Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Crumble Topping
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This tried and true Pumpkin Spice Muffins recipe will quickly become part of your fall baking rotation. Imagine all the delicious flavors of autumn packed into a fluffy, moist, nutritious muffin. The sweet and slightly crunchy crumble topping takes these to the next level.
You also might like our Pumpkin Spice Cake Mix Cookies!
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
Say hello to THE pumpkin muffin of the season. Here are a few reasons you’ll love this recipe:
- They are absolutely delicious! Thanks to the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves this pumpkin muffin has so much depth of flavor. Top that off with a crumble topping and you will find yourself clamoring for more!
- This recipe uses a whole can of pumpkin. Yay for minimal waste!
- They are a great make-ahead breakfast recipe.
- They are a kid-favorite meal around our house. I even pack them in their lunch boxes.
- They are freezer-friendly breakfast. I make a big batch and freeze these in freezer bags.
“Great for breakfast. My husband loves to take them to work for a morning snack. So easy to make.” – Judith
Key Ingredients
- Old fashioned rolled oats – Quick oats work in a pinch.
- Spices – You’ll use a perfect blend of warm spices of fall: cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, ground ginger.
- Pumpkin puree – This recipe uses a whole 15-ounce can. We love when a pumpkin recipe minimizes waste.
- Unsweetened applesauce – Aa healthy substitute for some of that oil. If you don’t have this one hand, you can substitute oil or butter.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Muffins
As with most muffin recipes, you’ll mix together the wet ingredients in one bowl, and dry ingredients in another. Then combine just until mixed together (don’t overdo it or they will get tough).
If you’re using coconut oil, be sure to melt it first and drizzle it in as you’re whisking the wet ingredients. That way it won’t clump up on you.
Tips for the Crumble Topping
While the crumble topping on these muffins is entirely optional, I’d highly recommend including it.
It adds extra flavor and texture which I think takes these muffins to the next level.
One tool I use to make crumbling up that topping easier is a pastry cutter. It gets the butter mixed in quickly and it’s just fun to use! If you don’t have one, just use a fork.
Baking Tips
- I personally love using silicone muffin liners when I make muffin recipes. The muffins slide out of them so easily and they clean quickly in soapy water.
- While we give a fairly accurate baking time, it’s important to know that your timing might be a bit different depending on your oven, your pan, and your altitude. One way to check is to give the middle of the muffins a gentle tap. If they don’t sink in from the light pressure, they are done! Or you can insert a toothpick and if it comes out clean (except a few crumbs), it’s done.
- Let muffins cool in the muffin tin for 10-15 minutes before trying to remove them.
How to Freeze Pumpkin Muffins
Freeze For Later:
Bake muffins as directed. Place muffins on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flash freeze the muffins long enough to harden them up. Once frozen, transfer them to freezer-safe bag or container.
Prepare From Frozen:
Let them thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator. You can also stick them in the microwave for a brief time to warm them up.
Read this entire post on how to store and freeze muffins for more info!
FAQs
You can store these at room temperature, in the fridge, or freeze them. Use an airtight container and line them with paper towels to absorb moisture.
No, the muffins are still flavorful and delicious without it but after trying both ways I much prefer them with the crumble topping. (My kids do too!)
Yes! In fact, I usually double the recipe and make on batch regular sized and one batch mini muffins. They will cook much faster (10-15 minutes) so keep an eye on them!
More Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Love
Pumpkin Spice Muffins With Crumble Topping
Ingredients
Muffin Batter:
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (preferably white/gold whole wheat variety)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (preferably unbleached)
- 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats (quick oats work fine, too)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (Each can is about 1 1/2 cups puree.)
- 1 cup sugar (sub: coconut sugar for a healthier alternative)
- 2/3 cup avocado oil or melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Crumble Topping:
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons salted butter (softened)
- 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats (quick oats will work, too)
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 18 muffin cups or line them with paper liners.
- Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
- Wet Ingredients: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, sugar, oil, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Combine: Stir wet mixture into dry ingredients, just until combined (do not over mix).
- For the Crumble Topping: In a small bowl, use a fork to combine the brown sugar and softened butter until smooth and creamy. Add in the oats and 2 tablespoons flour and stir until topping is crumbly.
- Add Topping: Add a heaping 1/4 cup of batter into each muffin tin hole. Sprinkle each muffin with about 2 teaspoons crumble topping.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 18-23 minutes (may take longer depending on your pan). To check for doneness, insert a tooth pick and if it comes out clean (except for a few crumbs) then muffins are done.
Freezer Instructions
Notes/Tips
- Recipe Update: We updated this recipe on 8/25/25 by doubling the crumble topping ingredients.
- Ways to Make These Healthier:
- Replace all the flour with white whole wheat flour if you want to make these 100% whole wheat. The white variety can replace all-purpose flour with very little textural differences, but the muffins do turn out a little darker.
- Use coconut sugar instead of white sugar. It’s lower on the glycemic index.
- Cut the crumble topping in half (they are still yummy)!
- I personally love using silicone muffin liners when I make muffin recipes. The muffins slide out of them so easily and they clean quickly in soapy water.
- You can store these at room temperature, in the fridge, or freeze them. Use an airtight container and line them with paper towels to absorb moisture
Nutrition
These were really yummy, you really taste the pumpkin and sometimes I have pumpkin things that don’t taste like pumpkin at all. They are not too sweet, and I appreciate that (and so does my son!). I will likely be making these again!
So glad you enjoyed these Katie! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
I made these muffins for an early morning meeting … and they were a hit. The only drawback on making the muffins…I didn’t have any leftover to take home. They were very good. :}
So glad you enjoyed these Celesti. Not having any leftover is the highest praise! Thanks for leaving a review.
Great for breakfast. My husband loves to take them to work for a morning snack. So easy to make.
Glad to hear this Judith. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
Love the flavor, not too sweet but sweet enough especially with crumble topping. My kids ate them.
Thanks for the feedback and review, Tracy. Means so much to us!
Can you use almond flour?
I’ve only tested this recipe and had success with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour as a GF alternative, so I’m not sure how to adjust for almond flour. However, if you’d like a delicious pumpkin muffin recipe with coconut flour, you can find that here: https://thrivinghomeblog.com/gluten-free-pumpkin-muffins/
This is my favorite pumpkin muffin recipe. The crumble topping takes it over the top!
Awesome! Love that, Carla.
I can’t wait to try these! Has anyone substituted pumpkin pie spice? I have an overabundance of it and would like to use some of it up!
Hi Marilyn. We haven’t tested it with pumpkin pie spice, but I love that idea as a short cut. You could replace the cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg with it. Let us know what you think, if you try that.
This pumpkin recipe is the best out there!!! I make it at least weekly in the fall months!
So glad you enjoy it! Thanks for leaving a review.
this looks really good! what size can of pumpkin?
They are our fave! You’ll need about a 15 ounce can of pumpkin.
I came across this recipe as I was googling for the best way to freeze muffins. I made it today since I had a spare can of pumpkin I needed to use and it is delicious! My kiddos and I ate a few, and the rest are going into the freezer for when baby #3 arrives!
So glad you found us!! Make sure you check out our cookbook (fromfreezertotable.com)!!
Love this recipe! Just made these the other night and tried one before freezing the rest. My daughter thawed one of the frozen ones and ate it. She is now raving about how delicious theses are. Thanks for the recipe!!
Love hearing this. We make these often at home.
These look and sound scrumptious! I’ll take 2 please, right now with my morning coffee!
I just made these! They are so good I think they are sinful!!!
Ha, ha! Agreed!