• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
Sugar Spun Run
  • All Recipes
  • Desserts
    • Cookies
    • Candy
    • Bars & Brownies
    • Cake
    • Pies
  • Breads (Yeast & Quick Breads)
  • Savory
  • Breakfast
    • Muffins
    • Scones
  • Seasonal
    • Cozy Winter / Holiday Treats
    • Easter / Spring
    • Fall Recipes
    • Summer Recipes
  • Shop
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About Me
  • All Recipes
  • Contact/Work with Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
  • ร—
    Home ยป Recipes ยป Muffins

    The BEST Pumpkin Muffins

    September 28, 2022 By Sam 246 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    collage of pumpkin muffins, top mage close up of muffin with vanilla glaze drizzled on top, bottom image of inside muffin, bite taken out

    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.

    pumpkin muffin topped with streusel and vanilla glaze

    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

    ingredients including flour, sugar, pumpkin, milk, and more

    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

    spatula stirring dry ingredients into wet ingredients
    1. Stir the sugars, eggs, pumpkin puree, and milk into the (cooled) melted butter until combined.
    2. 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.
    3. Evenly portion your batter into a lined muffin tin and set this aside while you prepare your streusel.
    streusel crumbs in a bowl
    1. Whisk together the flour, sugars, and cinnamon.
    2. Pour melted butter over the mixture and toss with a fork until clumps form.
    3. Sprinkle the streusel over your prepared muffins and bake for 17-19 minutes.
    4. 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.

    bite missing from a streusel topped and glazed muffin

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Do pumpkin muffins need to be refrigerated?

    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.

    Can this recipe make mini or jumbo pumpkin muffins?

    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.

    Can I use this recipe to make a pumpkin loaf?

    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!).

    vanilla glaze being drizzles onto a streusel topped muffin

    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

    pumpkin muffin topped with streusel and vanilla glaze

    The Best Pumpkin Muffins

    These Pumpkin Muffins are soft, fluffy, moist, and loaded with Fall flavor. Top them off with a crumbly, buttery streusel and a simple glaze!
    Recipe includes a video at the bottom of the recipe card!
    4.97 from 176 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 17 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 27 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 muffins
    Calories: 390kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    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
    • Mixing bowls

    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 muffins
      ½ 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 ยผ 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

    Serving: 1muffin (with glaze) | Calories: 390kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 263mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 3200IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1.8mg

    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.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

    I originally published this recipe 10/3/2018. Post updated with new pictures and more notes, recipe is the same.

    Related Recipes

    • fork piercing a cut section from a stack of thick and fluffy pumpkin pancakes
      Pumpkin Pancakes
    • Pumpkin scone with icing drizzle
      Pumpkin Scones
    • Square of pumpkin coffee cake on silver plate. Drizzled with vanilla glaze.
      Pumpkin Coffee Cake
    • Glazed pumpkin spiced donuts
      Baked Pumpkin Donuts
    « Homemade Pumpkin Spice (Pumpkin Pie Spice)
    Yellow Cake Recipe »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Elizabeth Walters

      January 25, 2025 at 1:33 pm

      5 stars
      Made these on a Saturday morning as a treat and these turned out AMAZING! Super easy recipe to follow, had all the ingredients on hand and it came together quickly! I always use a vanilla bean paste instead of the extract so thatโ€™s the only thing I tweaked. I have officially added these to my recipe book. I canโ€™t wait to make these again – thanks for sharing your incredible recipe!!

      Reply
    2. Hannah

      December 23, 2024 at 1:20 am

      5 stars
      I made these for Thanksgiving and they were a major hit at all 3 events i brought them to. I recommend doubling the recipe for sure. Such a big hit, I’ve been told to make them for Christmas as well.

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 23, 2024 at 6:42 am

        I’m so glad everyone has enjoyed them so much, Hannah! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
        • Steph

          January 07, 2025 at 7:45 pm

          5 stars
          Very delicious, moist, flavorful, and festive! My new go to recipe!

