This is truly the BEST Pumpkin Muffins recipe — they’ve been carefully tested to be soft, fluffy, moist, and loaded with fall flavor! My recipe is easy (no mixer or pastry cutter needed!) and takes just 10 minutes to prep. Recipe includes a how-to video.
Top-Rated Pumpkin Muffins
These easy pumpkin muffins are every bit as delectable as my pumpkin cupcakes, but slightly more suitable for breakfast! With their buttery streusel topping and their moist and flavorful pumpkin-y centers, they rival my banana muffins in terms of favorite muffins ever.
The streusel is what takes these muffins from delicious to irresistible. It’s buttery and crisp against the super soft and moist pumpkin muffin interior. The best part? Instead of using cold butter and working it into the sugar and flour with a pastry cutter, my recipe uses a simpler method with melted butter. It’s not only easier, but it also lends itself to a more buttery streusel–yum!
What you’ll love about my recipe:
- Only 10 minutes to prep!
- Uses simple ingredients with incredibly moist and tender results.
- No mixer or pastry cutter needed.
- Includes an easy (optional) 2-ingredient glaze!
What You Need
Here are the key ingredients in my pumpkin muffin recipe:
- Sugar. I like to use both white and brown sugar. The brown sugar adds subtle molasses tones that really complement the pumpkin and the spiced fall flavors.
- Butter. Let your butter cool after melting, otherwise it will melt your sugars, yielding flat, sub-par results.
- Canned pumpkin. Make sure you use pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling, which has other additives that can keep your muffins from tasting as they should.
- Milk. Since it’s such a small amount, really any kind will work. I use whole milk.
- Pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can always whip up a batch of my homemade pumpkin spice!
SAM’S TIP: These pumpkin muffins would look so nice in my parchment paper muffin liners! They’re extremely easy to make and have a pretty and professional look.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Pumpkin Muffins
- Stir the sugars, eggs, pumpkin puree, and milk into the (cooled) melted butter until combined.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then gradually fold them into the wet ingredients. With muffins, it’s important that you don’t over-mix the batter, so do this step by hand (with a spatula) and be gentle. Don’t use an electric mixer here (!) and stir until just-combined.
- Evenly portion your batter into a lined muffin tin and set this aside while you prepare your streusel.
- Whisk together the flour, sugars, and cinnamon.
- Pour melted butter over the mixture and toss with a fork until clumps form.
- Sprinkle the streusel over your prepared muffins and bake for 17-19 minutes.
- Let the muffins cool before topping with vanilla glaze (if using).
SAM’S TIP: The key to good streusel is a mixture that’s nice and clumpy, so don’t break up the clumps that form as you stir in your butter. If you over-work your streusel, you’ll end up with a paste rather than the crumbly topping that we’re aiming for.
Frequently Asked Questions
These will be fine at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 days. They could be refrigerated, but the fridge tends to dry out muffins and so I don’t recommend it.
Yes! Your bake time will be different though (less time for mini, likely about 14 minutes, and more time for jumbo), so keep an eye on them.
You could, but I’d recommend making my pumpkin bread instead. It’s meant to be baked in a loaf pan and has a perfectly dense crumb that’s designed to be sliced without crumbling (which might happen if you use this recipe!).
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
The Best Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled at least 10 minutes
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten (room temperature preferred)
- 1 cup (240 g) canned pumpkin puree¹
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice (click the link for instructions to make your own pumpkin spice)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Streusel Topping²
- 1 ¼ cup (156 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar tightly packed
- ⅓ cup (66 g) sugar
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 Tablespoons (85 g) salted butter³ melted and cooled until no longer warm to the touch
Glaze (optional)
- ½ cup (65 g) powdered sugar
- 2-3 teaspoons milk
Recommended Equipment
- Muffin pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F (190C) and line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners (or lightly grease and flour). Set aside.
- Combine melted, cooled butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl and stir well.¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- Stir in eggs. Add pumpkin puree, milk, and vanilla extract and stir well.2 large eggs, 1 cup (240 g) canned pumpkin puree¹, 2 Tablespoons milk, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon until well-combined.1 ¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoons baking powder, ¾ teaspoons baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Add your dry ingredients into your wet and gently stir until just combined, taking care to not overmix the batter.
- Evenly divide muffin batter into prepared muffin tins (filling each ¾ full). Set aside while you prepare your streusel.
Streusel
- Prepare your streusel by whisking together flour, sugars and cinnamon.1 ¼ cup (156 g) all-purpose flour, ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar tightly packed, ⅓ cup (66 g) sugar, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pour the melted butter into the mixture and, using a fork, stir until crumbles form. Don't overwork the streusel or you'll end up with a paste, you want it to be nice and clumpy!6 Tablespoons (85 g) salted butter³
- Using your hands, evenly divide streusel over muffin batter, piling the streusel over the batter and gently pressing the topping into the batter.
- Bake on 375F (190C) for 17-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Allow muffins to cool in muffin pan for 5 minutes before carefully removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Glaze
- If desired, make glaze by whisking together powdered sugar and milk. Drizzle over cooled pumpkin muffins½ cup (65 g) powdered sugar, 2-3 teaspoons milk
Notes
¹Pumpkin Puree
Make sure you buy puree that is 100% pumpkin and NOT “Pumpkin Pie Filling”, which contains other ingredients.²Streusel topping
These pumpkin muffins can be made without the streusel topping, they may just need a minute or two less in the oven. A few people have commented that the streusel recipe made more than they needed for their muffins. The amount listed is exactly as much as I use and as is shown in the photos and in the video, but feel free to reduce the amount in half if you don’t like a lot of streusel.³Salted vs unsalted butter
If you don’t have salted butter on hand, just use unsalted and add ¼ teaspoon of salt to the dry ingredients for the streusel.Storing
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Muffins may also be tightly wrapped and frozen for several months.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
I originally published this recipe 10/3/2018. Post updated with new pictures and more notes, recipe is the same.
