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.
Everything you need
- 1 cup (245 g) pumpkin purée (not pie filling)
- ½ cup (109 g) vegetable oil
- ¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup (60 g) milk
- 1¾ cups (219 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 2 tbsp + ⅓ cup butter, melted, + cinnamon sugar (for the tops)
Weigh, don't scoop. Measuring flour by cups can overpack it and dry out your bake. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
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Heat the oven to 220°C / 425°F. Line a 12 hole tin.
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Whisk the pumpkin, oil, both sugars, eggs and milk until smooth.
For this step
- 1 cup (245 g) pumpkin purée (not pie filling)
- ¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup (60 g) milk
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Fold in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, all the spices and salt until just combined.
For this step
- 1¾ cups (219 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine salt
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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.
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Cool 10 minutes. Meanwhile stir ⅓ cup granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon for the coating.
For this step
- ¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
-
Brush each warm muffin top with melted butter and dip it straight into the cinnamon sugar. This is the step people remember.
For this step
- ¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp + ⅓ cup butter
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Worth knowing
- 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 isn't better. Measure the cup exactly and bake until the skewer is clean.
Cooking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.
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A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.