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Crumb Topped Pumpkin Muffins

Soft, super-moist pumpkin muffins made with maple syrup, applesauce and pumpkin spice, then piled with a buttery pumpkin-spiced crumb topping. Basically fall in muffin form.

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Muffin or Cupcake?

I actually had to stop and think about this one because these are sweet, they have a ridiculous amount of crumb topping, and calling something a muffin does occasionally feel like society collectively agreeing that cake is acceptable before 10 a.m.

But I’m standing by muffin.

They’re basically the muffin version of my pumpkin bread—soft, super moist, warmly spiced, and made with pumpkin, applesauce, maple syrup and avocado oil. There’s no creaming butter and sugar, no frosting, and we’re mixing the batter like a quick bread.

So: muffin.

Now, if you take this exact situation and put cream cheese frosting on top instead of crumb topping?

That’s a cupcake.

I’m sorry. I don’t make the rules.

Although, to be fair, I’m also not entirely sure who does make the rules.

Lamb Family Estate

Crumb Topped Pumpkin Muffins

Soft, super-moist pumpkin muffins made with maple syrup, applesauce and pumpkin spice, then piled with a buttery pumpkin-spiced crumb topping. Basically fall in muffin form.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 12 Servings
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Calories: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Pumpkin Muffins
  • 1¾ cups 210 g all-purpose flour
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • ¾ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp fine salt
  • 1½ Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ cup 110 g avocado oil
  • 3 large eggs
  • ⅓ cup 65–70 g packed light brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup 105 g pure maple syrup
  • ⅓ cup 80 g unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  • 1 cup 225 g pumpkin purée
  • Crumb Topping
  • ¾ cup 90 g all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup 65–70 g granulated sugar
  • 5 Tbsp 70 g butter, melted
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Equipment

  • 12 cup Standard Muffin Tin
  • 12 Muffin Liners
  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl
  • 1 Small Mixing Bowl
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Rubber Spatula
  • 1 Cookie Scoop or Large Spoon

Method
 

Preheat the oven.
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease the wells.
Make the crumb topping.
  1. Combine the flour, sugar and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl. Pour in the melted butter and mix until you have a crumbly mixture with plenty of little clumps. Set aside.
Mix the wet ingredients.
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, eggs, avocado oil, brown sugar, maple syrup, applesauce and vanilla until combined.
Add the dry ingredients.
  1. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Gently fold everything together just until you don’t see any more dry flour. Don’t overmix. Just like with the pumpkin bread, too much mixing can give you tougher muffins instead of that soft, tender texture we’re after.
Fill the muffin pan.
  1. Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the crumb mixture generously over each muffin.
Bake.
  1. Bake at 350°F for approximately 25 minutes, or until the muffins are risen and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool.
  1. Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5–10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

Notes

Pumpkin: Homemade or canned both work. If using canned pumpkin, make sure you’re buying pure pumpkin purée—not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin should be the only ingredient.
Pumpkin spice: I use my homemade pumpkin pie spice blend, but store-bought works perfectly too.
Don’t overmix: Once the flour goes in, mix only until everything comes together. Overmixing encourages gluten development and can make muffins tougher instead of soft and tender.
Crumb topping: Don’t pulverize the topping into fine crumbs. I like leaving some larger buttery clumps because those are arguably the best part.
Homemade pumpkin purée: Homemade purée can vary quite a bit in moisture. If yours is noticeably watery compared with canned pumpkin, let some of the excess liquid drain before measuring.

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