Pumpkin Streusel Muffins – classic pumpkin muffins finished with a crunchy oats and brown sugar streusel. Perfect for cozy fall mornings.
Everywhere you look this season there’s pumpkin: pumpkin butter, pumpkin bars, pumpkin chai, pumpkin cereal, pumpkin ravioli and more. With pumpkin products lining store shelves, it was only a matter of time before I baked another pumpkin recipe. These pumpkin streusel muffins are worth the hype — tender, moist, and full of warm pumpkin spice flavor.
I use canola oil and Greek yogurt in the batter; together they keep the muffins exceptionally moist. A key tip: mix the batter only until just combined. Over-mixing develops gluten and yields dense, tough muffins. I sprinkled white chocolate chips on top for a touch of sweetness — optional, but they paired nicely with the pumpkin.
To achieve bakery-style domed muffins, follow three simple steps:
- Bake briefly at a higher temperature at the start so air bubbles expand and lift the batter, creating a dome.
- Fill each muffin liner to the top — more batter encourages a higher rise.
- Bake on the upper third of the oven where heat is most consistent.
The streusel combines oats and flour for texture. Rolled oats add a pleasant chew and contrast to the soft muffin crumb; brown sugar in the streusel gives caramel-like flavor that complements the pumpkin. These muffins tasted even better the next day, making them ideal for preparing ahead for a fall breakfast with coffee.
Notes:
- For a less sweet streusel, reduce the sugar in the topping to 1/4 cup instead of 1/3 cup.
- Muffins stay fresh at room temperature for a few days. Freeze any you won’t eat right away for longer storage.
- Filling liners to the top yields large domed muffins — you should get about 12. Fill less to make more muffins with smaller domes.
Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- 3 tablespoon butter, unsalted, melted
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup rolled oats
Muffin
- 1¾ cup all purpose flour
- 1.25 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup canola oil
- ¼ cup greek yogurt
- 1 cup pumpkin puree [not pumpkin pie filling]
- white chocolate chips, to sprinkle on top [optional]
Instructions
Make the streusel
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In a bowl, combine the flour, rolled oats, light brown sugar and cinnamon.
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Melt the butter until fully liquid and pour it into the dry mixture.
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Mix until the streusel resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Set aside.
Muffin
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Line a muffin pan with liners or grease the pan. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
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Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
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In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar until combined, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla, Greek yogurt and oil, mixing until smooth.
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Stir in the pumpkin puree.
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Add the dry ingredients to the wet in three additions, mixing after each just until incorporated. Do not overmix.
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Spoon batter into the lined muffin cups, filling them to the top.
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Top each muffin with about 1 tablespoon streusel and, if desired, a few white chocolate chips.
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Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 15–17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Mine took 15 minutes.)
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Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition information is approximate and automatically calculated.
Additional Info
Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
