My pumpkin spice muffins with streusel topping are soft, spiced, and topped with a buttery, crunchy streusel that’s perfect for fall. These streusel-topped pumpkin muffins are an easy, cozy treat for breakfast or snack time!
If you like this recipe, you might like my Easy Pumpkin Pie from Scratch or my Cranberry Coffee Cake.

This article contains affiliate links which supports us at no extra cost to you.
Jump To
- 🛒 Ingredients for this Pumpkin streusel muffin
- Equipment you need to make pumpkin muffins streusel topping:
- 🍽️ How to make Pumpkin Crumble Muffins
- Streusel topping for pumpkin muffins:
- Basic Pumpkin Muffins (no crumb topping):
- What to serve with pumpkin muffins streusel topping:
- 🫙 Leftover and storing pumpkin crumble muffins:
- 📃 Substitutions & Variations for pumpkin muffins with streusel topping:
- ☑️ Our top tips for pumpkin streusel muffin recipe:
- ❓ FAQ'S
- Some other recipes you'll love:
- 📖 Recipe
- Pumpkin Spice Streusel Muffins
These pumpkin streusel muffins are a delightful combination of fluffy pumpkin spice and crumbly goodness. Topped with a buttery cinnamon streusel topping, they give you the cozy flavors of pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread in every bite. They could be made gluten-free and dairy-free.
The pumpkin muffin recipe is simple to follow: mix the dry ingredients, like flour, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice, with the wet ingredients, such as pumpkin puree and vegetable oil (I used coconut oil), to create a rich, flavorful batter. Once baked, the streusel muffins get a crunchy top that’s irresistible.
These muffins are similar to crumb cake muffins, with a tender crumb inside and a sweet, light brown sugar crumb topping. Whether you enjoy them for breakfast or a snack, the combination of pumpkin and spice creates a warm, comforting treat. For an extra indulgence, try adding a drizzle of cream cheese frosting or a maple glaze on top of these homemade pumpkin muffins.
💖Why we love pumpkin streusel muffins:
- Packed with spice: Bursting with warm pumpkin spice and cinnamon flavors.
- Dreamy topping: The streusel topping adds a sweet, crunchy layer.
- So soft: Perfectly moist and fluffy texture, similar to pumpkin crumb cake.
- No-fuss: Simple and easy to make with common pantry ingredients.
- Versatile: Enjoy as breakfast, snack, or dessert with optional cream cheese frosting!
Before getting onto the full recipe, I had found these and baked these some time ago via Deb on Smitten Kitchen. Deb writes one of the first food blogs that inspired me to get into writing. I met her at a food conference we both spoke at many moons ago, and she is as lovely in person as she seems in her writing.
Deb had adapted her muffin recipe from the American club, in Kohler, Wisconsin via Gourmet Magazine, and I made some slight adaptions to her version. I stopped making pumpkin muffins and went onto only baking my favorite pumpkin bread and my sourdough discard pumpkin bread every fall.
It was time to bake some pumpkin muffins, and I thankfully remembered these were really good! Deb does not use a streusel topping. But we LOVE the streusel.
🛒 Ingredients for this Pumpkin streusel muffin
- Muffins:
- All-purpose flour: Forms the muffin base.
- Baking powder & baking soda: Helps the muffins rise.
- Sea salt: Enhances flavors.
- Pumpkin-pie spice & cinnamon: Adds warmth and flavor.
- Canned pumpkin: Adds moisture and flavor.
- Oil: Keeps muffins tender.
- Eggs: Binds ingredients and adds structure.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the muffins.
- Spices: A combination of pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon gives these muffins lots of warm and cozy flavors.
- Streusel Topping:
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and light crunch. You could use organic cane.
- Brown sugar: Adds moisture and deeper flavor with a caramel-like richness.
- Pumpkin spice: Brings warmth and spice.
- Sea salt: Just a touch balances sweetness.
- All purpose flour: Provides structure to the crumb topping.
- Unsalted butter (melted): Binds the topping and creates a crumbly texture. If you're dairy-free, sub butter with margarine.
