Pumpkin Muffins Recipe
Updated Aug 22, 2026
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These are the best pumpkin muffins – they’re soft, moist, perfectly spiced and have tons of pumpkin flavor! This easy pumpkin muffins recipe is easy to make with an entire can of pumpkin in 30 minutes – 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 cozy fall spices with just the right amount of sweetness. Customize them to make them your own by adding mix-ins like chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, nuts, etc. Enjoy them with a slather of cinnamon honey butter and a warm cup of coffee to make any chilly fall morning nice and cozy.
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Muffins
- Moist & soft. Pumpkin puree and melted butter make these muffins super moist with a soft, tender crumb.
- Easy to make. The batter is mixed by hand in one bowl and you don’t need a mixer.
- Uses a full can of pumpkin. No leftover pumpkin puree and no waste.
- Perfectly spiced. Cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice give them the perfect fall flavor.
- Easy to customize. Make them plain or add chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, pecans, walnuts or dried cranberries.
- Freezer-friendly. They freeze really well, so they’re perfect for making ahead.
Everyone who tries them absolutely loves them, just like Michelle:
Absolutely divine if I could give it 10 stars I would! These are gone in a day in my household.
– Michaela
Pumpkin Muffins: Ingredients & Substitutions
Let’s discuss the ingredients in these pumpkin muffins, as well as possible substitutions.
- Pumpkin puree. Be sure to use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. This recipe uses one entire 15-ounce can of pumpkin (about 1 ½ cups). You can also use homemade pumpkin puree, but make sure you drain the water out of it so that it’s thick and not watery.
- Salted Butter. I prefer butter over oil in this pumpkin muffin recipe because it gives the muffins a rich, buttery flavor and the pumpkin keeps them plenty moist. Salted or unsalted butter both work well. And you can substitute coconut oil, canola oil or ghee if you like. You can also substitute part of the butter with applesauce, but I prefer them with butter.
- Light Brown Sugar. If you want a stronger 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 work well. You can use an all-purpose gluten-free baking flour to make them gluten-free.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice. Pumpkin pie spice gives these muffins their classic fall flavor. Use store bought or make your own with this recipe: Homemade pumpkin pie spice.
How To Make Pumpkin Muffins
This pumpkin muffins recipe is easy to make in 30 minutes – no mixer required! You mix up the batter in 5 minutes, then the muffins bake for about 20 minutes. We’ll walk through the process step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video!
Begin by mixing the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder and sea salt together in a small bowl. Then set it aside to use later.
Next, whisk the pumpkin puree and melted butter together until combined. I like to do this to ensure the melted butter doesn’t solidify again.
Then, add the brown & granulated sugar and whisk until the sugars are dissolved and the mixture is uniform throughout.
Next, add eggs and vanilla and whisk or stir to combine.
Finally, add the dry ingredients and stir until batter is smooth. If desired, add mix-ins and stir until evenly distributed.
Pumpkin Muffins Mix-in Suggestions
Once the batter is smooth, you can add your favorite mix-ins. Here are some suggestions:
- Chocolate chips
- cinnamon chips
- nuts (pecans, walnuts, etc.)
- rasins
- dried cranberries
- white chocolate chips
Don’t overmix
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until the batter is smooth and combined. Over-mixing can make muffins dense instead of soft and tender.
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 20-25 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 20 minutes).
High Altitude Note
I live 5,000 feet above sea level and I’ve noticed that for this recipe, baking time is less at high elevation than at sea level.
For high altitude decrease the bake time and bake the muffins for 16-20 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 or homemade pumpkin butter. I like serving them alongside an egg dish like this egg casserole or frittata, or with a pumpkin smoothie!
How to Store Pumpkin Muffins
Store pumpkin muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
How To Freeze Pumpkin Muffins
Let the muffins cool completely, then transfer them to an airtight container or freezer-friendly bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheat in the microwave or covered in the oven set to warm.
More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes
These pumpkin breakfast recipes are perfect for fall.
- Moist and gooey pumpkin cinnamon rolls
- Delicious pumpkin scones
- Or something lighter – make this pumpkin smoothie
- The very best pumpkin Bread or make this double chocolate pumpkin bread
- Moist & irresistibly fluffy pumpkin pancakes
- Healthy pumpkin overnight oats
Pumpin Muffins Recipe FAQs
Yes. Canned pumpkin and pumpkin puree are the same as long as the only ingredient listed on the can is pumpkin. Do not use pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar and spices.
One 15 oz can of pumpkin usually equals 1 ½ cups.
How do you make pumpkin muffins from scratch?
