie spice, or you can substitute it with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg & ground cloves. (I’ve written the amounts in the notes section of the recipe).
Then we whisk together the oil, sugars, pumpkin puree, eggs & vanilla extract. These pumpkin muffins are sooooo moist and tender because of the oil, pumpkin puree and eggs.
Just make sure you’re using 100% pure pumpkin and not canned pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling is filled with a bunch of other ingredients that we won’t need in this recipe – so the muffins won’t turn out properly if you use it instead of pure pumpkin.
From there – stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture. You’ll want to be careful not to mix the batter too much because over mixing the batter can make the muffins tough.
Then spoon the batter into the muffin papers, and they’re ready to bake.
Then after the muffins come out the oven, it’s time for the delicious cinnamon sugar topping. It adds a delicious crunch and sweet cinnamon sugar goodness. Almost like the outside of mini donuts.
To make the topping, the top of each muffin gets dipped in melted butter. Then shake off the excess and dip them in a mixture of cinnamon sugar.
You’ll seriously love the combo of delicious pumpkin, cinnamon sugar coating, and delicious moist crumb of these pumpkin spice muffins. They’re perfect for fall and such an easy, from scratch, fall treat.
Pumpkin Spice Muffins Recipe storage
To store pumpkin spice muffins, cool them completely and place in an airtight container or bag at room temperature or in the refrigerator for longer shelf life. Alternatively, freeze them individually in a freezer-safe bag for future consumption.
Can you refrigerate pumpkin muffin batter?
The effectiveness of baking soda in the mix diminishes over time before baking. While you can refrigerate batter with both leavening agents for convenience, it may result in less browning of the muffins when baked.
Pumpkin Spice Muffin Recipe FAQs
Yes, pumpkin puree and canned pumpkin are essentially the same thing. Both are made from pureed pumpkin and do not contain any added sugars or spices. However, it’s important to note that “pumpkin pie filling” or “pumpkin pie mix” is different. These products contain added sugars and spices and are typically used for making pumpkin pie. Always check the label to ensure you’re purchasing the correct product for your recipe.
Yes, you can use 100% canned pumpkin instead of pumpkin puree in recipes. They are essentially the same thing: cooked, pureed pumpkin with no added sugars or spices. Just be sure not to confuse it with “pumpkin pie filling” or “pumpkin pie mix,” which do have added ingredients.
There could be several reasons why your pumpkin muffins are turning out dense:
1. Overmixing: Overmixing the batter can develop the gluten in the flour, leading to a denser texture. Mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
2. Too Much Liquid: Pumpkin puree adds a lot of moisture. If there’s too much liquid in the batter, it can result in dense muffins. Make sure to measure your ingredients accurately.
3. Insufficient Leavening: Not using enough baking powder or baking soda can result in muffins that don’t rise properly, making them dense.
4. Oven Temperature: If your oven temperature is too low, the muffins may not rise properly, leading to a denser texture. Make sure your oven is properly calibrated and preheated before baking.
5. Old Leavening Agents: Baking powder and baking soda lose their effectiveness over time. If they’re old, they may not provide the necessary lift, resulting in dense muffins.
More Pumpkin Desserts to Try
If you’re looking for more pumpkin desserts, be sure to check out these other favorites too:
Or for a complete list of favorite pumpkin recipes – check out this awesome roundup post of All the Best Pumpkin Recipes
More Favorites from Princess Pinky Girl
Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
Pumpkin Spice Muffins
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup unsalted butter , melted
Instructions
Pumpkin Muffins
- Preheat the oven to 375F degrees. Line a muffin pan with muffin papers.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a large bowl whisk together the oil, sugars, eggs, vanilla extract and pumpkin puree.
- Mix the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture until no lumps remain.
- Spoon the batter into the lined muffin pan. You should end up with 12 muffins.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 17-22 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes.
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- In a small bowl mix together the sugar and cinnamon.
- Dip the top of each muffin (while still warm) into the melted butter and shake off any excess.
- Then dip in the bowl of cinnamon sugar.
what is pumpkin puree, i only find canned pumpkin at the local grocery store.
As long as the label doesn’t say “pumpkin PIE FILLING” you can use canned pumpkin. Pumpkin puree and canned pumpkin is essentially the same thing.
O-M-Gosh… I loved these muffins! This will be a permanent Fall recipe. Thank ü for sharing!😋 I also loved how you broke down the Pumpkin Pie spice recipe.
So glad you liked them!
These are incredible! I’m adding these to my all time faves.
Can you freeze these? I didn’t want to waste pumpkin so I doubled the recipe. My daughter loves them without the sugar topping so I’m wondering if u can freeze them and still be as delicious?
WOW! What a great recipe! Living in Germany (where some of the ingredients are not easily available), I had to make my own pumpkin pie spice, and substituted the canned pumpkin puree with fresh pumpkin puree from our own giant pumpkins, and they turned out awesome! The cinnamon sugar topping really gives it the little extra, the kids, my husband and I could barely stop eating them, they really are THAT good! Thanks for the recipe!!!
How many regular sized muffins does this recipe yield?
I gave these muffins a try today. They had a light texture, not as heavy and dense as other muffins I’ve tried. I read other comments and made a few alterations to use up some ingredients I wanted to use up. I added one over ripe mashed banana and cut back the canola oil to 1/4 cup. I had a handful of milk chocolate chips so after I filled half of the muffin cups I added about 1/2 cup of the chips to the remaining batter. That way if I didn’t care for the chocolate chips the whole recipe wouldn’t be wasted. You know what…the muffins were terrific BOTH ways and the hint of banana was delicious. Very easy to throw together in the morning and the recipe seems versatile and forgiving if you want to try adding your favorite ingredients! I will definitely be making these muffins again.
These muffins are truly amazing! I made them yesterday und couldn’t stop eating… they definitely are a keeper! Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you so much for the comment and review! So glad you liked them!
So very tasty. I substituted the oil for half a cup of mashed banana and added a little extra pumpkin pie spice. I misread the pumpkin portions and used a whole can. I probably could’ve made 18 muffins but ended up with 12 very big, moist, and delicious muffins. I did the cinnamon sugar topping and my son and I love them.
What size of a can of pumpkin purée?
Made these muffins for a snack tonight, they were delicious, I added semi sweet chocolate chips to this recipe I will be making again my hubby loved them ,thank you for posting this yummy muffin.
So glad you liked them! Thank you for the nice review!
The recipe calls for one cup of pumpkin puree.