Nut Free Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
This is the time of year that makes moms of college-aged kids happier than snagging a ticket to the Eras tour. In just one short week (for me it’s less than a week), our children will be home for Thanksgiving. Ah, talk about bringing back the holiday magic. (Okay, I know I shouldn’t generalize. Not everyone is as excited as I am.) And these nut free pumpkin streusel muffins are just the thing to welcome them home.
Why you’ll love them:
Pumpkin streusel muffins are filled with the warm spices of fall that smell (and taste) like home and love. These muffins have a tender crumb that will remind you of your very coffee cake. Topped with a delicious crumb topping, they are easy enough for breakfast and special enough for dessert.
Pumpkin streusel muffins come together in less than half an hour. Ten minutes to mix up the batter with pantry staples and about twenty minutes to bake is all you need to have these beautiful, delicious muffins on the table. And just think, the enticing aroma of them as the bake is sure to rouse even the sleepiest college kids.
How to make pumpkin streusel muffins:
Make the muffins:
To make pumpkin streusel muffins, start by preheating your oven to 425°F. We cook these muffins at a high temp for just 15 minutes to help give them a nice rise and a crunchy top. Then we will lower the heat so they cook through without drying out. Then, line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners or nonstick spray with nonstick cooking spray. I almost always use liners. This recipe makes 15 muffins (perfect for a crowd), so you will need two muffin tins. If you only have one tin, wait until the muffins have cooled for 10 minutes before removing them from the pan and baking the remaining pumpkin streusel muffins.
Then, in a large bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and ½ teaspoon salt until combined. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk ½ cup oil, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 ½ cups pumpkin puree, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 2 eggs and ¼ milk together until combined. You can use any milk for this recipe. I usually use 2% milk, but I’ve tested this recipe with unsweetened soy milk, whole milk, and skim milk too.
Then, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and fold everything together gently until no flour remains. You want to gently incorporate the flour and stop mixing as soon as no white streaks appear. Do not over-mix.
Using a ⅓ cup cookie or ice-cream scoop, or a large spoon, add the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling each cup almost full.
Make the crumb topping:
Then, whisk together ¾ cup flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice until combined. Using a fork, lightly mix in 6 tablespoons of melted butter until crumbs form. You want the mixture to be crumbly, so do not over-mix.
Spoon crumbs evenly on top of the pumpkin streusel muffin batter and gently press them down into the batter.
Bake the pumpkin streusel muffins 5 minutes at 425°F. Then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for an additional 15-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 21-22 minutes, give or take.
Allow the muffins to cool for 10 minutes in the muffin pan. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely.
Cover tightly and store at room temperature. Pumpkin streusel muffins will last for about 1-2 days at room temperature. I prefer to store them (and any muffins with a wet base like pumpkin or banana) in the refrigerator because they last longer. Pumpkin streusel muffins will last for up to 1 week in the fridge. Feel free to warm them up in a low oven for about 5 minutes before serving.
*Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can find pumpkin pie spice in the baking aisle of most grocery stores or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have either and want to use individual spices, use 1/4 teaspoon each of ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground allspice in the muffin batter. Do not leave out the 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon that is also in the muffin batter. The crumb topping also uses pumpkin pie spice and, again, if you don’t have store-bought or homemade, use 1/4 teaspoon of each of those spices and add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon too.
Enjoy!
Pumpkin streusel muffins are delicious with a cup of coffee or tea. You can also serve them with milk or apple cider. A little dollop of butter or cream cheese is also divine, but not necessary.
These soft, tender muffins make an excellent breakfast option. They look lovely in a basket on your brunch table. And they are even special enough for dessert.
Want to get a head start on your holiday baking? Pumpkin streusel muffins can be made in advance. You can freeze these muffins for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature or warm up in the oven for 3-5 minutes, if desired.
You can also make pumpkin streusel mini muffins. If you use a mini muffin tin, bake them for 11-13 minutes at 350°F the entire time.
Let me know if you give these pumpkin streusel muffins a try. You might also like my lemon poppyseed muffins or gingerbread muffins. And pumpkin pancakes are another great holiday breakfast option.
Nut Free Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
Equipment
- muffin pan
- muffin liners
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
Ingredients
Muffins:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice*
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar light or dark
- 1 and 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree about 1 can
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¼ cup milk at room temperature*
Crumb Topping:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar light or dark
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice*
- 6 tbsp butter melted
Instructions
Make the muffins:
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with cupcake liners. This recipe makes 15 muffins, so you will need two muffin tins.
- In a large bowl, whisk 1 ¾ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and ½ teaspoon salt together. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk ½ cup oil, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 ½ cups pumpkin puree, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 2 eggs and ¼ milk together until combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and fold everything together gently until no flour remains. Do not over-mix.
- Using a ⅓ cup cookie or ice-cream scoop, or a large spoon, add the batter into liners, filling them almost full.
Make the crumb topping:
- Whisk ¾ cup flour,¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice together until combined. Using a fork, lightly mix in 6 tablespoons of melted butter until crumbs form. Don’t over-mix.
- Spoon crumbs evenly on top of the batter and gently press them down into the batter.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F. Then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for an additional 15-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 21-22 minutes, give or take.
- Allow the muffins to cool for 10 minutes in the muffin pan. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely.
- Cover tightly and store at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
Make Ahead Instructions: For longer storage, freeze muffins for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature or warm up in the oven for 3-5 minutes, if desired.
*Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can find pumpkin pie spice in the baking aisle of most grocery stores or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have either and want to use individual spices, use 1/4 teaspoon each of ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground allspice in the muffin batter. Do not leave out the 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon that is also in the muffin batter. The crumb topping also uses pumpkin pie spice and, again, if you don’t have store-bought or homemade, use 1/4 teaspoon of each of those spices and add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon too.
Milk: Any milk works. I’ve tested with unsweetened soy milk, whole milk, and skim milk. You can use any, dairy or non.
For mini muffins, bake for 11-13 minutes at 350°F the entire time.
