These pumpkin muffins are one of our favorite fall treats. Full of pumpkin flavor and warming autumn spices, they’re moist and fluffy muffins that are super simple to make.
I’m one of those people who can’t wait to break out the pumpkin recipes as soon as there’s a hint of autumn in the air. The same goes for Halloween movies. Like, is September 1st too early?
We have a few favorite pumpkin recipes that are always first up in the rotation: pumpkin pancakes for sure, as well as pumpkin waffles with a pumpkin spice latte on the side. And then there are these lovely pumpkin muffins! They are a variation of my pumpkin apple muffins recipe. For this version, a simple pumpkin batter is made with brown sugar, pumpkin spice and ground cinnamon to make fluffy, tender muffins full of fall flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Muffins Recipe
- Easy. Just mix up simple pantry ingredients with pumpkin, spoon into your muffins tins and bake! Similar to my banana bread muffins, this is a simple recipe that anyone can make.
- Full of fall flavors. Thanks so a whole can of pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice and cinnamon, every bite of these muffins is bursting with autumny flavor. They’ll make your kitchen smell super cozy.
- Perfect texture. These muffins are moist, tender and perfectly fluffy. The first time I made them my kiddo literally RAN into the living room after eating one and exclaimed: Can I have another one?! These muffins are so good!
What You’ll Need
Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need to make pumpkin muffins. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for specific amounts.
- Pumpkin puree – Make sure you are using pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Unsalted butter – Melted and cooled. You can also use salted butter but you’ll need to reduce the amount of salt added separately. I only bake/cook with unsalted butter though so I can’t advise as to how much.
- Brown sugar – I used light brown sugar, but you could also use dark brown.
- Granulated sugar – This is the same as white sugar.
- Eggs – Large eggs, ideally at room temperature.
- Pure vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Spices – Pumpkin pie spice and ground cinnamon for extra cinnamon-y flavor.
- Baking powder – Don’t substitute for baking soda or your muffins will not rise.
- Kosher salt
- Optional mix ins – I usually just make plain pumpkin muffins but you could also add up to 1 cup of mix-ins like chocolate chips, chopped nuts, dry fruit or cinnamon chips.
How to Make Pumpkin Muffins
Making these muffins couldn’t be any simpler. Here’s how to do it:
- Prep your tools. Preheat your oven to 375F. Line a standard muffin tin with cupcake liners (affiliate link) or spray the holes where the batter goes with PAM.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Set aside.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, mix the wet ingredients until fully combined.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix just until the batter is fully combined and you can’t see any dry bits of batter. Don’t over-mix your muffin batter.
- Add mix-ins, if using. If you are going to add mix-ins like chopped nuts or dried fruit now is the time to do it. Gently stir them in just until they are distributed into the batter.
- Bake. Place your muffin tin in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops of the muffins are set and the muffins are baked through.
- Cool. Let your muffins cool for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack (affiliate link) to finish cooling.
How Can I Tell When My Muffins Are Done Baking?
I usually use my finger to see whether muffins have finished baking. To do this, carefully and gently press the top of a muffin with your finger. If it springs back, the muffins are done. If an indent remains, they need to bake a bit longer. This is my preferred method because it’s easier, but make sure you are careful not to singe your fingers.
You can also test your muffins with a toothpick inserted into the center. If the toothpick comes out clean (no wet batter on it) then the muffins are done. If there is wet batter, they need to bake a bit longer.
How to Store
- Counter. Let your muffins cool completely, then store them in an airtight container on the counter for up to 4 days.
- Fridge. You can also place the cooled muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freezer. Wrap each cooled muffin in saran wrap, then place the muffins in an airtight, freezer-safe container. They will keep in the freezer for up to 4 months. Thaw on the counter for a few hours, or remove the saran wrap and zap a muffin in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds when you’re ready to dig in.
More Easy Muffin Recipes to Try
- Mantecadas (Mexican Muffins)
- Sourdough Discard Blueberry Muffins
- Coffee Cake Muffins
- Sourdough Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
- 15 oz pumpkin puree
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 cup light brown sugar , packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup mix-ins, optional, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, dried fruit or cinnamon chips.
Instructions
- Prep your tools. Preheat your oven to 375F. Line a standard muffin tin with cupcake liners or spray the holes where the batter goes with PAM.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla until fully combined. Set aside.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder and kosher salt. Set aside.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix just until the batter is fully combined and you can’t see any dry bits of batter. Don’t over-mix your muffin batter.
- Add mix-ins, if using. If you are going to add mix-ins like chopped nuts or dried fruit now is the time to do it. Gently stir them in just until they are distributed into the batter.
- Bake. Place your muffin tin in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops of the muffins are set and the muffins are baked through.
- Cool. Let your muffins cool for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Nutrition
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