Sugared & Stirred

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Muffins

Blueberry Crumb Muffins with Icing

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Blueberry Crumb Muffins

Take your muffins up a notch with these iced Blueberry Crumb Muffins! With a sweet crumb topping, a fresh blueberry icing, and plenty of cozy spice, these muffins are perfect for snacking.

 

Blueberry Crumb Muffins

Okay, so we’ve all had our fair share of blueberry muffins. And I’m sure we all have our preferences for what makes the perfect blueberry muffin. When I set out to create my own version, I knew I wanted a sweet crumb topping on top. My first test batch came out a little plain, so I added cinnamon and nutmeg. And, as I sometimes do, I looked online at other recipe photos to determine how I can differentiate mine from the 100s of other muffins out there…*blueberry icing has entered the chat*. I couldn’t just add a simple vanilla icing on top. No, no. These muffins have a blueberry icing with brilliant color and flavor. Of course, the icing is totally optional (as is the crumb topping!) because these muffins are flavorful, moist, and exactly what you want in a sweet blueberry muffin – even without the bells and whistles!

Why You’ll Love These Muffins

  • Perfectly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg
  • Lots of fresh, juicy blueberry flavor
  • Room for you to make them just how you like (see details below)
  • Moist, tender, cake-like crumb
  • Fulfills your craving for a classic blueberry muffin (these will meet your taste expectations!)

 

How to Make These Your Own

  1. Press extra blueberries into the top of the batter pre-bake for extra pretty muffins
  2. Skip the icing – I’ve made these with and without icing and both ways are delicious!
  3. Leave off the crumb topping – for a less sweet muffin, skip the crumb and go for icing only
  4. Add a simpler vanilla glaze, or a vanilla bean glaze
  5. Use lemon or almond extract for an extra flavorful muffin

 

FAQ

How can I replace the eggs? I haven’t tested this recipe with any egg replacers, but because it’s a quick bread recipe, your favorite egg replacer should work. I know flax eggs are a tried and true egg replacement in muffins – mix 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal with 3 Tbsp warm water per egg (allow to thicken for 5 minutes).

Can I leave off the icing? Yes, if icing isn’t your thing, you can leave it off. I recommend pressing extra blueberries into the muffin batter after sprinkling the crumb topping on top.

Will frozen blueberries work? Not for this recipe. I find that frozen blueberries tend to turn the batter a funky color and prefer fresh blueberries for these muffins.

What kind of butter did you use? I used the Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks with Olive Oil (this has been my go-to baking butter for the last few years).

Can I make these with coconut sugar or whole wheat flour? Yes. You can replace the sugar in the batter with coconut sugar and up to half of the flour with a whole wheat variety.

 

More Blueberry Recipes

Blueberry Lime Crumble Bars

Healthier Banana Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry Hazelnut Galette

Blueberry Thyme Collagen Muffins

Yield: 12 Standard Muffins

Blueberry Crumb Muffins

Blueberry Crumb Muffins

Take your blueberry muffins up a notch with a sweet crumb topping, fresh blueberry icing, and plenty of cozy spice.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

Muffins

  • 2 cups (260g) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup (113g) plant-based butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup (150g) white granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (118mL) almond milk (or regular milk)
  • 1 cup (150g) fresh blueberries (washed and patted dry)

CRUMB TOPPING

  • 3 Tbsp (42g) plant-based butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup (50g) white granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup (43g) unbleached all-purpose flour

BLUEBERRY DRIZZLE

  • 1/2 cup (70g) fresh blueberries
  • 1 Tbsp water
  • 1 1/2 cups (180g) powdered sugar
  • 1-3 tsp almond milk

Instructions

Make the Crumb Topping

  1. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and flour. Add the melted butter and use a fork to fluff the mixture together, leaving some bigger chunks of crumb. Set aside.

Make the Muffins

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray a 12-count muffin pan with non-stick spray, or line with paper liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar. Whisk in the eggs. And then whisk in the vanilla extract and almond milk.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, along with the blueberries (you want to gently coat the fruit with flour as you mix). Very gently fold the ingredients together until just combined - over mixing muffin batter results in a dense, tough muffin.
  5. Scoop or spoon the batter into the prepared muffin wells, filling ~3/4 full (this made 12 standard muffins for me).
  6. Sprinkle the crumb topping on, using as much or as little as you like. More crumb = a sweeter muffin. If desired, press extra blueberries into the batter/crumb.
  7. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean (do your best to avoid sticking the toothpick into a blueberry).
  8. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before gently removing to a cooling rack. You may need to use a butter knife to loosen the crumb topping from the edges of the pan. Allow the muffins to cool completely before icing.

