These Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins are the perfect cozy treat. They are soft and fluffy muffins full of pumpkin, cranberries, and warm spices in every bite. A delicious buttery sugar streusel is sprinkled on top before baking that bakes up in the oven, giving a crisp muffin top we all love.
These muffins scream Thanksgiving and Christmas to me! The combination of pumpkin and cranberries is one I've never tried before this recipe, but boy have I been missing out!
The cranberries sweeten up as they bake, and the muffins themselves have pumpkin and warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. These muffins feel like a warm cozy hug.
Before baking, some extra cranberries and white sugar is sprinkled on top. This gives it a crispy muffin top we all love.
For more fall recipes, try Apple Breakfast Cake, Banana Pecan Chocolate Chip Muffins, and Butter Pecan Cookies.
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Why this recipe works
Easy to make – Comes together in a few simple steps.
Pumpkin – A great way to use leftover pumpkin puree.
Cranberries – When cranberries bake, they lose all that sharp tangy flavour and become sweet like raspberries!
Delicious – These muffins are so soft, fluffy, and tasty!
Ingredients Notes
Full recipe and ingredients are in the recipe card below. Feel free to scroll through this section to view certain key ingredients we’re using!
All-purpose flour – This flour is used for the muffins and cannot be substituted for any other.
Baking soda – Always double check that your baking soda isn’t expired!
Baking powder – Always double check that your baking powder isn’t expired!
Cranberries – I used fresh cranberries, but frozen work as well. If using frozen cranberries, add them into the batter without thawing.
Eggs – Must be at room temperature before starting your bake.
Oil – I used a flavourless oil. You can use any type of oil, but flavoured ones will slightly change the taste. You can also use melted and cooled butter instead.
Pumpkin – Make sure you’re using puree and not pie filling. The cans look similar at the grocery store. Also make sure it is at room temperature.
Spices – I used cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and ginger.
Step by step instructions
Here is how to make and bake these Pumpkin Cranberry Streusel Muffins. You will need a 12 muffin tin, tulip liners, 3 mixing bowls, a spatula, and a whisk.
Step 1 – Prep. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line the muffin liners with tulip liners and set aside. This recipe makes 15 muffins total. If you need a recommendation, this is my favourite tin.
Step 2 – Make the streusel. In a medium sized bowl, add flour, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Using a fork, mix this until small crumbs form. Then sprinkle 1 tbsp of extra flour on top and with your fork, gently mix until all the flour is well incorporated. Repeat 3 times until you no flour streaks remain. See photo for reference. Set aside while you make the muffin batter.
Step 3 – Mix dry ingredients. In a medium-sized bowl, add in flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, ginger, and salt. Mix together and set aside.
Step 4 – Whisk wet ingredients. In a large bowl, add brown sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla. Whisk together until well combined.
Step 4 – Add in dry ingredients. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and using a spatula, gently fold to create a soft muffin batter. Make sure to scrap the sides of the bowl.
Step 5 – Add cranberries. Gently toss the cranberries in 1-2 tsps of flour before adding them into the mixing bowl. This will help absorb any liquid they may have from washing. Then add into the bowl and mix in a few times.
Step 6 – Scoop. Evenly scoop the batter and fill the liners to the top. Add some extra cranberries and sprinkle a generous amount of streusel on top.
Step 7 – Bake. Bake the muffins at 375°F for 25-32 minutes. Mine took 28 minutes. The muffins are ready when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Every oven differs, so keep an eye out after the 20 minute mark.
These muffins stay fresh covered at room temperature for a few days, or in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week!
Expert Baking Tips
Here are a few expert baking tips from my kitchen to yours
- Make sure all of your wet ingredients are at room temperature. It’s important or else the ingredients won’t work the way we want them too together.
- Pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. The cans look super similar in the store!
- Do not blot the pumpkin for this recipe.
FAQ
Can I bake these in regular muffin liners?
Yes! Fill the liners to the top and sprinkle streusel on each one. Bake them at the same temperature for 20-25 minutes. Baking them in regular liners will also make more muffins (15-17 muffins total).
How do I store these muffins?
These muffins are good on your counter for 2 days, and in the fridge in an airtight container for a week! I like to bake them ahead of time and grab them as a snack on my way out the door.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes! You can use the 2x and 3x options on the recipe card to double and triple the recipe when needed.
Do I have to make the streusel?
No! But it really brings a nice buttery muffin crunch to them when they bake up. If you don’t make the streusel, sprinkle some white sugar on top.
What do I do with leftover streusel?
Streusel freezes great! Just place any leftovers you may have in a ziplock bag and freeze until needed again. You do not need to thaw it to use it, once you are ready to use it, you can sprinkle it frozen on top of the muffin batter.
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Pumpkin Cranberry Streusel Muffins
Ingredients
For the muffins
- 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar or light brown sugar
- 1 cup oil
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree room temperature, not blotted
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus 1 tbsp extra for dusting
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries washed and dried
For the streusel
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar or light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 cups flour + 2-3 tbsp on the side
- 6 tbsp butter melted and cooled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line the muffin tin with tulip liners and set aside.
For the streusel
- Melt the butter and allow to cool for 10 minutes before beginning (must be lukewarm, not hot). I like to do this first, and then prep the rest of my ingredients while the butter cools.6 tbsp butter
- In a medium sized bowl, add flour, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Using a fork, mix this until small crumbs form. Then sprinkle 1 tbsp of extra flour on top and with your fork, gently mix until all the flour is well incorporated. Repeat 2 times until you no flour streaks remain. See photo for reference. Set aside while you make the muffin batter.1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 3/4 cups flour, 6 tbsp butter
For the muffins
- In a medium-sized bowl, add in flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and salt. Mix together and set aside.2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp allspice, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp salt
- In a large bowl, whisk brown sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla. Whisk together until well combined.1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, 1 cup oil, 3 eggs, 1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree, 1 tbsp vanilla
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and using a spatula, gently fold to create a soft muffin batter.
- In the bowl with the cranberries, add 1 tbsp of flour and gently toss around until evenly coated. The light coating of flour will absorb any extra liquid it may have before adding it into the mixing bowl. Mix into the batter until just combined.1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
- Evenly divide the batter between the liners, they should be almost or all the way full. Using a cookie scooper helps big time to minimize the mess. Sprinkle white sugar on top.
- Bake the muffins at 375°F for 25-30 minutes. The muffins are ready when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Every oven differs, so keep an eye out after the 20 minute mark.
- These muffins stay fresh covered at room temperature for a few days, or in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week!
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