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Cozy Brown Butter Pumpkin Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel

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These cozy brown butter pumpkin muffins with cinnamon streusel are tender, nutty, and deeply comforting. The secret is browning the butter, which adds a caramel-like warmth that pairs beautifully with pumpkin and spices.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks / 226g) unsalted butter
  • 1 ¾ cups (218g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup (244g) pumpkin puree
  • ¼ cup (60ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (63g) all-purpose flour (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup (50g) packed light brown sugar (for streusel)
  • 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar (for streusel)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for streusel)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup (½ stick / 57g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled (for streusel)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Position the rack in the center of the oven. Line your muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
  2. Brown that butter. Cut 1 cup of unsalted butter into pieces and place them in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula. The butter will melt, then foam, then start to crackle and pop. After about 5-7 minutes, the foam will subside and you’ll see golden brown specks forming at the bottom. The moment it turns amber and smells nutty, pull it off the heat immediately. Pour it into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking process.
  3. Let the brown butter cool for about 10-15 minutes. It should be warm but not hot when you add it to the batter.
  4. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ginger, and ¼ teaspoon cloves. Set aside.
  5. Mix the wet ingredients. In another large bowl, whisk together 1 cup packed light brown sugar and ¼ cup granulated sugar. Add the 2 room temperature eggs and whisk vigorously for about 30 seconds until lighter and slightly thickened. Add 1 cup pumpkin puree, ¼ cup room temperature milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and the cooled brown butter. Whisk until smooth and fully combined.
  6. Combine wet and dry. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula and fold gently. Stir just until the last streak of flour disappears. A few small lumps are fine.
  7. Make the streusel topping. In a medium bowl, combine ½ cup flour, ¼ cup packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Pour in ¼ cup melted butter and stir with a fork until the mixture forms clumps.
  8. Fill the muffin cups. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to divide the batter evenly among the 12 liners, filling them about ¾ full. Sprinkle the streusel generously over each muffin, pressing it gently into the batter.
  9. Bake for 18-22 minutes. At 18 minutes, start checking. The muffins should be golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out with just a few moist crumbs attached.
  10. Cool properly. Let the muffins rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack. Let them cool completely if you want the streusel to stay crunchy.

Notes

Don’t rush the brown butter; use medium heat and a light-colored pan. Room temperature ingredients are crucial to prevent the brown butter from seizing. Measure flour correctly by spooning and leveling. For best streusel crunch, let muffins cool completely before storing. These muffins taste even better the next day.

Nutrition

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

Find it online: https://willarecipes.com/cozy-brown-butter-pumpkin-muffins-with-cinnamon-streusel/