Mini Pumpkin Muffins Recipe with Cinnamon Sugar

These mini pumpkin muffins coated in cinnamon sugar are so cute and delish. Plus, eating three or more in a sitting is fine because they're small! And while the flavor is great, my favorite thing with this recipe is that it uses ingredients you likely already have on hand. Plus, it only requires one mixing bowl, and no electric or stand mixer is needed.

🍂 If you also love fall flavors and all things pumpkin, I've got more where this came from!

ISO a cozy fall breakfast? Try:

• Mini apple Bundt cakes
• Pear and blueberry crumble

For more fall recipes beyond breakfast, my mascarpone cookies with pumpkin are a go-to, as is my dirty chai spice cake and the chai buttercream that coats it!

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love this Recipe for Mini Pumpkin Muffins
• 📋 Key Ingredients
• Best Results: Baking in Grams
• Recipe Substitutions and Variations
• 📖 Prep and Baking Instructions
• 💡 Pro Tips
• ❓ Recipe FAQ and Troubleshooting
• Storing and Freezing Mini Pumpkin Muffins
• 🎉 Breakfast Party Suggestions
• More Fall Recipes
• Mini Pumpkin Muffins with Cinnamon Sugar

Why You'll Love this Recipe for Mini Pumpkin Muffins

• Super moist muffin -  Thanks to pumpkin puree, canola or vegetable oil, and water, these muffins are so moist! They stay fresh for days, stored at room temperature or the refrigerator. Be sure you're using pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling, though.
• No special equipment required - My favorite thing about this easy recipe is that it doesn't require an electric mixer. Use a whisk to mix by hand all the ingredients that you eventually combine in one large bowl.
• Perfect baking recipe for a Halloween or fall dessert - If you love the fall season and want an easy dessert to bring to parties, these tiny treats are a winner. Throughout pumpkin season, these bite-sized desserts could double as a great school snack or breakfast treat.
• Use your favorite fall spices - This mini pumpkin muffin recipe is easily adaptable. While I definitely recommend including cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice, you could amp up some of your own favorite spices by including a pinch of nutmeg, cloves, allspice, or ginger, to name a few.

📋 Key Ingredients

The recipe card contains all the steps and ingredients, but below are some highlights about how these ingredients bring flavor and structure to this recipe. 

• All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure to the muffins, helping them rise while keeping them soft.
• Granulated Sugar & Brown Sugar: Sweeten the muffins, with brown sugar adding a subtle molasses flavor and extra moisture.
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These leavening agents help the muffins rise and create a light, fluffy texture.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice & Cinnamon: Essential for giving these muffins their signature warm, fall flavor.
• Salt: Enhances the flavor of the spices and balances the sweetness.
• Vegetable Oil (or Canola Oil): Adds moisture to the muffins, making them tender and soft without using butter.
• Egg: Acts as a binder, holding the muffins together and helping them rise.
• Pumpkin Puree (not pie filling): Provides moisture and rich pumpkin flavor. Be sure to use pure pumpkin puree to avoid added sugars or spices.
• Water: Lightens the batter, creating a smoother texture.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds depth and enhances the flavor of the pumpkin and spices.
• Cinnamon Sugar (for coating): A simple mix of cinnamon and granulated sugar adds a sweet and crunchy finish to these delicious pumpkin muffins.

Recipe Substitutions and Variations

While I haven’t personally tested these, here are some suggested swaps that should work in these mini cinnamon sugar pumpkin muffins:

• Coconut Oil: For a hint of coconut flavor (or if you're out of vegetable or canola oil), you could sub in this ingredient. It will alter the flavor a bit, though.
• Applesauce: Replace part of the oil with applesauce to make the muffins lighter and lower in fat.
• Dried Fruit: For a different flavor profile, consider adding any of the dried fruit to your muffin batter: raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped dried apricots. These will add a chewy texture and bursts of sweetness. I'd go up to about half a cup of one of these ingredients.
• Chocolate chips - Like the dried fruit option, you could opt for chocolate chips here. Pumpkin and chocolate go well together, but this will definitely change the flavor. But more power to chocolate lovers!
• Other Add-ins: Feel free to add in up to ½ cup of nuts (like walnuts or pecans) or seeds (like chia or flaxseeds) for extra crunch.

📖 Prep and Baking Instructions

Pan Prep - Use mini muffin cups or lightly grease and flour your mini muffin pan.

Mix the Dry Ingredients - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt.

Whisk in the Wet Ingredients - To your bowl, add and mix together the vegetable oil, water, egg, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until your pumpkin mixture and dry ingredients are combined.

Fill the Muffin Pan - Using a small cookie scoop, fill each cavity of the mini muffin pan about ⅔ full with batter.

Bake - Bake mini muffins for 10-15 minutes, checking around the 12-minute mark to see how they’re doing and if they're ready to exit the oven. Once they're out of the oven, let them cool for a few minutes before removing from pan and placing on a cooling or wire rack.

Optional cinnamon sugar coating - If you're dusting these pumpkin mini muffin bites, pour cinnamon and granulated sugar into a small bowl and mix. Immediately before serving, roll muffins in cinnamon sugar mixture.  

💡 Pro Tips

Below are some tips to keep in mind when baking these delicious mini muffins:

• Set out your ingredients before diving into this recipe for pumpkin mini muffins! Organizing ingredients and setting them all out on the counter before starting any recipe is a huge help. This makes it harder for you to accidentally omit a step or key ingredient. And you won't have to make as many trips back and forth to your pantry!
• Don’t Overmix the Batter! When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix until just combined. Overmixing can result in denser muffins because it activates the gluten in the flour, making the muffins chewy instead of light and fluffy. For the best texture, stir until no dry streaks remain, but stop as soon as the ingredients are blended together.
• Periodically check the freshness of your leavening agents. Mix a pinch of baking powder with hot water to see if it reacts. For baking soda, you can mix a pinch of it with a few drops of something acidic, like vinegar or lemon juice. If your leavening agents have no reaction (i.e. you see no fizzing or bubbling), it means they also won’t help your ingredients rise during the baking process. 

❓ Recipe FAQ and Troubleshooting

Storing and Freezing Mini Pumpkin Muffins

Refrigerating - Consume these muffins within two days if left at room temperature or eat within 5 days if kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Freezing - You should also use a freezer bag or airtight container if you want to freeze your muffins. They'll remain fresh for up to 3 months.

If you need to stack them on top of each other, add wax or parchment paper between the layers so they don't stick to one another.

Serving and Reheating Instructions - These muffins are best served warm or at room temperature.  

Just be sure to let your muffins come to room temperature (or gently warm them in the microwave) before serving.

Cinnamon Sugar Coating - You should also dust them with the cinnamon sugar immediately before serving. If you don't plan to serve them for a few days, set aside your mixture and roll muffins in it right before sharing with guests. This will make the muffins both taste and look their best!

🎉 Breakfast Party Suggestions

These pumpkin spice muffins would be great in a brunch spread.

More Fall Recipes

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