Pumpkin Spice Swirl Muffins with Vanilla Glaze

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Pumpkin muffins are good, but pumpkin muffins with little pockets of spiced crumble and a sweet vanilla glaze are the yummy upgrade your next fall bake need! The Pumpkin Spice Swirl Muffins take a classic pumpkin muffin batter and turn it into a bakery-worthy treat that you can make right in the comfort of your own kitchen.

The secret to these pumpkin spice muffins are folded right into the batter. A pumpkin spice brown sugar crumb creates warm, cozy, spiced pockets throughout the pumpkin batter, which makes these feel little more special than your everyday muffin. Once the muffin tops are golden born and muffins are cooled, they get dipped in a sweet vanilla powdered sugar glaze and sprinkle of pumpkin seeds that add a little crunch. These simple tweaks are what make these muffins different enough to become an instant fall staple. 

If you’re looking for another excuse to use a that can of pumpkin in your pantry, take this as your sign. These muffins simple enough to make for slow fall mornings, meal prepping breakfasts for the week or serve for Thanksgiving brunch alongside a fresh pot of coffee!

Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Spice Swirl Muffins

• They have a soft and tender crumb! The addition of sour cream is the key. As these muffins bake, they develop a soft, tender crumb on the inside and a slightly crisp crumb on the muffin top edges. The pumpkin also adds some extra moisture to the batter to give it an even softer crumb. 
• They’re a fall baking staple. It’s hard to get through fall without making something pumpkin, and these muffins are an easy recipe to add to your fall baking list. They make a perfect breakfast for Thanksgiving or a cozy bake for a slow fall morning.
• Bakery-style muffins, but super easy! Consider this your sign that pumpkin muffins don’t have to be ordinary. The simple additions of pumpkin spice crumble throughout the batter and the vanilla glaze take this delicious pumpkin batter base to a whole other level! 

How to Make These Pumpkin Spice Swirl Muffins, Step by Step

Step 1. Preheat the oven and line the muffin tins. 

We recommend preheating the oven and prepping the muffin tins before you start making the muffin batter. That way, you can easily scoop the batter into the tins and bake them without scrambling.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line the muffin tins with muffin liners. If you don’t have muffin liners, be sure to grease the tins really well so that they don’t stick to the sides when you remove them.

Step 2. Make the pumpkin spice and brown sugar crumb. Chill in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together dark brown sugar and pumpkin spice. Stir in melted butter and work the mixture with your hands until you have a pebble-like crumb texture. 

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the pumpkin spice crumb in a thin, even layer on the pan.

Place the crumb in the freezer to chill for at least 15-20 minutes while you make the pumpkin brownie batter.

Step 3. Mix the wet and dry mixtures in separate bowls before mixing them together.

In a large bowl, add flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk the dry mixture until all the ingredients are incorporated. Set the flour mixture aside while mixing the wet ingredients.

In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk in eggs, sugar, butter, milk, vanilla, sour cream, and pumpkin puree until the mixture is smooth.

Form a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and gently stir until you don’t see any streaks of flour in the batter.

Tip: Adding sour cream to the muffins gives the muffins a deliciously soft crumb and a bit denser, bakery-style texture. 

Step 4. Fold the pumpkin spice crumb into the batter.

Remove the pumpkin spice crumb from the freezer. Use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to fold the crumb into the pumpkin batter. Chilling the crumb will harden the pumpkin spice bits so that you get visible specs of pumpkin spice and brown sugar in each bite. 

You don’t want to over mix the crumble. Mix the crumble until the bits are just evenly blended into the batter. 

Step 5. Fill prepared muffin cups with batter and bake!

Use a 1/3 measuring cup or a large ice cream scoop to fill each muffin tin 3/4 of the way up.

You should be able to fill ten to twelve muffin tins with the batter. Bake the muffins at 350°F for 18-22 minutes. You will know the muffins are done when the centers are cooked through. 

You can test doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If the toothpick removes clean, with a couple crumbs, they are done. If there is wet batter on the toothpick, return them to the oven to cook for 2-3 more minutes and test again.

Remove the baked muffins from the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack.

Step 6. Make Vanilla glaze and top with pumpkin seeds.

In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, vanilla until smooth. 

Once the cupcakes are cooled, dip the tops of the muffins in the glaze. While the the icing is still wet, sprinkle some pumpkin seeds on the top. Once all the muffins are glazed and sprinkled with pumpkin seeds, you’re ready to enjoy them!

Tips for Making Pumpkin Spice Muffins

• Sour cream gives the muffins a tender crumb. This is our secret to getting the perfect soft, slightly dense texture in our muffins.
• Use room-temperature ingredients if possible. We recommend letting the eggs and sour cream sit out for a bit before mixing. Room temperature ingredients blend more evenly into the batter.
• Chill the cinnamon sugar crumb before adding it to the batter. Once you make the cinnamon sugar crumb, freeze it on a parchment-lined sheet pan for about 15 minutes. This will help the crumb firm up, making it easier to fold into the batter without dissolving.
• Let the muffins cool completely before glazing. If the muffins are still warm, the vanilla glaze will slide right off. Once they are cooled, dip the tops into the glaze and let the excess drip off. While the glaze is wet, finish them with a sprinkle of pumpkins seeds.

Storing leftover pumpkin muffins

Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. 

You can also freeze the muffins for longer storage. Freeze them in an airtight container (preferably without the glaze topping) for up to 2-3 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator or at room temperature and rewarm in the microwave when they’ve thawed through.

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