This pumpkin muffin recipe has been my go-to recipe for years. Light and moist, perfectly domed and with a lightly crispy top, they are my idea of the perfect pumpkin muffin.
When it comes to pumpkin muffins, I'm a purist. My go-to pumpkin muffin recipe for years has been these Simply Perfect Pumpkin Muffins. They are the first thing I crave when the weather cools. Slightly warm. With butter. And a cup of tea.
So what makes this muffin simply perfect? These muffins are perfectly pumpkin and simply spiced (just a good spoonful of cinnamon). They are lovely and moist, not greasy and heavy, like pumpkin muffins can sometimes be. These mix up easily, with no butter to soften, as they use oil instead. And finally, these muffins bake up perfectly domes, so they're always pretty (and pretty counts!).
Tried, tested and reliable, this is a great recipe to enjoy at home, or since it makes a large batch, to make for bake sales or to have lots to share with friends, family and/or neighbours :)
Ingredient Notes
Here are the simple ingredients you will need for these muffins ...
White Sugar - it may seem like a lot of sugar, but remember that you are making 18-20 muffins. Be careful reducing the sugar, as sugar in baking recipes do more than sweeten. Sugar is responsible for contributing to moist crumb and extended shelf life.
Vegetable Oil - or any neutral tasting cooking oil will work here.
Pumpkin Puree - this would be canned pumpkin puree generally. Be sure not to use Pumpkin Pie Filling, which is spiced. You can certainly make your own pumpkin puree and use it here, if canned is not available.
You will also need - Eggs (4), all purpose flour, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda.
Recipe Video
FAQ
Can I use other/more spices?
Like I often say, in your kitchen, you can do what you like! I believe that sometimes less is more and these muffins are consistent with that thought, I think. Simply spiced, allowing the pumpkin flavour to shine. I would always encourage you to try the recipe as written at least once and then decide if you'd like to add more spices next time you make them :)
Can I use whole wheat flour/gluten-free flour/less sugar/applesauce instead of oil, etc.?
Possibly, but I haven't tested this recipe with all the possible alterations people might like to make. Just keep in mind that altering the ingredients will almost certainly result in a different outcome and sometimes, not in the best of ways. Whole wheat flour will result in a dense muffin. Reducing the sugar will result in less sweetness and also less moistness/shelf-life of your baked muffin etc.
I can't buy canned pumpkin here. What else can I use? Any cooked squash, sweet potato, yams etc. should work with these muffins, in equal quantity as the pumpkin.
Can I halve the recipe?
Yes you can, as I realize this recipe does make a large batch. They freeze really well, if you can't eat them all up right away. What I do though is bake the big batch and freeze some and gift some. A good pumpkin muffin in the Fall makes a great gift ;)
Do I need to use muffin liners?
No, As there is a good amount of oil in these, you can bake them without paper lines without problem. Just allow to cool in the pan a little more before removing.
Can I freeze these muffins?
Absolutely. These muffins freeze beautifully! Simply pop into a freezer bag or container to freeze. To thaw, just set on the counter for 15-20 minutes or pop in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.
Cook's Notes
- I especially love these muffins freshly baked, when they have a lovely, lightly crispy top. While the crispy top diminishes as they sit, the muffin itself is still lovely and moist and every bit as enjoyable.
- When filling the muffin cups/liners, you'll be filling them to almost the top of the liner, leaving just a bit of the liner exposed. If you divide the batter evenly between 18 muffin liners, you'll have the perfect size.
- Be sure to spray/grease the top of your muffin tin before lining and adding batter, so these large muffins release easily.
- If you like raisins in your pumpkin muffins, feel free to stir in some plumped raisins before adding the batter to the tins. To plump the raisins, simply soak in very hot water for 15 minutes, then drain and dry before adding to the batter. About a 1/2 cup of so is about right, or more, to taste.
Top Tip
Be sure to fill any empty muffin cups half full with water before putting in the oven, to ensure even baking.
Recipe
Simply Perfect Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups white granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil, or canola, sunflower or other neutral-tasting oil
- 1 3/4 cups pure pumpkin puree, not pie filling
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 2 tsp. baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F. (not convection/fan-assisted). Prepare 18 muffin cups by greasing (both the cup and the top of the tin) or lining with paper liners and lightly greasing top of tin. (These are fairly moist so paper liners are not really necessary unless you prefer.) Set prepared pans aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the eggs slightly.
- Add the white sugar, oil and pumpkin and beat thoroughly until well combined and smooth. Add the flour mixture to wet ingredients and mix until smooth and well combined.
- Divide the batter between 18 muffin cups. You'll be filling them almost to the top of the cup or liners, with just a bit of the liner showing.
- Bake at 375° F. for 22 – 25 minutes, testing with a cake tester to be sure they are cooked before removing from oven (If undercooked, they will collapse as they cool, so be sure to test. They will look done even when they’re not actually). Muffins should be very lightly browned on top and around edges when cooked. My oven is usually 25 minutes.
- Allow to cool in pans at least 5 minutes before removing from pans, as they are quite soft when hot.
- These are at their best on the day they are baked. They lose their crunchy top as they sit too long at room temperature. If you aren’t eating right away, freezing is a good option to keep the crunch.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information provided for general guidance only and should not be relied upon to make personal health decisions.
More Pumpkin Recipes You Might Like ...
Hi! I'm Jennifer, a home-cook of many years and a lifelong seeker of delicious food! I'm an equal opportunity eater. I enjoy eating all the foods!
Ashley says
These really are perfect! The crumb is absolutely divine! Thank you for sharing this! I added some ground cloves, nutmeg, salt and some vanilla extract, oh and some chopped pecans! I'm a sucker for texture and the tops of these are amazing!! Thank you!
