These delicious cinnamon sugar pumpkin muffins have a subtle, light pumpkin flavor and are the perfect way to use your homemade (or store-bought) pumpkin puree. The sugar topping adds the perfect touch to sweeten these from scratch muffins.
Every year after the fall season I cut up the pumpkins that have been sitting on my front porch as décor and stock my freezer with homemade pumpkin puree to bake tasty treats throughout the next year. But if I’m being honest, I use almost all of that pumpkin puree to make these homemade pumpkin muffins. They are the #1 pumpkin recipe in our home, so I hardly ever branch out to try new pumpkin puree recipes.
What makes these pumpkin muffins so special?
With that being said, I’m personally not someone who loves the taste of pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, or cloves (I know. Probably an unpopular opinion) so, I love that these muffins are different from traditional pumpkin muffins. The only spice I use in this recipe is cinnamon and it gives them the perfect blend of pumpkin, cinnamon, and sugar to make fluffy and flavorful muffins.
Of course you can always add in additional spices such as pumpkin pie spice if that’s what you enjoy. But just know that if you’re like me, then these are the pumpkin muffins for you! They are always a hit at my house.
The topping on the muffins is an extra treat that makes them extra yummy. At times, I’ll forget to add the sugar topping and they just aren’t the same without it.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Tender and fluffy: These muffins turn out moist and fluffy to pair perfectly with your favorite breakfast drink.
No overpowering flavors: The mild, subtle flavor of pumpkin is brought out in these muffins with cinnamon and sugar.
Sugar topping: The sugar topping adds just the needed sweet touch to jazz up these muffins.
Simple & Easy: This recipe uses staple pantry ingredients and can be mixed up quickly for a classic fall or winter breakfast.
Ingredients
Flour-I typically use all-purpose flour, but I like to experiment with substituting in some fresh-milled soft white wheat flour too.
Baking soda, baking powder, and salt-If you prefer, you can leave all 3 of these ingredients out and use self-rising flour 1:1 in place of the all-purpose flour.
Sugar-I prefer to use whole cane organic sugar.
Cinnamon-Blends well with pumpkin and adds the perfect sprinkle of flavor.
Pumpkin puree-I love to make my own and have it in 1 cup increments in my freezer (specifically for this recipe), but you can also use store-bought instead. Just be sure it is pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
Sour cream-I’ve found that anytime a quick bread recipe calls for sour cream, you know it’s going to be moist and delicious.
Milk
Oil-You can use anything from olive oil to melted coconut oil to even melted lard.
Vanilla
Eggs
Sugar Topping
Sugar
Brown Sugar-When mixed with cane sugar, this adds the perfect sweet topping for these muffins. I use homemade brown sugar for a more robust flavor.
How to Make Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Muffins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a muffin tin or line with cupcake liners.
Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, and cinnamon) in a large bowl.
Mix wet ingredients (pumpkin puree, sour cream, milk, oil, vanilla, and eggs) in a separate large bowl.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Spoon batter into muffin tin.
Combine sugar and brown sugar for topping in a small bowl.
Sprinkle brown sugar mixture onto muffin batter.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 18-23 minutes.
Tips:
- Don’t over mix muffin batter. For the most tender and fluffy muffins, mix your batter until just combined.
- If you own one, I find the texture of these muffins to be even better when baked in a stone muffin pan. It will take closer to 23 minutes for the muffins to be done baking if using a stone pan.
- If you choose, you can omit the baking soda, baking powder, and salt in this recipe and use self-rising flour in place of all-purpose flour.
- Variations-If you love the flavor of pumpkin pie spice, feel free to add 1-2 teaspoons to the muffin batter.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Cinnamon’s sweet and warm properties pair well with pumpkin’s earthy flavor.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice complement the mild flavor of pumpkin well. Pumpkin pie spice is just a combination of some or all of these spices.
One of the tricks to making moist muffins is to be sure not to over mix the batter. You want to mix until all ingredients are just combined. Additionally, be sure not to overbake them. Muffins are done baking when a toothpick or cake tester can be inserted into muffin and come out clean. Additionally, I find the sour cream in the muffin batter produces a fluffy and moist texture.
Once completely cooled, store in an air-tight container at room temperature.
These muffins are best if eaten within 3-4 days.
Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup oil I usually use olive oil.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 eggs
Sugar Topping
- 3 teaspoons sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease a muffin tin or line with cupcake liners.
- Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
- Mix pumpkin puree, sour cream, milk, oil, vanilla, and eggs in a separate large bowl.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Spoon batter into muffin tin, adding equal amounts to each muffin well.
- For sugar topping, combine sugar and brown sugar in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle brown sugar mixture evenly over muffin batter.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 18-23 minutes.
Notes
- Don’t over mix muffin batter. For the most tender and fluffy muffins, mix your batter until just combined.
- If you own one, I find the texture of these muffins to be even better when baked in a stone muffin pan. It will take closer to 23 minutes for the muffins to be done baking if using a stone pan.
- If you choose, you can omit the baking soda, baking powder, and salt in this recipe and use self-rising flour in place of all-purpose flour.
- Variations-If you love the flavor of pumpkin pie spice, feel free to add 1-2 teaspoons to the muffin batter.
Did you enjoy this recipe? Leave a comment below!
This recipe looks delicious! We are big fans of pumpkin and cinnamon so my family will love these. I’m always looking for good muffins to make for breakfast. Thank you!
Mmmmm cinnamon sugar on a muffin sounds so good this morning! I will definitely need to give these a try!
I bet the kitchen smells amazing while these are baking!
These look delicious! Thank you for the recipe and I can’t wait to try them!
These give cozy-winter vibes. Delicious!