Description
These Brown Butter Pumpkin Muffins with Streusel Topping are deeply flavorful, perfectly moist, and topped with an irresistible crunchy crumble. The nutty brown butter transforms the muffins from ordinary to extraordinary, making them the perfect fall treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup (1 stick / 113g) unsalted butter
- 1 3/4 cups (220g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (245g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1/3 cup (80ml) buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (60g) all-purpose flour (for streusel)
- 1/4 cup (50g) packed light brown sugar (for streusel)
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar (for streusel)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for streusel)
- Pinch of salt (for streusel)
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick / 57g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (for streusel)
- 1/2 cup (60g) chopped pecans or walnuts (optional, for streusel)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease the cups well with butter or cooking spray. Set aside.
- Brown the butter: Place the 1/2 cup of unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Let it melt completely, then continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally. The butter will start to foam and sputter. Watch closely as the foam subsides and you’ll see tiny brown specks forming at the bottom of the pan. The butter will smell intensely nutty and toasty. This takes about 5-7 minutes. Once it’s a deep amber color and smells amazing, immediately remove it from the heat and pour it…
- Make the streusel: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse sand with some pea-sized butter pieces. If using nuts, stir them in. Set the bowl in the refrigerator while you make the muffin batter.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs until they’re light and frothy, about 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin puree, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and the cooled brown butter. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
- Combine wet and dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold gently, just until no streaks of flour remain. A few lumps are fine. The batter will be thick and slightly fluffy.
- Fill the muffin cups: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups. Each cup should be about 3/4 full.
- Add the streusel: Take the streusel out of the fridge and sprinkle it generously over each muffin, pressing it down lightly so it sticks.
- Bake: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The tops should be golden brown.
- Cool: Let the muffins cool in the pan for exactly 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Don’t rush the brown butter; watch it closely to avoid burning. Use room temperature ingredients to prevent the brown butter from seizing. Measure flour correctly by spooning and leveling. Don’t overmix the batter. Let muffins cool in the pan for exactly 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 25
- Sodium: 280
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 41
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 4
Keywords: brown butter pumpkin muffins, pumpkin muffins with streusel, fall muffins, easy pumpkin muffins, brown butter muffins