The Best Pumpkin Muffins Recipe for Breakfast | Foodal (2024)

I know it would be easy to think things are all happiness and cookies around here all the time. But just between you and me, I have a hard time with this time of year, when the days being to darken an hour before I leave work, and we gear up for the long (snowy! icy! bitter cold!) winter ahead.

There are those who would say, fairly maybe, that if you declare autumn your favorite set of months, you have to take it with all its flaws, as well as its gorgeous colors and crisp breezes, caramel apples and cider doughnuts, colorful gourds and adorable pumpkins.

The Best Pumpkin Muffins Recipe for Breakfast | Foodal (1)

That you can’t be a fickle lover, using the season for what it gives you and wishing it away when the good things end.

When I walk to my car at the end of every workday in pitch-black darkness, when the weather reports threaten snow, when I eat dinner and then want nothing more than to curl up on the sofa immediately with a soft blanket, I tell myself these are the small sacrifices.

The Best Pumpkin Muffins Recipe for Breakfast | Foodal (2)

That, in exchange for dense golden forests and carved jack-o’-lanterns, I have to give up a little daylight, a little warmth. That, because fall is so wonderful, winter has to follow. It’s just the way of things.

You can’t have everything you want or you’d be terribly spoiled, right? You can’t have the beauty of fall year-round or you’d forget to appreciate it, yes?

The Best Pumpkin Muffins Recipe for Breakfast | Foodal (3)

I want to be mature about all this. I am trying, all right? I’ve been trying to find things that I actually like about these darker days – sunny mornings, for example, or the fact that I usually wake up before my alarm.

This almost-winter thing isn’t so bad. Plus, there is Thanksgiving on the horizon, and after that, Christmas.

The Best Pumpkin Muffins Recipe for Breakfast | Foodal (4)

Meanwhile, I could use a hug, if not a plane ticket to someplace lovely and warm where I can wait out the next few months. Of course, I’d also settle quite happily for a bite of something delicious… Maybe something made with pumpkin, as another reminder of fall’s virtues?

On the hunt for the perfect pumpkin recipe, I baked these muffins last night.

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They’re not overpoweringly sweet, with a super moist center and flecks of cinnamon and sugar on top. This might not cure my seasonal woes, but they’re a step in the right direction. A good reminder that there are plenty of things to be enjoyed.

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The Best Pumpkin Muffins Recipe for Breakfast | Foodal (6)

The Best Pumpkin Muffins

★★★★★4.3 from 4 reviews
  • Author: Meghan Bassett
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 18 muffins 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Wake up to the scent of fall with an incredible batch of pumpkin muffins. With sugar and spice, these baked goodies bring a burst of flavor.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 15 oz can of pure pumpkin, or homemade puree
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups plus 1 Tbsp sugar, divided
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Place oven rack in middle position and preheat to 350°F. Put liners in 18 cups of two 12-cup muffin pans.
  2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fit with the paddle attachment, mix together pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, and 1 1/4 cups of sugar on the lowest speed.
  4. Add the flour mixture and continue to mix until just combined, always with machine on its lowest setting.
  5. Stir together the cinnamon and remaining tablespoon of sugar in a small bowl.
  6. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling them 2/3 of the way full. Sprinkle the tops of each with cinnamon sugar.
  7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. A toothpick should come out clean when inserted in the middle.
  8. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then transfer muffins to a wire rack and cool completely before storing.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Category: Muffins
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Breakfast

Keywords: pumpkin, pumpkin muffins, fall, autumn, breakfast

Cooking By the Numbers…

Step 1 – Measure Ingredients and Prepare Pan

Measure all of the ingredients and place them on your counter in the order they are listed in the ingredients list. This will make it much easier to pull the recipe together.

Out of oil? You can bake anyway with these creative substitutions! And if you need to make this recipe egg-free, there’s a solution for that as well.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Put liners in muffin cups of one 12-cup muffin pan, and line half of the cups of another pan, for 18 total.

Step 2 – Combine Dry Ingredients

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In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.

The Best Pumpkin Muffins Recipe for Breakfast | Foodal (8)

Whisk until combined. Set aside.

Step 3 – Make Batter

The Best Pumpkin Muffins Recipe for Breakfast | Foodal (9)

Fit an electric stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, and 1 1/4 cups sugar to the bowl of the mixer.

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Stir the wet ingredients together on the lowest setting until combined.

The Best Pumpkin Muffins Recipe for Breakfast | Foodal (11)

Add the flour mixture and continue stirring at the lowest speed, until the batter is combined.

Missing the crunch and taste of nuts in the batter? You might want to consider making our pumpkin nut muffins instead!

Step 4 – Make Cinnamon Topping

The Best Pumpkin Muffins Recipe for Breakfast | Foodal (12)

In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and remaining tablespoon of sugar.

The Best Pumpkin Muffins Recipe for Breakfast | Foodal (13)

Whisk to combine. Set aside.

Step 5 – Bake

Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling each of them about 2/3 of the way full.

The Best Pumpkin Muffins Recipe for Breakfast | Foodal (14)

Sprinkle the tops evenly with cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. When you insert a toothpick in the center, it should come out clean.

The Best Pumpkin Muffins Recipe for Breakfast | Foodal (15)

Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan to cool directly on the rack. Cool completely before storing the muffins.

Serve warm.

Pumpkin Pie, In a Muffin

If you love pumpkin pie, you are going to fall in love with these muffins. I think one of these tastes just like biting into that piece of pie at the end of Thanksgiving dinner.

It’s soft and supple, with a slight added crunch of sweetness from the cinnamon sugar crust on top.

The Best Pumpkin Muffins Recipe for Breakfast | Foodal (16)

Trust me when I say that these are showstopping. You are going to feel like you’re eating dessert for breakfast. In my book, that’s always a win. Wouldn’t you agree?

If you need more muffin recipes, we got ’em! Check out some of our recipes:

  • Gluten-Free Honey Lemon
  • Classic Blueberry
  • Vegan Pear Hazelnut
  • Cinnamon Raisin Swirl

What’s your favorite way to enjoy pumpkin during the fall season? Tell us in the comments below, and be sure to give this recipe a five-star rating if you loved it!

Photos by Meghan Yager, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published on November 7, 2008. Last updated: October 6, 2021 at 11:22 am. With additional writing and editing by Meghan Yager and Allison Sidhu.

Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.

The Best Pumpkin Muffins Recipe for Breakfast | Foodal (17)

About Shanna Mallon

Shanna Mallon is a freelance writer who holds an MA in writing from DePaul University. Her work has been featured in a variety of media outlets, including The Kitchn, Better Homes & Gardens, Taste of Home, Houzz.com, Foodista, Entrepreneur, and Ragan PR. In 2014, she co-authored The Einkorn Cookbook with her husband, Tim. Today, you can find her digging into food topics and celebrating the everyday grace of eating on her blog, Go Eat Your Bread with Joy. Shanna lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with Tim and their two small kids.

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The Best Pumpkin Muffins Recipe for Breakfast | Foodal (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to moist muffins? ›

How to Make Homemade Muffins Moist: Our Top Tips
  1. Tips to Make Homemade Muffins Moist.
  2. Keep Wet and Dry Ingredients Separately.
  3. Add All Flavorings Last.
  4. Consider Paper Liners.
  5. Don't Overfill the Muffin Cups.
  6. Check the Temperature of Your Oven.
  7. Test if Muffins Are Fully Cooked.
  8. Top Your Muffins with Flavor.
Aug 9, 2021

Why are my pumpkin muffins so dense? ›

If your pumpkin muffins are overly dense, there may be a couple reasons why: Over-mixed batter. Be sure to mix the wet and dry ingredients together only until just combined. Mixing the batter too much can result in extra gluten development which can make the muffins dense or even gummy.

How to make muffins moist after baking? ›

Use a steamer. Steaming is a great way to add moisture to past-their-prime muffins. And according to a TikTok user, you should also be steaming your muffins when you bake them since the hot air and steam allow more time for the centers to rise, resulting in tender and airy muffins.

