Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

This photograph I took last fall and I love it. It is from our local town orchard that has been here for generations. It is my inspiration for making Pumpkin Streusel Muffins.

The recipe is slightly adapted from Williams-Sonoma. They did a sweet potato muffin and I changed that.

What I love about recipes like this is there is NO SIFTING involved. Easy street is what I like to take.


For the Streusel Topping:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tbsp. light brown sugar
• 1/2 stick cold butter cut into small pieces

Mix all of the topping ingredients together by pulsing in a food processor until crumbly.

For the Muffins:

• 1 - 15 oz. can pure pumpkin puree
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 lrg. eggs
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1 /4 cup raisins (optional)
• zest of one orange 

This is the pumpkin batter. The next shot is of the streusel topping before baking. But I forgot to snap it BEFORE they went into the oven.

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Grease a standard 12 tin muffin pan with non-stick spray.
2. In a bowl stir together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and salt.
3. In a separate bowl combine the eggs, sugar, oil, milk, orange zest with a whisk or a hand held mixer.
4. To the bowl with the wet ingredients add the pumpkin puree and mix well. Add in the dry ingredients and stir until evenly moistened. The batter may be slightly lumpy and that is okay.
5. Using a spatula fold in the nuts and raisins if you are using them.
6. Spoon the batter into each muffin cup, filling 3/4 full.
7. Sprinkle the topping evenly on top of each muffin.
8. Bake until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
9. Transfer to a wire rack to cool down about 5 minutes then unmold the muffins.
10. Yield is 20 muffins. About 12 if you are using large muffin tins.