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Just-like-Mom-made homemade Pumpkin Muffins are a delightful fall baking recipe that’s destined to become a tradition in your family, too. Learn how to make Pumpkin Muffins from scratch, then discover how to turn this easy breakfast recipe into dessert!
You could say that baking is in my DNA. My Mom is one incredibly talented baker, and I’m honored to share the secrets to make her beloved tried-and-true Pumpkin Muffin recipe with you today.
Moist, tender, and serving up a big dose of fall flavor, I make this homemade muffin recipe at least once per week each and every autumn. That’s what Mom always did, and you know what they say, “Mom knows best!”
Table of Contents
Pumpkin Muffin Recipe Ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
- Pumpkin pie spice: Purchase this pre-mixed, or to make homemade pumpkin pie spice, in a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, 1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice, and 1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves. Transfer to a small airtight container and store in a dark place for up to 6 months.
- Pumpkin puree: Good ol’ unadorned roasted pumpkin purée is what you’re after, no pumpkin pie filling. Buy a 15-ounce can in the baking aisle, or if you’re feeling ambitious, make your own Fresh Pumpkin Purée.
What is the best muffin pan?
When I bake my muffins, I always reach for my USA Pan 12-Cup Nonstick Muffin Pan. My muffins always come out easily and I like that it has a large overhang, so I can easily grip it with an oven mitt without squishing them. You can get it at Amazon for $29.95, and I also rounded up the best muffin pans if you’re looking for another option for your fluffiest muffins ever.
How to make Pumpkin Spice Muffins
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 muffin pans (24 cups) with silicone or paper liners and coat with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, sift together dry ingredients of flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.
- In a stand-mixer or a large bowl with a whisk attachment, mix together wet ingredients of large eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture in two batches, mixing after each addition. Stir until uniformly combined.
- Using a large cookie scoop or ¼ cup measuring cup, fill the muffin cups nearly to the top with batter.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean with a few crumbs attached, rotating the muffin tin halfway through baking time, about 20 minutes. Cool muffins on a rack for several minutes before removing from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Pumpkin Spice Muffin Recipe Tips
- Rest the batter: If you have time (or just want to get ahead!), let your muffin batter rest overnight in the refrigerator. This leads to taller, incredibly moist muffins. The starch from the flour has time to absorb into the wet ingredients so the muffins are more tender. And, any spices will intensify in flavor as the batter rests.
- Scoop the cold batter as-is: No need to bring it to room temperature before baking.
- Add fruit mix-ins just before baking: So they don’t bleed in the batter.
- Add more batter: For bigger, taller muffins, experiment with adding a little more batter to each cup in your muffin tin. This will take trial-and-error as if you add too much, they will overflow.
- The right fat: Not all fats are created equal! I use butter in my Blueberry Muffin recipe, but butter in the Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe made for dry muffins. Since chocolate chips are dryer than blueberries, we opted for oil in that recipe.
- Test your baking powder: If your leavening agents are expired, your muffins won’t rise properly. To test your baking powder, pour ¼ cup boiling water over ½ teaspoon baking powder. If it bubbles and fizzes, you’re in business! If not, toss it out and replace.
How to Store Homemade Pumpkin Muffins
- Storage: Store Pumpkin Muffins at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
Can you freeze pumpkin muffins?
- Freezer: After baking, let the Pumpkin Muffins cool completely. Wrap the muffins in 2 layers of plastic, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours.
Pumpkin Muffin FAQs
It’s tough to tell without baking alongside you (but wouldn’t that be fun?!). But two common muffin baking mistakes might be the culprit. Did…
1. You overmixed the batter? Stop stirring when the muffin mixture is just combined; a few lumps are okay!
2. You add too much flour? To measure flour accurately, spoon the flour out of the bag and directly into the measuring cup. Make a high mound on the top of the cup, then level off the measuring cup using the back of a knife.
Add frosting, of course! I’m partial to Cream Cheese Frosting. Buttercream Frosting or Powdered Sugar Icing would also be delicious.
Also, if you’re in the mood for more pumpkin dessert recipes, don’t miss my Mini Pumpkin Pies, Pumpkin Cheesecake, and Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting.
You sure can. Mini muffin tin, jumbo muffin tin; do you! You’ll want to adjust the cooking time to avoid over- or undercooking.
Bake pumpkin muffins at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean with a few crumbs attached.
More pumpkin recipes
Breakfast Recipes
Pumpkin Pancake Recipe
Working with Fruits and Vegetables
Fresh Pumpkin Purée
Breakfast Recipes
Pumpkin Smoothie
Muffins and Quick Breads
Pumpkin Bread
Join Us
Pumpkin Spice Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (see note 1)
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup canola oil
- 15 ounces pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling, see note 2)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 cups with paper or silicone liners and coat with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl with a whisk together eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin. Add the flour mixture in two batches, mixing after each addition until uniformly combined.
- Using a large cookie scoop or ¼ cup measuring cup, fill the muffin cups nearly to the top with batter.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean with a few crumbs attached, rotating the muffin tin halfway through baking time, about 20 minutes.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Pumpkin pie spice: Purchase this pre-mixed, or to make homemade pumpkin pie spice, in a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, 1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice, and 1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves. Transfer to a small airtight container and store in a dark place for up to 6 months.
- Pumpkin purée: Good ol’ unadorned roasted pumpkin purée is what you’re after, no pumpkin pie filling. Buy a 15-ounce canned pumpkin puree that can be found in the baking aisle, or if you’re feeling ambitious, make your own Fresh Pumpkin Purée.
- Yield: This homemade muffin recipe makes 24 regular-sized muffins, ideal for a bake sale, a fall weekend brunch with eggs and bacon, or tucked inside a basket as a food gift, or even as a just-sweet-enough dessert.
- Storage: Store Pumpkin Muffins at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
- Freezer: After baking, let the Pumpkin Muffins cool completely. Wrap the muffins in 2 layers of plastic, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
These were fantastic! So light and fluffy. My new favorite pumpkin recipe!
I’m so happy you loved them, Haleigh! Thanks for stopping by to comment. Take care! – Meggan
WOW. These are the best pumpkin muffins I’ve ever had. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
This recipe is a keeper. My family loved these muffins!