Theresa
I tried this recipe for a thanksgiving theme and loved it! I can really taste the pumpkin and my family loved it as well.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy to hear that everyone enjoyed the muffins, Theresa! Thank you for trying my recipe. 🙂
STEFANIE J SMITH
I made these today and they turned out so well! I am GF so I used a GF all purpose and followed the recipe exactly and they turned out beautifully. I was in need of some comfort, and these hit the spot. Thanks for an awesome recipe. Will save this one.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Stefanie! Thanks for the feedback using gluten free flour. 🙂
Joyce
Tried this recipe last week. The texture is just perfect. Moist while still fluffy! The streusel makes the muffin to the next level. So good!! Thanks for the recipe!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Joyce! 🙂
Eliana
Made these muffins today. They are amazing! I have celiac and used gluten free King Arthur measure for measure flour and they were still super moist :).
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed, Eliana! Thank you for letting me know how the substitution worked, I appreciate it!
Andrea
LISTEN!!!! These are seriously the BEST muffins I’ve ever had! So flavorful and moist and the crumble on top takes it to the next level! Do yourself a favor and make these! My family ate them all almost in one day and told me I HAD to make more! Delicious and your recipes never disappoint!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Andrea! 🙂
Tammy
THESE MUFFINS ARE THE BEST!!!! They are perfect, i can’t say enough about them moist perfect crum to the cake. The crumbs on top take it to the next level. You Must try these to understand what I’m saying. Thanks for another delicious recipe 😋
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much Tammy! 🙂
Alexis
Hi Sam
I made your muffins and they came out wonderful. I’m wanting to make pumpkin bread and noticed you don’t have a recipe for it. Will you be making a recipe for pumpkin bread?
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you loved the muffins, Alexis! This recipe can be made into a loaf pan. If you do so, I would reccomend halving the recipe and keeping an eye on it while it bakes since the baking time will be different than what is listed. I have plans this fall to release a pumpkin roll and possibly other pumpkin recipes. Since you are a pumpkin fan, here are some other pumpkin recipes you should check out. 🙂
Debbie
I love all your recipes and have been trying a new one almost every day this week! Thank you! I just tried these pumpkin muffins (YUM) and have a question about the streusel. I had difficulty with the streusel staying on the muffin after they were cooked (even after pushing down slightly before they cooked). Any suggestions?
Sam
Hi Debbie! That is just part of the nature of the crumble some of it is going to fall off. I would just do what you did and lightly pat it down before baking. I’m glad you enjoyed them. 🙂
Valerie DeLong
Perfectly delicious.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the pumpkin muffins, Valerie! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Tina
Oh my pumpkin. I just made these and instead of making streusel (too lazy), I halved your cream cheese frosting recipe and topped them with that. They are seriously to die for. Yummmmm!!!
Sugar Spun Run
YUM! That does sound wonderful, Tina! I am so glad that you found them delicious. Thanks for trying my pumpkin muffin recipe and for the feedback! 🙂
Ellie
Would these work as mini muffins? Have made them before and love them! But hoping to make as mini muffins for my sons class. Thanks!
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Ellie! I am glad that you enjoyed the pumpkin muffins. Yes, you can make them into mini muffins just fine. I don’t know the exact bake time, so I would just keep an eye on them. I hope his class enjoys them. 🙂
Holly
Is it possible to make this recipe into a loaf instead of muffins?
Sam
Hi Holly! That should be fine, I’m not positive of the bake time though so I would keep an eye on it in the oven.
Aliyah
Oh my goodness!!!! THIS….is thee most perfect recipe. So flavorful so delicious and MOIST. They did not even stick to the pan.. Perfection! I made the muffins, the strusel AND the glaze and omg so gooodddd. I did cut back on sugar just a little because the combo of all three would be very sweet for us but WOW. AWESOME RECIPE. I shared with neighbors because I just had to let others know how good they were and they wanted MY recipe hahaha. Thank you so much
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you and your neighbors enjoyed the pumpkin muffins, Aliyah! I am surprised you shared! lol. Thank you for your comment and the 5-star review. 🙂
Aliyah
The only reason I shared was because i didn’t want to devour them all hahaha
Mady
Excited to try these this week. I’m making them to give to friends, and just wonder how you suggest storing them and for how long?
I’d love to bake them in advance, but want them to taste just baked 🙂
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Mady! I recommend storing them in an airtight container. They should stay fresh for up to one week. I hope that your friends enjoy them! 🙂
sue
Awsome!! my family gobble them up
Sam
I’m so happy to hear it! Thanks for letting me know how everyone enjoyed the muffins, Sue! 🙂
Negin
Hi Sam,
Wow!!! Loved this recipe, yesterday I made it for the first time for my guests , they loved it and , thanks for making my day ❤️❤️
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you for making my day, Negin! I am so glad that you and your guests enjoyed the Pumpkin Muffins. 🙂