These easy pumpkin sour cream muffins are packed with pumpkin spice and canned pumpkin to create a flavorful and moist muffin with tall, craggily sugared tops. Add a pecan streusel topping from our pumpkin coffee cake to kick it up a notch.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
These are the best from scratch bakery-style pumpkin muffins. Whether you want a jumbo muffin or a standard-sized muffin, these will give you tall, craggy muffin tops covered in crunchy turbinado sugar (just like in these gingerbread muffins, pistachio muffins, and banana nut muffins).
Using pure canned pumpkin, this recipe couldn't be easier to throw together. Feel free to chill the batter overnight and bake them off for fresh, hot muffins the next morning!
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Ingredients
- Dry ingredients. All-purpose flour, baking soda and baking powder, salt.
- Warm spices. Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Sugars. Light brown sugar, granulated sugar, and coarse sugar (Turbinado or Demerara) for the tops.
- Fats. Unsalted butter, vegetable oil, eggs, and sour cream. Be sure to use full-fat sour cream!
- Pure pumpkin puree. This recipe uses one full can (15oz) of pumpkin puree. Be sure to look for pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling - these are not the same and cannot be swapped!
There is also the option of making a quick maple cinnamon butter to swipe over the warm muffins and it's so good!
- Salted butter. Yes, salted! It adds some nice extra flavor. Also, softened.
- Pure maple syrup. Just two tablespoons!
- Ground cinnamon.
See recipe card for full ingredients list and quantities.
Substitutions
- Use whole wheat flour in place of all-purpose flour.
- Full-fat sour cream can be used in place of sour cream.
- Pumpkin pie spice can be replaced for the spices. Use 1.5 teaspoons.
- Use sweet potato puree in place of the pumpkin puree.
Variations
- Add ½ cup mini chocolate chips to turn this into a pumpkin chocolate chip muffin.
- Add a pecan streusel to the tops of the muffins from my pumpkin coffee cake recipe.
- Add 1-2 ounces of bourbon to the batter to make it slightly boozy (think butter rum muffin, but a fall version)!
How to Make This Recipe
Before beginning, be sure that your egg and sour cream are at room temperature. To make this happen quickly, place an egg (in the shell) in hot water for 5 minutes. You can microwave the measured amount of sour cream for about 15 seconds & stir.
Preheat the oven and line the muffin tin with paper liners or grease the wells if not using liners. Don't have liners? Check out my DIY Muffin Liners video!
One: Whisk together the granulated and brown sugar, melted butter, vegetable oil, vanilla, egg, and sour cream until combined.
Two: Fold in the pumpkin puree and mix until smooth.
Three: Whisk together the dry ingredients, then add in the pumpkin mixture.
Four: Use a rubber spatula to bring the batter together. Only mix until the flour is just incorporated. Be sure to get the whole way to the bottom where the flour falls!
Five: Fill the openings almost to the top, then sprinkle a generous amount of coarse sugar on top of each muffin.
Six: Bake the muffins according to recipe instructions, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Maple Cinnamon Butter
To make the maple cinnamon butter, combine salted, softened butter with the maple syrup and cinnamon with a rubber spatula until it comes together. Break open a pumpkin spice muffin and spread it into the center.
Expert Tips
- Don't over-mix the batter as this can cause tough muffins.
- Refrigerate the batter for one hour (or overnight) to get the highest muffin tops and the best flavor.
- Store the muffins in the muffin tin, but keep it uncovered. The insides stay moist, and the top stays crunchy.
- I do not recommend making your own pumpkin puree for this recipe (unless you are already planning to make quite a bit and use for multiple recipes). The process takes much longer and you have to wring all the water out, as well.
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Recipe FAQs
This is likely due to one of two reasons - first, too much flour was added (it's always best to use a digital scale to measure flour) or second, the batter was over-mixed.
Pumpkin adds a great amount of moisture to the batter, leaving you with incredibly moist baked goods that stay delicious for days!
Sour cream adds a great fat source to muffins, as well as a bit of extra flavor. Using sour cream is a wonderful way to level up your baked goods.
Storage
Store the pumpkin sour cream muffins uncovered and at room temperature for up to 4 days. Do not cover the muffins, or the tops will become soft and soggy. The pumpkin puree keeps the insides of these muffins moist for days!
To freeze the muffins, wrap each individually in plastic wrap then place in an airtight container and freeze for up to two months. Unwrap the muffins and thaw at room temperature, then re-crisp in a 425℉ oven for 3-5 minutes.
More Easy Muffin Recipes
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📖Recipe
Pumpkin Sour Cream Muffins
Equipment
- 6-hole jumbo muffin tin OR 12-hole standard muffin tin
- Cupcake liners (jumbo or regular), optional
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour 200g
- 1 teaspoon baking soda 5g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder 5g
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground clove
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
- ½ cup light brown sugar 100g
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (85g)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil 56g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream room temperature (60g)
- 15 oz pure pumpkin puree 1 can
- Turbinado or Demerara sugar for muffin tops optional but one of the best parts
Maple Cinnamon Butter
- ¼ cup salted butter softened (57g)
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Whisk together the dry ingredients with a whisk until combined.1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ground clove
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the sugars, butter, vegetable oil, vanilla, egg, and sour cream until combined. Fold in the pumpkin puree with a rubber spatula.½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup light brown sugar, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¼ cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract, 1 large egg, ¼ cup sour cream, 15 oz pure pumpkin puree
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients to the center. Fold it together with rubber spatula until it is just combined. Be sure to scrape the very bottom of the bowl multiple times and bring the spatula upward, as flour will get stuck down there. This takes a bit of patience, as it's a thick batter.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for one hour. This step is optional, but helps gain better muffin tops. (See notes section).