Jennifer says
So glad to hear, Ashley :) Thanks so much!
Kim Downs says
Very nice, moist recipe! Thanks
Jennifer says
So glad you enjoyed them, Kim :) Thanks so much!
Wallene says
Love this recipe. I replaced one cup of sugar with brown sugar,also added mini chocolate chips.They are delicious! Definitely a keeper.😊
Jennifer says
So glad you enjoyed the, Wallene :) Thanks so much!
Tracy says
Thank you, this will be my go to pumpkin muffin recipe now. Perfect size, moist and delicious:)
Jennifer says
So glad to hear, Tracy :) Thanks so much!
Carol says
I am just writing to say that although I am sure that I have written to you a few months back about this issue, it is still not resolved. I am not getting your weekly posts. I re- subscribed now hoping that would solve the problem. I have not had email of posts in many months. NEVER unsubscribed. It breaks my heart when I see new articles and know how I enjoy finding the wonderful recipes ready to be tried, and also you are the best at responding to issues that come up. I hope things are fixed now.
Jennifer says
Hi Carol and sorry you are having trouble with the emails. I just checked my email list server and it shows that the emails are being sent from my end, but they are being bounced by your server/provider for some reason. You might try adding [email protected] to your email program contact list, to see if that helps to actually deliver them to you.
carol says
i will try this. It is sad that my provider is so unpredictable and causes this trouble. Things were fine and then all of a sudden I am not receiving so much that I should be. I just have to wonder if chromebook might have something to do with it as well. In the meantime I will see what i can do to get those wonderful weekly post back to my inbox. Thanks for your help!
Jennifer says
No problem, Carol :) I also added you to my other email list, that sends out a notification the same day I post new recipes. If you don't want that, you can unsubscribe at the bottom of the emails. I'm planning a Newsletter for Monday (Aug 2) and a post email on Wednesday (Aug 4), so see if those ones come through.
Carol says
I am so grateful for this.thank you so much.☺️
Darlene says
Perfect Pumpkin Muffins indeed! I've made this muffins many times now and they are perfect, so tasty, light and fluffy, love the crunchy top. Add as many different things each time, seeds, raisins, and or dates. I'm whipping up a batch right now. A favourite in our home. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Darlene
Nova Scotia
Jennifer says
So glad you are enjoying them, Darlene :) Thanks so much!
Babita says
Hello,
I am planning to make some of these muffins as I have made pumpkin purée. Can I use nutmeg powder in this receipe? If yes then what is the measurement for that?
Jennifer says
Hi Babita and yes, you can use nutmeg in these, if you like. I have no idea how much.
Babita says
Thank you.
Siam says
Hi Jennifer,
I have tried half batch of this recipe, and substituted 1/4 cup honey and 1/2 cup brown sugar for white sugar, the muffins turned out yummy, soft and moist except the top less crispy when freshly baked.
Anyway, thanks for the pointer and again they are delicious:)
Jennifer says
Thanks Siam and thanks for reporting back on that :)
Ev says
Just tucking into one of these delicious muffins. So so moist!! One of the best recipes for pumpkin spiced muffins. I did use half mixed spice half cinnamon and they're gorgeous! You could even top them with cream cheese and icing sugar topping. I'm in heaven here, thanks for sharing your recipe!
Jennifer says
So glad you are enjoying them, Ev :) Thanks so much!
Siam says
Hi Jennifer, thanks for sharing! It's indeed very delicious and yummy muffins, my family just can get enough of them :)
Can I substitute the sugar for honey, so I can make some for a friend who needs to cut down on sugar? Thank you!
Jennifer says
Hi Siam and so glad you enjoyed them! As for substituting honey for the white sugar, I haven't tried it so I can't tell you how they will turn out. That said, the basic rule of thumb is 1/2 cup honey will replace 1 cup white sugar, so for this recipe, you would use 1 cup of honey. If you try it, let me know how they turn out in comparison to the white sugar version :)
Elizabeth says
So yummy and fuss free! My type of baking!
Jennifer says
So glad you enjoyed them! They are a favourite here :) Thanks!
Danielle says
These muffins are delicious! I made them for my family as written and then again using Bob’s Red Mill gluten Free 1 to 1 flour for a GF friend and they were once again perfect.
Jennifer says
Glad to hear Danielle and good to know they were nice with GF flour, as well! Thanks :)
Erica Hebert says
This recipe is delicious! What can I use if I don't have enough pumpkin puree? Can I use mashed banana to make up the difference? Thank you!
Jennifer says
Hi Erica, you could just half the recipe, as it does make a large batch. Unless you want a lot. Alternately yes, mashed banana would work. Just replace in the exact amount as the pumpkin.
Isabel says
Can you use Canned yam instead?
Jennifer says
Hi Isabel and yes, it should work fine in equal quantities to the pumpkin puree.
Marelize says
We LOVE these muffins so I made a full batch to freeze some. What is the best way to freeze and defrost them?
Thank you!
Jennifer says
Hi Maralize, I freeze in a freezer plastic bag or container. To thaw,just set on the counter for 15-20 minutes, or if you are impatient, give it a 10-15 second trip to the microwave :)
Marelize says
What is the best way to 1) freeze them and 2) to defrost them again?
We LOVE these muffins so I made a big batch so we can freeze and have them during the week for snacks.
Thanks!
Heather says
Thanks for this recipe. Family favourite!
Jennifer says
So glad to hear, Heather! Thanks :)
Dana says
A family favourite now! Made this several times.
Jennifer says
So glad to hear, Dana :) Thanks so much!