These are the best pumpkin muffins. They are moist, buttery, soft and loaded with fragrant fall spices with just the right amount of sweetness. Use fresh or canned pumpkin to make these easy pumpkin muffins – no mixer required.
The transition of the seasons from summer to fall always prompts me to break out the pumpkin puree and start baking. Everyone needs a classic pumpkin muffin recipe in their repertoire, and this is mine. It's easy to make with simple ingredients - no mixer required!
These pumpkin muffins are moist, buttery, soft and loaded with fragrant fall spices with just the right amount of sweetness. Enjoy them with a slather of cinnamon honey butter and a warm cup of coffee to make any chilly fall morning nice and cozy.
Pumpkin Muffins: Ingredients & Substituitons
Let's discuss the ingredients in these pumpkin muffins, as well as possible substitutions.
- Pumpkin puree. This recipe calls for 15 oz pumpkin puree, which equals one can or 1 ½ cups. If you have fresh homemade puree, feel free to use that as well! Just be sure you have drained the water out of it so that it's thick and isn't runny.
- Salted Butter. Unsalted butter, coconut oil, canola oil or ghee can be used in place of butter with great results. You can substitute part of the butter with applesauce, but I prefer it with butter.
- Light Brown Sugar. If you want a more molasses taste, use dark brown sugar.
- Granulated sugar. Any white granulated sugar works great in this recipe. I use organic cane sugar.
- All-purpose flour. Bread flour and pastry flour also work well in this pumpkin muffins recipe! You can use an all-purpose gluten-free baking flour for a gluten-free version as well!
- Pumpkin Pie Spice. Use store bought or make your own! I have included a recipe for 1 TBS of pumpkin pie spice in the recipe card, but here it is:
How do you make pumpkin muffins?
These pumpkin muffin recipe comes together in one bowl in five minutes.
Combine dry ingredients
In a small bowl, mix together flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder and sea salt. Set aside.
Mix together wet ingredients & sugars
Begin by mixing together the pumpkin puree and melted butter.
Stir in sugar
Next, add brown & granulated sugar and stir or stir until the sugars are dissolved and the mixture is homogenous (uniform throughout).
Add eggs & vanilla
Next, add eggs and vanilla and whisk or stir to combine.
Combine wet & dry ingredients
Add dry ingredients and stir until batter is smooth. If desired, add mix-ins and stir until evenly distributed.
Mix-in suggestions:
- Chocolate chips
- cinnamon chips
- nuts (pecans, walnuts, etc.)
- rasins
- dried cranberries
- white chocolate chips
Bake
Pour ¼ cup of the pumpkin muffin batter into each well of the muffin tin, and smooth out the top.
Bake in preheated oven for 14-17 minutes, or until the tops are set and a cake tested inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean or with a few crumbs. (I bake mine for 15 minutes).
Cool
Let pumpkin muffins cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove them and transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve
Serve these pumpkin muffins warm with a slather of cinnamon honey butter. I like serving them alongside an egg dish like this egg casserole or frittata, or with a pumpkin smoothie!
Store/freeze
Store the pumpkin muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in a single layer in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two months.
FAQs about Pumpkin Muffins
Yes! As long as you purchase a can that reads "pumpkin puree" and has one ingredient listed - pumpkin.
These muffins are so light and fluffy.
One 15 oz can of pumpkin usually equals 1 ½ cups.
Yes, they are the same thing.
How do you make pumpkin muffins from scratch?
Follow this recipe!
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Best Pumpkin Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 15 oz pumpkin puree
- ½ cup salted butter melted
- ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 TBS pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup mix-ins (optional) chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, nuts, dried fruit, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin, set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder and sea salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together pumpkin puree and melted butter until smooth.
- Add brown sugar and granulated sugar and whisk until combined and there are no lumps.
- Add eggs and vanilla and stir to combine.
- Add dry ingredients and stir until batter is smooth.
- If desired, add mix-ins like chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, walnuts, etc. and stir until evenly distributed.
- Pour ¼ cup of the pumpkin muffin batter into each well of the muffin tin, and smooth out the top.
- Bake in preheated oven for 14-17 minutes, or until the tops are set and a cake tested inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean or with a few crumbs. (I bake mine for 15 minutes).
- Let pumpkin muffins cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove them and transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
Homemade pumpkin pie spice (1 TBS)
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp cloves
- ½ tsp allspice
Ingredient Substitutions
- Pumpkin puree. This recipe calls for 1 ½ cups of pumpkin puree, which equals one, 15 oz can of pumpkin puree. If you have fresh homemade puree, feel free to use that as well! Just be sure you have drained the water out of it so that it's thick and isn't runny.
- Salted Butter. Unsalted butter, coconut oil, canola oil or ghee can be used in place of butter with great results. You can substitute part of the butter with applesauce, but I prefer it with butter.
- Light Brown Sugar. If you want a more molasses taste, use dark brown sugar.
- Granulated sugar. Any white granulated sugar works great in this recipe. I use organic cane sugar.
- All-purpose flour. Bread flour and pastry flour also work well in this pumpkin muffins recipe! You can use an all-purpose gluten-free baking flour for a gluten-free version as well!
- Pumpkin Pie Spice. Use store bought or make your own! I have included a recipe for 1 TBS of pumpkin pie spice in the recipe card, but here it is:
Serve
Serve these pumpkin muffins warm with a slather of cinnamon honey butter. I like serving them alongside an egg dish like this egg casserole or frittata, or with a pumpkin smoothie!Store/freeze
Store the pumpkin muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in a single layer in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two months.Nutrition
More delicious recipes
- This pumpkin pie is the BEST and it's made completely from scratch. Or try this dairy-free pumpkin pie which is equally delicious!
- This pumpkin cake is one of my all-time favorite recipe creations, you will love it I promise.
- You won't find a more delicious Pumpkin Bread Recipe - I promise! It's moist and so good!
- Pumpkin baked oatmeal is one of our favorite fall breakfasts!
- Baked pumpkin donuts are another yummy breakfast for special days!
- This no-bake vegan pumpkin cheesecake is great if you have people in your family with food allergies! Also this paleo pumpkin bread, these paleo pumpkin muffins, and these mini vegan pumpkin pies!
- This pumpkin smoothie tastes like a liquid pumpkin pie but it's so much healthier and only takes 5 minutes to make!
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The photos in this post were taken by Joscelyn from Wifemamafoodie!
Sarah L
I feel like these were a tad too sweet for us... BUT the texture and flavor were perfection. To cut the sweet, I softened some cream cheese with cinnamon and whipped that together. Made a batch this morning and there are only two more left!
Sarah
These are excellent. Somehow they manage to be light and fluffy, which isn’t always typical for a muffin! I am excited to bring these for an after school snack 🙂
Farmgal87
These were delicious!! I reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup brown and heaping 1/4 cup reg to make them more healthy for the kids. I also didn't have pumpkin pie spice so used a Tbs of cinnamon, 2 tsp ginger, and fresh nutmeg. The texture was spot on, with lots of pumpkin flavor, and the spices were warm and comforting. Even with the sugar reduction these were perfectly sweet for us. Love that the recipe uses butter instead of oil too! Saving to use again:)