Jumbo Pumpkin Muffins (Bakery-Style)

These jumbo pumpkin muffins are easy to make but just like ones at a bakery! With delicious pumpkin spice flavor, a huge fluffy top with a soft pumpkin center, these are the best bakery-style fall muffins you can make for breakfast or a snack in 45 minutes.

If you don’t have a jumbo muffin pan, these can also be made in a regular muffin pan (which will make 12 muffins) with just a small time adjustment.

Don’t forget the crunchy sugar on top! It really adds the best texture to these pumpkin spice muffins. Serve these jumbo muffins with a cinnamon milk or winter wassail, or pair with this pumpkin apple bread for the ultimate fall breakfast.

The Best Fall Muffin Recipe

I got the urge to make these pumpkin jumbo muffins at home after visiting my local bakery every weekend. While the walk to the bakery is great, $6-7 a giant muffin starts to add up really fast. I researched a few different recipes, tested this one multiple times, and I think I have the perfect combination to create giant muffins at home.

• Lower cost – Instead of spending $7 on a bakery-style muffin, you can make a bunch of them at home for half the price.
• Pumpkin puree – This is a great way to use extra pumpkin puree, along with pumpkin spice cheesecake, pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting, and pumpkin sage pasta.
• Fall flavors – These are so delicious for cool, cozy weekends, brunch, Thanksgiving or Christmas breakfasts, or snacks. They also make great gifts!
• Gluten and dairy free friendly – I’ll give you some substitutes to make these pumpkin muffins gluten free and dairy free.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• All purpose flour – This can also be substituted with Bob’s 1:1 gluten free flour. I like using Bob’s Red Mill Organic Unbleached, Gold Medal, or White Wings.
• Baking powder and baking soda – Make sure this is fairly fresh for best results, otherwise the muffins can fall flat.
• Spices – Cinnamon and nutmeg are essential flavors. I use them separately instead of a combined pumpkin spice because I find those can vary a lot in flavor. While I don’t use ginger here, you could always add 1/2 teaspoon if you’d like.
• Melted butter and vegetable oil – This combination of butter and oil provides the best texture and flavor, however you could use one or the other. Substituting it will result in changes. For instance, using all oil results in less depth of flavor, but also a more spongey texture. I recommend using Earth Balance Pressed Oils in place of melted butter for dairy free.
• Sugar – This recipe uses regular white sugar – no brown sugar needed! There is a still a lot of moisture with the butter and oil combination.
• Eggs – Use 2 large eggs – not extra large!
• Milk – I recommend using whole milk for the best results, but any milk will work for this recipe. Use oat milk for dairy free.
• Pumpkin puree – I find Libby’s to be the best for baking because it’s less watery than other organic brands, like Whole Foods or even Trader Joe’s. It has great color and flavor. You can also substitute homemade pumpkin puree. Do not use pumpkin pie filling!
• Turbinado sugar – This is optional but gives these muffins a sparkling, crunchy top. Sometimes this is called “Sugar In The Raw”.

Variations – Chocolate chips or chopped nuts can also be added – about 1/2 cup. I recommend pecans if adding nuts.

How to Make Jumbo Pumpkin Muffins

1. Mix together dry ingredients – Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a jumbo muffin tin for 6 muffins. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
2. Mix together wet ingredients – Melt butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Whisk the vegetable oil, sugar, butter, milk, vanilla, and pumpkin puree in a large bowl. Add in 2 large eggs, whisking till smooth.
3. Mix wet and dry ingredients – With a spatula or wood spoon, stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, little bit little.
4. Stir till just combined, but do not overmix.
5. Pour batter into muffin tin – Pour the pumpkin batter into the greased muffin tins or use jumbo muffin liners, filling almost to the top. Sprinkle tops with turbinado sugar for the extra crunch.

Bake – For the perfect domed jumbo muffins, start baking the muffins at 400 degrees Fahrenheit and then decrease the temperature to 350F after 5 minutes and continue baking another 25 minutes. If you don’t care about a high dome, just bake another 5 minutes at 350.

Allow the pumpkin muffins to cool for about 5 minutes in the pan before removing them onto a wire rack to continue cooling.

Serving Suggestions

These bakery-style muffins go great with a breakfast spread. I highly recommend serving them with:

• Quiche florentine
• Mini quiche (best for a party or large breakfast)
• Rooibos Latte
• Or in a breakfast spread with savory breakfast muffins, cinnamon oat scones, or cinnamon oatmeal muffins.

How to Store and Reheat

Jumbo pumpkin muffins are best stored in an airtight container for 1-2 days on the counter. If you won’t eat right away, I recommend freezing them. These will stay great in the freezer for up to 3-4 months.

• To defrost – Place in the refrigerator overnight or cover in foil and place into an oven that you preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• To warm from room temperature – Place the pumpkin muffins uncovered on a sheet pan and preheat to 300 degrees F. Remove once it reaches that temperature.

Warming in the oven gets the top to crisp up a little bit again but still heats the muffin in the center.