Pumpkin Muffins
You’ll love these Pumpkin Muffins topped with chunky brown sugar crumbs. Pumpkin seeds add crunch to the topping and pumpkin puree adds moisture, flavor and nutrition to the lightly-spiced batter.
Table of contents
Why these are the best pumpkin muffins
Yes, I know there are a million pumpkin muffins recipes on the web. I love this recipe because it actually taste like pumpkin, not pumpkin-spice.
There’s just enough spice in the batter to create the warm fall flavor you want in a good pumpkin muffin. But, for sure, pumpkin is the star of the show. A tiny splash of lemon extract further accentuates the pumpkin flavor.
Best of all, the recipe is super easy to make using the “muffin method”.
A “muffin” is a specific baked good, but it’s also the name of a mixing technique.
To mix a batter with the “muffin method” you put all your dry ingredients together, put all your wet ingredients together, then combine the two. It’s one of the easiest baking techniques there is.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- All Purpose Flour: All purpose flour has a medium protein content. When we add the wet ingredients to the flour the batter forms enough gluten to give the muffins some structure. Thanks to the gluten in the batter the muffins can form a nice dome as they bake.
- Sugar: This batter has a relatively low amount of sugar. Muffins are not cupcakes and shouldn’t be as sweet as cake. The topping does add a layer of sweetness to the muffins. You can make the muffins without the topping if you prefer even less sugar.
- Spices – If you have a pre-mixed pumpkin spice blend you can use 2 teaspoons of the spice mix in place of the spices listed in the recipe.
- Pumpkin Puree – Make sure you use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Canned pumpkin puree is very consistent in flavor and water level. If you use homemade pureed pumpkin make sure it’s not too wet. Blot the puree with paper towels to remove excess moisture if it’s very watery.
- Milk – Almond or oat milk can be used to make vegan muffins.
- Eggs – Help form the structure of the muffin. You can use egg replacer to make vegan muffins.
The Process
See the recipe card for detailed measurements and instructions.
- Combine the dry ingredients for the topping in a mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix until it looks like wet sand.
- Add the chopped pumpkin seeds and mix to combine. Set the topping aside while you make the batter.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients in separate bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients all at once.
- Stir until the flour is incorporated.
- Use a scooper to portion the batter into 12 standard muffins. The batter can also make about 6 jumbo or 24 mini muffins.
- Grab a handful of the topping and squeeze it to form a large clump. Break the large clump into smaller clumps over the muffins.
- It will look like a lot of topping on each muffin but it will spread out as the muffins rise.
- Bake the muffins until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning the muffins out onto a cooling rack.
Storage
Pumpkin Muffins are best eaten slightly warm from the oven or the day they are baked. They will keep, covered, at room temperature for 2 days. Don’t refrigerate the muffins. Left over muffins can be frozen for up to a month. To revive the texture, previously frozen muffins can be warmed in a low-oven (200F).
Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- 2 ½ oz all purpose flour (½ cup, see note)
- 2 oz brown sugar (¼ cup)
- ⅛ teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 oz unsalted butter (at cool room temp)
- 1 ½ oz pumpkin seeds (¼ cup roughly chopped)
Batter
- 10 oz all purpose flour (2 cups, see note)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 6 oz granulated sugar (¾ cup)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 large eggs
- 7 ½ oz pumpkin puree (1 scant cup, see note)
- 4 oz whole milk (½ cup)
- 3 ½ oz vegetable oil (½ cup)
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract
Instructions
Crumb Topping
- Combine 2 ½ oz all purpose flour, 2 oz brown sugar, ⅛ teaspoon table salt and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl. Mix on low speed until completely combined. With the mixer running, add 2 oz unsalted butter in chunks and continue to mix until the topping looks like wet sand. Toss in 1 ½ oz pumpkin seeds. Set aside while you mix the batter.
Batter
- Preheat the oven to 375 °F. Butter and flour 12 standard-size muffin cups or line with paper liners. Alternately, this recipe will make 6 jumbo muffins.
- Place 10 oz all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon table salt, 6 oz granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves and ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 large eggs, 7 ½ oz pumpkin puree, 4 oz whole milk 3 ½ oz vegetable oil and ½ teaspoon lemon extract.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir until the flour is incorporated. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins.
- Grab a handful of the topping and squeeze it together to form a large clump. Break the clump into smaller clumps over the tops of the muffins. Continue until all the topping is used.
- Bake until the center of a muffin springs back when lightly pressed or a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with a few moist crumbs, about 20 minutes.
- Cool the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes then turn them out onto a cooling rack.
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