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Cozy Brown Butter Pumpkin Muffins with Streusel

brown butter pumpkin muffins - featured image

These nutty, spiced pumpkin muffins feature a rich brown butter base and a generous crunchy streusel topping. Perfect for cozy fall mornings, they come together in about 35 minutes with simple pantry ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup whole milk, at room temperature
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed (for streusel)
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for streusel)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for streusel)
  • Pinch of salt (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes (for streusel)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Position the rack in the center of the oven. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease the cups well.
  2. Brown the butter: Place ½ cup butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt completely, then continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until the butter foams, the foam subsides, and brown specks form at the bottom (about 5-7 minutes). Remove from heat immediately when it smells nutty and turns golden amber. Pour into a heatproof bowl and let cool for about 10 minutes.
  3. Mix the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cooled brown butter, pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and glossy.
  4. Combine the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt until evenly distributed.
  5. Combine wet and dry ingredients: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Add the milk. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined—a few small lumps are fine. Do not overmix.
  6. Make the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingertips to cut the butter into the dry mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces. Refrigerate while filling the muffin tin.
  7. Fill the muffin cups: Use a cookie scoop or spoon to divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
  8. Add the streusel: Generously sprinkle the streusel topping over each muffin, pressing it down gently so it sticks. Use all of the streusel.
  9. Bake: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The tops should be golden brown and the streusel crispy.
  10. Cool: Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Notes

Brown butter can burn quickly—watch carefully and remove from heat as soon as it turns amber. Do not overmix the batter to avoid dense muffins. Keep streusel cold for the crunchiest topping. For best results, use room temperature eggs and milk.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin muffins, brown butter, streusel topping, fall baking, easy muffin recipe