Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

Indulge in the cozy goodness of this pumpkin streusel muffins recipe featuring soft and tender muffins made from a fresh pumpkin puree flavored with the perfect blend of pumpkin spice and a delightful cinnamon streusel topping.

this recipe

Jump to:

• Why you'll love this recipe
• Cinnamon Streusel Topping or nothing
• More Pumpkin Recipes
• Ingredient for this recipe
• How to make Pumpkin Muffins with streusel topping
• Storage and freezing
• Tips for this recipe
• Recipe Variations
• More Muffin Recipes
• Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

Why you'll love this recipe

I created these pumpkin streusel muffins in the same way as my pumpkin streusel bread, to get all the softness, moisture and pumpkin flavor, which takes me straight into the fall season.

I love this recipe because it's made with homemade, seasonal fresh pumpkin puree to take full advantage of its intense flavor and moisture content, which makes it work best in breads and muffins.

Also flavored with my homemade pumpkin pie spice blend that perfectly balances all the flavors and complements the delicious pumpkin taste.

Cinnamon Streusel Topping or nothing

Its cinnamon buttery streusel crumble topping is a big part of its success, as it adds a delicious crunchy finish to pumpkin muffins and many other autumn recipes.

These pumpkin streusel muffins are easy to make at home and perfect for enjoying the pumpkin season. You can add a delicious vanilla glaze or cream cheese icing on top and enjoy them for breakfast or a snack.

More Pumpkin Recipes

Ingredient for this recipe

Streusel topping

• Butter: Preferably use unsalted butter, cold. You can also use salted butter, but adapt the amount of salt to the recipe.
• Sugar: Preferably brown sugar like dark brown sugar or granulated sugar like cane sugar for extra crunch.
• Almond meal: As an option, almond flour adds a delicious flavor, but you can replace it with oatmeal or hazelnut meal.
• Flour: Use all-purpose white wheat flour or wholemeal flour.
• Cinnamon and salt: Cinnamon ground is perfect for flavoring streusel, but you can replace it with a blend of autumn spices or do without, and also use sea salt to bring out the flavors.

Muffin batter

• Vegetable oil: A neutral vegetable oil such as sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, or grape seed oil.
• Sugar: A mixture of white granulated sugar and brown sugar to flavor the recipe such as dark brown sugar or light brown sugar.
• Eggs: Use medium eggs at room temperature.
• Milk: Use preferably buttermilk, plain yogurt, sour cream, or even unsweetened applesauce.
• Pumpkin: I use homemade pumpkin purée but you can simply use unsweetened pure canned pumpkin (no pumpkin pie mix which is too smooth and sweet).
• Flour: Use all-purpose flour which you can replace with whole wheat flour or a gluten-free flour mix.
• Yeast: Baking soda is preferable, but you can replace it with a packet of baking powder.
• Spices: Ground cinnamon and a pumpkin pie spice mix.
• Vanilla and salt: Essential for flavoring and bringing out all the flavors.

⚠️ You will find the quantities and complete instructions in the recipe card at the end of the page.

How to make Pumpkin Muffins with streusel topping

Make the crumb topping

• In a medium bowl place all the dry ingredients, all-purpose flour, almonds meal, brown sugar, cinnamon ground and sea salt.
• Then add the cold butter pieces and crumble with your fingertips until you get a sandy mixture with small pieces.
• Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.

Mixing wet ingredients

• Place vegetable oil, brown sugar, and white sugar in a large bowl.
• Mix with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is smooth and liquid.

Add fresh pumpkin puree

• Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix again with an electric mixer for 1 minute to incorporate.
• Then add the pumpkin puree and mix with the mixer to incorporate it.

Tip: Making your own homemade pumpkin puree is quick and easy. Simply steam the fresh pumpkin pieces for about 20 minutes and then mash them with a puree press.

Add dry ingredients

• Add the dry ingredients, flour, baking soda or baking powder, a pinch of salt, ground cinnamon, and the all-season spice mix.
• And mix this time delicately with a spatula or a wooden spoon until you obtain a very homogeneous mixture.

Baking

• Preheat oven to 392°F / 200°C and prepare a muffin pan with paper liners.
• Pour the pumpkin muffin batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling them well to get nice bumps on top of the muffins.
• Then add the streusel mixture on top.
• Then lower the temperature to 374°F / 190°C and bake for 20 minutes until golden and puffy.
• Remove the pumpkin crumble muffins from the oven and let them cool in their pan before moving them to a wire rack.

Tip: Pumpkin spice muffins are done if the toothpick inserted comes out clean with no trace of liquid dough, otherwise, extend baking time by 5 minutes.

Storage and freezing

Room temperature: Pumpkin streusel muffins can be stored at room temperature for 1 week, and placed in an airtight container.

In the freezer: Placed in a box or in storage bags, you can keep them for up to 3 months in the freezer. Let them return to room temperature slowly or use the defrost function of your microwave.

Tips for this recipe

1. Use real pumpkin puree for more intense flavor and texture in your pumpkin muffins.
2. Butter gives a richer texture and a crust to the muffins, while oil keeps the texture lighter and fluffier, and preserves it better. I prefer to use oil or a mixture of the 2 in muffin batter).
3. Be careful with the spices: the perfect ratio of the pumpkin pie spice is important to balance the tastes of pumpkin-based recipes.
4. Be careful not to overcook the pumpkin streusel muffins, as they will lose their soft, moist texture the longer they are baked;

Recipe Variations

Replace some of the pumpkin purée with mashed banana as in this recipe for Banana Bread Muffins

Add chocolate chips for more gourmandize as in these Bakery style Chocolate Chip Muffins, a few dried raisins or walnuts for extra texture.

Use butter instead of oil in muffins: When the muffins are cooled you won't feel the oil in your mouth, but you can replace it with the same amount of melted butter.

Add a glaze like a vanilla maple glaze mix ½ cup powdered sugar with ½ tsp vanilla extract and ¼ tsp maple syrup.

Cream cheese frosting: Try this cream cheese frosting I use in my cinnamon rolls recipe, perfect for sweetening spices.

More Muffin Recipes

Did you like this recipe? Don't forget to rate it and leave me a review in the comments! And to not miss any recipes follow @sweetlycakes on Instagram and tag me to share it if you make this recipe 😊!

Print