Name: Mini Pumpkin Muffins Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup packed brown sugar; 1/4 cup white sugar; 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice; 1 tsp. baking powder; 1/2 tsp. baking soda; 1/2 tsp. sea salt; 1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree; 1/4 cup melted butter; 1/4 cup milk; 1 large egg; 1 tsp. vanilla; cinnamon sugar; 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Jump to Recipe· 4.3 from 3 reviews

We have a new mini muffin obsession, just in time for fall! Meet the newest in the lineup, mini pumpkin muffins. These muffins have a delicious pumpkin flavor with all the classic spices you expect – all in a light and fluffy bakery-style texture. You’re going to love these little bites.

This healthy pumpkin muffin recipe took a bit of testing as I had to change up the base from all of my other mini muffin recipes, which are made with a blend of whole grain flour and oats in addition to the all-purpose flour. With the addition of pumpkin puree, the muffins were just too dense and heavy. We needed a lighter mix of flour as well as a little extra sugar to get the texture and flavor just right.

If you love all things pumpkin once September (or let’s be real, we know some of you start in August!) hits, be sure to try my other pumpkin season recipes (pumpkin spice syrup, pumpkin cold foam, and iced psl) next time. They are the perfect way to kick off the fall season.

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Table Of Contents

What You'll Love About Mini Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
How to Make Pumpkin Muffins Recipe
FAQs
Storage Instructions
- Can you freeze pumpkin muffins?
What to Serve with Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
Want More?
More Mini Muffin Recipes

What You’ll Love About Mini Pumpkin Muffins

Fluffy, light, bakery-style texture
Perfectly sweetened
Cozy and rich pumpkin flavor
Mini and fun!
Made with pantry staple ingredients
Just 10 minutes prep time
Just 15 minutes baking time
Perfect for breakfasts, lunches, and snacks

Ingredients

Flour – I like to use a mixture of whole wheat flour, oats, and all-purpose flour in my mini muffins, but the pumpkin muffins were far too dense and didn’t have the texture we want in fluffy muffins. So for this recipe, we’re using all-purpose white flour.
Sugar – We’re using a mix of white sugar and brown sugar. This is a little more sugar than I typically add, but it was needed to balance out the savory pumpkin flavor. And it’s still not that much, I think they have the perfect amount of sweetness.
Pumpkin pie spice – This gives the muffins classic cozy pumpkin flavors.
Baking soda and baking powder – Using both baking soda and powder results in a light, fluffy, and tall mini muffin.
Sea salt
Pumpkin puree – Look for 100% pure pumpkin in a can, not pumpkin pie filling. The pie filling has sugar and other ingredients added in and we want 100% pure pumpkin. You can also make your own homemade pumpkin puree if you prefer.
Butter – I love the rich flavor that the butter imparts in these pumpkin mini muffins, but you could also use vegetable oil if you prefer.
Milk – Use whatever milk you have on-hand. We have whole at our house, so it’s what I use.
Egg – Use a high-quality egg for best results.
Vanilla – Use high-quality vanilla extract for best results.
Cinnamon sugar – I like the flavor and texture a little dusting of cinnamon sugar adds, but you can skip it if you prefer.
Chocolate chips – Optional, depending on your mood! I recommend using mini chocoalte chips for these muffins since they are so small in size. We also tested this recipe with white chocolate chips and they are also delicious, though add a little more sweetness than semi-sweet chocolate chips do.

How to Make Pumpkin Muffins Recipe

This is an overview on how to make mini pumpkin muffin recipe, the detailed instructions can be found below in the recipe card.

Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, add flour, brown sugar, white sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Whisk together until combined.

Dry ingredients for pumpkin oat muffins in a bowl

Mix wet ingredients. In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt butter. Add pumpkin puree, milk, egg, and vanilla to melted butter. Whisk until smooth.

Wet ingredients for pumpkin muffins in a bowl

Combine wet and dry. Add wet ingredients to large bowl with dry ingredients and stir together, just until combined. Be careful to not overmix muffin batter. Fold in chocolate chips now if using.

Bake muffins. Divide batter into a mini muffin pan and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake until cooked through. Let cool slightly before devouring.

Platter of mini pumpkin muffins with milk

FAQs

Can I make these mini pumpkin chocolate chip muffins?

Yes! They make delicious pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, especially if you love pumpkin and chocolate flavors. I would recommend using semi-sweet mini chocolate chips. White chocolate chips are also delicious, but add a much sweeter flavor.

We also made a few batches with half chocolate chip, half plain to apease everyone in the house. To do this, we added the batter of about half of the muffins to the pan, then folded in 1/4 cup of mini chocolate chip muffins to the remaining batter.

Are mini pumpkin muffins healthy?

Well I say everything is healthy. 🙂 Some foods are more nutritious than others, but all food serves a purpose. This mini pumpkin muffins recipe has protein, carbs, produce, and fats. OH, and FLAVOR. So I would say, yes, it’s incredibly delicious AND nutritious.

The little pumpkin muffins do need some sides to be turned into a full meal – try some of the ideas below to balance them out.

Do you need muffin liners for mini muffins?

It depends on what type of pan you are using. I typically use a silicone mini muffin tin at home, and you can pop the muffins right out with no problem. If you’re using a traditional aluminum pan, I would recommend using muffin liners to prevent anything from sticking. You can also give the pans a spritz of non-stick cooking spray if you like to really like to go in prepared.

Are muffins better with oil or butter?

You can really use either – some people say that muffins with oil have a better light and fluffy texture, but I’ve found that with a few tricks, you can get the same texture by using butter and I love the richness that it adds to the muffins.

Can I make these vegan chocolate chip pumpkin muffins?

Yes, simply make the following swaps:

Milk – Use your favorite dairy-free milk alternative
Butter – Use a vegetable oil or butter alternative
Eggs – Use your favorite egg alternative
Chocolate chips – Use your favorite dairy-free chocolate chips

Storage Instructions

Store mini pumpkin muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Can you freeze pumpkin muffins?

Yes, if you aren’t going to eat them in 2-3 days, freeze them in a freezer safe container (like a stasher bag or freezer bag), removing as much air from the bags as possible. Take out to thaw before eating.

What to Serve with Healthy Pumpkin Muffins

It really depends on how you are serving the healthy pumpkin muffins! We typically serve them as part of breakfast, as a snack, or even for dessert. Here are a few ideas:

Breakfast – Serve with some creamy scrambled eggs or breakfast sausage, fresh fruit, or a glass of milk.
Lunchboxes – Most days we serve something a little sweet in lunch boxes and these are a great muffin for lunchboxes or packed school snacks. Also one of the reasons I started loving mini muffins over large ones – they pack so much easier!
Snacks – Serve with some milk, cheese sticks, or nuts to balance out the mini muffins.

Want More?

Follow Emily on Instagram or TikTok for family dinner recipe videos and tips for feeding kids.

More Mini Muffin Recipes

If you like this recipe for mini pumpkin muffins, you might also like these other mini muffin recipes:

Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins
Zucchini Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins
Mini Banana Muffins
Mini Blueberry Muffins