Equipment you need to make pumpkin muffins streusel topping:
- Mixing bowls: Medium to large mixing bowls to combine the wet and dry ingredients.
- Whisk: For combining the dry ingredients.
- Spatula: For mixing and folding ingredients.
- Muffin tin: Use a nice, non-stick muffin tin.
- Cupcake liners: Optional, makes removing muffins easier. I had a container filled with Christmas cupcake liners, so ended up making these without any. Baking spray helped to remove the muffins neatly.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: For accurate measurements.
- Cooling rack: To cool the muffins after baking.
🍽️ How to make Pumpkin Crumble Muffins
Here is how to make these easy cake and pumpkin muffins. It does yield 12 muffins (the full recipe is below!):
I like to use the muffin method to make this easy batter. It is just basically whisking the dry ingredients together, mix the wet, and then stir them all together to combine. So easy to make and they cake up nice and tall and very fluffy!
Gather up your ingredients. It makes it easier to have it all ready when you get the recipe going. And don't forget to prep your muffin tin either by lining with paper liners or spraying with baking spray.
- Step 1: In a small bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.
- Step 2: In a medium or large bowl mix the wet ingredients together.
- Step 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir to combine. Be sure to stir around the bottom and sides of the bowl and mix.
- Step 5: Spoon muffin batter into the muffin tin. You could even use an ice-cream scoop to scoop into the baking tin. You will have enough batter to fill it almost to the top.
- Step 4: In another bowl, use a fork to combine all the streusel ingredients.
- Step 5: Spoon muffin batter into the muffin tin. You will have enough batter to fill it almost to the top.
- Step 6: Sprinkle the streusel topping on each muffin. Use your fingers to gently pat the topping to the batter. You want that streusel topping to not fall off as it rises.
📃 NOTE: Recipe card with detailed instructions are below! Print it out for later!
Streusel topping for pumpkin muffins:
You could make muffins without a streusel topping. But this streusel topping is really good and it's made with the perfect ration of sugar, flour, and butter. With a touch of spice, it's not too sweet, too wet, or too dry. You whisk it together with a fork and it is ready in no time! I highly suggest making this spiced streusel topping for these pumpkin muffins.
Basic Pumpkin Muffins (no crumb topping):
Feel free to leave off the crumb topping for a more simple pumpkin muffin. I do sometimes make the muffins without the topping and it they are still delicious!
What to serve with pumpkin muffins streusel topping:
Pumpkin muffins are just right on their own, but here are some serving ideas:
- Warm butter or honey butter: Spread over the muffins for added richness.
- Cream cheese: A dollop of plain or flavored cream cheese complements the pumpkin flavor.
- Yogurt: Serve with a side of Greek yogurt for a balanced, creamy contrast.
- Fresh fruit: Apples, pears, or berries pair well with the autumn flavors of pumpkin.
- Hot beverages: Enjoy with coffee, chai tea, or a spiced latte for a cozy combination.
🫙 Leftover and storing pumpkin crumble muffins:
- Refrigerate: The muffins will stay fresh typically at room temperature for 2-3 days in an airtight container. Make sure you store when they are completely cooled to keep the crumb topping nice and crisp. They also could be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Cool muffins completely and store in airtight container or large zipped lock freezer bag for up to 2 months.
📃 Substitutions & Variations for pumpkin muffins with streusel topping:
Substitutions:
- Oil: Use melted coconut oil or applesauce for a healthier alternative. I used coconut oil, but you could use any mild flavored oil.
- Flour: Substitute with whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour for dietary preferences.
- Brown sugar: Swap with coconut sugar or maple syrup for a refined sugar-free option.
- Pumpkin: Replace with sweet potato or butternut squash puree.
- Eggs: Use flax eggs (1 tbsp flaxseed meal + 3 tbsp water per egg) for a vegan option.
Variations:
- Add chocolate chips or nuts for extra texture.
- Use maple glaze instead of streusel topping for a sweeter finish.
☑️ Our top tips for pumpkin streusel muffin recipe:
- Use good pumpkin puree: You need to be sure you are buying canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and CAN NOT be swapped with pumpkin puree. I really like to use the Libby's pumpkin puree . But use whatever brand you like.
