This pumpkin muffins recipe makes the best pumpkin muffins you'll ever make! They're fluffy and soft, moist and tender, and best of all - so easy to make. Don't worry about heading to the bakery or using box mix, make these muffins from scratch and you'll never want to make any other recipe again!
For more pumpkin recipes, try these pumpkin popovers and homemade pumpkin pie!
Nothing welcomes the Fall season like pumpkin right? For me, every year I know the seasons are about to change when Starbucks brings back their pumpkin spice latte. At that point, I'm ready to satisfy my pumpkin spice craving and welcome pumpkin season.
Especially this easy pumpkin muffin recipe. It's my favorite recipe and is the perfect way to enjoy all of the comforts of Autumn.
I made these last summer on a whim because I genuinely love pumpkin and eat it year round. My sister was visiting and she shares the same affinity for pumpkin as I do.
So, I mixed up a batch of these pumpkin muffins and at first bite - we both looked at each other and said "dang, these are GOOD".
An experiment turned into full fledged great recipe that makes the most delicious muffin. The cinnamon, pumpkin, nutmeg, and allspice, and ginger (and my secret spice that I love adding to pumpkin recipes - cardamom!) all come together and make these muffins so delicious.
TIP: I have my own homemade pumpkin pie spice recipe that I keep on hand so I don't have to measure out each spice every time I make these. Just use 2 tbsp for this pumpkin muffin recipe and you're good!
Ingredients
This is a super easy recipe! See below for a list of simple ingredients.
- All-Purpose Flour: the binding agent, it keeps it all together!
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder: the leaveners that make these muffins fluffy and light.
- Spices: Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ground Ginger, Cardamom, Allspice, Cloves - bring on that Fall flavor. Warm spices are the best! (feel free to use your own pumpkin spice blend)
- Kosher Salt
- Brown Sugar and Sugar: for sweetness and moisture.
- Sour Cream and Vegetable Oil: for a little bit of fat to carry the flavor of the muffin. Sour cream also interacts with baking soda to create lift in the muffin. If you don't have vegetable oil, you can use canola oil or coconut oil. I do not recommend using melted butter.
- Can of Pumpkin Puree : what's pumpkin muffins without the pureed pumpkin? I use Libby's pumpkin puree.
- Vanilla Extract: because vanilla extract is a must
- Whole Eggs: for moisture, binding, and structure.
How to Make Pumpkin Muffins
Mix together dry ingredients
Start by mixing together all of the dry ingredients - combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cardamom in a large bowl. Whisk everything together and set aside.
Mix together wet ingredients
In a separate medium bowl, combine brown sugar, sugar, sour cream, vanilla extract, and vegetable oil. Whisk together then add the eggs and whisk until well combined, smooth, and airy.
Lastly, add canned pumpkin puree and mix until smooth.
Combine the two!
Combine the flour mixture and wet ingredients and mix until just combined to make the muffin batter. Line a muffin pan with cupcake/muffin liners and pour batter into every other muffin cups. (this ensures that each muffin can rise properly in the oven)
Fill each muffin cup to the very top! (You'll need two muffin pans for this recipe) Place in the preheated oven and bake for 5 minutes at 425 degrees F, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 16-18 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow them to cool on a wire rack or plate or eat immediately.
A quick video on how to make pumpkin muffins
Additional toppings/add ins:
Customize these muffins and make them your own by adding:
- dark chocolate chips
- white chocolate chips
- cranberries
- a streusel on top
- pecans or walnuts
- or fill them with cream cheese
- add a maple glaze
- top with a brown sugar streusel
Tips for making pumpkin muffins
- Do not use pumpkin pie filling, only pumpkin puree!
- Warm these pumpkin muffins and add a little bit of butter - it's delightful!
- When preparing, make sure to measure your flour correctly! It's crucial and will yield the best results for a light and fluffy muffin.
- Fill every other muffin tin when preparing these muffins to get a perfectly dome shaped muffin!
- Don't overmix the batter. Mix until wet and dry ingredients are just combined.
