I’m sharing my go-to Moist Pumpkin Muffins recipe with a little trick for extra softness and a crisp cinnamon sugar topping that should intrigue any fall baker.
I love when a simple idea turns into something a little sneaky, like these Moist Pumpkin Muffins. They’re packed with pumpkin puree and a bit of ground cinnamon so the flavor hits right, not too sweet, just honest.
I kept messing with textures until the crumb surprised me, a little dense in the best way and begging for another bite. This feels like Pumpkin Muffins Easy enough to whip up after work but fancy enough that folks will think you planned it for days.
Honestly, I always make too many because I cant help myself, and I never regret it.
Ingredients
- All purpose flour: provides carbs and structure, little protein, not very nutrient dense.
- Granulated and brown sugar: give sweetness and moisture, add calories, not many nutrients.
- Pumpkin puree: adds fiber, vitamin A, moisture, and a mild earthy sweetness.
- Eggs: bind ingredients, add protein and fat, makes muffins tender and richer.
- Vegetable oil: supplies fat for moist crumbs, increases calories, no protein or fiber.
- Ground cinnamon: fragrant spice, tiny antioxidants, boosts warm flavor without calories.
- Milk and vanilla: milk softens batter with some calcium, vanilla adds aroma and sweetness.
- Melted butter for tops: adds rich flavor and crisping, more saturated fat and calories.
Ingredient Quantities
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar for topping
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon for topping
- 2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing tops
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or spray it with baking spray.
2. In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves until evenly mixed.
3. In another bowl beat 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling) with 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/3 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth.
4. Pour the wet mix into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula just until combined, scrape the bowl, dont overmix or the muffins will be tough, a few lumps are fine.
5. Use an ice cream scoop or spoon to divide batter into the prepared cups, filling each about 3/4 full so they get a nice top.
6. Bake for about 18 to 22 minutes, rotating the pan halfway if your oven is hot in spots, until tops spring back and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
7. While the muffins bake stir together 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a small bowl and melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small dish.
8. When the muffins come out brush each top lightly with the melted butter then immediately sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over them so it sticks and gets a little crunchy.
9. Let muffins cool in the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling; theyre best warm or within a day but still good after that.
10. Quick tips: measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling it, use room temp eggs and milk for a smoother batter, dont substitute pumpkin pie filling, and if you want taller domes try a hotter oven for the first 5 minutes then lower to 350°F for the rest of the bake.
Equipment Needed
1. Oven (preheat to 375°F / 190°C)
2. 12-cup muffin tin
3. Muffin liners or nonstick baking spray
4. Large mixing bowl
5. Medium mixing bowl
6. Whisk
7. Rubber spatula
8. Measuring cups and spoons, dont forget to level the flour
9. Ice cream scoop or large spoon (to portion batter)
10. Small bowl, pastry brush, wire cooling rack and toothpick
FAQ
Pumpkin Spice Muffins Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- All purpose flour
- Whole wheat pastry flour — use 1:1, gives a nuttier, slightly denser muffin but still tender.
- Gluten free cup-for-cup blend — use 1:1, pick one with xanthan gum for structure so it doesn’t fall apart.
- Cake flour — use 1:1, you’ll get a lighter, softer crumb but muffins may rise a bit less.
- Granulated sugar
- Coconut sugar — swap 1:1; it’s less sweet and adds a caramel note.
- Maple syrup or honey — use 3/4 cup syrup per 1 cup sugar and reduce other liquids by about 3 tbsp, bake a little longer.
- Extra light brown sugar — swap 1:1, makes the crumb moister and more caramel-y.
- Vegetable oil
- Melted butter — swap 1:1 for richer flavor, just cool a bit before mixing with eggs.
- Unsweetened applesauce — swap 1:1 to cut fat, muffins will be moister and a bit denser.
- Coconut oil — swap 1:1, use refined coconut oil if you don’t want coconut flavor.
- Eggs
- Flax “egg” — 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg, wait 5 minutes; good vegan binder.
- Unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana — 1/4 cup per egg, adds moisture but banana changes the flavor.
- Silken tofu — 1/4 cup puréed per egg, neutral flavor and good for structure in denser muffins.
Pro Tips
1) Measure flour the right way — spoon it into the cup and level it off, or better yet weigh it (1 cup AP flour ≈ 120 g). Packed flour = dense muffins, so dont scoop straight from the bag.
2) Use room temp eggs and milk. Cold eggs/oil make the batter seize and you lose some lift, so let them sit out 20 to 30 minutes if you can.
3) Fold gently and stop when the last streaks of flour are gone, a few lumps are fine. Overmixing develops gluten and makes muffins tough, so mix less not more.
4) Want bigger domes and better rise? Fill liners about 3/4 full and try a short high-heat burst at the start of baking (4 to 6 minutes hotter), then lower the temp for the remainder. Also rotate the pan halfway if your oven cooks unevenly.
5) For the topping, brush warm muffins with butter then press the cinnamon-sugar on right away so it sticks and crisps. For extra crunch use turbinado or coarse sugar instead of fine sugar.
Pumpkin Spice Muffins Recipe
I’m sharing my go-to Moist Pumpkin Muffins recipe with a little trick for extra softness and a crisp cinnamon sugar topping that should intrigue any fall baker.
12
servings
308
kcal
Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 375°F / 190°C)
2. 12-cup muffin tin
3. Muffin liners or nonstick baking spray
4. Large mixing bowl
5. Medium mixing bowl
6. Whisk
7. Rubber spatula
8. Measuring cups and spoons, dont forget to level the flour
9. Ice cream scoop or large spoon (to portion batter)
10. Small bowl, pastry brush, wire cooling rack and toothpick
Ingredients
-
2 cups all purpose flour
-
1 cup granulated sugar
-
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
-
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
-
1 teaspoon baking soda
-
1/2 teaspoon salt
-
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
-
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
-
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
-
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
-
1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
-
2 large eggs
-
1/2 cup vegetable oil
-
1/3 cup milk
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
1/4 cup granulated sugar for topping
-
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon for topping
-
2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing tops
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or spray it with baking spray.
- In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves until evenly mixed.
- In another bowl beat 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling) with 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/3 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth.
- Pour the wet mix into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula just until combined, scrape the bowl, dont overmix or the muffins will be tough, a few lumps are fine.
- Use an ice cream scoop or spoon to divide batter into the prepared cups, filling each about 3/4 full so they get a nice top.
- Bake for about 18 to 22 minutes, rotating the pan halfway if your oven is hot in spots, until tops spring back and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- While the muffins bake stir together 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a small bowl and melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small dish.
- When the muffins come out brush each top lightly with the melted butter then immediately sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over them so it sticks and gets a little crunchy.
- Let muffins cool in the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling; theyre best warm or within a day but still good after that.
- Quick tips: measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling it, use room temp eggs and milk for a smoother batter, dont substitute pumpkin pie filling, and if you want taller domes try a hotter oven for the first 5 minutes then lower to 350°F for the rest of the bake.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 70g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 308kcal
- Fat: 12.7g
- Saturated Fat: 2.7g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Polyunsaturated: 2.7g
- Monounsaturated: 6.5g
- Cholesterol: 37mg
- Sodium: 281mg
- Potassium: 93mg
- Carbohydrates: 45.8g
- Fiber: 0.8g
- Sugar: 29.4g
- Protein: 3.4g
- Vitamin A: 1537IU
- Vitamin C: 0.9mg
- Calcium: 14mg
- Iron: 0.5mg
