These pumpkin streusel muffins pair a tender, moist sour cream pumpkin spice muffin with a buttery pecan streusel that bakes up crisp on top. They're topped with an optional maple glaze for a little extra fall flavor. To get tall domed muffins I start them in a hot oven and then lower the temperature to finish baking.
These muffins are spiced just right with homemade pumpkin pie spice, and topped with a crunchy, nutty streusel. If you like pecan streusel, I use a similar crunchy topping on my sweet potato muffins.
If you’re craving more fall flavors or pumpkin recipes, try my pumpkin cream cheese muffins or my pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. But one of my favorite recipes is the banana pumpkin bread with a cinnamon streusel.
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Cheryl's Baker's Notes
- Butter + Sour Cream. Unlike most recipes I use butter instead of oil because I love that buttery taste, and the sour cream provides tenderness and moisture.
- Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice. Once I made my own, there was no going back to store bought. I love that I can adjust the amount of each spice in my recipe, and the flavor is incredible.
- Two temperature bake. Starting the muffins at 425°F gives you taller muffins: the high heat makes the gases and steam expand fast for a strong oven spring and the baking powder releases more gas at high temperatures. Finishing at 350°F lets the centers bake through without overbaking and drying out.
- Use an instant-read thermometer. This is my favorite tool for ensuring the muffins are done without over baking.
Pumpkin Streusel Muffin Ingredients
- Pumpkin Puree: I recommend Libby’s Pumpkin Puree for these muffins. I tested multiple brands and found Libby's to consistently be the best. It's thick, has an all natural orange color, a very subtle sweetness due to the type of pumpkin Libby uses. My least favorite is organic pumpkin puree - it was typically watery and didn't have anywhere near the flavor or Libby's. Be sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: The combination of ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves gives these muffins their distinctive flavor when combined with the pumpkin puree. I like using homemade pumpkin pie spice because I can control the amount of each of the spices that go into it. For instance if you want a little gingery kick add more ginger to the homemade version.
- Pecans: Pecans are what give the streusel its crunch, plus they add an all-natural sweetness to the topping. When buying pecans, look for ones that are plump and have a rich brown color. Avoid any that look shriveled. Fresh pecans should taste sweet and nutty; if they’ve gone bad, they’ll have a slightly bitter or off flavor. Walnuts or hazelnuts work well as substitutes if you don’t have pecans on hand.
Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
Step 1: Combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt in a bowl
Step 2: Add the pecans to the dry ingredients.
Step 3: Add the melted butter to the dry ingredients and mix it into the ingredients
Step 4: Mix the ingredients together until the streusel starts to form clumps.
Step 5: Place the brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a large bowl and whisk together.
Step 6: Add the melted butter and whisk it into the sugar-spice mixture.
Step 7: Whisk in the beaten eggs until the batter has a lighter color.
Step 8: Whisk in the pumpkin puree and the sour cream.
Step 9: Add the dry ingredients in two batches, gently folding it in with a silicone spatula.
Step 10: Divide the pumpkin muffin batter between the 12 muffin cups.
Step 11: Top each muffin with some of the pecan streusel
Step 12: Bake the muffins until they have risen and the internal temperature registers 202°F.
How to Make the Maple Glaze
The maple glaze is delicious and easy to make. Sift the powdered sugar into a medium-sized bowl. Whisk in the salt. Stir in the maple syrup. The glaze should be thick but pourable. Use a spoon to add a drizzle of maple glaze over the muffins after they have cooled.
Tips For Making These Easy Pumpkin Muffins
- Use a scale to measure the flour to ensure you have the right amount. Too much flour could result in a dry muffin.
- Let the wet ingredients sit for 10 minutes to dissolve the sugar. Sugar contributes to the moisture of the muffins. Allowing the sugar to dissolve will help ensure a super moist muffin.
- Use room-temperature eggs and sour cream to help ensure a fluffy muffin. Cold eggs could result in stodgy muffins.
- Since this recipe does not use a whole can of pumpkin puree, store the leftover puree in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze it until you're ready to use it for another recipe.
Did you make these pumpkin streusel muffins? If so, please leave a rating and a comment below. This helps my blog to grow.
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Pumpkin Streusel Muffins with Pecan Topping
Equipment
- Large Wisk
- Muffin Liners
Ingredients
Pecan Streusel Topping
- 8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup (125 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (114 grams) roughly chopped pecans
Pumpkin Muffins
- 8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter melted
- 1-3/4 cups (220 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large (100 grams) eggs room temperature (65-68 degrees F)
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice see my Pumpkin Pie Spice recipe
- 1 1/4 cups (280 grams) pumpkin puree Libby's Pumpkin Puree recommended
- 1/4 cup (60 grams) sour cream room temperature (65-68 degrees F)
Maple Glaze (Optional)
- 1-1/2 cups (180 grams) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
Make the Streusel
- Melt the butter over low heat. While the butter is melting place the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium-sized bowl and whisk the ingredients togther. Use your fingers to break up any brown sugar clumps.
