Quick Pumpkin Muffins

I never thought I’d be the type of person to get excited about pumpkin season. Growing up, pumpkin meant one thing: jack-o’-lanterns that rotted on our front porch by Thanksgiving.

But then I discovered pumpkin muffins, and everything changed. These aren’t the dense, overly spiced muffins you get at coffee shops that taste more like cardboard than pumpkin. These are soft, moist, and have just enough spice to make your kitchen smell like fall without overwhelming your taste buds. Plus, they’re easy enough that even my kids can help make them without creating a complete disaster in the kitchen.

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What Kind of Pumpkin Should I Use?

For these muffins, you’ll want to stick with canned pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling, which already has spices and sugar added. Any brand of plain pumpkin puree will work great, though Libby’s is a popular choice that’s available in most grocery stores. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can absolutely make your own pumpkin puree from fresh pumpkins – just roast sugar pumpkins or pie pumpkins until tender, then scoop out the flesh and blend until smooth. Fresh puree might have a slightly different moisture content than canned, so your muffins could turn out a bit more dense, but they’ll still be delicious.

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Options for Substitutions

These pumpkin muffins are pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you’re missing an ingredient:

• All-purpose flour: You can substitute with whole wheat flour, but use about 1/4 cup less since it absorbs more liquid. White whole wheat flour works great too and gives a lighter texture than regular whole wheat.
• Pumpkin pie spice: Don’t have pumpkin pie spice? Make your own by mixing 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1/8 teaspoon allspice.
• Vegetable oil: Melted butter, canola oil, or even unsweetened applesauce work well here. If using applesauce, start with 1/3 cup and add more if the batter seems too thick.
• Canned pumpkin puree: This is one ingredient I wouldn’t swap out – it’s really what makes these pumpkin muffins! But if you’re in a pinch, you could try mashed sweet potato or butternut squash, though the flavor will be different.
• Brown sugar: You can use all granulated sugar instead, but add an extra tablespoon of milk to make up for the moisture that brown sugar provides.
• Milk: Any milk works here – almond milk, oat milk, or even buttermilk for extra tang. You could also use water in a pinch, though the muffins won’t be quite as rich.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making pumpkin muffins is overmixing the batter, which creates tough, dense muffins instead of light and fluffy ones – mix just until the ingredients are combined and you still see a few streaks of flour.

Another common error is using pumpkin pie filling instead of pure pumpkin puree, which contains added sugars and spices that will throw off your recipe’s balance and make the muffins too sweet.

Don’t skip the “spooned and leveled” flour measurement technique, as packing flour into the cup can add up to 30% more flour than needed, resulting in dry, heavy muffins.

Finally, resist the urge to open the oven door during the first 15-20 minutes of baking, as the temperature drop can cause your muffins to collapse and become dense rather than rising properly.

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What to Serve With Pumpkin Muffins?

These pumpkin muffins are perfect for breakfast with a hot cup of coffee or chai tea – the warm spices in both really complement each other nicely. I love serving them alongside scrambled eggs and crispy bacon for a hearty fall breakfast, or you can keep it simple with just some butter and a drizzle of honey. They also make a great afternoon snack with a glass of cold milk, and if you’re feeling fancy, try them with a dollop of cream cheese or even some maple butter. For a cozy evening treat, warm them up slightly and serve with vanilla ice cream for an easy dessert.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These pumpkin muffins stay moist and delicious when stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. I like to line the container with paper towels to absorb any extra moisture. They’re perfect for grabbing on busy mornings or packing in lunch boxes!

Freeze: Pumpkin muffins freeze really well for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely, then wrap each one individually in plastic wrap or store them in a freezer bag. This way you can pull out just one or two whenever you want a quick breakfast or snack.

Thaw: To enjoy frozen muffins, just leave them on the counter for about an hour to thaw completely. If you’re in a hurry, pop one in the microwave for 20-30 seconds on medium power. They taste almost as good as fresh-baked!

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1900-2100
• Protein: 22-27 g
• Fat: 70-80 g
• Carbohydrates: 305-330 g

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree (340g, not pumpkin pie filling)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil (120ml)
• 1/4 cup milk, dairy or nondairy (60ml)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
• 1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar (100g)
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (219g, spooned and leveled)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt

Step 1: Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Muffin Pan

Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C) so it’s hot and ready when your muffin batter is mixed.

Meanwhile, prepare a 12-count muffin pan by spraying it with nonstick spray or lining it with cupcake liners.

This makes sure your muffins will release easily after baking.

I like to use paper liners for easy cleanup, but spraying works just as well.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (219g, spooned and leveled)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, ground ginger, and salt until all the spices and leaveners are evenly distributed.

This will help ensure your muffins have a consistent flavor and texture.

Step 3: Mix the Wet Ingredients

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil (120ml)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
• 1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar (100g)
• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree (340g, not pumpkin pie filling)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup milk, dairy or nondairy (60ml)

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil or melted coconut oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, canned pumpkin puree, eggs, and milk.

Stir until everything is fully blended into a smooth mixture.

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

• wet ingredients mixture from Step 3
• dry ingredients mixture from Step 2

Pour the wet ingredients from Step 3 into the bowl with the dry ingredients from Step 2.

Using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the mixtures together until no dry flour remains and the batter is just combined—be careful not to overmix.

I like to stop just as soon as I don’t see any pockets of dry flour so the muffins stay tender.

Step 5: Fill Muffin Pan and Bake

• batter from Step 4

Spoon the combined batter from Step 4 into the prepared muffin tin, filling the cups all the way to the top.

Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F (218°C), then, without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F (177°C) and continue baking for another 16–17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

This two-stage baking helps give the muffins a nice rise and dome on top.

Step 6: Cool and Store the Muffins

Remove the baked muffins from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before lifting them out.

Once slightly cooled, enjoy warm or cool completely on a wire rack.

To keep them fresh, cover tightly and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.

I like to warm them up for a few seconds in the microwave before eating—they taste freshly baked!

Quick Pumpkin Muffins

Delicious Quick Pumpkin Muffins recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 13 minutes mins

Cook Time 26 minutes mins

Total Time 39 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 2000 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree (340g, not pumpkin pie filling)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil (120ml)
• 1/4 cup milk, dairy or nondairy (60ml)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
• 1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar (100g)
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (219g, spooned and leveled)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C) so it's hot and ready when your muffin batter is mixed. Meanwhile, prepare a 12-count muffin pan by spraying it with nonstick spray or lining it with cupcake liners. This makes sure your muffins will release easily after baking. I like to use paper liners for easy cleanup, but spraying works just as well.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, ground ginger, and salt until all the spices and leaveners are evenly distributed. This will help ensure your muffins have a consistent flavor and texture.
• In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil or melted coconut oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, canned pumpkin puree, eggs, and milk. Stir until everything is fully blended into a smooth mixture.
• Pour the wet ingredients from Step 3 into the bowl with the dry ingredients from Step 2. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the mixtures together until no dry flour remains and the batter is just combined—be careful not to overmix. I like to stop just as soon as I don’t see any pockets of dry flour so the muffins stay tender.
• Spoon the combined batter from Step 4 into the prepared muffin tin, filling the cups all the way to the top. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F (218°C), then, without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F (177°C) and continue baking for another 16–17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. This two-stage baking helps give the muffins a nice rise and dome on top.
• Remove the baked muffins from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before lifting them out. Once slightly cooled, enjoy warm or cool completely on a wire rack. To keep them fresh, cover tightly and store at room temperature for up to 1 week. I like to warm them up for a few seconds in the microwave before eating—they taste freshly baked!