Cinnamon Spice Pumpkin Mini Muffins - Moist, melt-in-your-mouth pumpkin muffins that are dipped in butter and cinnamon sugar. Plus, they're gluten free & low in refined sugar because the muffins are baked with coconut sugar - a delicious brown sugar replacement. Perfect treat for the Fall season!
Note: You can totally substitute brown sugar and regular flour in this recipe if you prefer. They're completely yummy either way! Looking for more pumpkin recipes? You might also like Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting or 25 Perfect Pumpkin Desserts.
Why I love this recipe
• These Cinnamon Spice Pumpkin Mini Muffins are soft and delicate with a lovely pumpkin and cinnamon spicy flavor.
• You can make these muffins gluten free or regular. I personally LOVE the gluten free version.
• Honestly though, you'd never know that these completely delicious mini muffins are gluten free. My daughter ate five and my husband ate a bunch of them. He doesn't even like pumpkin!
• As well as being gluten free, they're also low in refined sugar. I used coconut sugar for the first time in this recipe. I was afraid it would taste too much like coconut but it actually tastes almost exactly like brown sugar, just a little less sweet. I love it!
• Also, they're SO easy to make. You don't even need an electric mixer. Just stir the batter together with a wooden spoon in a large mixing bowl.
What you need
Ingredient Notes
• Coconut sugar - What is coconut sugar? It's made from the flower of the coconut palm, has a low glycemic index and can be used as a 1:1 replacement for brown sugar. Find it a your local grocer on the sugar aisle.
• Flour - Use gluten free flour as directed or you can substitute all purpose flour, if you wish. My two favorite brands for gluten free flour are King Arthur and Bob's Red Mill (1 to 1 Baking Flour).
• Cinnamon Sugar - I mixed regular sugar with cinnamon for the butter dipped tops of the muffins. If you would prefer, you could stick with the coconut sugar and mix it with cinnamon instead of the real sugar (if you're watching your sugar).
• Butter - Unsalted, room temperature butter works best. You can also melt the butter if you would like to. It mixes in a little easier.
How to make this easy recipe
1. Whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices - cinnamon, allspice, pumpkin pie spice). Set aside. Stir together these ingredients (butter, coconut sugar, pumpkin puree, egg, vanilla) in a large bowl until completely combined and smooth. Stir dry ingredients and water into pumpkin mixture. Scroll for complete recipe.
2. Spray a mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray (I used a pan that made 24 mini muffins). Scoop the batter into the mini muffin cups using a small muffin scoop. Bake as directed. Full recipe is at the bottom of this page.
3. Melt 3 tablespoons butter, place in small bowl.
4. Dip the mini pumpkin muffins in melted butter.
5. After dipping each muffin in melted butter, then immediately dip in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar (we used regular sugar for this part).
6. Now your delicious muffins with cinnamon sugar coating are ready to eat.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to use coconut sugar? Not at all. You absolutely can substitute regular sugar if that's what you prefer.
Is it ok to use regular flour instead of gluten free? Yes. This recipe works well with all purpose flour.
How do I store my pumpkin spice muffins? Put them in an airtight container. They're good at room temperature for 24 hours, then store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Expert tips
• Use room temperature ingredients (eggs, butter, etc.)
• Try 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste for an extra layer of flavor (find it online.)
• Scoop the dough with a small muffin scoop.
• Don’t overbake if you want them to be soft and fluffy.
• Let them cool completely before serving.
Related Recipes
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Cinnamon Spice Pumpkin Mini Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
For the mini muffins
- 1 ¼ cups gluten free flour I like Bob's Red Mill or King Arthur. Substitute regular flour if desired.
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup coconut sugar substitute brown sugar, if desired
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup water
For the topping
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar regular white sugar, not coconut sugar
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place all of the dry ingredients (flour of choice, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices) in a medium bowl. Stir to combine. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and coconut sugar (or brown sugar, if preferred) together with a wooden spoon. Stir in the egg, pumpkin and vanilla. Mix until thoroughly combined. Add the dry ingredients and the water. Stir, by hand, until completely combined but do not over-stir.
- Use a small muffin scoop or place heaping tablespoons of the batter in greased mini muffin cups until you've filled 24 mini muffin cups. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. Let cool.
- Place melted butter in a small bowl and mix together the cinnamon and sugar in another small bowl. Dip each muffin top in the butter, then cinnamon sugar.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 24 hours or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Laura Harrison says
Made with my 18 month old (didn’t do topping), and it was so easy and fun. My husband said they’re like crack.
Lise Ode says
Laura, Haha, your husband is right lol! And I love that you made them with your child. So sweet. Enjoy!!
jeannine varner says
I'd like to hand write a couple of your recipes but you have the recipe all over the place with pictures in between. I have to go to other groups to copy what I feel I want for the holidays.