Ice the Muffins

  1. In a small saucepan, simmer the blueberries and water, smashing the fruit with a fork, until a sauce forms. Strain the sauce into a small bowl, pressing out as much juice as you can; discard the leftover blueberry chunks.
  2. Add the powdered sugar to the blueberry sauce and mix. Add almond milk 1/2 tsp at a time until an icing forms - when drizzled into itself, the icing should take 3 seconds to disappear.
  3. Drizzle the icing over each muffin. Allow the icing to set and enjoy!
  4. Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

  1. Butter: plant-based or regular butter will work in this recipe. I used Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks with Olive Oil.
  2. Milk: plant-based or regular milk will work in this recipe. I used almond milk, but other plant-based milks also work.

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Muffins

Did you make this recipe? I would love to see!

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Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

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Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

Fluffy and sweet Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins flavored with pumpkin purée and warm spices. These fall corn muffins are perfect for chili night or as a tasty snack. Top them with butter and honey for the ultimate cornbread experience.

Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

It’s that sweet time of year where the weather is just starting to cool, and we’re all looking for ways to feel a little more fall. The canned pumpkin sitting in our pantries is patiently waiting to be baked into something warm, flavorful, and filled with spice. We all love a good pumpkin cake or pumpkin snacking bread, but have you tried Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins?!

These delightful bites of autumn, are everything you could want in a fall bake, and they go perfectly with your favorite fall chili or soup. With their fluffy texture and flavorful spices, they’re tasty enough to be snacked on, too! Eat these cornbread muffins straight from the pan (after they’ve cooled a little) with a little butter and honey or maple syrup for the ultimate cornbread experience – YUM.

Why You’ll Love This Cornbread

  • Comes together quickly in one bowl
  • Traditional fall flavors and spices
  • Perfect as a snack or a side for chili/soup night!
  • Delicious as-is, but of course butter and honey elevate them 😉

What You’ll Need

  • Yellow cornmeal turns these from standard muffins to cornbread muffins. In other words, you need it.
  • All-purpose flour keeps these corn muffins fluffy. I like to use an unbleached variety, but any AP flour will work. A whole wheat pastry flour would make these extra fluffy, if that’s your thing.
  • Baking powder and baking soda leaven these muffins and create those prefect puffy tops.
  • Salt enhances flavor.
  • Spices add that warm, cozy flavor of fall. I like to use a mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. If you’d rather use pumpkin pie spice, I recommend 1 Tbsp of the pumpkin pie spice + 2 tsp of ground cinnamon. 
  • White granulated sugar sweetens these corn muffins. You can use your favorite granulated sugar in place of white sugar (just note the gram weights will vary). I recommend raw sugar, coconut sugar, or unrefined cane sugar.
  • Eggs bind the ingredients together and help keep these corn muffins from crumbling apart.
  • Olive oil adds moisture. I prefer olive oil in my bakes, but a simple vegetable oil will also work. For a buttery flavor, you can also use melted butter or plant-based butter.
  • Almond milk also adds moisture. You can use your preferred plant-based milk or regular milk.
  • Pumpkin purée adds the pumpkin flavor, duh. I like to use the Libby’s brand for my bakes.

FAQ

Can I bake this in a square or circular pan? I haven’t tested this recipe in any other pan. If you prefer sliced cornbread, you can try baking this recipe in a 9″ circular pan or an 8×8″ square pan – but you’ll have to keep an eye on the cornbread as I’m unsure how long it will take to bake.

Do I have to use all of the spices? You don’t have to. If you like less spice, feel free to use less. 

Will pumpkin pie spice work? If you’d rather use a pumpkin pie spice mix, I recommend 1 Tbsp of pumpkin pie spice + 2 tsp of extra ground cinnamon.

Can I use a different sugar? Definitely. Your favorite granulated sugar should work in this recipe. I recommend coconut sugar, raw sugar, or unrefined cane sugar.

Can I use regular milk? Yes, this recipe will work with regular milk.

