Pumpkin Muffin Recipes:
Easy Pumpkin Muffins

Looking for pumpkin muffin recipes? This is the only one I use. It's easy and it's full of nutritious ingredients! It makes 12 regular sized muffins. These are most delicious when served warm.

pumpkin muffin recipe

In the fall, when pumpkins are readily available, I like to buy several. I cook them, mash the flesh, and freeze it in small portions so I always have pumpkin on hand for use in pumpkin muffin recipes and other tasty treats.

I've tried baking, boiling and steaming pumpkin, and I recommend steaming.

There's no need to peel the pumpkin; just cut off the top, scoop out the seeds as though you were preparing to make a jack-o-lantern, scoop out the seeds and pulp, and cut the shell into chunks. Put them into a steamer basket and steam vigorously until very tender - about 30 to 45 minutes. Let them sit until cool enough to handle, and then peel off the skin and discard. Mash the cooked pumpkin and freeze it.



Check that you have these staples at home

  • in the cupboard

    • whole wheat flour
    • baking powder
    • baking soda
    • salt
    • cinnamon
    • ground nutmeg
    • ground ginger
    • raisins
    • vegetable oil
    • honey

  • in the fridge or freezer

    • eggs
    • milk
    • cooked pumpkin

Get out your equipment

  • Essential

    • muffin tins
    • a large mixing bowl
    • a smaller bowl
    • measuring cups and spoons
    • a fork
    • a toothpick
    • a wooden spoon (or your favourite spoon for mixing)
    • a toothpick (for testing the muffins)

  • Nice to have but not necessary

    • a spatula
    • a whisk (for beating the eggs)
    • paper muffin cups (if not, just grease the muffin tins)




    The recipe

    1 1/2 cups/375 mL whole wheat flour

    1 tsp/5 mL baking powder

    1 tsp/5 mL baking soda

    1/2 tsp/2 mL salt

    1/2 tsp/2 mL cinnamon

    1/2 tsp/2 mL ground nutmeg

    1/2 tsp/2 mL ground ginger

    1/2 cup/125 mL raisins

    1 egg

    1/4 cup/60 mL oil

    1/4 cup/60 mL milk

    2 Tbsp/30 mL honey

    1 cup/250 mL cooked pumpkin

    Preheat oven to 400F/200C.
    Grease your muffin tins, or get out the paper muffin baking cups.

    In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and raisins. Stir with a fork to mix well. Make a "well" in the center.
    In a small bowl, beat the egg until frothy. Add the oil, milk, honey and pumpkin. Stir well.
    Pour the liquid mixture into the "well". Stir briefly, just enough to moisten most of the dry ingredients. (It's OK if you still see flecks of flour. Don't overmix!)
    Fill the muffin tins.
    Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.



    Substitutions

    • Use any flour in place of the whole wheat flour.

    • Use canned pumpkin instead of cooking your own. Be sure to read the label: you want plain, unspiced pumpkin - not flavoured pumpkin pie filling. (It may say "squash" in the list of ingredients, rather than "pumpkin". That's fine.)

    Ideas for making this recipe your own

    • Substitute dried cranberries or other dried fruit for the raisins.

    • Use another sweetener. (How about maple syrup?)

    Tips

    • I recommend using a spoon-shaped silicone spatula for mixing muffins. It works really well, both for combining the ingredients and for scraping the bowl.

    • Don't overmix the batter!

    • If I don't have toothpicks handy, I use a barbecue skewer or a piece of spaghetti to test the muffins.




    Now that you can stop searching for pumpkin muffin recipes, you may like to try these other easy baking recipes: