My go-to pumpkin muffins recipe for years! Light and tender pumpkin muffins, perfectly domed and with a lightly crispy top, they are my idea of the perfect pumpkin muffin!
My go-to pumpkin muffin recipe for years has been these Simply Perfect Pumpkin Muffins. They are the best pumpkin muffins I have ever tried and they are the first thing I crave when the weather cools.
What makes these pumpkin muffins simply perfect?
- These easy pumpkin muffins require just a few simple pantry items. I love that these pumpkin muffins require no butter, so they come together really quickly.
- They are light, tender and fluffy, not greasy and heavy, like pumpkin muffins can sometimes be.
- These pumpkin muffins also mix up easily, with no butter to soften, as they use oil instead.
- And finally, these muffins bake up perfectly domed, so they’re always pretty (and pretty counts!).
What you’ll need
I love that these delicious muffins have just a few simple ingredients!
Pumpkin Puree – be sure to use canned pure pumpkin puree and not canned pumpkin pie filling. If pumpkin puree is not available, you can cook your own pumpkin or use any other cooked squash.
Eggs – use large eggs and take them out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead of time, so they are at room temperature.
Vegetable or Canola Oil – I recommend vegetable oil, specifically, as I feel like it performs best in baking, but canola oil will also work well here.
Sugar – you’ll only need white granulated sugar. It may seem like a lot of sugar, but I recommend you try it as written at least once. I think you’ll find these muffins are not overly sweet.
Flour – use regular all purpose flour (plain flour). I recommend bleached all purpose flour for muffins.
You’ll also need – baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.
Step-by-step photos
- Start by adding the eggs, oil, sugar and pumpkin in a large bowl with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix together well at medium speed for about 1 minute.
- Add the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon) to the bowl and mix just until combined and smooth. Don’t over-mix.
- The finished batter.
- Scrape down the bowl, then scoop the muffin batter into the muffin cups and bake. If you’d like large, domed muffins, be sure to over-fill the muffin cups, mounding up the batter, leaving just the top edge of the paper muffin liner showing. Bake muffins until they are lightly golden. The tops should be dry and crispy (not wet looking). Test with a tester. Baking time ranges from 22-30 minutes, depending on muffin size/colour of pan and individual ovens.
Recipe video
Recipe Tips
These muffins are best when they are allowed to get a touch crispy on top, so you don’t want to under-bake them. I like to tap on the top as well as test them with a tester.
No mixer? These muffins will also come together with a bowl and a whisk and little elbow grease :)
- These muffins will come out of the muffin tin well without paper muffin liners, if you don’t have any on hand or if you prefer not to use them.
Variations
Raisins – These muffins are fabulous with added raisins, so if you’re a raisin fan, it’s a variation you should try. Simply soak 1/2 – 1 cup of raisins in hot water for 10-15 minutes. Drain and pat dry, then fold into the batter before scooping into the pan.
Chocolate Chips – similarly, if you are a fan of chocolate chips in pumpkin muffins, stir in 1/2 -1 cup of chocolate chips before scooping the batter into the muffin pan.
Making ahead, storing and freezing
These muffins are their very best on the day they are baked. They will keep 2-3 days at room temperature, but they will start to loose the crispy tops. I like to store them in a not completely air-tight container, to try to preserve the crisp tops a bit better.
These muffins freeze beautifully, so don’t hesitate to freeze them. Place into an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze up to 3 months.Want to save this recipe?
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Get the Recipe: Simply Perfect Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups (400 g) white granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups (350 ml) vegetable oil, I recommend vegetable oil, but canola oil or other neutral-tasting oil will work
- 1 3/4 cups (410 ml) canned pumpkin puree, not pie filling
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F. (not convection/fan-assisted). Prepare 16 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 muffins, 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, add the eggs and beat slightly.
- Add the white sugar, oil and pumpkin and beat thoroughly until well combined and smooth, about 1 minute at medium speed. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth and well combined. Don't over-mix.
- Use a large cookie scoop to divide the batter between 14-16 muffin cups, filling the muffin cups almost to the top of the cup or liners and mounding the batter on top. Just a bit of the paper liner should be showing.
- Bake in preheated oven for 22 –27 minutes, or until golden brown. Baking time will vary depending on how large you made the muffins. 14 muffins will take closer to 25-27 minutes, while if you got 16 muffins, the baking time will be about 22-25 minutes. Test 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. Muffins should be very lightly browned on top and around edges when cooked, with a crisp topping (you can tap it lightly to verify). They shouldn't looks light in colour or wet on top.
- Allow the muffins to cool in pans at 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
- These muffins are at their best on the day they are baked, though they will keep for 2-3 days. I like to store them in a not completely air-tight container, so they don't loose their crispy tops too quickly, though they will loose some as they site. If you aren’t eating right away, freezing is a good option to keep the crunch. Freeze in an airtight container up to 3 months.
Notes
Variations
Raisins – These muffins are fabulous with added raisins, so if you’re a raisin fan, it’s a variation you should try. Simply soak 1/2 – 1 cup of raisins in hot water for 10-15 minutes. Drain and pat dry, then fold into the batter before scooping into the pan. Chocolate Chips – similarly, if you are a fan of chocolate chips in pumpkin muffins, stir in 1/2 -1 cup of chocolate chips before scooping the batter into the muffin pan. Be sure to read the notes above this Recipe Card, where you will find more tips, photos and a recipe video that you may find helpful when making this recipe.Web Story for Perfect Pumpkin Muffins
More Pumpkin Recipes to Love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
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!
So glad you are enjoying them, Ev :) Thanks so much!
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!
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 :)
So yummy and fuss free! My type of baking!
So glad you enjoyed them! They are a favourite here :) Thanks!
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.
Glad to hear Danielle and good to know they were nice with GF flour, as well! Thanks :)
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!
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.
Can you use Canned yam instead?
Hi Isabel and yes, it should work fine in equal quantities to the pumpkin puree.
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!
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 :)
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!
Thanks for this recipe. Family favourite!
So glad to hear, Heather! Thanks :)
A family favourite now! Made this several times.
So glad to hear, Dana :) Thanks so much!
Just made these beautiful recipe! Very easy to make and bake and it tastes great! Very uncomplicated. Thank you for sharing it!
So glad you enjoyed them, Lilit :) Thanks!
This recipe is amazing! I’ve used it to make banana muffins too, and they’re delicious. Thank you so much!
So glad to hear, Krista! And I have to ask of course, how do you adapt it for banana muffins?
Hi Jennifer, how do you recommend thawing from freezing and eating? Leave it in the fridge overnight and eat the next day? Reheat in microwave? Thanks!
Hi Shal, If I only want one, I generally just take it out of the freezer and set it on the counter for 20-30 minutes. If I want it faster, I will pop in the microwave for just 10 seconds or so. For a whole frozen bag or container, yes, I would probably pop in the fridge overnight, then onto the counter to take the cool edge off them.
Turned out awesome! Thanks!
Happy to hear! Thanks :)
This is my go-to recipe for both pumpkin muffins and banana muffins (substitute the same amount of banana for the pumpkin). I also add a tablespoon of vanilla, and it’s absolutely perfect. Thank you! :D
So glad to hear, Ren! And I love the idea of using it with banana, too. I’ll be trying that :) Thanks!