Welcome to my favorite pumpkin muffin recipe. These muffins are my go-to healthy comfort foods that can be enjoyed at breakfast, as a lunch or dinner dessert, or simply as an afternoon snack.
One of my favorite vegetables to cook in the fall is pumpkin. Beyond its warm orange color and delicious taste pumpkin has many health benefits.
If your looking for an easy way to make pumpkin muffins, look no further. I have also tried to keep this recipe as healthy as possible without compromising on taste and comfort.
This great pumpkin muffin recipe will require minimum kitchen tools and ingredients. It should take no longer than one hour from start to finish.
The Ingredients You Will Need
- 1 cup of all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup of brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 2 eggs (preferably at room temperature)
- 1 cup of pureed pumpkin (puree from scratch or use canned pumpkin)
- 1/2 cup of coconut oil (melted)
Easy Pumpkin Muffins Recipe
Step 1
- Preheat your oven at 375° F (190° C)
- Place 12 paper muffin liners into each well of a standard size muffin baking pan
Step 2
- If you are making homemade pumpkin puree (my preferred option), then follow our guide on how to make homemade pumpkin puree.
- If you are in a hurry, then you can use canned pumpkin puree
Step 3 – mix dry ingredients
- Put the flour in a large bowl
- Mix in the pumpkin spice (ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves), as well as the salt, vanilla extract, brown sugar and baking soda
Step 4 – mix wet ingredients
- Add the pumpkin purée and eggs to the bowl and mix it all in with a large spoon or spatula –
- Finally, add the melted coconut oil and continue mixing, make sure that all ingredients are well mixed into the flour mixture and you have gotten rid of all major lumps – do not overmix
Step 5
- Evenly dive the batter into each well of the muffin baking tin – you can use an ice cream scoop or 1/3 cup
- Put the muffin pan into the oven and bake for 20 – 25 minutes – best way to check if they are done is to put a toothpick in the middle of the muffin. If the toothpick comes out clean, your muffins are ready
Step 6
- Place your pumpkin muffins on a cooling rack and let them cool for a few minutes – these muffins usually taste even better after being left to cool for a couple of hours at room temperature.
Filling and Dressing Ideas For Pumpkin Muffins
Pumpkin Muffin Cream Cheese Filling
Adding a cream cheese filling to your pumpkin muffins is sure to make them even more delicious. They can be eaten warm, cold or at room temperature.
To make the pumpkin muffin with cream cheese filling, follow the regular pumpkin muffin recipe, put a generous lump of the cream cheese mixture in the middle of the batter – if you put the cream cheese closer to the top, a little cream cheese will poke through the top of your muffin.
Pumpkin Muffin Streusel Topping
This basic streusel topping can be used to top any number of baked goods such as pies, cakes, muffins and sweet bread. This crumbly texture creates a unique taste that will elevate your pumpkin muffin recipes into something extraordinary!
You can elevate this topping to the next level by adding a cream cheese icing drizzle on top of your pumpkin muffin before serving.
Ingredients for the Streusel toping
- 1 cup of all purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons of melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup of maple syrup (or brown granulated sugar)
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
When making the streusel topping, combine the brown sugar, coconut oil with cinnamon, brown sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Use your hands or mix together until it resembles rough crumbs; divide evenly among muffin cups to top off each cake cupcake before baking as desired.
Ingredients for the cream cheese frosting
- 3/4 cup of powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons of milk
- 2 ounces of cream cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Pumpkin Muffin Add-Ins
This flavorsome pumpkin muffin recipe makes a great base for add-ins such as chocolate chips, dried fruits or nuts. Here are some add-in ideas to include in your pumpkin muffins:
Coconut flakes: coconut flakes will add a nice crossover of tropical and autumnal flavors. Simply fold 1/2 cup of shredded coconut flakes into the pumpkin muffin batter.
Dark chocolate chips: a warm pumpkin muffin with melted chocolate chips is divine! Add in 2 cups of mini chocolate chips to your pumpkin mixture.
Pecans or Walnuts: pecans or walnuts will add a nice bit of subtle crunchiness to your pillowy pumpkin muffins. They can also be combined with chocolate chips if you like. Add 3/4 cup of chopped walnuts or chopped pecans into your batter.
Dried fruits: mixed into your batter, dried fruits like cranberries, raisins, cherries or apples will add a nice touch of extra sweetness to your pumpkin muffins. 1/3 cup of your preferred dried fruits will do the trick.
FAQ
How to make homemade pumpkin purée?
All good cooks prefer to use fresh ingredients. Making fresh pumpkin puree is a sure way to get the best texture and pumpkin flavor. All that’s needed are some ripe pumpkins, an oven, and about 60 minutes from start to finish.
You can make your puree in advance, it will normally keep for one week in the fridge and for several months in the freezer.
You want to use the smaller pumpkins rather than the bigger ones – as they will provide the best flavor. This is especially relevant when using the purée to make pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pie filling or pumpkin bread.
To make pumpkin puree follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Cut your fresh pumpkin in half
Step 2: Scoop out the seeds and most of the stringy bits
Step 3: Place cut-side down on a baking tray and put in a preheated oven at 400° F (200° C)
Step 4: Cook between 45 – 60 mins. You will know when it is done when you can easily push a knife through it
Step 5: Let the baked pumpkin cool until you can safely handle it, and pull away the skin
Step 6: Either put the flesh into a food processor and blend if you are looking for a smooth puree or mash it up with a wooden spoon if you want a coarser feel
Your purée now ready for adding to your pumpkin pie or muffin recipe. You can freeze the leftover pumpkin purée for another recipe.
How to Store Your Pumpkin Muffins?
If not stored properly, your baked muffins can quickly become soggy or worse, moldy. Here is the best way to store your muffins to keep them moist and delicious for as long as possible:
Step 1: let the muffins cool completely on a wire rack. If you store your muffins when they are still warm this will create condensation in the storage container, which will clearly make them soggy in no time.
Step 2: line the bottom of your air-tight storage container with a paper towel. The paper towel will act as a sponge and absorb the excess moisture that emits from muffins as they age, and will prevent the moisture from going back into the muffins.
Step 3: Place the muffins in the muffin tin and cover them with another paper towel. This is important, as you want to absorb moisture from both ends of the muffins.
Step 4: cover and store at room temperature. If you store the muffins in the fridge, this will alter their flavor.
Stored in this way, your muffins will last 2 to 4 days.
Can Pumpkin Muffins Be Frozen?
Yes, you can freeze pumpkin muffins. Although, make sure you choose the right type of muffins. A simple variety will freeze better than an extra toppings-laden one because they will lose their shape when frozen. The best way to freeze muffins are:
Step 1: Let your muffins cool down to room temperature.
Step 2: Once cool, place each muffin on a dish or backing sheet, and put them in the freezer for approximately 30 minutes until they are frozen.
Step 3: once frozen, wrap each muffin in foil, place it in a zip lock back, and put it back into the freezer.
Stored in this way, your muffins should last up to 2-3 months.
How To Reheat Muffins?
Take the muffins out of the freezer, carefully unwrap them, and let them thaw to room temperature. If you want to serve them warm, place the unwrapped muffin in the microwave for 30 – 40 seconds on high or in the oven at 400° F (200° C) for 10 12 minutes.