- Use room temperature ingredients: Best that ingredients like eggs, and pumpkin puree, are at room temperature. This helps the batter mix more smoothly and the muffins rise evenly.
- Don’t over mix the batter: Be sure to not overmix the batter, which can make the muffins a bit tough. Just need to stir the dry and wet ingredients until they get combined, but make sure you get the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Fill the muffin tin: An ice cream scoop is a convenient way to fill the muffin tin with the batter.
- Use extra spice: I like to use a little extra pumpkin spice mix or even a little extra amount of ground cinnamon. You could choose whatever spice you like the most and add a dash more (a little extra cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, or cloves). If you make a homemade pumpkin spice blends allow you to customize the spice levels.
- Use oil for Moisture: Butter does give a lovely flavor, I find that using oil (like vegetable or coconut oil... I did use coconut oil) makes the muffins a little softer.
- Buttery, crunchy streusel topping: I highly suggest the crumb topping. For a perfect streusel, combine cold butter, sugar (brown and white), flour, and a touch of cinnamon until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle generously on top for a sweet, crunchy contrast to the soft muffins.
- Add texture with mix-in: For a fun twist, fold in chopped nuts (like pecans or walnuts), dried cranberries, or chocolate chips into the batter. These add texture and flavor depth.
- Fill muffin cups generously: There will be enough batter to fill all the muffin cups almost to the top. They will bake up tall and fluffy (and soft).
- Under bake them a little: Keep in mind that as the muffins cool down, they will keep baking. Best to remove from oven just before they're ready to make sure they stay moist. The more you make the muffins, the more you will know how to time and check them to see how they're doing.
- Test for doneness with a toothpick: Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Be careful not to overbake as they will continue cooking a bit while cooling. And if you overbake the muffins, they will be tough and dry.
- Cool muffins completely before storing: Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents soggy bottoms from condensation.
- Store properly: Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days or freeze for longer storage. If you're kitchen is very warm, they will keep on the counter for up to 2 days. If freezing, best to wrap individually to preserve freshness.
- Make small batch: If you want a smaller batch, you can halve the recipe to make a 1/2 dozen muffins. Turns out perfectly!
❓ FAQ'S
I always add the streusel topping before baking so it crisps up nicely.
Yes, you can use your favorite gluten-free flour brand in place of the all-purpose flour.
The difference? Crumb topping is chunkier, while streusel is finer and usually has a more even texture.
Muffin streusel is typically made of flour, sugar, and butter—sometimes with cinnamon for extra flavor.
To get muffins with a dome top, I start baking them at a higher temperature (about 425°F for the first 5-6 minutes), then lower it for the rest of the time.
Some other recipes you'll love:
Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below:)
Please Subscribe and give a follow on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok xx
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Spice Streusel Muffins
Ingredients
For the muffins:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin-pie spice or 1 teaspoon cinnamon + 1/2 teaspoon fresh nutmeg + 1/2 teaspoon ginger + pinch of ground cloves if you have it
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon I like to add an extra amount of cinnamon
- 1 ⅓ cup canned solid-pack pumpkin NOT pumpkin pie filling
- ⅓ cup vegetable or another neutral cooking oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups plus 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
For the streusel topping:
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- pinch of salt
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Instructions
For the muffins:
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the muffin tins with nonstick baking spray or line with paper muffin cups (if you use muffin liners, spray the liners so the muffins will peel out easily).
- Stir or whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spice in medium bowl.
- In a larger bowl, whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs and sugar. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until just combined. Divide batter among muffin cups.
For the streusel topping:
- Stir together sugars, flour, salt and cinnamon with a fork. Add in the melted butter and stir until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Sprinkle the streusel topping on top of each muffin. Use your fingertips to gently press the streusel down so it stays on top of the batter to help keep them in place.
- Bake until puffed and golden brown and wooden pick or skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Cool in pan on a rack five minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to rack and cool to warm or room temperature.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Anna says
The streusel topping is so so good!I made a batch and they disappeared quickly!