Enjoy the ultimate autumn treat with these pumpkin spice muffins with cream cheese frosting! Perfectly spiced and irresistibly soft, these muffins capture all the flavours of autumn in every bite.
Made with smooth canned pumpkin puree, these easy-to-make pumpkin muffins are light, fluffy, and deliciously moist, finished with a tangy, homemade cream cheese frosting that takes them to the next level. Ideal for breakfast, afternoon tea, or a seasonal treat, these muffins are a must-try for any pumpkin spice lover!
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Not too long ago, finding canned pumpkin purée in the UK-especially here in Cornwall-was no easy feat!
Thankfully, in recent years it's become much more widely available, appearing in an increasing number of local supermarkets. These days, it's pretty simple to get hold of. Just as a tip, I picked up mine from Waitrose.
Love pumpkin spice flavour? Try my pumpkin blondies next!
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✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
- Simple to prepare using staple pantry ingredients, with no mixer needed.
- Quick to make, ready in under 45 minutes.
- Features a comforting and fragrant cinnamon spice flavour.
- Ideal as a sweet treat during pumpkin spice season, suitable for both Halloween and Bonfire Night festivities.
- Offers a soft and moist texture due to the pumpkin purée, and can be stored in the freezer (without the frosting).
🛒 Ingredients
Pumpkin Puree - Usually found in 400g tins. If you can only find pumpkin pie filling, use it but skip the cinnamon. Also, check the sugar content and adjust the recipe accordingly.
Dry Ingredients - Use plain flour, a mix of light brown and caster sugar, ground cinnamon, and bicarbonate of soda.
Wet Ingredients - You'll need natural yoghurt, eggs, and melted butter.
Cream Cheese Frosting for the Pumpkin Muffins - full-fat cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla extract, and a splash of milk makes a silky smooth, and creamy frosting!
🔪 Instructions
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
- Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Whisk the wet ingredients together in a jug then add to the dry ingredients.
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients together gently. Try not to overmix the batter.
- Fold in the pumpkin puree.
- Spoon the muffin batter into a 12 hole muffin tin lined with muffin cases and bake in a preheated oven for 18 minutes.
- Whilst the muffins are cooling, whisk together the frosting ingredients, and once the muffins cool, drizzle or spread the frosting on and allow to set.
Top Tips
If you're going to make this recipe, make sure to follow this top tip!
- Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature, and let melted butter cool before adding to the wet mix.
- Avoid over-mixing-gently fold dry ingredients into the wet. A few lumps are fine and won't affect the muffins.
- For perfectly risen tops, preheat the oven 10°C higher than needed, then reduce to the correct temperature as soon as the muffins go in.
- I use half a can of pumpkin purée for light muffins with a subtle pumpkin flavour. Leftover purée is great for pumpkin blondies or pancakes.
🍴 Serving suggestions
These easy pumpkin muffins are perfect with a cup of tea, or glass of cold milk for the little ones. We sometimes eat them for breakfast too.
I always make a batch for our annual Bonfire Night party, along with this amazing honeycomb tiffin, and Bramley apple flapjacks!
📖 Variations
- For an even easier recipe, leave off the cream cheese frosting and dust with icing sugar instead.
- To make pumpkin chocolate chip muffins add 100g of milk chocolate chips to the batter.
- Up the spices and double the ground cinnamon and add ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves. Ground ginger and nutmeg would also work well.
- Make them fruity by adding dried cranberries or raisins to the pumpkin muffins.
- How about some walnuts or pecans for added crunch and texture?
- Try a streusel topping, similar to the one used on these bakery-style strawberry muffins. If you like, drizzle a bit of thinned-down cream cheese frosting on top - a splash more milk should get it to the right consistency.
🥡 Storage
Store - The muffins are moist, so keep them in an air-tight container. They'll keep fresh for up to 3 days.
Freeze - freeze the muffins for up to 3 months (minus the cream cheese icing).
❓ FAQs
Canned pumpkin puree contains 100% pumpkin without any additional spices or sugar. Pumpkin pie filling features pureed pumpkin flavoured with the spices traditionally found in pumpkin pie: cloves, cinnamon, allspice and/or nutmeg, and sometimes added sugar too.
There was a shortage due to pumpkin blight, a fungal infection that can potentially wipe out pumpkin harvests. The infection is hitting the Midwest of the United States, known as "the keep pumpkins growing region"!
Making icing for pumpkin muffins is really easy. Here's a simple cream cheese icing recipe:
120 g Cream Cheese
50 g Icing Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
3-4 tbsp Milk depending if you want a spreading consistency or drizzling consistency
😋Related recipes
More delicious muffin recipes to try!
- Cinnamon Apple Muffins
- Gingerbread Muffins
- Cherry Muffins
- Blackcurrant and White Chocolate Muffins
- Fresh Cranberry Muffins
- Chocolate Orange Muffins
- Blueberry White Chocolate Muffins
- Blackberry and Lemon Muffins
- Jam Muffins
🎃 More pumpkin recipes
Tried it? Let me know what you think and rate it ⭐️ below. Tag me @effortlessf00d-I'd love to see! Don't forget to subscribe for more recipes.
Recipe
Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting
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Ingredients
- 40 g Light Brown Sugar
- 100 g Caster Sugar
- 200 g Plain Flour
- 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
- 1 tablespoon Cinnamon
- 100 ml Natural Yogurt
- 2 Eggs large, beaten
- 140 g Butter melted
- 200 g Pumpkin Puree
For the cream cheese frosting
- 120 g Cream Cheese
- 50 g Icing Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 3-4 tablespoon Milk depending if you want a spreading consistency or drizzling consistency
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (170° fan/ Gas 5/ 375°F) and line a 12 hole muffin tin with muffin cases.
- Combine the dry ingredients (light brown sugar, caster sugar, plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, ground cinnamon) in a bowl.40 g Light Brown Sugar, 100 g Caster Sugar, 200 g Plain Flour, 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda, 1 tablespoon Cinnamon
- Whisk the wet ingredients (natural yogurt, eggs, melted butter) together in a jug then gently mix into the dry ingredients, being careful not to overmix.100 ml Natural Yogurt, 2 Eggs, 140 g Butter
- Fold in the pumpkin puree.200 g Pumpkin Puree
- Spoon the muffin batter into the 12 hole muffin tin lined with muffin cases and bake in a preheated oven for 18 minutes.
- Whilst the muffins are cooling, whisk together the frosting ingredients, and once the muffins are cool drizzle or spread the frosting on and allow to set.120 g Cream Cheese, 50 g Icing Sugar, 1 teaspoon Vanilla, 3-4 tablespoon Milk
Dannii says
I am so excited for all the pumpkin recipes. Muffins are one of my favourites.
Beth says
These are so yummy! A perfect treat with my morning coffee. My family is gobbling these up like no tomorrow!
Shashi says
I cut all your ingredients in half and made 6 of these and they were so good! It's a good thing I only made half because 3 have already been polished off! Thanks for this recipe!
veenaazmanov says
Pumpkin sounds unique and healthy and these Muffin are perfect for a Tea Time Treat.
Kate says
Just gorgeous! I have a can of pumpkin puree I've been wondering what to do with... wondering no more! Thanks for the great recipe.