Easy Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
This post may contain affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for details.
Soft, moist, pumpkin spice muffins topped with a crunchy, and sweet streusel topping. These muffins are perfect for a lazy Sunday brunch or a grab-and-go breakfast treat on the way to school!
I have been aching to make these streusel pumpkin muffins for weeks now! As I mentioned in my last post, my oven did me dirty and just stopped working.
Rude.
And at the worst possible time, I might add. Doesn’t it know that its pumpkin spice season? Get it together OVEN!
However, after three weeks, the oven has been fixed and all has been forgiven, and we’re on speaking terms again.
After I made nachos literally three times in a row, I finally got around to making my pumpkin muffins and their delightful streusel!
And honestly, they were worth the wait!
Now, these pumpkin muffins are delicious on their own, without any accompaniments, or embellishments. They’re soft, moist, heavily spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and clove–absolutely divine.
But once you go and add that streusel crumb topping…
Have mercy.
The streusel is so sweet and crunchy, it’s hard not to eat the topping all on its own.
I also wanted to mention, in addition to being obnoxiously delicious, these easy pumpkin muffins come together without the use of a mixer and they don’t require you to soften butter ahead of time.
Therefore, these pumpkin muffins and their streusel topping can be made fast, easy, and on a whim. We love that around here!
Ingredients You’ll Need
For these muffins, you’ll need two parts: the streusel topping and the pumpkin muffin. I recommend making the streusel topping first and letting it sit while you make the muffins. That way the crumbs will be nice and sturdy when you top the muffins later.
For the Streusel Crumb Topping:
- All purpose flour – gives the streusel structure so it holds together in crumbs
- Granulated sugar – adds sweetness and helps the topping crisp up as it bakes
- Brown sugar – adds moisture and a deeper, caramel-like sweetness
- Ground cinnamon – brings warm spice flavor to the topping
- Kosher Salt – balances the sweetness
- Unsalted butter, very soft – binds the dry ingredients into crumbs and helps them crisp. Softened butter will work easily into the dry ingredients, but you can use melted butter if you don’t want to wait for the butter to soften on its own.
What You’ll Need For the Pumpkin Muffins:
- All purpose flour – the base structure of the muffin
- Baking powder and baking soda – helps the muffins rise
- Kosher salt – balances and enhances the other flavors
- Cinnamon – the primary warm spice in the muffins
- Ground nutmeg – adds depth to the spice blend
- Ground ginger – adds warmth and a slight bite
- Ground cloves – rounds out the spice blend with a rich, aromatic note.
- Salted butter – adds richness and flavor, unsalted butter can be used.
- Vegetable oil – keeps the muffins moist, without making them heavy.
- Brown sugar, packed – sweetens and adds moisture
- Granulated sugar – sweetens and helps with texture
- Large eggs – bind the batter and add structure
- Vanilla extract – rounds out the flavor
- Canned or fresh pumpkin puree – adds moisture, flavor, and the signature pumpkin color (make sure it’s puree, not pumpkin pie filling)
How To Make Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
Preheat your oven to 375°.
Line two 12 cup muffin pans with paper muffin liners, or spray the cavities with cooking spray.
Melt butter in a small saucepan or the microwave. Once melted, set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the other ingredients.
Whisk together flour, baking powder and baking soda, spices, and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
Next, whisk the sugars, melted butter, and vegetable oil together until combined. It’ll start to separate immediately, but that’s ok!
Add in the eggs and vanilla extract. Continue beating until well incorporated.
Add the pumpkin to the egg mixture and whisk until all the wet ingredients are blended together.
Pour the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients and using a whisk or a wooden spoon, mix until the batter is just combined and no flour streaks remain. Do not over mix!
Scoop muffin batter (about 1/4 cup of batter) into paper muffin liners.
Top all the muffins with the streusel crumb mixture.
Bake muffins at 375° for about 17-20 min.
The muffins are done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Is Canned Pumpkin The same as pumpkin puree?
Yes!
Whether you are using canned pumpkin or fresh, you’re looking for cooked, mashed pumpkin.
Do not be confused by pumpkin pie filling!! That is NOT the same. The pie filling already comes pre-sweetened and with a bunch of other things mixed in. That is not what you want here.
If you choose to make your own puree from fresh pumpkins, make sure it’s well mashed and as smooth as possible. We don’t want chunks in our muffins!
My friend Megan over at Simply Rooted Farmhouse has a recipe for homemade pumpkin puree. I’ll leave the instructions here if you want to make your own!
What can I substitute for pumpkin puree?
You can totally swap out pumpkin for another squash!
The grocery store will often carry generic canned “squash” near the pumpkin puree. It’s usually mashed and smooth just like the pumpkin in the can.
And if you’re going for fresh, I think butternut squash would be a lovely alternative to the pumpkin. That would be my first choice!
If you cannot find canned squash that’s already mashed, you can buy the frozen or canned chunks of squash and mash it yourself–or puree it in the blender.
Just make sure it’s not seasoned or anything like that and if you’re using frozen squash, make sure it’s thawed before mashing.
You’ll just need enough squash puree to make 15 oz or 1 3/4 cups.
How many cups are in a 15 oz can of pumpkin?
If you’re substituting canned pumpkin with fresh or another squash you roasted and mashed on your own, you can always weigh out 15 ounces on a kitchen scale.
However, if you don’t have a kitchen scale, the volume measurement of a standard 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree yields just under 1 3/4 cups.
Storing your pumpkin muffins
After baking, allow the muffins to cool completely and store in an airtight container on the counter. They will last about 3-4 days.
If you live in a particularly humid climate or just need to extend the life of these muffins a little longer, storing them in the fridge would not be a bad idea! But it’s definitely not necessary.
Other Recipes You May Like:
Save This Recipe
Just enter your email below and we will send this recipe right to your inbox, plus we will send more yummy recipes and ideas.
Pumpkin Muffins With Streusel Topping
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Streusel Crumb Topping:
- 3/4 cup of all purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons of packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft
Ingredients for the pumpkin muffins:
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 15 oz canned or fresh pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
Instructions
Make The Streusel Topping
- Combine the flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.
- Add the butter and mix with your fingers until it has been absorbed by the flour and large crumbs have formed. Make the crumbs by squeezing the mixture in your hand. Set aside.
Make the Pumpkin Muffins
- Preheat your oven to 375° and Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper muffin liners.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
- Next, whisk the brown sugar, white sugar, melted butter, and vegetable oil together until combined. It may separate, but that's ok!
- Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk until well incorporated. Add the pumpkin to the egg mixture and whisk until all the wet ingredients are blended together.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients and using a whisk or a wooden spoon, mix until the batter is just combined and no flour streaks remain. Do not over mix!
- Scoop muffin batter into the paper muffin liners, filling 3/4 of the way full. You should get about 15-16 muffins.
- Top all the muffins generously with the streusel crumb mixture.
- Bake muffins at 375° for about 18-25 min. The muffins are done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool before removing them from the pan.
Oh these look so yummy! I love pumpkin muffins:)
These look heavenly! I can’t wait to give them a try! Pinned for later and I’m also printing the recipe out right now so I don’t forget! 🤣🧡
Hahaha Thank you!! I hope you love them!
Just made these muffins. They are amazing. So moist and flavorful. These will become one of my fall pumpkin favorites!!
What a great way to use pumpkin in recipes! Might be a keeper in my recipe collection!
These look amazing!! I love all the pumpkin things this time of year! Yum!
Absolutely can not wait to make these, they look so simple and so delicious!