Can I use applesauce instead of pumpkin puree? ›

If the pumpkin in your recipe takes the place of fat, rather than serving as flavor, try replacing it with apple sauce, apple butter or yogurt. The flavor will change, but these substitutes can provide moisture, just as pumpkin does.

Are muffins better with oil or butter? ›

It is possible to replace oil with butter in a muffin recipe as generally most muffin recipes are quite forgiving and you may find that butter gives a better flavour.

How do you make muffins rise bigger? ›

For an extra boost in rise, you can start baking the muffins at a slightly higher temperature (e.g., 425°F / 220°C) for the first 5 minutes, then reduce it to the recipe-specified temperature. This initial high heat can create a burst of steam and rapid expansion.

How to get high domed muffins? ›

According to O. Corriher, the way to get a perfectly puffed up dome on your muffins is to increase your oven heat. She says that 400° should do it, no matter what the recipe says. The higher baking temperature means that the the outside edges of the muffin will set while the middle is still liquidy.

What makes a good muffin? ›

10 tips for perfect muffins
  1. Mix wet and dry separately. To prevent the mix from being overworked, first mix the wet ingredients together in one bowl and mix the dry ingredients in another. ...
  2. Don't over stir. ...
  3. Add your flavours last. ...
  4. Line the pan. ...
  5. Use an ice cream scoop. ...
  6. Don't overfill. ...
  7. Add a flavourful sprinkle. ...
  8. Fill up the pan.

What to add to muffin mix to make it moist? ›

Milk: I like to use buttermilk or whole milk in this recipe because either add wonderful moisture and flavor. You can use any milk, dairy or nondairy, but the lower fat milk you use, the less flavorful and moist your muffins will taste.

How do you make muffins taste better? ›

Makers love to use these 5 ways to experiment with muffin mixes to make something extra special.
  1. Add Fresh or Frozen Fruit to the Batter. ...
  2. Add a Cream Cheese Filling. ...
  3. Add Nuts to the Batter. ...
  4. Add a Sweet Topping. ...
  5. Make Something Completely Different.

How to stop muffins from being dry? ›

Don't overmix: Overmixing the batter can result in tough and dry muffins. Mix the batter until the dry ingredients are just incorporated. Use the right temperature: Preheat your oven to the correct temperature and bake the muffins in the center of the oven.

What happens if you use pumpkin pie mix instead of pumpkin puree? ›

Pumpkin pie mix can be used as a substitute for pure canned pumpkin in some recipes. However, since it is already sweetened and flavored, you'll need to make some adjustments. In most dessert recipes, leave out the pumpkin pie spice and cut down on the sugar since the pumpkin pie mix includes it.

Is canned pumpkin just pumpkin puree? ›

First and foremost: what is pumpkin puree? Canned pumpkin and pumpkin puree are the same thing. These terms are often used interchangeably in recipes, though you may also see the term solid-pack pumpkin. All these terms mean 100% steamed and pureed pumpkin—no extras, no add-ins—not even in the canned variety.

What's the difference between canned pumpkin and pumpkin puree? ›

There isn't much of a difference between canned pumpkin and fresh pumpkin puree, and looking at the list of ingredients on the back of the can will tell you that. It will probably just say pureed pumpkin or steamed pumpkin puree.

What oil is best for moist muffins? ›

Choosing vegetable oil is the best option for baking moist, delicious baked goods. Canola oil, the most common vegetable oil used in baking, doesn't add a strong flavor. It allows your cake's flavor will shine through while still achieving a moist texture.

How to get domed muffins? ›

According to O. Corriher, the way to get a perfectly puffed up dome on your muffins is to increase your oven heat. She says that 400° should do it, no matter what the recipe says. The higher baking temperature means that the the outside edges of the muffin will set while the middle is still liquidy.

Why are Bakery muffins so much better? ›

The best bakery-style crumb muffins start with cake flour

Cake flour is more finely ground and has less protein, which leaves the muffins with a fine, light crumb and soft texture. Using cake flour is an easy way to avoid heavy, dense muffins even if you end up stirring just a bit too much. What is this?

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