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High Altitude Pumpkin Crumb Cake Muffins

August 10, 2022 by Heather Smoke 17 Comments

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It simply wouldn’t be fall without all the delicious pumpkin things to eat, with plenty of cozy spices and streusel crumbs. These high altitude pumpkin crumb cake muffins are soft, moist and cakey, topped with buttery brown sugar streusel. They’re the perfect breakfast treat that stays fresh-tasting for days, so you can enjoy muffins all weekend when you make a batch of these. The muffins rise beautifully with golden brown crumbly tops, and they are simply irresistible for a weekend breakfast in the fall. If you’re looking for the best high altitude pumpkin streusel muffins, you’ll love this recipe!

Looking for more pumpkin recipes? You’ll love this pumpkin crumb coffee cake, pumpkin pie spice shortbread cookies, and pumpkin pecan waffles.

This site contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  This means that I may make a small commission if you purchase a product using those links.  This in no way affects my opinion of those products and services.  All opinions expressed on this site are my own.

Why You’ll Love These Muffins

Pumpkin Everything. Pumpkin everything season simply has to have some pumpkin crumb muffins! I never get tired of pumpkin baked goods in the fall.

Crumb Topping. Is a muffin even a muffin without crumb topping? It’s the best topping for these muffins, and loads of crumbly streusel add a sweet buttery crunch with every bite.

Big Fluffy Muffin Tops. These pumpkin crumb muffins nearly double their height in the oven, for a big, tempting muffin top that’s so fluffy and covered in all that glorious streusel.

Quick and Easy. This is an easy, uncomplicated recipe to make, and you’ll have hot muffins ready in under an hour.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Ingredients

Crumb Topping

  • Unsalted Butter. Adds moisture to the topping and a rich, buttery flavor.
  • All-Purpose Flour. Thickens the crumb topping and gives it structure.
  • Sugar. A combination of dark brown sugar and granulated sugar adds sweetness and a hint of molasses in the topping.
  • Nutmeg. A little freshly grated nutmeg adds the best flavor to the topping.
  • Coarse Kosher Salt. Balances the sweetness.

Muffins

  • Pumpkin. Adds pumpkin flavor, of course, but also moisture. Be sure to use canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
  • Sugar. A combination of dark brown sugar and granulated sugar adds sweetness, moisture and a hint of molasses in the topping.
  • Oil or Butter. Adds fat, flavor and moisture.
  • Whole Milk. Moisture.
  • Eggs. Add structure and strength to the muffin batter.
  • Vanilla. Flavor.
  • All-Purpose Flour. Adds structure to the muffin batter.
  • Corn Starch. Tenderizes the muffins for a soft, fluffy texture.
  • Baking Soda. Leavens the muffins so they rise.
  • Coarse Kosher Salt. Balances the sweetness.
  • Spices. A blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves are perfectly complementary to the pumpkin.

Instructions

Make the streusel crumb topping.

  • Preheat the oven to 400 F, and line a standard-sized muffin pan with 12 paper liners. Lightly spray the liners with non-stick baking spray, to easily release the muffins, and spray the top of the muffin pan, too.
  • In a bowl, combine all the streusel ingredients with a fork until moistened and crumbly.

Make the muffins.

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sugars, oil or melted butter, milk, eggs and vanilla.
  • Separately, whisk together the flour, corn starch, baking soda, salt and spices.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix together with a spoon, just until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.
  • Divide the batter between the muffin cups; they will be fairly full.
  • Generously sprinkle the streusel crumbs over the batter and lightly press the crumbs into the batter. It might seem like too much crumb topping, but after the batter puffs up, crumb topping will be perfectly distributed over the top of each muffin.
  • Put the muffins in the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 375 F. Bake the muffins on the center oven rack for about 22 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean, or with moist crumbs.
  • Cool the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully remove and set on a wire cooling rack. Cool for 10-15 minutes, and serve warm.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of pumpkin should I use?

Use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.

Can I use homemade pumpkin puree?

You sure can. If roasting and pureeing your own pumpkins for baking, be sure to use pie pumpkins or sugar pumpkins, which have a sweeter flavor than field pumpkins intended just for carving.

How long do these muffins stay fresh?

These pumpkin crumb muffins are fantastic leftover, and stay moist, soft and fresh tasting for days.  Because they are so good leftover, I often bake them the night before, let them cool completely, and then store them in an airtight container for breakfast the next morning.

Will this recipe work for jumbo sized muffins?

Yes, you can make 12 standard-sized muffins or 6 jumbo muffins. The larger muffins take longer to bake, usually at least 30-35 minutes.

Can I make these with non-dairy substitutes for the milk and eggs?

You should be able to use any non-dairy milk instead of the whole milk. While I haven’t personally tried substitutions for the eggs, you might be able to substitute 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce for each egg, although the muffins may not rise as well.

Is a muffin pan the same thing as a cupcake pan?

Yes.

How can I use up the leftover pumpkin puree?

So many ways! Try adding it to a frozen banana smoothie with a little maple syrup for sweetener. Add it to chili or soup. Or freeze it and save it for pumpkin bread or pumpkin cake.

Will this recipe work with whole wheat flour?

I don’t recommend using 100% whole wheat flour, as the muffins will be more dense, dry and crumbly. Try substituting 25-50% of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour to add a hearty, wholesome texture, while still preserving the soft crumb.

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Pumpkin crumb cake muffin with a bite taken.

High Altitude Pumpkin Crumb Cake Muffins

Heather Smoke
These pumpkin crumb cake muffins are soft, moist, tender and fluffy, topped with buttery streusel crumbs.

All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.