Yield: 10 Muffins

Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

Fluffy and sweet corn muffins flavored with pumpkin purée upand warm spices - an autumnal upgrade to my favorite cornbread!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 5 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (146g) yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup (130g) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 cup (100g) white granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup (79ml) olive oil
  • 1/3 cup (79ml) almond milk
  • 1 cup (240g) pumpkin purée (not pie filling)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a 12-count muffin pan with non-stick spray. You'll only need to spray 10 of the wells.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices and sugar.
  3. Add in the eggs, oil, milk, and pumpkin purée and gently mix until all the ingredients are combined.
  4. Scoop or spoon the batter into the prepared muffin wells, filling roughly 1/4" from the top (my batter filled 10 wells).
  5. Bake at 350°F for 16-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out with a couple of crumbs (mine took 19 minutes). Allow the muffins to rest in the pan for 3 minutes.
  6. Use a butterknife to gently remove the muffins to a cooling rack, being careful not to burn your fingers.
  7. Enjoy the corn muffins warm with butter and maple syrup or honey.
  8. Store leftover cornbread in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

  1. Sugar: you can use any granulated sugar in place of the white sugar. The gram weights will vary depending on the sugar.
  2. Oil: vegetable oil or melted butter/plant-based butter will also work in this recipe.
  3. Milk: any plant-based milk or regular milk will work.
  4. Pumpkin: be sure to use a purée and not pupmpkin pie filling. I like to use the Libby's brand.

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Breads

Did you make these Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins? I would love to see!

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Vanilla Bean Zucchini Muffins

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These cozy, delicious (and EASY) Vanilla Bean Zucchini Muffins are like little bites of heaven – sweet vanilla bean icing sits atop a spice-filled, zucchini-packed mini muffin.

Vanilla Bean Zucchini Muffins

I’ll be honest, a big reason I made this recipe is to confirm that I’m not the only one who frequently forgets about that lone zucchini in the back of the fridge. Now, we love zucchini, and I always buy it with the best intentions. Stir fry with some bell peppers? Yes! Add it to my spaghetti sauce? Of course! Bake it into a sweet cake, cookie, or muffin? OBVIOUSLY. But days go by, weeks get busy, and that one remaining zucchini gets pushed to the back of the veggie drawer to only be forgotten about until fridge clean-out day. Well, not today. I’m here to remind you of that zucchini…and to give you this delicious recipe to fulfill the need to use your produce before it goes bad. You’re welcome. ILY. Let’s bake!

Here’s Why You’ll Love These Muffins

  • Quick & easy to bake
  • Cinnamon + cardamom = a winner every time
  • Mini size for perfect snack-ability
  • Perfect icing to muffin ratio
  • Guaranteed not to last too long in the fridge

What You’ll Need + Possible Substitutions

  • Coconut sugar is a low-GI granulated sugar that can replace white granulated sugar 1:1. It tastes less sweet and is better for you than cane sugar, which is why I love baking with it in recipes that have a sweet icing. For these muffins, you can use raw sugar, unrefined cane sugar, or white granulated sugar in place of coconut sugar (all a 1:1 swap). NOTE: the gram measurement will vary depending on the kind of sugar.
  • Olive oil adds moisture. You can also use melted butter or plant-based butter, avocado oil, or melted coconut oil – if using melted coconut oil, be sure the rest of your ingredients are room temperature so the coconut oil stays liquid.
  • Almond milk also adds moisture to the muffins and gets the icing to the right consistency. Any plant-based milk will work (for both the batter and icing). Regular milk will also work.
  • Eggs help bind ingredients together. I’ve had success making this recipe with flax “eggs” in place of eggs: mix 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal with 6 Tbsp warm water and allow to thicken for 5 minutes.
  • Vanilla bean paste makes these muffins. There’s just something special about seeing the little specks of vanilla bean…and tasting that classic vanilla bean flavor. This recipe will definitely work with vanilla extract as a 1:1 replacement – just call these Zucchini Muffins with Vanilla Icing instead 😉

Continued…

  • All-purpose flour is my go-to baking flour. Feel free to use a bleached or unbleached variety. For healthier muffins, you can replace up to 1/2 of the AP flour with a whole wheat flour.
  • Baking soda + baking powder work together to lift these muffins to the perfect height. I don’t recommend any substitutes. 
  • Salt enhances the flavor of the muffins. You don’t want to skip it.
  • Cinnamon adds flavor to the muffins. Feel free to add more or less, depending on your taste preferences.
  • Cardamom has a lovely flavor that pairs perfectly with the cinnamon. If you don’t have any on hand, you can use ground nutmeg, or more ground cinnamon, in its place. I highly recommend stocking your pantry with ground cardamom – it’s amazing in so many bakes!
  • Zucchini (duh) really makes these muffins. You’ll need a whole cup and a half of shredded zucchini, and, no, you can’t taste it!
  • Powdered sugar is used to make the icing. I don’t recommend any substitutes. For a slightly healthier muffin, you can drizzle the icing over the muffins instead of dipping them in the icing.

