Description
Moist and flavorful pumpkin spice muffins, perfect for fall! These easy-to-make muffins are packed with warm spices and topped with optional coarse sugar, nuts, or a tangy cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk (or ½ cup milk + ½ tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar, let sit for 5 minutes)
- Coarse sugar, for sprinkling
- Chopped pecans or walnuts
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1–2 tablespoons milk or cream, to adjust consistency
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease well with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar. Whisk to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and buttermilk (or milk/lemon juice mixture).
- Pour wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Gently fold together until just moistened. Do not overmix.
- Fill each muffin cup about ¾ full.
- Sprinkle with coarse sugar or chopped nuts, if desired.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, beating on low speed until combined.
- Add vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of milk or cream. Beat until smooth and creamy. Add remaining milk/cream, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
- Once muffins are completely cooled, frost with cream cheese frosting.
Notes
- Spice it Up: Adjust the amount of spices to your liking.
- Add Chocolate Chips: Add ½ cup of chocolate chips to the batter.
- Make Mini Muffins: Reduce baking time to 10-12 minutes.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Store frosted muffins in the refrigerator.
- Freezing: Freeze for up to 2 months. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Buttermilk Substitute: Use 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar added to milk to equal 1/2 cup. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Nut Allergy: Omit nuts from the topping.
- Vegan Option: Substitute eggs with flax eggs, use plant-based milk, and vegan sugar. Use vegan cream cheese alternative for frosting.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes