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

  • 5 stars
    These pumpkin muffins are delicious!
    They were easy to make following your instructions! My daughter and I will be making these muffins for years to come!

    • — Kenya on September 2, 2024
    • Reply
  • 5 stars
    Best pumpkin muffin recipe ever! They have turned into my husband’s favourite muffins and he doesn’t really care for pumpkin as a rule. For any gluten-free muffin lovers out there, I have also made the recipe using one-to-one GF flour and they were excellent. Just remember to increase the baking powder/soda by 25% when converting to GF.
    Cheers!

    • — LAUREN on April 16, 2024
    • Reply
  • 5 stars
    Loved these just as they are. Wondering if anyone has tried to use a gluten free flour?

    • — Kathy on March 27, 2024
    • Reply
    • Hi Kathy, so glad you liked them! There are a number of readers who’ve commented that they’ve used gluten-free flour successfully. 😊

      • — Jenn on March 28, 2024
      • Reply
  • 5 stars
    These were pretty tasty. I skipped the toppings as I didn’t have pecans on hand. But will definitely try making again.

    • — Asli Dahir on February 15, 2024
    • Reply
  • 5 stars
    My grandchildren love♥️ these muffins It’s the second time we’ve made them.My 10year old grandson and I made them together last night!! Thank you Grammy Kim

    • — Kim Fauver on January 24, 2024
    • Reply
  • I had a recipe similar it called for a cream cheese filling put some batter down first then a filling then cover rest with batter so I have stuff muffins I’m assumingdiit will be fine we’ll I’ll fine out wish me luck

    • — Tina Brown on January 17, 2024
    • Reply
  • 5 stars
    As with your blueberry muffin (with almond extract), this muffin recipe is another hit! I took these to work and everyone raved about it. Thank you for sharing your recipe.

    • — Tina on December 28, 2023
    • Reply
  • 5 stars
    I tried some in a cupcake cup and some without. The ones without were much more crumbly, so next time I will use the cups. My Sister RAVED over the hot out of the oven muffin!! Said it was the BEST muffin she’d ever eaten in her LIFE! I used a fresh pie pumpkin that I processed, but I’m sure the canned would be just as good. I also experimented with adding some raisins in a few. It was REALLY good with the raisins too!! Next time, I’ll try cranberries!

    • — Jacquelyn King on December 13, 2023
    • Reply
  • 5 stars
    I added some oats to the topping just for fun. These are so pretty and tasty! Adding in to my rotation for sure.

    • — Linda on December 9, 2023
    • Reply
  • 5 stars
    Amazing recipe! We grow kabocha squash (Japanese pumpkins) and always have more than we know what to do with. I made my own pumpkin puree with the kabocha (following the King Arthur Flour link in the recipe) and it was stunning! Living in Hawai’i, we substituted the pecans for mac nuts, which worked well enough, but I think the bitterness of pecans would add a better contrast to the sweetness of the topping than mac nuts provide. This recipe needs no amendments and works perfectly!

    • — Victoria on December 7, 2023
    • Reply

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