Ultimate Pumpkin Streusel Muffins (with Vanilla Glaze)

These pumpkin streusel muffins are wonderfully soft and moist, packed with the warm, cozy flavors of pumpkin and spice. I think you’ll find them utterly irresistible, especially with that sweet, crunchy topping and delicate vanilla drizzle. They are surprisingly easy to bake and perfect for a cozy weekend breakfast or a special fall treat, taking about 50 minutes from start to finish.

If you’re searching for a truly lovely pumpkin muffin recipe, I honestly believe these are the ones to try. They have an incredibly moist and tender texture, bursting with that delicious pumpkin spice taste we all crave this time of year. We achieve that perfect flavor balance using cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, rich brown sugar, and a hint of vanilla, all beautifully complementing the pure pumpkin. The cinnamon streusel topping is truly a game-changer; it adds a delightful crunch that contrasts wonderfully with the soft muffin crumb. If you enjoy a little extra sweetness, a simple vanilla glaze drizzled over the top is the perfect finishing touch. I just adore how the comforting pumpkin spice flavors and the perfectly moist crumb pair with that crunchy streusel. And while these muffins aren’t overly sweet on their own, the glaze gives them just that little extra special something.

I often think of these muffins like a mini pumpkin coffee cake. They offer that same comforting, spiced flavor and crunchy topping, but maybe aren’t quite as sweet as my absolute favorite full-sized coffee cake recipe. They hit that perfect note between a simple muffin and a decadent treat.

Making Your Wonderful Muffins Step by Step

Putting these delicious muffins together involves two main parts: preparing the lovely pumpkin muffin batter and creating that irresistible cinnamon streusel topping. The wonderful thing about this recipe is how straightforward it is. You can mix everything up using just a whisk and a couple of bowls.

First, Prepare the Crunchy Streusel Topping

You’ll begin by making the streusel topping. It’s a simple step but adds so much texture and flavor to the finished muffins.

• In a small bowl, you’ll combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. Give these dry ingredients a good stir until you don’t see any more clumps of sugar or spice.
• Next, you’ll pour in the melted butter. Stir it into the dry mixture until everything is combined. The mixture should come together into crumbles. The texture you’re looking for is like damp sand, with some crumbles that might be around the size of a small pea or even a bit smaller.

Once your streusel is ready, just set it aside for a moment. Then, you can move on to preparing the pumpkin muffin batter itself.

Next, Mix the Moist Pumpkin Muffin Batter

Creating the batter is just as easy as the streusel. The key here is to combine your wet and dry ingredients carefully to ensure a tender muffin.

• You’ll start by whisking together all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. This includes your flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make sure these are well mixed so the leavening is distributed evenly.
• In a separate, larger bowl, you’ll whisk together the wet ingredients. These are the elements that contribute so much moisture to these muffins. You’ll combine the vegetable or canola oil, the two large eggs, the pure pumpkin puree, and the sour cream. The brown sugar goes in here too, adding that delicious hint of caramel flavor we talked about. Keep whisking until this wet mixture is smooth and well blended.
• Now it’s time to combine everything. Carefully add the dry ingredients from the medium bowl into the wet ingredients in the large bowl. I find it’s easiest to do this in about two additions. Whisk gently until the dry ingredients are just combined into the wet. You want to make sure there are no dry spots or large lumps left. Be careful not to overmix at this stage; overmixing can lead to tough muffins. It might take a little arm work to get it all combined smoothly, but it’s definitely achievable by hand.

This recipe is designed to make a total of 12 standard-sized muffins. Once your batter is ready, you’ll prepare your muffin pan and fill the cups.

Time to Bake Your Muffins

Baking these muffins is the final step before they’re ready to enjoy. Getting the temperature and timing right ensures they bake up perfectly.

• You’ll need to spoon the batter evenly into your prepared muffin pan. I always recommend lining the pan with paper liners first for easy removal. If you happen to have a cookie scoop or an ice cream scoop, I highly suggest using it here. It helps portion the batter evenly and keeps your fingers nice and clean. Aim to fill each muffin cup about three-quarters full with batter.
• Then, take that lovely prepared streusel topping and generously spoon or crumble it over the batter in each muffin cup. Don’t be shy with the streusel; it might seem like a lot, but as the muffins bake and rise, the tops will expand, and the streusel will distribute beautifully.
• Place your muffin pan into your preheated oven. They’ll need to bake for around 25 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). I usually start checking them a little earlier, maybe around the 22-minute mark. You’ll know they’re done when a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean, with no wet batter attached.

Once they’re baked, let the muffins cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before you carefully lift them out. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. This cooling time helps them set up properly.

Adding the Optional Vanilla Glaze

If you decided you’d like to add a sweet drizzle, this is the time to do it, but only once the muffins are fully cooled. If you try to glaze them while they’re warm, the glaze will simply melt and run right off.

• In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar with one or two tablespoons of cream or milk. Start with one tablespoon and add more just a tiny bit at a time.
• Continue whisking until the glaze is the right consistency for drizzling. You want it thin enough to pour smoothly off a spoon, but still opaque and white so it looks pretty on the muffins. You might need to add a touch more powdered sugar for thickness or a tiny bit more liquid for thinness.
• Once the muffins are completely cool to the touch, you can drizzle the glaze over the tops using a spoon or by transferring the glaze to a small piping bag or a ziptop bag with a corner snipped off.

Helpful Baking Tips for Success

This recipe is quite simple, but there are a few key things to keep in mind to ensure your muffins turn out perfectly every time.

• Always make sure you are using canned pure pumpkin puree. This is often labeled as “pure pumpkin.” It is very important not to use canned pumpkin pie filling, as that product already has spices and sugar added to it. This recipe was developed specifically using pure pumpkin puree, and using the filling will change the results significantly.
• Pay close attention to the amount of pumpkin needed. This recipe uses 1 cup of pure pumpkin puree, not the whole can. A standard 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree actually contains almost 2 cups, so you’ll only use a little over half of the can for this recipe. Be sure to measure it out accurately.
• If you find yourself without pumpkin pie spice, don’t worry. You can easily make your own substitute. Just combine 1/4 teaspoon each of ground nutmeg, ground cloves, ground ginger, and ground allspice. This mixture will give you about 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, which is exactly what this recipe calls for.
• I used full-fat sour cream in my testing for these muffins, which has an 18 percent milk fat content. You can certainly substitute the sour cream with plain Greek yogurt if that’s what you have on hand or prefer. Just be sure you are using plain yogurt and not one that is flavored, especially vanilla, as it will impact the overall flavor of the muffins.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

Here are answers to some common questions you might have when baking these lovely muffins.

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