- Add the chopped pecans and toss them into the dry ingredients so the nuts are coated with flour. Add the warm melted butter and use a spatula to mix the butter into the dry ingredients until the streusel starts to form clumps. Set the streusel aside until ready to add to the muffins.
Make the Pumpkin Muffins
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. When there is just a small piece of butter left, remove the saucepan from the heat. Beat the two eggs together in a small bowl.
- Place the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium sized bowl and whisk for 30 seconds to thoroughly combine the ingredients. Set the dry ingredients aside.
- Place the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and pumpkin spice in a large bowl and whisk together. Use your fingers to break up any brown sugar clumps. Add the warm melted butter and whisk together until the ingredients are well combined, about 20 seconds. The mixture will have a sandy texture.
- Add the beaten eggs and whisk until the eggs are thoroughly combined and the batter looks smoother and lighter in cooler. Whisk in the pumpkin puree, then whisk in the sour cream.
- NOTE: If you're using leftover pumpkin puree that's been in the refrigerator, bring it room temperature (65-68 degrees F) before adding it to the batter. Adding cold pumpkin puree will cause the batter to curdle and may cause some of the butter to resolidify.
- The batter should be lighter in color and look smooth. Set the batter aside for 10 minutes. Letting the batter sit for 10 minutes will give the sugar more time to thoroughly dissolved.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Use a silicone spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Add the remaining flour mixture and fold it in until the dry ingredients are thoroughly incorporated, and no white specs of flour remain. Make sure to scrape from the bottom to ensure all the flour is incorporated into the batter.
- The batter may be a little lumpy which is okay. Don’t try to make the batter smooth. That will cause the batter to be overmixed which will result in tough springy muffins.
- Divide the batter between the 12 muffin cups. The batter should almost be the top of each paper liner. If you’re using a kitchen scale, that’s about 80 grams of batter for each muffin cup.
- Divide the streusel evenly between the 12 muffins, about 1/4 cup for each muffin.
- Bake the muffins at 425°F (220°C) for 5 minutes, then without opening the oven door reduce the temperature to 350°F (180°C). Bake the muffins for another 15-18 minutes, until the center is done.
- Test for doneness by sticking a toothpick or a cake skewer in the center. There should be no more than 1 or 2 crumbs sticking to the toothpick. For a temperature check, the temperature in the center of the muffin should register 200-203°F using an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove the muffins from the oven and let the muffins cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes. Place the individual muffins on a wire rack to finish cooling. The muffins can be served warm.
Maple Glaze (Optional)
- Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl. Stir in the maple syrup, then stir in the milk. The glaze should be somewhat thick, but thin enough to drizzle from a spoon.
Storage
- Room Temperature. The muffins can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days.Refrigerator. Store the muffins in airtight container for up to 7 days. You can also wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap.
Diane Parke says
These muffins are fantastic! The crumb is light and tender and packed with flavor. I skipped the drizzle but the crumble on top with the toastyness of the pecans is perfect. Thank you Cheryl, you are my go to person for reliable recipes!!!
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Diane
Thank you so much for trying this recipe and leaving such a wonderful review. I'm glad you like these muffins. And you've made my day by saying that I'm your "go to person." Thank you very much.
Susan says
Great recipe! These muffins were delicious! The topping and glaze definitely takes them next level in taste and presentation. I will be making them again!
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Susan
Thank you for trying this recipe and leaving this wonderful comment. I'm so glad you enjoyed them and that you plan to make them again.
CAROL says
Absolutely delicious! I love the topping most recipes do not make enough.
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Carol
Thanks for trying this recipe and leaving this lovely comment. I agree, you can't have too much crumble.
Susan Smith says
Awesome!!!
Cheryl Norris says
Thank you Susan. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Jacque Koyen says
Is it possible to convert this recipe for jumbo muffins?? They look delicious!
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Jacque
Are you talking about using the bigger muffin cups?
Jacque Koyen says
Yes! I’m assuming they’ll just need to bake longer?
Cheryl Norris says
Yes, they will need to bake longer, but maybe by only 2-3 minutes. I would definitely use an instant read thermometer to check for doneness.
Karen says
So delicious! After eating these muffins, my soon-to-be 4 year old granddaughter said she wants it for her birthday cake. Is it possible to use this batter for a cake?
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Karen
Kids are the best! I love it when someone says their kids really like a recipe because kids will let you know quick when they don't like something. As for making a cake with this recipe, I'm not sure. You can definitely do this recipe in a loaf pan, but bake at 350°F the whole time. For a cake pan, I don't know if it will work. You'll have to test it to find out. If you try it, start with a 9-inch pan and bake it at 350°F the entire time. The baking time will be longer.