5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings12 muffins

Ingredients
 

Streusel Topping

  • 6 tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • ½ cup (80g) dark brown sugar, lightly packed
  • ¼ cup (54g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)

Muffin Batter

  • 1 cup (244g) canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • ½ cup (108g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (80g) dark brown sugar, lightly packed
  • ½ cup (112g) vegetable oil (or melted unsalted butter)
  • ½ cup (135ml) whole milk
  • 2 (110g) large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 tbsp (8g) corn starch
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves

Instructions
 

Streusel Topping

  • Preheat the oven to 400 F, and line a standard-sized muffin pan with 12 paper liners. Lightly spray the liners with non-stick baking spray, to easily release the muffins, and spray the top of the muffin pan, too.
  • In a bowl, combine all the streusel ingredients with a fork until moistened and crumbly. Set aside.

Muffin Batter

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sugars, oil or butter, milk, eggs and vanilla.
  • Separately, whisk together the flour, corn starch, baking soda, salt and spices.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix together with a spoon, just until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.
  • Divide the batter between the muffin cups; they will be fairly full.
  • Generously sprinkle the streusel crumbs over the batter and lightly press the crumbs into the batter. It might seem like too much crumb topping, but after the batter puffs up, crumb topping will be perfectly distributed over the top of each muffin.
  • Put the muffins in the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 375 F. Bake the muffins on the center oven rack for about 22 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean, or with moist crumbs.
  • Cool the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully remove and set on a wire cooling rack. Cool for 10-15 minutes, and serve warm.

Notes

These muffins are fantastic leftover, and stay moist, soft and fresh tasting for days.  Because they are so good leftover, I often bake them the night before, let them cool completely, and then store them in tupperware for breakfast the next morning.
Keyword Breakfast, High Altitude, Muffins, Pumpkin, Pumpkin Spice
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Filed Under: Breads, Biscuits, Muffins and Doughnuts

Previous Post: « Bakery Style High Altitude Blueberry Crumb Muffins
Next Post: High Altitude Baked Mini Chocolate Cake Doughnuts »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. [email protected]

    October 4, 2011 at 11:58 pm

    Yummy! Pumpkin muffins are one of my favorite Fall treats.

    Reply
  2. Vicki Wilde

    October 5, 2011 at 12:54 am

    These look so good! I'm loving fall with its cooler nights and caramel cider 🙂 This might just be the thing to use the rest of my canned pumpkin!

    Reply
  3. Susan

    October 5, 2011 at 12:59 am

    5 stars
    I declare that these really are the very best! I walked in the house and found a lovely box on my counter and peeked inside – wow! Four, count them, four tempting muffins. What did I do? I waited for Dad. What did he do? Scarfed one when I was not looking and said look what Heather left – three tasty muffins! One for you and two for me. Hey! I have pumpkin if you need more. Hint, hint.

    Reply
  4. Miranda

    October 5, 2011 at 1:22 am

    My husband loves pumpkin and so does my 6 year old! I am going to give these a try! They look incredible!

    Reply
  5. Heather Smoke

    October 5, 2011 at 1:44 am

    Mom, that's too funny! That sounds just like Dad! 🙂

    Reply
  6. Anonymous

    October 5, 2011 at 6:25 am

    These are so beautiful! ….your pictures are an absolute feast for the eyes! What an amazing recipe and I bet they did smell amazing!

    BTW – your mom is a hoot!

    Reply
  7. Christine @ Oatmeal in my Bowl

    October 5, 2011 at 6:32 pm

    And I have a can of pumpkin puree in my cupboard that can be used for this exact recipe. Think my kids will love it. Thank you. 🙂

    Reply
  8. Kelly | Eat Yourself Skinny

    October 5, 2011 at 7:18 pm

    Wow these look gorgeous and so delicious!! Love your recipe! 🙂

    Reply
  9. claire @ the realistic nutritionist

    October 5, 2011 at 7:43 pm

    OMG THESE LOOK SO GOOD!!! That drip photo is incredible.

    Reply
  10. Kimby

    October 6, 2011 at 12:11 am

    The muffins cascading on the plate look like fall leaves tumbling about — wonderful! A pat on the back for coming up with a "personal best" recipe — that's an achievement to be proud of — it's like having your cake (or muffin) and eating it, too! 🙂

    Reply
  11. Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love.

    October 6, 2011 at 1:11 am

    These muffins look amazingly good!!

    Reply
  12. [email protected]

    October 6, 2011 at 3:22 am

    Oh what a beautiful muffin! I can just imagine how delicious these were warm right out of the oven. And those pictures with the honey drizzles are just gorgeous!

    Reply
  13. Claire @ Blueberry Muffins

    October 6, 2011 at 8:21 am

    I need to gather all the ingredients and better start practicing this recipe! Your photos are amazing!

    Reply
  14. Peggy

    October 9, 2011 at 4:27 pm

    Oh you had me at steusel! Good thing we grew our own small pumpkins this year because I'll have pumpkin puree for quite a while =)

    Reply
  15. Amy Anderson

    October 11, 2011 at 12:40 am

    I've been looking for pumpkin for a few weeks now and all the stores were sold out. Finally found some in another town and stocked up. I grabbed an armful of the big cans, and then my husband grabbed two more. "Just in case." LOL

    Amy @ A Little Nosh

    Reply
  16. Sue/the view from great island

    November 14, 2011 at 12:19 pm

    5 stars
    I'm new to your blog and scrolled down to find these, a favorite of mine. I made some last month and also crowned them my new favorite muffin. I'll have to try yours, they look wonderful.

    Reply
  17. Cheryl

    November 19, 2011 at 5:42 pm

    These sound delicious! No shortage of canned pumpkin here in Oregon. Lg. cans (30 oz.) for $1.58. Stocking up!!

    Reply

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