Description
These Pumpkin Crumb Cake Muffins combine moist pumpkin puree and warm spices with a sweet, buttery crumb topping for a perfect fall treat. Topped optionally with a smooth maple icing, these muffins are ideal for breakfast, snacks, or dessert and are easy to prepare with simple pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
Muffins
- 1 and 3/4 cups (219g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (120ml) canola or vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 and 1/2 cups (340g) canned pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60ml) milk, at room temperature
Crumb Topping
- 3/4 cup (94g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted
Maple Icing (optional)
- 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) pure maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 425°F (218°C). Prepare two 12-count muffin pans by spraying them with nonstick spray or lining them with cupcake liners since this recipe makes 15 muffins. Set the pans aside.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until well combined. This ensures even distribution of leavening and spices.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk the canola or vegetable oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, canned pumpkin puree, eggs, and milk until smooth and consistent. Using room temperature eggs and milk will help the batter mix evenly.
- Combine wet and dry mixes: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently using a spatula just until no pockets of flour remain. Avoid overmixing to keep muffins tender.
- Fill muffin pans: Spoon the batter into the prepared liners, filling each almost to the top to allow room for rising.
- Prepare crumb topping: Whisk flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl. Lightly mix in melted butter with a fork until the mixture forms crumbs. Be careful not to overwork the topping to keep it crumbly and light.
- Add crumb topping: Evenly spoon the crumb topping over each muffin and gently press the crumbs into the batter to ensure they stay intact during baking.
- Bake muffins: Place muffins in the oven and bake at 425°F (218°C) for 5 minutes. Then, without removing them, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) and bake for an additional 16-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Total bake time is approximately 21-22 minutes. Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Make maple icing (optional): Whisk together confectioners’ sugar, pure maple syrup, and milk until smooth and combined. Drizzle over warm muffins before serving for a sweet finishing touch.
- Storage: Cover muffins tightly and store at room temperature for 1-2 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week. For longer storage, freeze muffins (with or without icing) for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Muffins can be frozen with or without the icing for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm before serving. Add icing just before serving if desired.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Use store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice. If unavailable, substitute with 1/4 teaspoon each ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice with an additional 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon in the batter and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon plus the other spices in the crumb topping.
- Milk Substitutions: Any milk works—including dairy or non-dairy options such as unsweetened vanilla almond milk, whole milk, or skim milk.
- Baking Tips: Avoid overmixing the batter to maintain a tender crumb. Use room temperature ingredients for best results.
- Mini Muffins: For mini muffins, bake at 350°F (177°C) for 11-13 minutes total without the initial high heat step.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
