Perfect Pumpkin Muffins
These bakery-style pumpkin muffins are soft, moist, and perfectly spiced. They’re easy to make with basic pantry ingredients.
These pumpkin muffins are soft, fragrant, and wonderfully moist — everything you want in a classic fall bake. Warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves blend beautifully with the pumpkin purée to create that cozy aroma that fills the kitchen the moment they hit the oven.
They’re quick to mix, require only simple pantry ingredients, and work just as well for breakfast as they do for snacks or dessert. Enjoy them warm with butter, or let them cool and pack them for an easy on-the-go treat. Optional walnuts add a subtle crunch, but the muffins are delicious either way.
What is Pumpkin Purée?
Pumpkin purée is all pumpkin, with no spices or fillers. Pumpkin pie mix includes sugar and spices. If in doubt, check the ingredients—there should be nothing but pumpkin.
What You’ll Like About These Muffins
Fall flavor in every bite. Warm spices and pumpkin purée make these muffins the perfect seasonal treat.Tall and bakery-style. The batter fills the cups for muffins with a beautifully domed top and tender crumb.
No mixer needed. Just whisk, stir, and bake — easy cleanup and great results every time.
Versatile and customizable. Add nuts, dried fruit, chocolate chips, or a streusel topping to make them your own.
Ingredient Notes
- All-purpose flour – Provides structure while keeping the crumb tender.
- Baking soda – Ensures proper lift in this moist batter.
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves – Classic pumpkin spice blend.
- Vegetable oil – Keeps the muffins soft and moist.
- Pumpkin purée – Canned pumpkin gives reliable results and rich flavor.
- Eggs – Add structure and help the batter rise.
- Milk – Loosens the batter and adds tenderness.
- Brown & granulated sugar – A mix gives moisture, sweetness, and depth.
- Walnuts – Optional, for added crunch and flavor.
How To Make Pumpkin Muffins
- Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well, then set the bowl aside.
- Combine the oil, pumpkin, eggs, milk, sugars, and vanilla in a bowl and whisk until smooth and well blended.
- Add the dry ingredients and stir to blend, but avoid overmixing the batter.
- Fold the nuts into the batter if you’re using them.
Tips
- Avoid overmixing the batter to keep the muffins light and tender.
- Use parchment liners to prevent sticking, especially with moist batters.
- Add the walnuts only after mixing if you want to keep the crumb soft.
- Let the muffins cool slightly so they release easily from the liners.
Recipe Variations
- Nuts—Replace the walnuts with pepitas, chopped pistachios, or toasted chopped pecans.
- Dried Fruit—Add 3/4 cup of dried cranberries, raisins, or finely chopped apricots.
- Chocolate—Mix 3/4 cup of chocolate chips into the muffin batter.
- Icing—Drizzle the pumpkin muffins with a simple vanilla glaze or icing.
- Powdered Sugar—Sprinkle the cooled pumpkin muffins with powdered sugar.
- Streusel—Bake the muffins with a streusel topping: Combine 1/2 cup of flour, 1/4 cup of packed brown sugar, 4 tablespoons of cold butter, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon in a small bowl; mix with a fork or your fingers until crumbly. Sprinkle the streusel over the muffins and bake as directed.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve warm with butter or cream cheese.
- Pair with coffee, chai, or a pumpkin spice latte.
- Add them to a fall brunch spread with eggs and fruit.
- Enjoy as an afternoon snack or lunchbox treat.
How to Store
Refrigerate: Store leftover muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let them cool completely before sealing.To Reheat: Warm a muffin in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds or in a low oven (300°F) for 8 to 10 minutes.
Freeze? Yes. Wrap muffins individually and freeze in a zip-close bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or reheat directly from frozen.
Perfect Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, (228 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- Pinch ground cloves
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 3/4 cup pumpkin purée, 1 15-ounce can
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup milk
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed, light or dark (154 grams )
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, (100 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 to 1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
Instructions
- Position the oven rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375 F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with parchment paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices; whisk to blend and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the oil, pumpkin, eggs, and milk; whisk until well blended.
- Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the wet ingredients and whisk to blend.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and use a spatula or spoon to mix until well combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Spoon or scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each well. I use an ice cream scoop.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Remove the muffins to a rack and cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve them warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
