Pumpkin Coffee Cake Muffins

These Pumpkin Coffee Cake Muffins are soft, moist, and packed with cozy fall flavor, then topped with a buttery brown sugar cinnamon streusel. Made with pumpkin puree, warm pumpkin pie spice, and buttermilk for an extra-tender crumb, these easy pumpkin streusel muffins have all the best parts of classic coffee cake baked into one delicious fall muffin.

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If you love a good bakery-style muffin, this recipe is one you’ll want to make all season long. The pumpkin keeps the muffins incredibly moist, while the cinnamon streusel bakes into sweet, buttery crumbs on top. They’re easy to make with simple ingredients and you don’t even need a mixer!

These pumpkin coffee cake muffins with streusel topping are perfect for a cozy fall breakfast, weekend brunch, after-school snack, or Thanksgiving morning. Serve them warm with a cup of coffee, or make a batch ahead of time for an easy grab-and-go breakfast throughout the week.

If you’re looking for more easy pumpkin recipes to make this fall, try my 3-Ingredient Pumpkin Donuts, Pumpkin Delight, or Hawaiian Roll Pumpkin French Toast next.

Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Coffee Cake Muffins

• Soft and moist: Pumpkin puree and buttermilk make these muffins incredibly tender.
• Bakery-style streusel: Every muffin gets a generous amount of buttery brown sugar cinnamon crumb topping.
• Easy to make: You don’t need a mixer or any complicated ingredients.
• Perfectly spiced: Cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice give the muffins plenty of warm fall flavor.
• Perfect for fall: Make them for breakfast, brunch, an afternoon snack, or Thanksgiving morning.
• Great for making ahead: They stay moist and can also be frozen for later.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Coffee Cake Muffins

You only need a handful of simple baking ingredients to make these Pumpkin Coffee Cake Muffins. See the recipe card below for the full measurements.

For the Pumpkin Muffins

• Pumpkin puree: Gives these muffins their pumpkin flavor and helps keep them extra moist. Make sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
• Butter: Melted butter adds richness and makes the muffin batter easy to mix by hand.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the muffins without overpowering the pumpkin flavor.
• Brown sugar: Adds extra moisture and a subtle caramel-like flavor that pairs perfectly with pumpkin and cinnamon.
• Eggs: Help bind the ingredients together and give the muffins structure.
• Buttermilk: Keeps the muffins soft and tender while adding just a little tang to balance the sweetness.
• Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and enhances the pumpkin and cinnamon flavors.
• All-purpose flour: Gives the muffins structure while still keeping the crumb soft.
• Baking soda and baking powder: Using both helps the muffins rise and creates those tall, fluffy muffin tops.
• Cinnamon: These muffins have plenty of cinnamon for that warm, cozy fall flavor.
• Nutmeg: A small amount complements the pumpkin and cinnamon without overpowering them.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.

For the Cinnamon Streusel Topping

• All-purpose flour: Creates the base for the crumb topping.
• Brown sugar: Gives the streusel its sweet, caramel-like flavor.
• Cinnamon: Adds that classic cinnamon coffee cake flavor.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness of the streusel.
• Butter: Melted butter brings the streusel together and creates those big, buttery crumbs.

How to Make Pumpkin Coffee Cake Muffins

These easy Pumpkin Coffee Cake Muffins come together quickly, and you don’t even need a mixer.

Step 1: Make the Cinnamon Streusel

Start by making the streusel topping. Combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.

Pour in the melted butter and mix with a fork until crumbs form. Don’t overmix—you want a combination of smaller crumbs and larger buttery pieces for that bakery-style topping.

Set the streusel aside while you make the muffin batter.

Step 2: Mix the Wet Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until combined.

Add the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract and whisk again until smooth.

Step 3: Combine the Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Mixing the dry ingredients separately helps evenly distribute the leavening and spices throughout the muffins.

Step 4: Make the Pumpkin Muffin Batter

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold everything together with a spatula just until combined.

Be careful not to overmix the batter. A few small streaks of flour are okay—you want to mix as little as possible for soft, tender pumpkin muffins.

Step 5: Fill the Muffin Pan

Line a standard muffin pan with paper liners. For tall, bakery-style muffin tops, I like to stagger the muffins instead of filling every muffin cavity, leaving an empty space between each muffin.

Divide the pumpkin batter between the prepared muffin cups, filling them fairly full.