What to serve with pumpkin muffins
Good news! You can enjoy these delicious pumpkin muffins with anything. They're a great side dish for breakfast, an excellent snack, and a great way to enjoy your morning coffee. Enjoy these pumpkin spice muffins alongside quiche, with apple cider mimosas, with my homemade apple butter, or a frittata.
I also love cutting the tops of the muffins off and toasting slightly with a little butter melted on top. It's perfection! Sometimes I smear a little bit of nut butter on top and it's delish!
FAQs
Yes, you can! Here's an article on how to make your own pumpkin puree. I used canned but you can substitute your own pumpkin puree, just note you only need 1 ½ cups or 15 ounces of pumpkin puree.
To clarify, you do NOT need to use pumpkin pie filling, just pumpkin pie puree.
Absolutely! Because these are so moist and so fluffy, they'd make phenomenal cupcakes. The only change you'd make is to only fill each cupcake liner ¾ full instead of to the top as instructed for this recipe.
If you're making these into cupcakes, enjoy with cream cheese frosting, cinnamon cream cheese frosting, or even add some pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice and make pumpkin buttercream!
Yes! You can freeze these pumpkin muffins and have them still taste fresh for up to 3 months. Simply wrap securely with foil or freezer wrapping paper and place in a ziploc bag/freezer bag.
When you're ready to defrost, allow them to sit at room temperature or place in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
More Muffin Recipes!
- Bakery Style Blueberry Muffins
- Gingerbread Muffins
- Zucchini Pumpkin Muffins
- Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Corn Muffins with Cinnamon Maple Butter
- Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping
- Chocolate Chip Banana Oatmeal Muffins
- Cinnamon Swirl Muffins with Pecans
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Pumpkin Muffins
Equipment
- 2 muffin pans
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ginger
- ½ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp cardamom
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup sour cream room temperature
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 15 oz pumpkin puree
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cardamom. Whisk together and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together brown sugar, sugar, vegetable oil, and sour cream. Whisk until smooth, then add eggs and vanilla extract, and canned pumpkin puree. Continue to whisk together until smooth and all ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and whisk until just combined and there are no patches of flour, about 20 seconds. Do not overmix.
- Line two muffin pans with muffin/cupcake liners in every other muffin cup. Pour batter to the top of each lined muffin cup (about ¼ cup of batter). Bake one pan at a time for 5 minutes at 425 degrees. Then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and baking for 16-18, until a toothpick comes out clean. (You can bake both pans at the same time, however, increase the bake time at 350 degrees to 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean)
What is the measurement for the white sugar?
I’m not sure what you mean by 1.2? I want to make these today!
This is a question, can I use extra virgin olive oil instead of vegetable oil? Going to make these for a christening this weekend.
You absolutely can! I just recommend using a very lightly flavored olive oil so that the olive taste doesn't interfere with the pumpkin/spice flavors.
So I'm one of those people who eats pumpkin goods year round and had to give these a try even though it's July and super hot where I live right now. These pumpkin muffins are totally worth turning on the oven for--so tender!
Thank you for another delicious muffin recipe. Your muffin recipes are always great - moist, flavorful and easy to make.
These were super fluffy, bouncily moist and I loved each bite! The prep was stress free, they bakes super quick and gave the most delightful muffins ever!!!
This classic recipe is banger! It's fluffy and soft, moist and tender and simply delishhhh! While I'm enjoying them now, I can't wait to make them again when the temperature start to dip as well!! Just so good!!
I'm always searching for baking projects for me and my daughter. These pumpkin muffins were perfect and the perfect amount of fluff. Will definitely be making these again!
I'm so happy that you enjoyed them, thank you!
I've always loved Pumpkin Muffins but this was my first attempt at baking them. I think the sour cream gives them an extra richness that my whole family enjoyed.
I'm so happy that your family enjoyed this recipe!
I loved these pumpkin muffins. They baked up perfectly and were light and fluffy on the inside. I'll definitely be making these more often, especially during the fall season.
Music to my ears, thank you! We will definitely be making these all Fall long too!
My pumpkin muffins turned out so fluffy and delicious! Thanks for the wonderful and detailed recipe.