These Pumpkin Muffins with Brown Sugar Crumble are not your average fall pumpkin muffin. The brown sugar crumble is buttery, sweet, and crunchy which takes these moist pumpkin muffins to a new level of deliciousness.  

The Best Pumpkin Muffin Recipe

I’m a sucker for anything pumpkin when the fall months come. But if I had to choose one pumpkin dessert that I love most of all it would be pumpkin bread and muffins. 

There is just something about the sweet spiced bread with its moist texture that takes me to the moon. I love to enjoy one of these pumpkin muffins with a cup of coffee.

They also make an amazing breakfast muffin. I don’t know anybody who would turn down muffins for breakfast!

This is a recipe I’ve been making for over 12 years and it is truly our family’s favorite. It took me a while to get it just as we like it but now it is perfect.

Some bread you’ll find is too dry or maybe too dense but I think these pumpkin muffins are just the right balance of both.

The muffins alone are fantastic and are a huge hit with everyone when I take them to gatherings with friends or family.

In fact, they are so good that I have friends call me every year when fall comes around asking me if I’m making pumpkin bread and muffins yet.

The Pumpkin Muffins are just so good that people are even willing to pay me to make them for them, haha.

But there’s no need to pay anyone because this recipe is not only the best pumpkin muffin but it is also so simple that anyone could make them. 

How Do I Make A Brown Sugar Crumble Topping?

The crumble topping on these muffins is one of my favorite things ever. It is super easy and the buttery crunch of the sugar and pecans added to this recipe does make it spectacular. 

A crumble topping is super easy to make and can be made with a variety of ingredients. 

Here’s What You’ll Need For This Brown Sugar Crumble:

• light brown sugar
• chopped pecans
• All Purpose Flour
• oats
• butter

To make the brown sugar crumble place the dry ingredients into a small bowl, mix it together with a fork to combine, and then drizzle in the butter until the mixture is crumbly.

What you are looking for is when the ingredients start to hold together when pinched between your fingers.

We’re not forming a dough ball, just a wet crumbling mix. 

This crumble is not only perfect for these fall muffins, but it is also delicious to use to top different desserts like apple crumbles.

Along with these pumpkin muffins, this crumble topping would be amazing on coffee cakes, apple pies,  or even fruit crisp recipes. 

I promise you one thing, no matter what you put this topping on it will be delicious. I could eat it every day!

Can This Recipe Be Made Into A Loaf?

This pumpkin recipe can be made in a loaf pan. It will make two medium-size pumpkin bread loaves when baked in the standard-size loaf pan.

I’ve even done this recipe in a mini loaf pan which is super cute. 

If you go with mini loaves you will get about 6 mini loaves from this recipe and they make delicious treats to pass out to your friends and family.

They also freeze extremely well which we will talk about later in the post. 

Tips for making this recipe in loaf pans:

• I suggest greasing your loaf pans very well and perhaps dusting them lightly with flour to make sure they do not stick to the pan when it is time to remove them.
• The timing of this recipe will change drastically when switching it from muffins to a loaf pan. The large loaves of this recipe will take about 75 minutes to cook completely, whereas a dozen muffins will cook in about 22 minutes. 
• If the top of the loaf starts to get too dark and the loaf still needs more time, you can cover it in foil to prevent the top from getting too brown while the loaf of pumpkin bread finishes baking.
• Let the Brown Sugar Crumble Pumpkin Loaf cool on a wire baking rack in the pan for at least 20 minutes before trying to remove it from the pan.
• Let the loaf cool completely before you try to slice it because it will fall apart when you cut it if you don’t. The bread needs time to cool and set up firmer, then it will slice beautifully. 
• To store the loaf wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for best results. In my opinion, it stays fresher for longer this way. 

Can You Freeze Pumpkin Muffins?

Most baked goods, like these Pumpkin Muffins with Brown Sugar Crumble, can last in the freezer for two to three months, so I like to make sure I label the muffins with the date I baked them so I can know how long I’ve had them in the freezer.

Not that these last that long around here, they go pretty fast. Most of the time I’m lucky to even have any to freeze honestly. But if you need to freeze them here’s how you can. 

Allow Muffins to Cool Completely:
Before the muffin can be frozen they need to rest on the cooling rack until cooled completely. When they are at room temperature you are ready to freeze them. If you try to freeze the muffins hot they will sweat and the tops will become damp and sticky. Not a pleasant texture by any means. 

Always Freeze in a Single Layer First:
Once the pumpkin muffins are at room temperature, I like to place them in a single layer on a baking sheet or back into the cooled muffin pan if you prefer. Then put the muffins into the freezer until the muffins are each frozen solid.

Place in a Freezer Bag:
Now that the muffins are frozen, place frozen muffins into freezer bags, and press all the air out gently before closing the bag. You’re ready now to toss them into the freezer. If you think you’ll have them in there for very long you might even want to double bag the muffins, this extra step will help prevent freezer burn.

Since this recipe makes a large batch, just repeat this whole freezer process until you’ve completed all the muffins and packed them away. Again I recommend labeling the bags before adding them to the freezer. 

Thawing When Ready To Eat:

These muffins come out just as delicious as when you put them in. To thaw them you can remove as many as you want from the freezer bag place them on a plate and let them come to room temperature or if you want them quicker you can pop into the microwave for a few seconds before serving.

Continue to Content

Yield: 28 Muffins

Pumpkin Muffins with Brown Sugar Crumble

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 22 minutes

Additional Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

A moist pumpkin muffin with baked with buttery brown sugar and pecan crumble on top. The perfect fall inspired muffin.

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Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Muffins

• 4 large eggs
• 3 cups of sugar
• 2 cups of pumpkin puree
• 1 cup of oil
• 2/3 cup of milk
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 3 1/2 cups of All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

For the Crumble Topping

• 1/2 cup of brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup of white sugar
• 1/2 cup of All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup of oats
• 8 tablespoons of melted butter

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, prepare the muffin pan with the muffin liners, and set them aside.
2. Into a small bowl add all the dry ingredients and the pecans for the crumble and mix well with a fork. Poor in the melted butter can combine until the topping is all moist from the butter. Set the topping aside to make the muffin batter.
3. In a large mixing bowl add in the eggs, sugar, pumpkin, oil, and milk. Mix on low until the wet ingredients have all been mixed thoroughly.
4. Next add in the cinnamon, vanilla, and baking soda and mix. After those are mixed in add 1 cup of flour and mix it into the batter.
5. Continue to add the flour a little at a time until all is incorporated into the muffin batter. Once it is all mixed in turn the mixer off.
6. Using a large scoop fill the muffin cups 3/4 of the way full and top each pumpkin muffin with a tablespoon of the brown sugar crumble. Add as little or as much as you like, just keep in mind the recipe makes a large batch of muffins so you'll need some topping for each one.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. These muffins freeze amazingly well. See the blog post for instructions on freezing them.

Nutrition Information

Yield

28

Serving Size

1
Amount Per ServingCalories 306Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 36mgSodium 169mgCarbohydrates 43gFiber 1gSugar 27gProtein 4g

I am not a nutritionist. If you have strict dietary needs I always recommend using an online nutrition calculator to calculate your totals using your exact brands you're using in this recipe as values may vary per brand.

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Keri Bucci

I am a southern girl through and through that loves to laugh, cook, read and spend time with family. My passions outside of home schooling my son are ministering to those in need and creating art in the kitchen! Every day is an adventure in our little house and I wouldn’t trade it or the chance to share here with you for anything!