Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins

Twelve pumpkin muffins topped with oats in brown paper liners sit on a metal tray. Autumn leaves, acorns, a wire rack, and an orange cloth are visible around the tray.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins

These pumpkin oatmeal muffins are tall and tender, with a spiced crumb that stays soft for days. We soak the oats in the batter before baking, so they give the muffins chew without turning them dense. They take less than 15 minutes of hands-on time, and freeze beautifully.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Keyword muffins, pumpkin muffins

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 23

Soak Time 15

Total Time 53

Servings

Calories 244kcal

Author Wendy Polisi

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
⅓ cup maple syrup
2 large eggs at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats plus 2 tablespoons for the tops
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 180 grams
1 cup light 215 grams brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the pumpkin pie spice and whisk for 30 seconds to 1 minute to bloom. Remove from the heat.
In a medium bowl, whisk the pumpkin, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, and the spiced butter until smooth. Stir in the 1 cup of oats and let sit for 15 minutes.
While the oats soak, preheat the oven to 425°F and line 12 muffin cups.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir just until combined. Stop as soon as the flour disappears, or you'll toughen them.
Scoop into the prepared muffin cups and sprinkle the reserved oats over the tops.
Bake for 8 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the heat to 350°F. Cook for another 15 minutes, until the tops spring back and the center reads about 205 °F. The oats hold moisture, so check the middle rather than trusting the clock.
Cool on a rack for about 15 minutes.

Notes

Letting the oats sit matters. The oats drink up the batter now so they don't pull moisture out of the crumb later.
When combining the wet and dry ingredients, stir until the flour disappears and then stop. Overmixing will make the muffins tough. Some lumps in the batter are fine.
Fold in ¾ cup chocolate chips, chopped pecans, or dried cranberries at the end if you like.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition