These moist, cake-like pumpkin spice muffins have just the right balance of sweet and spice. Made with canned pumpkin purée, they’re easy to bake any time of year — no fresh pumpkin required.

Top them with coarse sugar before baking, or give them a cinnamon-sugar doughnut treatment by dipping the baked muffins in melted butter and pumpkin-spiced sugar.

Our Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix is easy to make and worth keeping on hand for these muffins, coffee, oatmeal and desserts like our Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake with Caramel Sauce.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

These cake-like pumpkin spice muffins are made with canned pumpkin purée and warm spices for an easy bake any time of year. Top them with coarse sugar, or dip them in melted butter and pumpkin-spiced sugar for a cinnamon-sugar doughnut-inspired finish.

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Ingredients

Pumpkin Pie Spice

3 tbsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground nutmeg
1½ tsp ground allspice
1½ tsp ground cloves

Muffins

1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1¾ tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup packed light-brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1¼ cups canned pumpkin purée
⅔ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup 2% or whole milk
1½ tsp vanilla
2 tbsp coarse sugar for topping

Instructions

Make the Pumpkin Pie Spice: Combine the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cloves in a small bowl. Measure 1¾ tsp for the muffins; store the remaining spice mixture in an airtight container.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
In bowl, whisk together flour, Pumpkin Pie Spice, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt until combined.
In large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar and eggs until light; add pumpkin purée, oil, milk and vanilla, and whisk until smooth. Stir in flour mixture until just combined.
Divide batter among prepared cups; sprinkle about 1⁄2 tsp of coarse sugar over each muffin. Bake until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan; let cool completely.

Notes

Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnut Topping: For a doughnut-inspired topping, omit the coarse sugar before baking. Once baked, dip the muffins in ⅓ cup melted butter, then in ⅓ cup granulated sugar mixed with 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice.

Keyword canned pumpkin muffins, homemade pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin purée, pumpkin spice

ELLE Gourmet Tips

Choose pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling.: Look for canned pure pumpkin purée, which is pumpkin without added sugar or spices. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and seasoned and will change the recipe.
Don’t skip the homemade spice mix.: Our Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix combines cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cloves. Making your own gives you a fresh, aromatic blend, and the extra can be kept on hand for coffee, oatmeal and more baking.
Try the cinnamon-sugar doughnut topping.: Instead of sprinkling the muffins with coarse sugar before baking, dip the baked muffins in melted butter, then in granulated sugar mixed with Pumpkin Pie Spice.