I’m so excited to share my favorite pumpkin muffin recipe with you. I make these muffins all the time because they’re super easy and always make me feel happy. The first time I tried them, my whole kitchen smelled amazing, and my family ate them all in one day!
I know baking can feel scary sometimes, if I can make these, you can too! You just need one bowl and some basic ingredients. Let me show you how I make them.
What You’ll Need From Your Kitchen
Wet Stuff
- 1¼ cups pumpkin from a can (make sure it’s plain pumpkin, not pie filling!)
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup milk
Dry Stuff
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
Fun Extra Things You Can Add
Pick one if you want:
- ½ cup chocolate chips (my kids’ favorite!)
- ½ cup chopped nuts
- ½ cup dried cranberries
How I Make These
- First, I turn my oven on to 350°F (175°C). Then I put paper liners in my muffin pan. If you don’t have liners, just spray the pan with cooking spray.
- Next comes the easy part! I grab my big bowl and mix together:
- The pumpkin
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Oil
- Milk I just stir these until they look smooth.
- Now I add all my dry stuff – the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt. I mix everything just until I can’t see any dry flour. Don’t worry if it looks a little lumpy – that’s okay!
- If I’m using chocolate chips or nuts, I throw them in now and give everything a quick stir.
- Here’s how I fill the muffin cups:
- I spoon the mix into each cup, filling them about ⅔ full
- Pop them in the oven for 20-25 minutes
- I know they’re done when I stick a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean
- I let them cool for 5 minutes before taking them out of the pan
My Helpful Tips
- Want to save them? I keep mine in a container with a lid on the counter for 3 days.
- Making too many? No problem! I wrap extras in plastic wrap and freeze them. They last 3 months in the freezer.
- Sometimes I sprinkle a little sugar and cinnamon on top before baking – it makes them extra special!
- No pumpkin pie spice? I make my own by mixing:
- 1 spoon cinnamon
- ¼ spoon ginger
- ¼ spoon nutmeg
- A tiny pinch of cloves
Different Ways I Make Them
Sometimes I like to change things up! Here are some fun ways I make these muffins special:
- Sweet Top: Mix ¼ cup flour, ¼ cup brown sugar, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and 2 spoons of melted butter. Sprinkle this on top before baking.
- Cream Cheese Surprise: Put tiny spoonfuls of sweetened cream cheese on top of each muffin and swirl it with a toothpick.
- Double Chocolate: Add ¼ cup cocoa powder to the dry ingredients and throw in some chocolate chips too!
I hope you have as much fun making these muffins as I do! They’re perfect with a cup of milk or hot chocolate, and they make my house smell wonderful. Let me know if you try making them – I’d love to hear how they turn out for you.
My Favorite Muffin Tips & Tricks
Hi friends! I’ve been baking muffins for years, and I get these questions all the time. Let me share what I’ve learned from my kitchen to yours!
How I Make Super Moist Muffins
You know those dry, crumbly muffins that nobody wants to eat? Let me tell you how I avoid that! Here are my secrets:
- I never overmix my batter! I stop stirring as soon as I can’t see dry flour anymore. A lumpy batter is actually good!
- I always add wet ingredients that keep muffins moist:
- Oil instead of butter (I know, butter is yummy, but oil makes moister muffins!)
- Fruits like mashed bananas, pumpkin, or applesauce
- A splash of milk or yogurt
- My best tip: I check my muffins early! When the recipe says 20 minutes, I peek at 15. Nobody likes an overbaked muffin!
Should I Freeze My Muffins or the Batter?
I’ve tried both ways, and here’s what I learned:
Freezing Baked Muffins (This is what I do most!)
- They’re ready to eat whenever I want one
- They stay fresh for up to 3 months
- I can take out just one or two at a time
- They thaw pretty quickly (about 30 minutes on the counter)
Freezing Muffin Batter (I do this sometimes)
- The muffins taste super fresh when baked
- BUT – it takes more freezer space
- AND – I have to remember to thaw it before baking
- Some ingredients (like fruit) don’t freeze well in batter
My choice? I usually freeze baked muffins. It’s easier and works better for my family!
My Way of Freezing Muffins
Here’s exactly what I do to freeze my muffins:
- First, I let them cool completely (this is super important!)
- Then I have two ways to wrap them:
- For a few weeks: I put them in a freezer bag, squeeze out the air, and seal it tight
- For longer storage: I wrap each muffin in plastic wrap first, then put them in a freezer bag
- My extra tips:
- I write the date on the bag – sometimes I forget when I made them!
- I never freeze muffins with cream cheese frosting
- Sometimes I freeze two muffins per small bag for quick breakfast portions
When I want to eat them:
- I take out what I need the night before and leave them on the counter
- Or if I forget, 20-30 seconds in the microwave works too!
- For a fresh-baked taste, I pop them in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes
Pro Tip: wrapped muffins = happy muffins! If you don’t wrap them well, they might get freezer burn and taste funny. Nobody wants that!
I hope these tips help you make and save your yummy muffins! Do you have any special ways you like to keep your muffins fresh? I’d love to hear them!
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Pumpkin Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups pumpkin from a can (make sure it’s plain pumpkin, not pie filling!)
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- First, I turn my oven on to 350°F (175°C). Then I put paper liners in my muffin pan. If you don’t have liners, just spray the pan with cooking spray.
- Next comes the easy part! I grab my big bowl and mix together:
- The pumpkin
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Oil
- Milk I just stir these until they look smooth.
- Now I add all my dry stuff – the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt. I mix everything just until I can’t see any dry flour. Don’t worry if it looks a little lumpy – that’s okay!
- If I’m using chocolate chips or nuts, I throw them in now and give everything a quick stir.
- Here’s how I fill the muffin cups:
- I spoon the mix into each cup, filling them about ⅔ full
- Pop them in the oven for 20-25 minutes
- I know they’re done when I stick a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean
- I let them cool for 5 minutes before taking them out of the pan