Step 6: Add the Cinnamon Streusel

Generously crumble the streusel over each muffin. Leave some larger pieces instead of breaking everything into tiny crumbs.

Don’t press the streusel into the batter. Simply pile it over the top so it stays crumbly as the muffins bake.

Step 7: Bake the Muffins

Bake the muffins at a higher temperature for the first few minutes to give them an initial burst of heat and help create those tall, rounded tops.

Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature and continue baking until the muffins are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

How to Get Tall Bakery-Style Muffin Tops

For tall, bakery-style pumpkin muffins, start by baking the muffins at a higher oven temperature. That initial burst of heat helps the batter rise quickly, creating those big, rounded muffin tops. After the first few minutes, lower the oven temperature without opening the oven door and let the muffins finish baking.

I also like to stagger the muffins in the pan instead of filling every muffin cavity. Leaving an empty space between each muffin allows more hot air to circulate around them, which can help the muffins rise more evenly and gives them plenty of room to spread into those big bakery-style tops.

For this method, you’ll need to bake the muffins in batches or use two muffin pans. Fill every other muffin cavity with batter, leaving the cavities in between empty.

Watch How to Make It

Tips for the Best Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

• Use pure pumpkin puree. Don’t accidentally grab pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar and spices.
• Measure your flour correctly. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping directly from the bag.
• Don’t overmix. Once the flour is added, gently fold the batter until everything is just combined.
• Don’t make the streusel too fine. You want plenty of larger buttery crumbs.
• Don’t press down the streusel. Sprinkle it loosely over the batter so it stays crumbly.
• Fill the muffin cups generously. This helps create larger muffin tops.
• Don’t overbake. Remove the muffins once a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Pumpkin Coffee Cake Muffin Variations

• Add Pecans Mix chopped pecans into the streusel topping for extra crunch.
• Add Chocolate Chips – Fold mini chocolate chips into the pumpkin muffin batter before dividing it between the muffin cups.
• Add a Vanilla Glaze- For an even sweeter coffee cake-style muffin, drizzle a simple powdered sugar and vanilla glaze over the muffins once they’re completely cool.
• Add Maple Glaze- A maple glaze is also delicious with pumpkin. Add a little maple extract to a basic powdered sugar glaze and drizzle it over the streusel.

What to Serve with Pumpkin Coffee Cake Muffins

These Pumpkin Coffee Cake Muffins are perfect for a cozy fall breakfast or brunch. Try serving them with:

• Hot coffee or a latte for the perfect cozy fall pairing.
• Chai tea or a pumpkin spice latte for even more fall flavor.
• Fresh fruit like berries, sliced apples, or grapes.
• Scrambled eggs to add something savory to breakfast.
• Crispy bacon or breakfast sausage for a sweet and savory brunch.
• A breakfast casserole when serving these muffins as part of a larger brunch spread.
• Greek yogurt and fruit for an easy weekday breakfast.
• A cold glass of milk for a simple snack the kids will love.

These are also perfect for Thanksgiving morning, fall brunches, or an easy grab-and-go breakfast during busy weeks.

Make Ahead & Storage

Make Ahead: These Pumpkin Coffee Cake Muffins are perfect for making ahead. Bake the muffins as directed, let them cool completely, and store them in an airtight container. You can make them 1–2 days before serving, making them a great option for fall brunches, holiday mornings, or busy weeks.

Room Temperature: Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Place a paper towel in the bottom of the container to help absorb excess moisture and keep the streusel from becoming too soft.

Refrigerator: For longer storage, keep the muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let them come to room temperature before serving, or warm one in the microwave for about 10–15 seconds.

Freezer: Once completely cooled, wrap the muffins individually and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling?

Pumpkin puree is simply cooked and pureed pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling contains additional ingredients such as sugar and spices. For these pumpkin coffee cake muffins, you’ll want to use 100% pure pumpkin puree.

Why are my pumpkin muffins dense?

Dense muffins are often caused by overmixing the batter or using too much flour. Once you add the dry ingredients, fold the batter together only until the flour disappears.

How do you keep streusel crunchy on muffins?

Don’t press the streusel into the muffin batter. Keep some of the streusel in larger crumbs and gently sprinkle it over the muffins just before baking. Also, allow the muffins to cool completely before storing them so trapped steam doesn’t immediately soften the topping.

You’ll Also Love

If you’re looking for more easy fall recipes, try these next:

• Apple Croissants
• French Toast Muffins
• Puff Pastry Apple Rings