Best Pumpkin Muffins Recipe (Easy!)

These pumpkin muffins will be your new favorite Fall recipe that you can prep in just 10 minutes! After testing and perfecting muffin recipes for 6 months, I’m sharing my easy steps to make moist, flavorful pumpkin muffins with perfect bakery-style domed tops.

I’ve made these twice now and added mini chocolate chips. They are the best pumpkin muffins I’ve ever had. And the domes! Incredible.

-Sally

The Best Bakery Style Pumpkin Muffins

I spent six months testing and perfecting muffin recipes. Today, I’ll guide you through an easy six-step method to create flavorful pumpkin muffins with those impressive bakery-style tops.

You can skip the baking blunders I encountered. I’ve worked on and polished this pumpkin muffin recipe, so you can relish delectable muffins that sport bakery-like tops, sure to make an impact on your friends and family.

These homemade muffins are great for breakfast, brunch, snacks, or even a personal favorite of mine—late-night treats! By following my muffin tips, you’ll achieve flawlessly baked muffins that capture the irresistible charm of bakery-quality goodies.

Easy Pumpkin Muffins Ingredients

Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

• all-purpose flour
• granulated sugar
• baking powder
• baking soda
• salt
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• ginger
• pumpkin puree
• vegetable oil
• eggs
• milk

How to Make the Best Pumpkin Muffins

1. In a mixing bowl combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Stir together and set aside.
2. In a larger mixing bowl combine the pumpkin, eggs, vegetable oil, and milk. Stir to combine.
3. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. The batter will be very thick.
4. Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes. During this time, preheat the oven to 425ºF / 220ºC and make the crumb topping.
5. In a mixing bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and melted butter. Use your hands to squeeze the mixture together. Set the crumb aside until ready to use.

6. For bakery style muffins, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffins liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter.
7. Fill the liners with 6-8 heaping tablespoons of batter. Take the topping and crumble it into fine crumbs over each muffin, pressing it on slightly. Sprinkle sanding sugar over the muffins.

8. Place one pan in the center of the oven and bake for 7 minutes at 425ºF / 220ºC, then keep the muffins in the oven, turn the temperature down to 350ºF / 180ºC and bake for 17-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan. Repeat with the remaining batter, bumping the temperature back up to 425ºF / 220ºC.

How to Create Bakery Style Muffins

Bakery style muffins are known for their domed tops. Plus who doesn’t love them? I used a few techniques to help “lift” these muffins so they would have large, domed tops!

1. THE REST PERIOD

Let the batter rest for 15 minutes after it’s mixed and before you scoop it into the muffin pan. During the resting period, starch molecules in the flour are absorbing the liquid in the batter, causing them to swell and giving the batter a thicker consistency (ref the kitchen whisper). Our 15 minute rest is just a quick rest. 

2. FILL EVERY OTHER MUFFIN CUP

This tip has been a game changer! For bakery style muffin tops, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffin liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Filling every other cup allows the muffins to spread and dome without running into each other. This technique also encourages the muffins to brown, creating a golden muffin top.

3. FILL THEM TO THE TOP

Fill your muffin liners to the top with batter. Yes, this goes against everything you’re heard but it’s important in helping the muffin gain that height.

4. BAKE AT HIGH TEMPERATURE INITIALLY

Bake the muffins at a high temperature (425ºF) initially, then lower to 350ºF. Starting the muffins off at a higher temperature causes the batter to rise rapidly, setting the outer surface of the muffin, producing a dome shape.

Storing & Freezing Muffins

MUFFIN STORAGE

If you’ll be eating the muffins within 24 hours of baking, you can leave them uncovered on the counter. The muffins will not dry out while left at room temperature for 1 day. 

In fact, muffins are so moist they can become soggy and those crunchy, sugary tops can disappear when stored in an airtight container.

But I have a trick to help that – paper towels. 

For longer storage, 2-4 days, line the bottom of an airtight container with paper towels. Place the muffins in a single layer in the container then cover the muffins with any additional layer of paper towels. The paper towels will act like a sponge, absorbing the moisture they release while they are stored. 

If the paper towels become too moist around day 2 or day 3, replace them with fresh paper towels. 

HOW TO FREEZE MUFFINS

Individually wrap each muffin in plastic wrap. Then place them in a ziploc bag or airtight container and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To thaw, leave them at room temperature until defrosted, about 1 hour. Or unwrap them and microwave at 20 second intervals until defrosted.

Easy Pumpkin Muffins Tips for Success

• Measure the flour accurately. When measuring the flour, be sure to use the spoon-and-sweep method or measure by weight on a kitchen scale.
• Use canned pumpkin puree. Canned pumpkin puree is also known as 100% pure pumpkin. Do not use canned pumpkin pie mix, as this is used to make pumpkin pie.
• Rest the batter. Allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes after it’s mixed and before you scoop it into the muffin pan. During the resting period, starch molecules in the flour are absorbing the liquid in the batter, causing them to swell and giving the batter a thicker consistency.
• Bake at a higher temperature initially. Bake the muffins at a high temperature (425ºF) for 7 minutes then lower to 350ºF. Starting the muffins off at a higher temperature causes the batter to rise rapidly, producing a domed shaped.

Best Pumpkin Muffins FAQs

More Pumpkin Recipes

• Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
• Easy Pumpkin Swirl Cake
• Pumpkin Earthquake Cake
• Pumpkin Whipped Cream