Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Plush, autumn-spiced muffins with a cinnamon sugar crown.

Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time35 mins
YieldMakes 12 muffins
Pumpkin Spice Muffins
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Before You Start

Pumpkin purée is a moisture machine: muffins made with it stay plush for days and forgive nearly any handling. The spice blend here is assembled from the rack rather than a pre-mix, heavier on cinnamon and ginger than the jars run. The cinnamon sugar dip on the warm tops is what makes them disappear.

Instructions

  1. 1

    Heat the oven to 220°C / 425°F. Line a 12 hole tin.

  2. 2

    Whisk the pumpkin, oil, both sugars, eggs and milk until smooth.

  3. 3

    Fold in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, all the spices and salt until just combined.

  4. 4

    Fill the cases nearly full. Bake 5 minutes at 220°C, then drop to 180°C / 350°F for 14 to 16 minutes more, until a skewer comes out clean.

  5. 5

    Cool 10 minutes. Meanwhile stir ⅓ cup granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon for the coating.

  6. 6

    Brush each warm muffin top with melted butter and dip it straight into the cinnamon sugar. This is the step people remember.

💡 Baker's tips

  • Pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. The filling is pre-sweetened and pre-spiced and wrecks the balance.
  • The crumb is so moist that the skewer test can mislead. Check two spots and trust a few clinging moist crumbs.

🔀 Make it your own

  • Fold in ¾ cup chocolate chips, pumpkin chocolate being a quietly elite pairing.
  • Top with the streusel from the coffee cake instead of the cinnamon sugar dip.

📦 Storing & freezing

Airtight for 4 days, moister on day two than day one. They freeze for 2 months, though the sugar coating dampens on thawing, so re-dip if you care.

❓ Frequently asked

What is the difference between pumpkin purée and pie filling?

Purée is only cooked pumpkin. Pie filling has sugar and spices already added. Recipes calibrate around purée, so the tins are not interchangeable.

Why are pumpkin muffins gummy?

Extra pumpkin beyond the recipe, or underbaking. Pumpkin is mostly water, so more is not better. Measure the cup exactly and bake until the skewer is clean.

Baking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.

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