More Zucchini Recipes

Spiced Zucchini Sheet Cake

Zucchini Tahini Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Healthier Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Dark Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

Yield: 18 Mini Muffins or 8 Standard Muffins

Vanilla Bean Zucchini Muffins

vanilla bean zucchini muffins

Sweet, spice-filled Vanilla Bean Zucchini Muffins topped with a vanilla bean glaze. These cozy, delicious muffins are like little bites of heaven.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 52 minutes

Ingredients

Muffins

  • 1/2 cup (83g) coconut sugar (or other sugar - see Note 2)
  • 1/4 cup (45g) olive oil
  • 1/4 cup (60g) almond milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 1/2 cups (195g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups (275g) finely shredded zucchini (~1 large zucchini)

Icing

  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
  • ~4 tsp almond milk

Instructions

Bake the Muffins

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a mini muffin pan (see Note 1 for standard muffins) with paper liners or non-stick spray.
  2. Place the shredded zucchini on a cheesecloth or paper towel and squeeze out as much excess liquid as you can (NOTE: zucchini should be measured pre-squeeze); set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut sugar, olive oil, almond milk, eggs, and vanilla bean paste (or extract).
  4. Whisk in the baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom. Add the flour and gently mix with a large spoon until nearly combined.
  5. Add the shredded (and squeezed) zucchini and gently mix, breaking up the zucchini as you mix until all is combined.
  6. Scoop/spoon the batter into the prepared muffin wells, filling to the top. Bake at 350°F for 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
  7. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Ice the Muffins

  1. Once the muffins are totally cool, you can make the icing. In a small bowl, add the powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste (or extract) and mix.
  2. Add almond milk 1 tsp at a time until the icing reaches the proper consistency - it should take 4-5 seconds for the icing to disappear into itself when drizzled from a spoon.
  3. Carefully dip the top of each muffin into the icing, allowing the excess icing to drip off. Immediately turn each muffin over and onto a cooling rack to set.
  4. Once the icing is set (no longer looks shiny), you can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If left at room temperature, the icing may melt into the muffins.

Notes

  1. Standard Muffins: fill 7-9 prepared muffin wells to the top with batter. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
  2. Sugar: you can use your favorite granulated sugar in this recipe. Find some of the gram measurements below.
  • 1/2 cup white granulated sugar = 113g
  • 1/2 cup raw sugar = 107g
  • 1/2 cup unrefined cane sugar = 120g

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Breads

Did you make this recipe? I would love to see!

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Double Chocolate Mini Muffins with Salted Caramel (DF)

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A couple of mornings ago, I was really in the mood for muffins (a common occurrence this pregnancy), so I asked my toddler what kind she wanted to make. She’s two and she loves chocolate, so that was her answer: chocolate muffins. I thought about it and determined that I couldn’t just make a plain ole chocolate muffin. I needed to make them mini. Add walnuts. And top them with homemade caramel sauce and flakey sea salt. Extra? Totally. Delicious and worth it? Yes!

The muffins themselves are so easy. One bowl. Hardly a mess. And if you have a 24-count mini muffin pan, you can bake them all in one batch that takes less than 10 minutes to bake! And these muffins are good. Like, if you want to forget about the caramel and sea salt all together, then I’m here for it. After all, there’s nothing like a fresh, warm muffin. Especially when melty chocolate chips are involved!

But the caramel drizzle will take these muffins to the next level. It’s a simple recipe and method that I learned from watching Cupcake Jemma, and I highly recommend checking out her Caramel Masterclass video! If you’ve never made caramel before and you’re intimidated, I get it. I won’t even fault you if you choose to go for store-bought for these muffins. But if you make your own, then you’ll feel super accomplished and have tons of delicious caramel leftover to pop onto anything you’d like!

Since my vegan caramels tend to come out thinner and too runny for a drizzle, I re-boil my mixture for 5-10 minutes to thicken them up. You don’t need a candy thermometer and the whole caramel making process (aside from the cooling) should take around 30 minutes. You can even make your caramel the night before, let it totally cool, and then store it in the refrigerator to drizzle on the muffins later. Whatever you choose, have fun and enjoy these bite-sized pieces of dessert heaven!

Some of the ingredients I love for this recipe:

Coconut oil lends lots of moisture to these muffins. If you don’t have any on hand, feel free to use another vegetable oil (I prefer olive oil).

Instant coffee adds depth to the chocolate flavor. You can also use espresso powder if you have that on hand. This ingredient is totally optional.

Coconut sugar is my go-to sweetener. It’s low GI and unrefined and tastes nothing like coconut! It’s a perfect replacement for regular white sugar.

Yield: ~24 Mini Muffins

Double Chocolate Mini Muffins with Salted Caramel

Double Chocolate Mini Muffins with Salted Caramel

Bite-sized chocolate mini muffins filled with chocolate chips and chopped walnuts. All topped off with a drizzle of homemade dairy-free caramel sauce and a sprinkling of sea salt!

Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

Vegan Caramel Sauce

  • 1/2 cup coconut cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup white granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup water

Chocolate Muffins

  • 1/2 cup coconut oil, liquid
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 large eggs, room temp (or 2 flax eggs if vegan - see note)
  • 1 tsp instant coffee (optional)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or cane sugar)
  • 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup natural cocoa powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips, divided
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts pieces (optional)

Instructions

  1. Make the caramel sauce: combine liquid coconut cream and vanilla extract; set aside. In a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan, add the sugar and then the water - don't stir. Swirl the pan gently until sugar is soaked.
  2. Place sugar mixture over medium heat and bring to a boil. Without stirring, boil the mixture until it turns amber in color. The sugar will go from amber to burnt quickly, so keep an eye on it! And do not stir it!
  3. Once the amber color is reached, immediately remove from the heat and place on a towel or hot pad. Using a wooden spoon, slowly stir in the coconut cream mixture, being cautious as the mixture is extremely hot and will bubble up!
  4. Return caramel sauce to medium heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 5-10 minutes or until caramel thickens. Transfer caramel to a room temp, heatproof bowl to cool.
  5. Make the muffins: bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350°F and generously spray your mini muffin pan with non-stick spray or line with paper cups/liners.
  6. In a medium bowl, combine the oil, plant-based milk, and eggs. Whisk in the instant coffee and vanilla, and then whisk in the sugar. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use a large spatula to gently mix until just combined. Add in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips and the walnuts and mix.
  7. Scoop about 1.5 Tbsp of batter into each mini muffin well - nearly to the top. I used a cookie scoop for quick and easy filling. Top the unbaked muffins with the extra 1/4 cup of chocolate chips, lightly pressing the chips into the batter.
  8. Bake muffins at 350°F for 6-10 minutes or until toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out with a few crumbs. Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes and then gently remove them to cool on a cooling rack.
  9. Once muffins are cool, spread the caramel sauce over the tops and sprinkle with sea salt flakes.
  10. Allow caramel to set before storing any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. Store leftover (and cooled!) caramel sauce in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator.

Notes

  • For vegan muffins: use 2 flax eggs (mix 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 6 Tbsp warm water, allow to thicken for five minutes)
  • Be sure to use at least a medium sized pot to make your caramel. The hot sugar mixture will bubble up when you add the coconut cream!
  • To ensure no sugar crystals form in your caramel sauce, do not stir the caramel while it's boiling the first round. Don't scrape the sides of the pan at any point, or otherwise mess with it! Also, allow your caramel sauce to totally cool before transferring it to your refrigerator.
  • When boiling the caramel the second round (to thicken it up) it's okay to stir it a bit.
  • If using melted coconut oil, you'll want the rest of your ingredients, including your eggs, to be room temperature. This ensure your coconut oil will remain in a liquid states while making your batter.

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© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Breads

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @sugaredandstirred on Instagram and hashtag #sugaredandstirred

Other chocolate recipes you might like:

Healthier Double Chocolate Banana Bread (DF)
Spicy Hot Cocoa Muffins (DF)
Caramel Turtle Brownies (GF + DF)

Pumpkin Muffins with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Icing

by 9 Comments

Recipe card and post updated November 2021 to reflect gram measurements and ingredients substitutions in the Recipe Notes.

These delightfully fluffy Pumpkin Muffins are dipped in a warm brown sugar cinnamon icing, and they’re totally irresistible! Perfect for the holiday season, these popular muffins are just what you need when you’re craving the cozy spices of autumn.

Pumpkin Muffins

It’s Fall and the weather is officially getting straight up cold for us. Somehow, we seem to only get a few weeks of nice, mild weather each Spring and Fall, and the rest of the year is either miserably hot or awfully cold. Muffins always come to mind when I think of something quick, easy, and comforting for an afternoon snack on a chilly day. I’ve been craving fluffy muffins this week and really wanted something without chocolate. So I made my Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread into muffins (without the cinnamon swirl!). And then I added a super simple brown sugar icing spiced with cinnamon because I just couldn’t resist! Glazed and iced breads are just so pretty.

