Do you love pumpkin muffins? How about an easy pumpkin muffin recipe that starts from a cake mix? You don’t even need oil or butter to make these moist, low-fat pumpkin muffins!

If you’re looking for simple baked treats, you’re going to love this recipe. Cake mixes are a great start for yummy, easy recipes.  I also love to make cake mix sugar cookies and double chocolate chip cake mix cookies for the best homemade ice cream sandwiches.

pumpkin muffins with streusel topping

Thank you for stopping by today. Please check out more delicious recipes, comment and let me know how your family liked this one!

I don’t know about you but I really love pumpkin and spice. While these flavors are perfect for fall my family loves to eat them all year round. This quick and easy muffin recipe is my family’s favorite pumpkin delights. It’s so good I just have to share. I hope you give them a try.

3 Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins – Here is What You Need

These simply delicious pumpkin muffins have the spiced pumpkin flavors you are looking for. What’s best is you only need three ingredients to make them plus water. Here’s what you need:

  • 1 box spice cake mix (you can you a yellow cake mix and some cinnamon and nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice)
  • 1 can pumpkin
  • 3 eggs
  • water
Pumpkin muffin ingredients spice cake mix, a can of pumpkin, and three eggs

To make this family favorite recipe you will need the following equipment:

  • muffin tins (pans) for 18 muffins
  • regular size muffin liners
  • large mixing bowl
  • wooden or bamboo spoon
  • large cookie scoop
  • liquid measuring cup (1/4 cup liquid is needed for this recipe)
  • 1/2 cup dry measuring cup

Pumpkin Muffins Recipe

This is the simplest of recipes to make. Starting with a cake mix means no measuring the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and other dry ingredients. It’s so quick and easy – in no time at all your kitchen will be smelling like fall!

Here are a few baking tips:

  • I typically (if I have time) allow my eggs to come to room temperature. I think this yields a better product.
  • In this recipe, I use canned pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling. Pure pumpkin is highly nutritious – in fact, it’s considered a superfood packed with antioxidant power!
  • Be sure to read the comments below! There are some great ideas. For example, some readers added pumpkin pie spice to kick up the flavor.
  • If you are gluten free, one reader said a gluten-free cake mix worked perfectly to make these muffins. Feel free to experiment and share what works for you!
  • These muffins stay moist for a week, and refrigerate or freeze well.

How to make easy pumpkin muffins with cake mix

These super easy cake mix muffins are a cinch to make. To begin preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a muffin pan with paper cups.

Put the spice cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, and water into a medium bowl.

cake mix, pumpkin, eggs and water in a large bowl; there is also a carton of eggs with cracked and whole brown eggs, muffin pan with paper cups adn liquid measuring cup

Mix all of the ingredients together using a wooden spoon. Be aware that the batter will be dense, not runny like the typical box cake mix batter.

pumpkin muffin batter with a wooden spoon used to mix the batter

Once the muffin batter is mixed, use a cookie scoop and fill the muffin cups about 2/3 to 3/4 full. You will have 18 muffins when finished. Then pop them into a preheated oven and let the magic happen!

pumpkin muffin batter scooped into a prepared mufin pan, a large stainless steel cookie scoop was used to scoop the batter

You won’t believe how rich these simple cake mix muffins taste. Believe it or not, they’re similar to the weight watcher’s pumpkin muffins, except they use eggs. If you find yourself without eggs, omit them and you can try WW’s 2 ingredient pumpkin muffins. In fact, the weight watchers recipe even uses a cake mix! Quick, healthy, delicious – what’s not to love?

Now, if you want to make these cake mix pumpkin muffins extra special, you will want to add a streusel topping. If you aren’t into the streusel they can always be enjoyed plain, or you might try a cream cheese frosting, cinnamon-sugar topping, or this maple glaze using maple syrup.

Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are another popular variation you can achieve by simply adding chocolate chips to the batter.

Streusel Topping Recipe

Here’s all it takes to put together this mouth-watering, crumbly topping:

  • flour
  • brown sugar
  • butter
streusel topping ingredients - flour, brown sugar and butter place in a small mixing bowl with a muffin tin and muffin batter set to the side waiting for streusel to be added

Mix the flour and sugar together and cut in the butter. Then place a couple of spoonfuls of topping on each muffin. I actually put on more than the picture. Do remember though it is butter and sugar so if you are watching fat and calories go light.

streusel topping on uncooked pumkin muffins ready to go into the oven

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 – 18 minutes, and there you have it! A four-ingredient pumpkin muffin recipe, complete with bakery-style streusel. These muffins are destined to wind up being a favorite treat for dessert, a quick breakfast, and in lunch boxes everywhere!

How to Store Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin muffins can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days. Be sure to let them cool on a wire rack first, and use paper liners on the bottom of the container and on top of the muffins. Paper towels work just fine for this too.

For longer-term storage, wrap the room temperature muffins in foil or plastic wrap before sealing in plastic freezer bags. Pumpkin muffins will keep in the freezer up to 3 months.