- Preheat the oven to 425℉/218℃ and line a 6-hole jumbo muffin tin or a 12-hole normal muffin tin with tulip cupcake liners or lightly spray the tin with nonstick spray.
- Distribute the batter evenly between the liners, then sprinkle on the turbinado sugar to cover the tops.
- Bake at 425℉/218℃ for 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 400℉/204℃. For jumbo muffins, bake for an additional 16-19 minutes. For regular muffins, bake for an additional 10-12 minutes. For either, you want a toothpick inserted in the center to come out clean without wet batter.
Maple Cinnamon Butter
- Combine the softened butter, maple syrup, and cinnamon and mix until completely smooth. Open a warm muffin and spread on the insides to melt.¼ cup salted butter, 2 teaspoons maple syrup, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
John says
I love pumpkin spice quick breads, waffles and pancakes. I can't wait to try this recipe. I'll definitely leave off the crunchy sugar topping because I wear dentures, and OUCH if those sneaky bits get between your teeth and gums.
Callan Wenner says
They're still delicious even without the crunchy sugar! We definitely don't want any denture casualties 🙂 You could sprinkle on a mixture of cinnamon and normal sugar if you want to spice it up a bit. Let me know if you try them!
Vivien says
First time making pumpkin muffins, thanks for the tip about letting it rest. I let it rest overnight and baked them in the morning. I subbed coconut oil and added an extra teaspoon of cinnamon, used half the sugar with homemade winter squash purée. They were perfect, light and moist with delicate crispy tops!
Callan Wenner says
So happy to hear these turned out for you with the swaps! Thanks so much for reporting back.
Catherine Pie says
Delicious! I added pecans.
Kimberley says
I used a half of a large can of pumpkin that was in the frige. If my pumpkin and egg were chilled already when I mixed it up, could I reduce the chilling time before baking?
Callan Wenner says
Hi Kimberley, yes, you can! The chilling is just a recommended step for extra tall tops and you totally don't have to do it if you don't want to. The tops will still be great!
Mary says
I made these for a family with 3 boys 12, 8 & 8. They were elated when the came home from school to find the tin of them. They were as everyone has said , the perfect amount of sweetness. They were also the softest, pillowy muffin I've ever eaten. Thank you and thanks to @joshisbaking for introducing us.
Callan Wenner says
This makes me so happy, Mary! Loved the picture you shared - they looked absolutely perfect. Thanks so much for trying them.
Liana says
My muffins turn out really soft and moist. I accidently replace sour cream with my homemade yogurt (1/2 cup) and reduce my butter to 68g and it was perfect! My husband isn’t a fan of dessert but he approved this recipe. Had 3 muffins in 1 go.. 😄 thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. And i love the sweetness of this recipe.. just the right amount of sugar. 👍
Callan Wenner says
This made me laugh!! So glad you both enjoyed it, and thanks so much for making them!
Robin says
These turned out so delicious - exactly what I’ve been craving in a pumpkin muffin! I’m trying out the blueberry muffins next. Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes!
Callan Wenner says
Yay!! Thanks so much for trying them, Robin. And very glad you enjoyed them! Love the blueberry ones, too!
Stephanie says
I have made these muffins several times. What a fabulous recipe! Tomorrow I am making the blueberry muffins. Thank you for such wonderful recipes!
The Cozy Plum says
Oh yay!! This is one of my favorite muffin recipes...so happy you also enjoyed it! And yay to the blueberry muffins, too!
Lindsay says
I make a LOT of pumpkin muffins due to their popularity in our household and this is by far the best recipe I have found. The muffins are perfect and the recipe is very forgiving. I have made these muffins at least four times already. Today I used pureed butternut squash in lieu of pumpkin becuase that was all I had on hand and they came out great. I have also substituted plain yogurt for sour cream when I was out of sour cream and the muffins were equally delicious. Thank you for this excellent recipe.
The Cozy Plum says
Hi Lindsay - I'm so so happy to hear this! I also love this one - and totally agree on it being a forgiving recipe. You've just made my day!
Nora says
I love these muffins, especially the the craggly tops . I used raw cane organic turbinado sugar for the tops, it was perfect. Definitely make the maple 🍁 cinnamon butter . ( make extra! ) I used it on pancakes and apple 🍎 muffins too.
The Cozy Plum says
Agree on all accounts! Love that you used the butter on the apple muffins, too!
Pam says
Just made these for first time - so easy and delicious! Perfect Fall flavor.
Stef says
this recipe is going to be on repeat at my house! these are the perfect fall/winter muffin. we made regular size- but want to try the jumbos next! the sugar on top makes these next level and the butter is a must have.
The Cozy Plum says
100& on the butter and sugar! Thanks, Stef!
Aubrey W says
These are insanely good! The Demerara sugar made the most delightful crispy tops (I should have added even more, in retrospect) and the maple cinnamon butter can't be missed. They're SO moist - a word I cringe while typing, but there's no other way to describe. Bravo.
Olivia says
This is absolutely going to be my new go-to recipe for delicious fall treats!! These muffins are DELICIOUS. They taste like pumpkin pie and they are so easy to make. And don’t skip the butter - it elevates the already-delicious muffins to an otherworldly level!
The Cozy Plum says
Best advice - don't skip the butter! So glad you enjoyed these 🙂