Delicious Pumpkin Muffins recipe is full of pumpkin and spices and makes the perfect fall treat! These favorite muffins are simple yet decadent, with a rich, warm aroma and flavor, and are perfect for breakfast or snacks.
Full of pumpkin flavor and my favorite spices mingled in my pumpkin spice mix, these Pumpkin Muffins are amazing! The warmth of the molasses in the brown sugar, layered with butter, vanilla, and real pumpkin, make these a favorite pumpkin muffin.
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Most of us are excited when the time arrives to enjoy our favorite seasonal recipes. Iconic homemade pumpkin spiced latte drinks are certainly a sign that fall is upon us! In fact, pumpkin recipes like these muffins are popular when the temperatures fall and the leaves begin to turn.
So make some pumpkin puree (or grab some canned pumpkin) and make these pumpkin muffins as soon as you can.
Here’s how you’ll make them.
How to Make Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
- flour – Use all-purpose flour. You can also use half whole wheat flour for a heartier, more dense muffin, or use your favorite flour blend.
- baking powder – This helps these muffins to rise perfectly while baking.
- baking soda – Since this recipe uses buttermilk, you’ll also use baking soda in this recipe.
- salt – A bit of salt enhances the sweetness and flavor of these muffins.
- pumpkin pie spice – This spice blend gives the pumpkin a delicious warmth. I make my own pumpkin pie spice to use in recipes throughout the fall. You can easily customize it to include your favorite fall spices to use in your baking.
- butter – Allow butter to soften before mixing. If you are dairy-free, you can substitute cooking oil or coconut oil in place of the butter.
- brown sugar – You can use light or dark brown sugar. Brown sugar complements the pumpkin and spices and gives a warm, rich taste to the muffin.
- eggs – You’ll need two eggs for this recipe.
- pumpkin puree – This recipe uses 2 cups of pumpkin puree. I generally make my own fresh pumpkin puree to have on hand throughout the season. However, I also have a stash of canned organic pumpkin puree to use in a pinch. Make sure it’s pure pumpkin puree – do not use pumpkin pie filling.
- vanilla extract – I use my homemade vanilla extract, but you can use your favorite pure vanilla extract from the store if you wish.
- buttermilk – Makes such rich, scrumptious muffins. If you don’t have it on hand, you can easily make your own buttermilk substitute!
Make Some Spice Mix!
Make a batch of pumpkin pie spice ahead of time and use it all during the fall baking season! It’s delicious in these muffins, as well as in pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice lattes, and more!
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 375º F. Prepare a muffin tin with liners or by spraying with nonstick baking spray.
- Combine dry ingredients. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice mix into a large bowl. Set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients. In another large bowl, cream together softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in eggs, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, and buttermilk, being sure to incorporate well.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients. Add flour mixture (dry ingredients, about 1/2 cup at a time, to wet ingredients), stirring to combine.
- Bake and serve. Spoon the batter into prepared muffin tins, filling about 3/4 full. Do not overfill. Place in preheated oven and bake until done. They should lightly spring back to the touch, and a toothpick should come out clean when inserted in the center, about 12 minutes for mini-muffins and 25-30 minutes for full-size muffins. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Storage Tips
To store. Cover completely cooled muffins or place them in an airtight container. Keep them covered on the countertop for up to 4 days.
To freeze. Allow muffins to cool completely. Place them inside an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
To serve. Remove the desired number of muffins from the freezer container. Thaw on the countertop for a few hours until thawed. To reheat, wrap each muffin in aluminum foil and place in a 350-degree oven until warm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Overmixing the ingredients can be one reason. Make sure to combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until the ey are just combined. Don’t overmix the ingredients, which can make the muffin batter too dense.
The muffins should stay fresh for up to four days on the countertop and up to 3 months in the freezer when stored properly according to instructions.
They should seem lightly springy to the touch. A toothpick should come out clean when into the muffin’s center if it is done.
More Delicious Muffin Recipes
Here’s my Pumpkin Muffins recipe. I hope you love them as much as we do.
Pumpkin Muffins Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups light or dark brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups pumpkin puree, or 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare muffin tin with liners or by spraying with nonstick baking spray.
- Mix Dry Ingredients. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice mix into a large bowl. Set aside.
- Combine wet ingredients. In another large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in eggs, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, and buttermilk, being sure to incorporate well.
- Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Add the flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, into the wet mixture, stirring just to combine. Do not overmix.
- Bake and serve. Spoon pumpkin muffins batter into prepared muffins tins, filling about 3/4 full. Place in preheated oven and bake until the lightly spring back to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center, about 12 minutes for mini-muffins and 25-30 minutes for full-size muffins. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
Storage Tips
To store. Cover completely cooled muffins or place them in an airtight container. Keep them covered on the countertop for up to 4 days. To freeze. Allow muffins to cool completely. Place them inside an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. To serve. Remove the desired number of muffins from the freezer container. Thaw on the countertop for a few hours until thawed. To reheat, wrap each muffin in aluminum foil and place in a 350-degree oven until warm.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2012.
Hi Steph,
I’m sorry your muffins didn’t turn out well. I’ve not had this problem and they’ve always turned out great every time I’ve made them, so I’m not sure what could have happened. Thank you Steph.