Pumpkin Muffins

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Sink your teeth into the ultimate fall treat: pumpkin muffins topped with a can’t-resist pecan streusel!

Pumpkin muffins on a wire rack.

Of all the baking recipes I’ve shared over the years, my grandmother’s pumpkin bread remains the most popular. First published in the 1963 edition of McCall’s Cook Book, this recipe has truly withstood the test of time. Like most sweet quick breads, it’s easily transformed into muffins. In this pumpkin muffin recipe, I use nearly the same batter—which, by the way, is so delicious that there are always negotiations over who gets to lick the bowl and beaters! I then spoon it into a muffin tin and crown each with a cinnamon-spiced pecan streusel for an irresistible crunch. Even my kids, who claim I “ruin everything with nuts,” love the topping.

“These are the best muffins I have ever made! Thank you so much for this recipe. We host a family reunion every October and these will be on the breakfast menu!”

Kerri

What You’ll Need To Make Pumpkin Muffins

Muffin ingredients including eggs, canned pumpkin, and baking soda.
  • ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR: Provides structure and texture to the batter and forms the base of the streusel. Measure by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off to ensure accuracy.
  • BUTTER: Used in the batter for richness and flavor. Additionally, it binds the streusel ingredients together, helping create a crumbly texture.
  • DEMERARA SUGAR: Adds sweetness and a subtle caramel flavor to the streusel topping. Also called turbinado or raw cane sugar.
  • CHOPPED PECANS: Provide crunch and nuttiness, enhancing the texture and flavor of the streusel.
  • BAKING POWDER AND BAKING SODA: Act as leavening agents helping the muffins rise.
  • CLOVES, CINNAMON AND NUTMEG: These pumpkin pie spices add warm flavor notes characteristic of pumpkin treats.
  • GRANULATED SUGAR: Adds sweetness and contributes to a moist texture.
  • EGGS: Add richness and help bind the muffin ingredients together.
  • CANNED PUMPKIN PURÉE: Provides moisture and pumpkin flavor. Make sure to purchase 100% pure pumpkin — not pumpkin pie filling.
  • Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

Step-By-Step Instructions

Begin with the streusel topping: Combine the flour, butter, demerara sugar, chopped pecans and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Small bowl of streusel topping ingredients.

The mixture will be quite wet. Set aside. (Note: If you want to plan ahead a bit, the streusel topping can be made up three days ahead of time and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready for use.)

Spatula mixing streusel topping.

Move on to the muffins: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Whisk well and set aside.

Whisk in a mixing bowl of dry ingredients.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar at low speed until just blended.

Electric mixer with a bowl of beaten butter and sugar.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Eggs in a bowl with beaten butter and sugar.

Continue beating at medium speed until very light and fluffy, a few minutes.

Electric mixer in a bowl with a yellow mixture.

Add the pumpkin.

Pumpkin in a bowl with a yellow egg, butter, and sugar mixture.

Beat until combined, scraping down the sides of bowl as necessary.

Orange mixture in a bowl with an electric mixer.

Add the flour mixture.

Pile of dry ingredients in a bowl with an orange mixture.

Mix on low speed until just combined.

Electric mixer in a bowl with pumpkin muffin batter.

Using an ice cream scoop or two spoons, transfer the batter to the prepared muffin pan, filling each cup full.

Muffin pan full of pumpkin muffin batter.

Using your fingers, divide the topping evenly over the muffin batter.

Muffin tray of pumpkin muffin batter topped with streusel topping.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.

Pumpkin muffins in a muffin pan.

Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool completely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?

Definitely! If canned pumpkin isn’t available where you live, or you’d just prefer to use fresh, that’s not a problem.  For baking, the most flavorful pumpkins are smaller than those typically associated with Jack-O-Lanterns.  They’re usually in the 4 to 8-pound range and are referred to as sugar, cooking, or pie pumpkins.  This detailed piece from King Arthur Flour provides guidance on how to convert a whole pumpkin into purée that can be used in any of my pumpkin baked goods, pumpkin butter, or pumpkin soup.

We have a nut allergy in our house. What can I use in place of the pecans?

You can just omit the pecans. The streusel will still be delicious.

Can I freeze the muffins?

Yes, the muffins can be frozen in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag for up to 3 months. Thaw for 3 to 4 hours on the countertop before serving. To reheat, wrap individual muffins in aluminum foil and place in a preheated 350°F oven until warm.

Can I omit the streusel topping?

Yep, if you’re craving a plain muffin, simply omit the topping and add an extra ¼ cup of sugar to the batter.

Video Tutorial

Wire rack of pumpkin muffins.

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Print

Pumpkin Muffins

Sink your teeth into the ultimate fall treat: pumpkin muffins topped with a can't-resist pecan streusel!
Servings: 12 muffins
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients 

For the Topping

  • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 5 tablespoons demerara sugar (also called raw cane sugar or turbinado)
  • ¾ cup chopped pecans
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

For the Muffins

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 15-ounce (425-g) can 100% pure pumpkin (I use Libby’s)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a standard muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Begin with the topping: Combine the flour, butter, demerara sugar, chopped pecans and cinnamon in a small bowl. The mixture will be quite wet. Set aside.
  • Move on to the muffins: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar at low speed until just blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; continue beating until very light and fluffy, a few minutes. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of bowl as necessary. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined.
  • Using an ice cream scoop or two spoons, transfer the batter to the prepared muffin pan, filling each cup completely full. Using your fingers, divide the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool completely.
  • Note: This recipe makes 12 large muffins. For smaller muffins, divide the batter into 18 muffin cups and bake for 30 minutes.
  • Freezer-Friendly Instructions:
    The muffins can be frozen in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag for up to 3 months. Thaw for 3 to 4 hours on the countertop before serving. To reheat, wrap individual muffins in aluminum foil and place in a preheated 350°F oven until warm.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1gCalories: 416kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 5gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 235mgFiber: 3gSugar: 30g

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Comments

  • Has anyone made these with brown sugar in the streusel part? TIA!

    • — Sarah on November 28, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Sarah, it’s fine to use brown sugar. Enjoy!

      • — Jenn on November 29, 2023
      • Reply
  • 5 stars
    Hi, I just made these muffins going strictly by the recipe except I didn’t have any cloves (like I thought), but based on earlier review it was heavy on spice. They are wonderful, my husband & I will definitely keep this & make again. I made the mini muffins & only baked for 15 min & the regular size muffin only baked for 25 minutes, toothpick came out clean on both when tested. Great recipe, thank you.

    • — Candy Arth on November 27, 2023
    • Reply
  • Hi Jenn,
    This was a great recipe. I had one problem. My topping tasted like a raw flour. I don’t know what was the problem. Thanks.

    • — barbara on November 26, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Barbara, was your butter melted and did you thoroughly mix the flour into the butter? Other than that, make certain that your flour was spooned and leveled rather than scooped or otherwise packed down which would result in too much flour relative to the butter.

      • — Donny on July 15, 2024
      • Reply
  • 5 stars
    Best muffins ever !! Delicious!

    • — Jane on November 26, 2023
    • Reply
  • 5 stars
    These are fantastic, and wonderful served warm with extra butter! For a twist, I made half of them without the topping and iced them with lemon icing – like a lemon pumpkin cupcake, and it’s become my new favorite dessert! Trying to ration them out…

    • — Ellie B on November 25, 2023
    • Reply
  • 5 stars
    This is the best pumpkin muffin recipe! I did decide to make mine a little more festive for the holiday, so I added pepitas and crystallized ginger. They were perfect without any changes, though. Everybody wanted to take them home today.

    • — Rob on November 23, 2023
    • Reply
  • 5 stars
    Made these exactly per the recipe and they were a HUGE hit. Will definitely make these again and again. Thank you!

    • — Diane on November 22, 2023
    • Reply
  • 5 stars
    Made them today they are fantastic will make again the crispy topping really adds to them. My new favourite recipe

    • — Joanne Carpenter on November 22, 2023
    • Reply
  • 5 stars
    Amazing recipe!! I made them the other day and my family loved them!! Best pumpkin muffins I have ever made! Delicious!!!!!!!!!!
    Thank you – DB

    • — Diana on November 21, 2023
    • Reply
  • 5 stars
    This recipe is delicious! I wonder if I could use part whole wheat flour and what ratio? Thank you!

    • — Daniela on November 21, 2023
    • Reply
    • Glad you like the muffins! I’d suggest starting by using half whole wheat and half all-purpose to make sure you like the texture. If you do like it, the next time you make this, you can up the ratio of whole wheat to white a bit more. Also, you may want to consider white whole wheat as it’s lighter and milder tasting than regular whole wheat flour (yet just as nutritious). I’d love to hear how it turns out!

      • — Jenn on November 22, 2023
      • Reply

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