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. Make extras and freeze these for an easy make ahead breakfast or snack.
What’s In Pumpkin Spice Muffins?
What makes these muffins stand out from other pumpkin muffin recipes is the complexity of flavor. It’s got some powerhouse spices that are perfectly paired together. I love a pumpkin recipe that uses a whole can of pumpkin, too. It’s such a waste to throw away unused pumpkin puree! Don’t be intimidated by the list of ingredients you’ll need either. You likely have these in your pantry!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour (or use all white whole wheat flour)
- Old fashioned rolled oats (quick oats work fine, too)
- Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, ground ginger
- Baking soda and baking powder
- Salt
- Pumpkin puree (one 15 ounce can!)
- Sugar
- Oil (preferably avocado oil or melted coconut oil)
- Unsweetened applesauce (a healthy substitute for some of that oil)
- Eggs
- Vanilla
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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 over do 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. If silicone liners aren’t your jam, just use paper liners in a muffin tin.
- 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 and your altitude. The best 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!
- Let muffins cool in the muffin in for 10-15 minutes before trying to remove them.
Can You Freeze Muffins?
Heck ya! Now that you’ve made a batch of delicious pumpkin muffins, you’ll want to store them properly–whether at room temp or in the freezer.
How to Store Muffins at Room Temperature:
Here’s a trick for storing muffins in an airtight container: surround them with paper towels! This will absorb some of that extra moisture, keeping your muffins in tip top condition longer.
How to Freeze Muffins:
While freezing muffins is pretty much second nature to some, it is worth mentioning for those who may not be enlightened on the subject. To freeze muffins, all you have to do is place them in an airtight container of some type and, well, freeze them. The less air exposure the better, which is why I like using plastic freezer bags. Separate layers with parchment paper if you have more than one layer.
Read this entire post on how to store and freeze muffins for more info!
What to Serve with Pumpkin Spice Muffins
While these healthy muffins have enough nutrition to stand alone as their own breakfast, here are some great recipes ideas to serve alongside them:
- Scrambled eggs (or hard-boiled eggs)
- Fresh fruit
- Bacon (cooked in the oven)
- Very Berry Smoothie or Orangesicle Smoothie
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Pumpkin Spice Muffins With Crumble Topping
A delicious pumpkin muffin recipe. I love that this recipe uses the whole can of pumpkin. The crumble topping puts it over the top! Double this and freeze one batch for the future–you’ll want lots!
Ingredients
Muffin Batter:
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour*
- 1 cup all-purpose flour*
- 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats (quick oats work fine, too)
- 3 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups (or one 15 ounce can) pumpkin puree
- 1 cup sugar (use 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:
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened (Can you freeze butter? Yes! Here’s how.)
- 1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats (quick oats will work, too)
- 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
*You can replace all the flour with white whole wheat flour, if you want to use 100% whole wheat. The white variety can replace all-purpose flour with very little textural differences.
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Instructions
Make It Now:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 18 muffin cups or line them with paper liners.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the flours, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, sugar, oil, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Stir dry mixture into wet ingredients; mix just until combined (do not over mix).
- For the Crumble Topping: Add the brown sugar and softened butter to the same small mixing bowl from before. Stir until smooth and creamy. Add in the oats and 2 tablespoons flour and use a fork to stir until topping is crumbly.
- Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tins until each one is about 2/3rds full. Sprinkle each muffin with crumble topping.
- Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a tooth pick and if it comes out clean then muffins are done. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
Freeze For Later: Bake muffins as directed in recipe. Let cool completely. Then place in a gallon-sized freezer bag or container, seal tightly, and store for up to 3 months.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw muffins in the refrigerator or warm in the microwave.
Want More Pumpkin Recipes?
With YEARS of content and recipes on Thriving Home, it can be easy to forget about some amazing pumpkin recipes that we have shared over time. Here are our Top 10 Pumpkin Recipes that you simply must try!
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.