These pumpkin snickerdoodle muffins are incredible! A perfect, fluffy pumpkin muffin + cinnamony buttery streusel. YUM!

Yes, it’s time to make room in your life for one more pumpkin muffin. I promise you’ll be happy you did.

These pumpkin snickerdoodle muffins are all the best flavors of fall wrapped up in one amazingly cute and tasty little muffin.

Streusel topped pumpkin snickerdoodle muffin on cooling rack.

Pumpkin Muffin Batter

Modeled after these best-ever pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, the batter is straightforward.

Even better, we’re using the entire can of pumpkin so you don’t have half a can of pumpkin puree staring balefully back at you pleading for a purpose.

Pumpkin muffin batter:

  • canned pumpkin
  • sugar
  • oil or melted butter
  • eggs + vanilla
  • flour + b. soda + b. powder
  • pumpkin pie spice OR handy little list of easy pantry substitutions

Pro Tip: if you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, use the following recipe for every tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice needed. 1 3/4 teaspoons cinnamon + 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg + 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger + 1/4 teaspoon allspice + pinch cloves.

Cinnamon, flour, and baking soda in glass bowl with pumpkin batter.

Stir just until that batter has no evidence of dry streaks. Don’t over mix! (I know you know that already.)

Pumpkin muffin batter in glass bowl.

Snickerdoodle Streusel

While the cinnamon in the muffin batter definitely helps along the snickerdoodle profile of these muffins, it is the streusel that really screams “SNICKERDOODLE!”

(And if you aren’t actually really a snickerdoodle cookie lover, like, ahem, me, don’t worry, I think you’re still going to love these muffins.)

Snickerdoodle Streusel: cinnamon + sugar + butter + flour.

Streusel is the food of the gods and this cinnamony version is other-worldly.

Cinnamon streusel in glass bowl.

Muffin to Streusel Ratio

Fill the muffin cups about 2/3 full and then top with a heaping tablespoon of streusel.

Muffin batter in muffin liner with streusel on top.

These pumpkin muffins dome beautifully!

And because the streusel is strategically built with just the right amount of butter and flour, it sticks to the muffins exactly like it was told to do.

Baked pumpkin muffins in muffin tin with streusel topping.
Streusel topped pumpkin muffin on white parchment paper with streusel crumbs.

A Few Notes

  • The recipe makes 16 muffins. If you only have one 12-cup muffin tin, the remaining batter is fine to rest on the counter waiting to bake in the second batch.
  • The recipe can easily be halved…or doubled.
  • I haven’t tried freezing these, but it should work fine albeit the streusel softening and maybe getting a little messy post-defrost.
  • As noted below, whole wheat flour works great in these muffins and the heartiness and texture compliments the pumpkin flavor. If using whole wheat, I prefer white whole wheat or einkhorn wheat flour. Measure with a light hand so the muffins aren’t dense.
  • The streusel will soften a bit if the muffins are stored in a covered container or bag. There’s no way around this, especially if you’re storing leftovers for the next day. They are still terribly delicious (the muffins stay moist – sorry – for days).
Pumpkin muffin with streusel on top and bite taken out on top of parchment paper.

I am powerless in the face of most muffins, but even still, these pumpkin snickerdoodle muffins are special.

The streusel is a little bit buttery and a little bit crunchy which is a stellar companion to the soft fluffiness of the pumpkin muffin.

I can’t wait for you to try them!

Several pumpkin snickerdoodle muffins on cooling rack.

One Year Ago: Scotcheroos {New and Improved} 
Two Years Ago: Skillet Sweet Potato Black Bean Burrito Bowls 
Three Years Ago: Buttery Pull Apart Bundt Bread
Four Years Ago: Thin and Chewy Toffee Bits Cookies
Five Years Ago: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Six Years Ago: Double Chocolate Chunk Muffins
Seven Years Ago: White Bean Chicken Chili 
Eight Years Ago: Classic Slow Cooker Chili
Nine Years Ago: White Texas Sheet Cake
Ten Years Ago: Cheesecake Rice Pudding {Plus a Chocolate Version!}

Pumpkin snickerdoodle muffin on cooling rack.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Muffins

4.95 stars (34 ratings)

Ingredients

Muffins:

  • 15-ounce can (425 g) canned pumpkin
  • 1 cup (212 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (113 g) neutral-flavored oil or melted butter
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 (249 g) cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour (see note)
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (see note for substitution)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Snickerdoodle Streusel:

  • ½ cup (71 g) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup (53 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup (57 g) butter, cubed

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper liners (this recipe makes about 16 muffins).
  • For the muffins, in a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, granulated sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until well-mixed.
  • Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice (or other spices – see note below), baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just combined and no dry streaks remain.
  • For the streusel, in a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add the butter cubes and cut in with a pastry blender, two knives, or a fork, until the mixture is evenly combined and crumbly.
  • Scoop the muffin batter into the prepared liner, filling the muffin cups about 2/3 full (a #20 cookie scoop works great for this).
  • Divide streusel evenly over the muffin batter (about 1 tablespoon streusel per muffin, give or take). Bake the muffins for 18-25 minutes until the tops spring back lightly to the touch. Remove from the muffin tin and let cool completely on a cooling rack.

Notes

Flour: if using whole wheat flour, measure with a light hand so the muffins aren’t dense. I prefer using white whole wheat or einkhorn wheat flour. 
Pumpkin Pie Spice Substitution: if you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand, use the following spices and amounts instead. 1 3/4 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, pinch cloves.
Serving: 1 muffin, Calories: 146kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 23mg, Sodium: 281mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 17g

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe