Easy Pumpkin Muffins: 3 Recipes to Try

Pumpkin muffins are soft, moist bakes flavoured with warming spices like cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, and the pumpkin puree keeps every bite tender. Brown sugar adds a rich, treacly depth, and a few simple tips, like not over-mixing the batter, keep every batch light rather than dense.

These easy pumpkin muffins also take well to add-ins such as chopped nuts, dried fruit or chocolate chips, so they are simple to make your own.

Below are three tried and tested pumpkin muffin recipes, apple, bran and dairy free, each given in UK metric measurements.

Feel free to adjust the spices to taste, such as adding a pinch of allspice or using shop-bought pumpkin pie spice instead of measuring each spice separately.

A mix of brown and caster sugar works well too, since brown sugar brings extra depth of flavour while caster sugar keeps things simply sweet.

5 Top Tips for Perfect Muffins

• The batter for pumpkin muffins needs to be only just combined, since over-working can cause the finished muffins to be tough.

• Mix the wet ingredients and dry ones separately before combining so you don’t over-mix the batter.

• Use homemade pumpkin puree made from a good baking pumpkin (see our pumpkin varieties guide) or tinned 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, for the best pumpkin muffins.

• The last things to go in are the spices and any nuts or fruit you wish to add. A brief stir is enough to distribute these ingredients through the batter.

• Paper cases are optional. You can also just grease the muffin tin. However, they tend to stay fresher for longer if you use paper cases.

How to Store Pumpkin Muffins

As muffins age, the moisture content rises to the surface then tries to evaporate. If you’re using an empty airtight container, cling film or a bag, this moisture will sink back in and cause the muffins to spoil faster.

For this reason, it’s best to line a container with kitchen paper, then add the muffins on top in a single layer. Add a second layer of kitchen paper on top to absorb any moisture. Keep the muffins at room temperature.

Stored this way, the muffins should stay fresh for three or four days. Change the kitchen paper if it gets too wet.

You can also freeze pumpkin muffins for up to two months, then thaw them in the microwave or on the worktop.

If you have leftover pumpkin puree from a Halloween carving, don’t let it go to waste. Our guide to smart uses for your old Halloween pumpkin has plenty more ideas.

So, are you in a muffin-making mood yet? These are three of the best pumpkin muffin recipes you can make at home, and each one will have your kitchen smelling like a proper bakery.

Apple Pumpkin Muffins

The sweetness of apple pairs with pumpkin to add flavour as well as moisture to these delicious muffins. You can use any kind of apple here, or even try pear for a different flavour.

If you want to add a streusel topping, combine 110g soft light brown sugar with 30g plain flour, 30g melted butter, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle this over the muffins just before baking.

Ingredients:

• 310g plain flour
• 300g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 245g pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 110g grated apple (about 1 medium apple)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 120ml rapeseed or vegetable oil

Method:

1. First preheat the oven to 180C (fan 160C).
2. Mix the flour, sugar, spices, salt, and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl.
3. Mix the pumpkin, oil and eggs in another bowl.
4. Combine the flour mixture and pumpkin mixture together.
5. Stir in the apple then divide the mixture between 15 greased muffin cups.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
7. Let the apple pumpkin muffins cool a little in the tin then let them finish cooling on a wire rack.

Pumpkin Bran Muffins

The addition of bran to these muffins makes them extra hearty and filling. Bran is great for digestion. One of these pumpkin bran muffins would make a tasty breakfast served with your favourite kind of coffee.

Our pumpkin bread recipes are also great for breakfast, but sometimes you just want a muffin.

Ingredients:

• 420g pumpkin puree (homemade or tinned)
• 200g caster sugar
• 60g wheat bran flakes
• 3 large eggs
• 240g wholemeal flour
• 190g plain flour
• 180ml water
• 180g unflavoured Greek yoghurt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180C (fan 160C) and use nonstick spray to grease 24 muffin cups.
2. Whisk the eggs, pumpkin, yoghurt, water, sugar and vanilla together.
3. Mix the rest of the ingredients together in another bowl.
4. Now combine the two mixtures until only just mixed.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
6. Bake for 18 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into a muffin.
7. Let them cool for 10 minutes or so in the tin.
8. Remove the muffins to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

Dairy-Free Pumpkin Muffins

Just because you don’t eat dairy doesn’t mean you have to miss out on delicious homemade muffins. These dairy-free muffins are fluffy, moist and delicious.

You can use any kind of milk here, such as soy, almond or oat milk. Frost or decorate them if you wish, though they’re just as good served plain.

Ingredients:

• 120ml rapeseed or vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg or allspice
• 2 eggs
• 430g pumpkin puree
• 200g caster sugar
• 4 tablespoons dairy-free milk
• 240g plain flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C (fan 160C).
2. Whisk the pumpkin puree with the eggs, oil, milk, and spices until you have a smooth batter.
3. Mix in the flour and baking powder until the ingredients are only just combined.
4. Divide the batter between 20 paper-lined muffin cups.
5. Cook for 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted.
6. Cool the muffins in the tin for 5 minutes then put them on a wire rack to finish cooling.

Pumpkin muffins are wonderfully easy to make. You just combine the ingredients and divide the batter between muffin cups.

If you enjoyed these, our pumpkin cookie recipes and pumpkin pancake recipes are also worth trying.

Happy baking!