Pumpkin Muffins
Updated Oct 04, 2025
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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.
Everyone who tries them absolutely loves them, just like Michelle:
Best pumpkin muffin recipe I’ve tried! I won’t be looking for another one!
– Michelle
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 pumpkin 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 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. Use store bought or make your own with this recipe: Homemade pumpkin pie spice.
How To Make Pumpkin Muffins
These pumpkin muffin recipe only takes 5 minutes to mix and 25 to bake! Let’s walk through it together step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video for additional guidance.
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.
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 16-22 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).
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!
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.
Pumpin Muffins Recipe FAQs
Yes! As long as you purchase a can that reads “pumpkin puree” and has one ingredient listed – pumpkin.
One 15 oz can of pumpkin usually equals 1 1/2 cups.
Yes, they are the same thing.
How do you make pumpkin muffins from scratch?
Follow this recipe and make your own homemade pumpkin puree.
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.
Regret not making more with chocolate chips added in! As a pretty novice baker, this recipe was easy to follow and they turned out LOVELY. Thank you so much.
I’m so happy you love them Miranda! Chocolate always makes things more delicious! 🙂
Very good, im sharing this recipe
I hope you share it far and wide! 🙂
29.October.25 – Albuquerque, New Mexico
Laura!
I had a great time making these and they’re delicious!
Thank you!
MFH (the inimitable)
I’m so happy these brought joy to you and yours, Michael!
Delicious! This was my first time making pumpkin muffins and this recipe did not disappoint. I followed the recipe exactly as it was and they are 10/10! I wish I could post a picture. I added a homemade cream cheese frosting on half.
I’m so happy they turned out well for you! Cream cheese frosting sounds like an amazing addition!
Simply Delicious! I reduced the sugar almost by a third, and used a little bit less butter (what I had on hand). I also used 100g of gluten free cup4cup and for the rest I used Organic Einkorn flour. I also made my own puré by cutting the organic butternut pumpkin in small cubes and steamed it. That way the pumpkin was not watery at all and I didn’t have to use the oven for that. I am definitely grateful I reduced the sugar as it would have been way too much.
I’m so happy you were able to make these your own and love them!
My favorite pumpkin muffin recipe. I don’t even care for pumpkin desserts, but this recipe has a perfect blend of spices. No one spice overwhelms other spices. I have bookmarked this recipe and signed up for more. Thank you for sharing it with the world.
I’m so so happy you love them Sonja!
Best muffins I’ve ever made!!!!
Thank you, Robin!
I have tried many pumpkin muffin recipes and this will be the only one I use from now on. This Recipe is stellar! I used fresh pumpkin puree, cut 1/4 cup of both sugars. Next time I will try cutting a little more. I decreased the store bought pumpkin pie spice by a little bit knowing how stong it is and added pecans and topped with pumpkin seeds. They are moist with lots of flavor. I offered them with butter mixed with a tbs of maple syrup mixed in. Everyone loved them. Thank you!
I’m so happy you love these muffins, Lori! Love the idea of making maple butter too!
I just made these.. Omg yummm! Thank you for sharing. I’m taking half a batch for my colleagues tmrw. I did reduce both sugars and increased the flour by 1/4 cup. Thanks!
Thank you Farzana!
I’m looking forward to making these. I have one quick question. When making the one tablespoon amount of pumpkin pie spice, how much ginger should I add?
I’m taking your advice and leaving off the allspice.
Thank you
These pumpkin muffins are so delicious and moist! They are the best I have tasted! can’t wait to make them again! Your recipes are so easy to follow and I am so happy I found your website. Everything turns out delicious!!! Thank you!
Thank you so much Terri!