    3. Roseanne

      December 17, 2024 at 8:28 pm

      I made this recipe but used fresh pumpkin that I needed to use. It was so delicious especially the streusel topping. Definitely a winner so moist! Than you for sharing.

      Reply
    4. Felix Vasquez

      December 01, 2024 at 1:05 pm

      Can this recipe be doubled?

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 01, 2024 at 8:51 pm

        Sure thing! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
      • Cb

        December 17, 2024 at 1:03 am

        5 stars
        Absolutely the best pumpkin muffins Iโ€™ve ever recipe Iโ€™ve ever tasted.

        Reply
    5. AB

      November 28, 2024 at 11:08 am

      5 stars
      Great recipe!

      Reply
    6. Emily

      November 27, 2024 at 5:25 pm

      Do you have the adjusted time and temp for a loaf instead of muffins?

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 01, 2024 at 10:29 pm

        Hi Emily! I would recommend using my pumpkin bread for a loaf pan instead of this recipe. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    7. Meghan

      November 25, 2024 at 2:41 am

      Hi! Can I make these into mini muffins? How will the baking time change?

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 25, 2024 at 7:07 am

        Hi Meghan! The bake time would be reduced, but honestly I haven’t personally done it so I don’t know for sure how long they would take. I would be sure to keep an eye on them and use the toothpick test to make sure they are done. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    8. Marjie Maguire

      November 04, 2024 at 11:01 am

      5 stars
      You need a book! Iโ€™ve tricked so many people into thinking Iโ€™m a great baker because of your recipes ๐Ÿ˜‚ Blindly tried this recipe this weekend for a get together and everyone agreed these are THE BEST pumpkin muffins

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 05, 2024 at 11:32 am

        I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Marjie! I am working on a cookbook, it’s just taking a bit longer than anticipated. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
      • Janet Mintonye

        November 20, 2024 at 12:58 am

        if I make half the muffins without the topping would it change the cooking time?

        Reply
        • Sam

          November 22, 2024 at 7:03 am

          Hi Janet! I would start checking them a few minutes sooner. ๐Ÿ™‚

    « Older Comments
    4.97 from 176 votes (88 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

    Warm Weather Recipes

    bowl of chicken corn chowder topped with bacon and green onions

    Chicken Corn Chowder

    overhead view of three flavors of no churn ice cream including strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate

    No Churn Ice Cream

    sugar cookies shaped and colored like watermelon slices

    Watermelon Sugar Cookies

    pink strawberry cake on white plate

    Strawberry Cake

    Large serving bowl of potato salad.

    Potato Salad Recipe

    Overhead view of a bowl of tomato basil soup made with fresh tomatoes and basil.

    Tomato Basil Soup (with fresh roasted tomatoes!)

    More Spring Recipes

    Most Popular

    flaky biscuit on white cloth

    Easy Homemade Biscuits

    Pizza dough in glass bowl, after rising

    The Best Pizza Dough Recipe

    Slice of cheesecake

    The Best Cheesecake Recipe

    Potato soup in bowl, with toppings

    The Ultimate Creamy Potato Soup

    one bite missing from a slice of vanilla cake with chocolate frosting

    The Best Vanilla Cake Recipe

    Stack of cookies made from this chocolate chip cookie recipe with melty chocolate chips and a bite missing from the top cookie

    The WORST Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

    places sugar spun run has been featured (Women's Day, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, Country Living, the huffington post, People, Delish, MSN, TLC, Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, Buzzfeed)
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • Youtube

    Privacy Policy

    Footer

    โ†‘ back to top

    ABOUT

    • About Me
    • Policies, Disclosure & Privacy
    • Terms of Use

    CONTACT

    • Contact
    • Work with Me!

    ยฉ 2020 Sugar Spun Run. All Rights Reserved

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.