Soft, tender pumpkin muffins that you’ll want to make all fall long. These truly live up to their name—spiced with pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon for a warm, cozy flavor. Simple and quick to prepare, this recipe yields moist, flavorful muffins that are perfect for breakfast, snacks, or packed lunches.
If you’d like a variation, try pumpkin streusel muffins for a crunchy topping.
This recipe was first published on October 13, 2021.
If you’re in a pumpkin state of mind, these muffins will make you very happy. They take about 30 minutes from start to finish, most of which is baking time, and they stay wonderfully moist.
The scent of cinnamon and pumpkin spice will fill your kitchen. They’re irresistible straight from the oven with a generous pat of butter.
These muffins freeze and reheat beautifully, so you can enjoy them over time. They’re also great alongside pumpkin cream cheese muffins or pumpkin scones for variety.
No special equipment is needed—just a mixing bowl and a whisk for the batter, plus a muffin tin and liners for baking. For another twist, try pumpkin chocolate chip muffins.
Ingredients
Below are the ingredients you’ll need. For exact amounts refer to the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Neutral-flavored oil (canola or sunflower)
- Brown sugar
- Cane sugar (or white sugar)
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
- Buttermilk
- Pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- All-purpose flour
- Kosher salt
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Cinnamon
How To Make Pumpkin Muffins
You don’t need a stand mixer—just a large bowl and a whisk.
Prepare the wet ingredients: In a large bowl whisk together the oil, brown sugar, cane sugar, vanilla, eggs, buttermilk, and pumpkin puree until smooth and combined. Light, steady whisking is enough—no need to overwork the batter.
Combine the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl sift or whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon until evenly distributed.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir just until combined; avoid overmixing to keep the muffins tender.
Fill and bake: Line a muffin tin with liners and portion the batter into each well—an ice cream scoop works well for uniform muffins. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake another 11–12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Starting at a higher temperature helps the muffins rise tall, and lowering the heat finishes the bake without overbrowning. Let the muffins cool slightly before serving—slather with butter for the best experience.
FAQ
The recipe hasn’t been formally tested with gluten-free flour here, but many bakers have success replacing all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend such as Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 for similar results.
No. Keep the pumpkin puree as-is—its moisture helps produce soft, tender muffins.
Yes. Use a mini muffin pan with liners and bake at 350°F for about 10–15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
More Pumpkin Recipes
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
- Soft Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Pumpkin Cake Cookies
- Twisted Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
- Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
- 20 Minute Pumpkin Ravioli
- Pumpkin French Toast
The Best Pumpkin Muffins
12 muffins
10 minutes
20 minutes
30 minutes
Soft and tender pumpkin muffins spiced with pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon—quick, easy, and perfect for fall baking.
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp neutral flavored oil (82 grams)
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup cane sugar (or white sugar)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Whisk together oil, brown sugar, cane sugar, vanilla, eggs, buttermilk, and pumpkin puree until smooth.
- In another bowl, sift or whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Line a muffin tin with liners and add 3–4 tablespoons of batter to each cup.
- Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350°F and bake another 11–13 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from oven, cool slightly, and serve.
Notes
- Use a neutral oil such as canola or sunflower for best flavor.
- Measure liquids with a liquid measuring cup; measure pumpkin puree with dry measuring cups.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 229
Total Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 7g
Cholesterol: 31mg
Sodium: 274mg
Carbohydrates: 35g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 16g
Protein: 4g
Nutrition figures are estimates from online calculators.