Easy Spiced Pumpkin Muffins (Wonderfully Moist!)

Welcome friends. Get ready to dive into the cozy goodness of fall baking. These easy pumpkin muffins are wonderfully moist, packed with warm spices, and have that irresistible soft texture you crave. They use simple ingredients you likely have on hand.

I think they are the perfect little bite for breakfast on a chilly morning or a sweet pick-me-up anytime the pumpkin craving strikes.

They are straightforward to make, require no fancy equipment, and bake up beautifully with tall, inviting tops.

Think of them as your new best friend for the autumn season.

These pumpkin muffins are a little different from pumpkin cupcakes. My favorite pumpkin cupcake recipe uses less flour and less milk with the same amount of pumpkin. That results in a lighter, fluffier crumb for the cupcakes. These muffins are designed to be a bit heartier and denser, while still being incredibly soft and full of flavor. They offer that satisfying, substantial bite you expect from a great muffin.

Gather These Simple Ingredients

You only need a few basic things to make these delightful muffins. Each ingredient plays an important part in creating the perfect texture and flavor.

• All Purpose Flour This recipe works best with standard all purpose flour. If you want a slightly denser, heartier muffin, you could experiment by swapping up to half of the all purpose flour for whole wheat flour.
• Baking Soda This provides the necessary lift to help the muffins rise tall. You do not need baking powder for this recipe. The baking soda does all the work here.
• Spices Pumpkin itself is lovely, but the magic really happens when you add warming spices. You will use ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and pumpkin pie spice. Using all three gives you the deepest, most complex flavor. Pumpkin pie spice usually contains cinnamon and ginger already. For the absolute best result, I highly recommend including the extra cinnamon and ginger called for in the recipe. If you are out of store bought pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own blend by mixing equal parts ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and ground allspice.
• Pumpkin Puree You need one and a half cups of pumpkin puree. This is most of a standard fifteen ounce can. It is very important to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling has added sweeteners and spices and will change the outcome of your muffins. Canned pumpkin puree works wonderfully here.
• Oil Fat is essential for keeping muffins moist and giving them a tender crumb. Vegetable oil is my go to for this recipe. Melted coconut oil is another excellent option that works just as well.
• Sugars A blend of granulated sugar and packed light or dark brown sugar provides the perfect level of sweetness and contributes to the moist texture. Brown sugar also adds a lovely depth of flavor that pairs beautifully with the pumpkin and spices. You can slightly reduce the amount of sugar or oil if you prefer, but keep in mind that they are key to moisture and texture. Swapping some oil for applesauce is a possibility. Coconut sugar could also replace the granulated and brown sugars.
• Eggs Eggs help bind the ingredients together and provide structure as the muffins bake.
• Milk Liquid is needed to bring the batter together. Any type of milk will work well here, whether it is dairy milk or a non dairy option you enjoy.

I sometimes like to sprinkle a little coarse sugar on top of the muffins before baking. It adds a beautiful sparkle and a pleasant, slightly crunchy texture that reminds me of bakery muffins. You can use sparkling sugar or something like turbinado sugar. And do not forget the special baking trick I use, which I will explain in the steps. It helps create those wonderful domed tops.

Making These Easy Pumpkin Muffins Step by Step

This recipe is genuinely simple and does not require any special equipment like a stand mixer. You just need a couple of bowls and a whisk. The process is straightforward.

1. Start by getting your oven ready. Heat your oven to a high temperature of 425 degrees F (218 degrees C). Prepare a twelve cup standard muffin pan. You can spray the cups generously with nonstick cooking spray or line them with paper muffin liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add the all purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, ground ginger, and salt. Use a whisk to mix these ingredients together very well until they are evenly distributed. Make sure there are no clumps of baking soda or spice. Set this bowl aside for a moment.
3. Now, in a separate medium sized mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Pour in the vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil), granulated sugar, packed light or dark brown sugar, canned pumpkin puree, the two large eggs, and the milk. Whisk everything together thoroughly until all the wet ingredients are completely blended into a smooth mixture.
4. Pour the wet ingredient mixture from the medium bowl into the dry ingredients in the large bowl. It is important now to mix gently. Use a spatula or a wooden spoon to fold the ingredients together just until they are combined. Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see any dry spots of flour. Overmixing the batter can lead to tough muffins, and we want them wonderfully tender. The batter will be quite thick.
5. Spoon the thick batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups. Fill each cup almost entirely to the top. Filling them generously helps create those nice, full muffin tops.
6. Carefully place the filled muffin pan into the preheated oven at the initial high temperature of 425 degrees F. Bake the muffins at this temperature for exactly 5 minutes. After these 5 minutes, without opening the oven door, immediately lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Continue baking for an additional 15 to 16 minutes. You will know they are done when a wooden skewer or a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. The total baking time should be around 20 to 21 minutes. This two temperature baking method is a fantastic trick for getting those beautiful, high muffin tops that look like they came from a bakery. The initial high heat provides a burst of rising power, and the lower temperature allows the centers to bake through without overcooking the tops.
7. Once the muffins are baked, remove the pan from the oven. Let the muffins cool inside the muffin pan for about 5 minutes before you attempt to remove them. This allows them to set slightly and makes them easier to transfer.
8. After the initial cooling time in the pan, you can transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely. Store the completely cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh for up to seven days.

Turn Them Into Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

If you are a fan of chocolate and pumpkin together, these muffins are a perfect base for adding mix ins. It is incredibly easy to turn this recipe into delicious pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. Simply measure out about one cup (around 180 grams) of your favorite chocolate chips. Gently fold the chocolate chips into the batter right after you have mixed the wet and dry ingredients together and before you scoop the batter into the muffin pan. You could also try adding other tasty things like chopped pecans or walnuts (about one cup or 130 grams) or dried cranberries (about three quarters of a cup or 105 grams) for different variations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some common questions about making these pumpkin muffins.

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