Follow this recipe and make your own homemade pumpkin puree.
Yes! This recipe was specifically created to use one entire 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree, which equals about 1 ½ cups.
Yes! Stir up to 1 cup of chocolate chips into the batter before baking. I suggest semisweet or mini chocolate chips.
Pumpkin muffins can turn out dense if the batter is over-mixed or if you use too much flour. Measure the flour correctly (or use the metric measurements in the recipe card) and don’t stir the batter too much.
You know the muffins are done when the tops are set and spring back slightly when touched. Also, a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Yes. Divide the batter into mini muffin pan lined with mini cupcake liners or greased, and reduce the baking time. Begin checking them around 10 minutes and bake until the tops are set and a toothpick comes out clean.
Yes. Substitute a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free baking flour for the all-purpose flour.
If you make and love my recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so I can see your creations!
Best Pumpkin Muffins Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree
- ½ cup salted butter (melted)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar (packed)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup mix-ins (optional) (chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, nuts, dried fruit, etc.)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius).
- Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin, set aside.
- Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder and sea salt in a small bowl. Then, set it aside.
- Whisk the pumpkin puree and melted butter in a large bowl until smooth.
- Add brown sugar and granulated sugar and whisk until the sugars are dissolved.
- Then, whisk in eggs and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredient mixture and whisk or 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 20-25 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. ( NOTE: for high altitude, reduce baking time. I bake them for 15 to 18 minutes and I live 5,000 feet above sea level).
- Let pumpkin muffins cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp cloves
- ½ tsp allspice
- Pumpkin puree. This recipe calls for 1 ½ cups of pumpkin puree, which equals one, 15 oz can of pumpkin puree. Or you can use homemade pumpkin puree.
- Salted Butter. Unsalted butter, coconut oil, canola oil or ghee can be used in place of butter. You can replace half the butter with applesauce.
- Light Brown Sugar. dark brown sugar works well.
- Granulated sugar. organic cane sugar or coconut sugar are good substitutes.
- All-purpose flour. bread or pastry flour works well in this recipe. Use an all-purpose gluten-free flour to make them gluten-free.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice. Use store bought or make your own!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Very yummy. Toddler approved. Don’t really buy white flour so subbed whole wheat, worked just fine. We didn’t have all the spices on hand, made due with an extra tsp of cinnamon, tsp of nutmeg and half tsp of allspice in place of the pumpkin spice…but next time I will be making sure I’ve got them prior to starting. We did six muffins with some leftover chocolate chips mixed in, but I definitely preferred the plain ones. I think that if I try an add in they would take better to white chocolate or nuts.
Love the moisture level, love the flavor.
Could I make the pumpkin muffin batter ahead of time, store in the fridge overnight and bake fresh muffins in the morning? Or should batter be cooked immediately?
Sure! You should be able to do that no problem. Or, you could prepare the wet and dry ingredients separately then mix and bake in the morning.
These are a favorite in my house! Have made them many times and they always come out great. Just made a batch substituting a portion of the flour with protein powder and you wouldn’t even know it was there. This is my go-to recipe!
Boy, I just made these pumpkin muffins and made a tiny batch with pecans. They are the best pumpkin muffins I have ever tasted and this is no joke. They are at least the best ones I have ever tasted from anywhere. They will be my go to pumpkin muffins now, with pecans. Now, I’m going straight to your pumpkin pie recipe to bake. I’m baking these for a friend of mine for her Christmas and I’m sure they all will truly enjoy them. Thank you for sharing! Merry Christmas
This is a great recipe and allows for wonderful creative flexibility! I did a little modifying, substituting some whole wheat flour and quick cooking oats, about 1/4 cup of each, in place of all the purpose flour. I also substituted a third of the combined sugars with real maple sugar, then sprinkled a little bit of maple sugar chunks on top of each muffin before baking. Delicious!
These turned out great. I also liked the whole can of pumpkin puree and the spice level – I adjusted up a pinch on the cloves. In addition I added to tsp of Molasses to give a bit of extra depth, and it was perfect.
Deliciously delectable! These muffins are so moist and soft and have great flavor! I highly suggest making your own pumpkin pie spice. Thanks!
I have tried a lot of different pumpkin muffins over the years and these were by far the best. I like that it uses a whole can of pumpkin and the spice level is perfect. So many recipes are lacking in the spices but not this one. Thank you, this is a keeper.
Just whipped these up with a roasted pumpkin from Halloween. Didn’t have pumpkin pie spice so I made some using this recipe too. So good!
The muffins turned out great! We added chocolate chips and made regular muffins and mini muffins. We had the minis after dinner for dessert.