FAQ’s

1. Why are pumpkin muffins so dense?

This can happen when there is too much baking soda or powder, but since we use cake mix in this recipe it’s very unlikely to happen.

2. Is pure pumpkin the same as pumpkin puree?

Yes, it is! Both are the same 100% pumpkin without any spices.

3. How do you make can pumpkin taste better?

While using fresh pumpkin puree is best, it’s not always practical in the midst of our busy lives. If you’re detecting a little metallic taste in the canned pumpkin, heating it in a skillet 4-5 minutes until hot throughout or spreading it on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and roasting in a 400 degree oven for a few minutes. You’re not trying to cook it until it sets. You’re just heating it to pull off some moisture and activate the aromatic compounds of that great pumpkin flavor.

4. What can I do with a lot of pumpkin?

Like any seasonal produce, when it’s pumpkin season we can be blessed with an abundance So many things – check out all of our delicious pumpkin recipes!

More Pumpkin Recipes

Are you a fan of pumpkin, spice, and all things fall? You have come to the right place. We’ve put all things pumpkin recipes in one place just for you, or try some of these popular favorites:

They may look similar, but cupcakes and muffins are different dishes entirely. Try these amazing pumpkin cupcakes and see for yourself.

While I think of yummy cool weather treats and cozy holiday dinners, I think of nutrition as well. Did you know pumpkin is packed with vitamins such as vitamin A and minerals? Like other squash, the mighty pumpkin is also pretty low-calorie for the amount of nutrition it brings to the table!

A slice of pumpkin bread is the perfect way to wake up on a cold morning, and you will love this pumpkin bread recipe. I promise you will never need another recipe, it’s so moist and delicious and easy to put together. In fact, this pumpkin bread recipe is versatile – it also makes great muffins.

Another beloved pumpkin recipe is a pumpkin roll. This cake roll makes such a show-stopping dessert. You would believe how many requests I get for this recipe whenever I bring it to a special holiday dinner or party. And it’s way easier to make than the end result looks!

More Muffin Recipes!

You can never have too many muffins, right? I have found muffins are the perfect grab-and-go food for just about anybody. Whether you’ve got teenagers who are rushing out the door last minute, toddlers who won’t eat anything that’s good for them… or adults without a moment to sit down for a meal (raise your hand, moms), muffins are a great way to make sure everyone gets fed no matter how hectic your day.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins are a perfect solution to those overripe bananas sitting on your kitchen counter. These go fast – and they’re heavenly still warm from the oven.

banana chocolate chip muffins

Raisin Bran Muffins are so delicious, you’ll forget they’re also healthy. They’re really easy to whip up in big batches for special brunches or get-togethers.

Refrigerator Raisin Bran Muffins

This pumpkin gooey butter cake is the perfect fall dessert!

Do you like cake mix recipes? These cake mix snickerdoodle cookies start with a cake mix and are so easy to make.

If you’ve tried these pumpkin muffins or any other recipe on my blog, please let me know what you thought in the comments below! I love hearing from you!

I would love to keep you fully stocked with creative ideas, yummy recipes, fun crafts, and loads of free printables. Subscribe to Skip to my Lou to get new ideas delivered to your inbox. Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram for all my latest updates.

pumpkin muffins
5 from 28 votes

Pumpkin Muffins

These pumpkin muffins start with a cake mix making them a breeze to make. A delicious fall treat! Make these muffins extra special by adding the streusel topping.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients  

Pumpkin Muffin Batter

  • 1 Spice Cake Mix
  • 1 can pumpkin
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/4 cup water

Streusel Topping

  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter

Instructions 

Pumpkin Muffin Batter

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a muffin pan with paper cups. Put the muffin pan until the muffin batter is mixed.
  • Put the cake mix, eggs, pumpkin, and water into a large mixing bowl.
  • Mix all the ingredients together with a wooden spoon until mixed. Be aware the batter will be dense, not runny like typical cake mix batter.
  • Prepare a muffin pan by placing paper . Fill the muffin cups about 2/3 to 3/4 full – then pop them into a preheated oven and let the magic happen!
  • Once the batter is mixed, use a cookie scoop and fill the muffin cups about 2/3 to 3/4 full. You will have 18 muffins when finished. Then pop them into a preheated oven and let the magic happen! (If topping with streusel do it before baking.)
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.
  • After baking, allow the muffins to cool completely. If you place the hot pans on a cake rack they will cool more quickly.

Streusel Topping

  • Mix flour and sugar together.
  • Cut the butter into the flour and sugar mixture.
  • Place a couple of teaspoonfuls on each muffin before baking.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 136kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 199mg | Potassium: 108mg | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1.5mg
Servings: 18
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Author: Cindy Hopper

About Cindy Hopper

Learn More

you may also like

Comments

  1. Deeeelicious!! We made and ate them with and without the strudel topping. All of us thought they were moist and very tasty! Also, very easy to prepare. Thank you for this recipe!

  2. Diane, thanks so much for the feedback. The pumpkin muffin recipe is now printable. I hope this helps.

  3. Just made with gluten free white cake mix. Very tasty and moist. cooked for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Made 12 muffins

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating