Bakery-Style Pumpkin Muffins

This recipe for Pumpkin Muffins is soft, moist, sweet and believe it or not, secretly healthy! Add on a few pepitas before baking to make these look like you bought them fresh out of a bakery.

I love pumpkin muffins! This is my go-to fall recipe and so simple to throw together! Of course blueberry muffins or banana bread muffins are classic options all year round, but its these pumpkin ones that get made on repeat come October!

The Best Pumpkin Muffins

After testing and retesting several recipes, I found the best ingredients for creating a moist, light, sweet crumb for these pumpkin muffins were: honey + brown sugar for sweetness, canned pumpkin puree and a light tasting oil (like a vegetable, canola or light olive oil).

There are other common ingredients needed as well like whole wheat flour, leavenings, eggs and spices, but it really just comes down to the oil, pumpkin, and sweeteners that make all the difference in baking.

Because the recipe does call for whole wheat flour, honey, pepitas, olive oil and pumpkin puree, these could be considered a healthy pumpkin muffin, though it depends on your definition of ‘healthy’. Ha!

How to make this Pumpkin Muffin Recipe:

Believe it or not, it only takes about 30 minutes, one bowl and a handful of pantry ingredients to make these easy pumpkin muffins from scratch.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients together until combined. Create a well in the center.
3. Measure and pour remaining wet ingredients into the well.
4. Slowly incorporate the wet ingredients in with the dry. Stir until just combined.
5. Scoop into muffin tins and sprinkle with pepitas.
6. Bake 20 minutes or until thoroughly baked.

Scroll down to the bottom of this post to get the printable recipe card with the full directions and proper increments.

What are pepitas? Do I have to use them?

Pepitas are pumpkin seeds that don’t have a white shell that derive only from certain varieties of pumpkins. See those green looking seeds on top of my muffins? Those are pepitas. And if you don’t like them or can’t find them, you do not have to use them!

Keep your pumpkin muffins plain or better yet, try substituting a few chocolate chips!

Adding chocolate chips

You can easily adapt this recipe into a pumpkin chocolate chip muffin by folding in 1/2 cup chocolate chips into the batter and then topping each muffin with a few extra chocolate chips before baking. Easy and delicious!

Love pumpkin muffins? Try these other pumpkin recipes:

• Classic Pumpkin Pie
• Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler
• Soft Pumpkin Bars
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
• Pumpkin Pull Apart Monkey Bread
• Old Fashioned Pumpkin Donuts
• Magnolia Bakery Pumpkin Gingersnap Banana Pudding
• Pumpkin Cream Cheese Danish
• Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
• Pumpkin Twists
• Soft Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

For a full list of all my pumpkin recipes available on my site, click here.

Below is the printable recipe card. Be sure to print/save/bookmark/pin this one because it’s a great one you’re not going to want to lose this one! Have a great day, friends!

4.89 from 18 votes

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Bakery-Style Pumpkin Muffins

This recipe for Pumpkin Muffins is soft, moist, sweet and believe it or not, secretly healthy! Add on a few pepitas before baking to make these look like you bought them fresh out of a bakery.

Course Breakfast

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 14 muffins

Calories 199 kcal

Author Lauren Brennan

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup vegetable or canola or light olive oil
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup pepitas

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, stir all dry ingredients until well mixed. Create a well in the center and add in the eggs, pumpkin, oil, honey and vanilla. Stir until dry ingredients are just absorbed. Scoop into muffin tins 2/3 way full and top with a sprinkling of pepitas.
3. Bake 20 minutes or until completely cooked. Remove and cool 5 minutes before removing and serving.

Recipe Notes

For Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins: fold in 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips into the batter. Scoop into muffin tins and sprinkle with a few extra chocolate chips before baking.

Nutrition Facts

Bakery-Style Pumpkin Muffins

Amount Per Serving

Calories 199 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Cholesterol 23mg8%

Sodium 135mg6%

Potassium 130mg4%

Carbohydrates 28g9%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 18g20%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 2077IU42%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 28mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.