Tips To Make These Pumpkin Muffins

For this recipe you’ll whip up a quick batch of muffins. Really, it only takes two bowls, and 15 minutes in the oven. And then you’ll heat the brown sugar, vegan butter, and plant milk to a boil. Whisk in the vanilla, cinnamon, and powdered sugar, and voilà! You have a delicious icing that pairs perfectly with the pumpkin muffins! Since the icing is heated up, it will set very quickly. Like, don’t even try to pour or drizzle it over your muffins – that won’t work. You want to dip the tops of each muffin in the icing. When your icing starts to get too thick (which it will), place your saucepan back over the heat until it thins and continue working quickly to get those muffins dipped!

Some of the ingredients + substitutions:

Whole wheat pastry flour gives these muffins maximum fluffiness! It’s a staple in my pantry, because I just love the texture it creates in my quick breads and muffins. You can use more all-purpose flour in its place, but your muffins won’t be as fluffy.

Coconut sugar is an unrefined, low GI sugar. It tastes less sweet than regular sugar, so it balances out the sweetness of the icing. If you’d prefer, you can replace the coconut sugar with your favorite granulated sugar.

Coconut oil brings lots of moisture to these muffins. You won’t taste it at all in this recipe, but if you’re skeptical, feel free to use a refined version. Or you can use another vegetable/baking oil or melted butter in its place.

Brown sugar is essential for the icing in this recipe. It creates a wonderful flavor that just can’t be replaced by another sugar!

Yield: 10 Regular Muffins

Pumpkin Muffins with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Icing

Pumpkin Muffins with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Icing

Fluffy and moist pumpkin muffins dipped in a delicious cinnamon brown sugar icing! A perfect Fall treat that can be made dairy-free or vegan!

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

Pumpkin Muffins

  • 1 cup (130g) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (120g) whole wheat pastry flour (see Note 1)
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 cup (86g) coconut sugar (see Note 2)
  • 2 large eggs, room temp (or 2 flax eggs - see Note 3)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup (72g) melted coconut oil (see Note 4)
  • 1/3 cup (80g) plant-based milk, room temp/warm (or regular milk)
  • 1 cup (250g) pumpkin purée

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Icing

  • 1 Tbsp vegan butter (or regular butter)
  • 1/4 cup (56g) brown sugar, packed
  • 2 Tbsp plant-based milk (or regular milk)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and generously spray a 12-count muffin pan with non-stick spray (I used olive oil spray). Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices; set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut sugar, eggs (or flax eggs), vanilla, coconut oil, and milk. Whisk in the pumpkin purée. Add liquid ingredients to dry and gently mix with a large spatula until no flour pockets remain.
  4. Spoon batter into 10 muffin wells, filling 2/3-3/4 full. If your batter is thick, you can smooth out the tops with a spoon. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
  5. Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes and then gently remove them to cool on a cooling rack.
  6. Once the muffins are totally cool, you can make the icing. In a small saucepan, add the vegan butter, brown sugar, and milk. Whisk together and bring ingredients to a boil. Immediately remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla. Allow mixture to cool for 5 minutes. Whisk in the cinnamon and powdered sugar. You may need to add a little more milk at this point if your icing is too thick - since it cools quickly, you'll have to move fast to dip your muffins. I don't recommend pouring the icing.
  7. Quickly dip the tops of each muffin into the icing (you can tilt your saucepan to help you), turning right side up to set. If your icing begins to get too thick as you're working, put your saucepan back on the stove and heat for a few seconds until the icing thins out, stirring constantly.
  8. Enjoy iced muffins right away. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

  1. Flour: the whole wheat pastry flour can be replaced with more all-purpose flour (1 cup or 130g). Your muffins just won't be as fluffy.
  2. Sugar: you can use 1/2 cup of your favorite granulated sugar in this recipe. White cane sugar (105g), raw turbinado sugar (105g), unrefined cane sugar (112g) or lightly packed brown sugar (100g) will work.
  3. Eggs: for vegan muffins, replace the eggs with two flax eggs: mix 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 6 Tbsp lukewarm water and allow to thicken for five minutes.
  4. Oil: you can use your favorite baking oil or melted butter in this recipe. 1/3 cup butter = 78g, 1/3 cup olive oil = 65g

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    © Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
    Cuisine: American / Category: Breads

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