Easy Cinnamon Pumpkin Spice Muffins

by Jillian Leslie on

This simple 4-step cinnamon pumpkin spice muffin recipe will give you soft, moist, melt-in-your-mouth muffins with all the fall feels.

Our team at Catch My Party is crazy about the fall season and all the magical events that come along with it. Check out our themed inspiration for your own fall-fab party.

Collage of a Cinnamon Pumpkin Spice Muffin Recipe

They are just what you need at this time of year when the nights get shorter, and it’s so lovely to be indoors baking.

We love all the beautiful fall-inspired events that come with the change of the season, from fall-inspired weddings and autumnal birthdays to pumpkin patch baby showers. Totally dreamy.

Check out these fun muffin pop-by tags and these fall-inspired watercolor paper sheets. You can do so much with your cinnamon pumpkin spiced muffins, guys! Let’s get creative.

Reasons To Fall In Love With This Pumpkin Muffin Recipe

  • The perfect texture: thanks to the pumpkin puree, these muffins are amazingly soft and tender.
  • Taste the fall flavors: made with the classic pumpkin and fall spices flavors. These will have you leaf-peepin’ with every bite.
  • Long-lasting: including pureed pumpkin means these muffins will last a couple of days at least.
  • Adaptable: you can change the flavor profile by adjusting how much spice and what kind of spices you add.
  • Crowd-pleasers: watch your friends and family reach for them when you put them out.

Ingredients and Supplies

Here’s a bit of info about the ingredients you’ll need to make these:

  • Flour. All-purpose flour is great. You could use gluten-free flour if you like.
  • Baking powder and baking soda. Ensure they are fresh batches.
  • Kosher salt. You can use Himalayan or leave this out entirely if you’d prefer.
  • Spices. Nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger. Go ahead and increase the quantities or leave one or more out if you aren’t mad about spices.
  • Butter. Room temperature and unsalted. You could also use margarine in this recipe.
  • Brown sugar. Packed tight, brown sugar contributes to the lovely, soft texture of these muffins.
  • Eggs. Large and at room temperature.
  • Vanilla. Use pure vanilla extract if you can, but essence and vanilla paste is great, too.
  • Pumpkin puree. Gives the muffin its soft and moist texture.
  • Muffin cups and muffin pans.

How To Make Cinnamon Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Step 1: Make the batter

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Add the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger) in a large bowl. Mix and set aside.

Image of cinnamon spice pumpkin muffins just before adding topping

Next, add the butter (room temperature), brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a second mixing bowl.

Mix on high for 2 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin purée. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two batches, mixing until just incorporated.

Image of cinnamon pumpkin spice muffin dough.

Step 2: Fill and bake

Line your pan with baking cups, and fill about 3/4 full.

Bake for 20 minutes if you are using a cupcake pan or 30 minutes for standard muffin size. Use a toothpick to check they have baked through. Let the muffins cool for 10 minutes.

Image of a cinnamon pumpkin spice muffin cut in half

Step 3: Make the topping

For the topping, mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon in one bowl.

Melt 1/2 stick of butter in a second bowl.

Brush the top of each muffin with butter, then dip it in the sugar mix.

Image of delicious cinnamon pumpkin spice muffins

Tips and Substitutions

  • You can also use fresh pumpkin puree if you can’t access canned puree or if you’d just prefer to. When choosing your canned puree, steer clear of pie filling as that already contains spices and sugar.
  • Have all your ingredients at room temperature to make it easy to beat them up.
  • Don’t over-mix your batter, or your muffins will come out tough.
  • For a dairy-free or vegan muffin, use margarine instead of butter and a flax egg instead of chicken eggs. To make a flax egg, mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water and let it sit for a few minutes until it thickens.
  • Make mini muffins!

FAQs

Why do my muffins come out dry?

The likely reason is you have overmixed the batter, or you have added too much flour to the mixture.

How do I make my muffins more moist?

By using a bit more butter. Butter contains fat and moisture, delivering a more moist texture to your muffins.

Can I use pure pumpkin instead of pumpkin puree?

Yup, you sure can. This is a great way to use up leftover pumpkin.

Why are my muffins crunchy on top?

If your oven is too hot, your muffins will be crunchy on top.

Other Fall-Related Posts You’ll Love

Loaded with all the cinnamon, and pumpkin goodness you can expect from a fall recipe, these easy cinnamon pumpkin spice muffins are the perfect treat.

Don’t forget to check out our fall theme pages and download our free printables to use at your event.

Cinnamon Pumpkin Spice Muffin Recipe

These muffins taste like a cross between a pumpkin muffin and a cinnamon sugar donut.These muffins are sweet on top (where I brush them with butter and dip the tops in cinnamon sugar) and spicy, pumpkin-y, and moist.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Total Time: 42 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Dessert
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories: 267kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoons ground ginger
  • ¾ cup butter 1 1/2 sticks
  • ¾ cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cups pumpkin purée
  • for the topping
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ stick) unsalted butter melted
  • Some of these links may be affiliate links. I may make a small commission if you click and buy at no expense to you.

Instructions

Step 1:

  • Preheat the oven to 350F. Add the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger) in a large mixing bowl. Mix and set aside.

Step 2:

  • In a second mixing bowl, add the butter (room temperature), brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix on high for 2 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin purée. Add the dry ingredients in two batches, mixing until just incorporated.

Step 3:

  • Line your pan with baking cups, and fill about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes if you are using a cupcake pan, or 30 minutes for standard muffin size. Let the muffins cool for 10 minutes.

Step 4:

  • For the topping, mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon in one bowl. Melt 1/2 stick of butter in a second bowl. Brush the top of each muffin with butter, then dip it in the sugar mix.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 200mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 25g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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