These light and fluffy pumpkin muffins are the best fall muffins you will make this season! This recipe can be used as a base to create variations with chocolate chips, nuts, seeds, glaze, and cinnamon sugar!
Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Line a muffin pan with parchment paper liners. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, both sugars and pumpkin pie spice.
2 cups all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ cup packed brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
In another bowl or a large glass measuring cup, stir together milk and lemon juice. Let it sit for a few minutes until it curdles. You just made homemade buttermilk!
½ cup whole milk or half and half, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
To buttermilk, add pumpkin puree, oil, vanilla and egg. Whisk until smooth.
1 cup pumpkin puree, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 large egg
Pour the pumpkin mixture into dry ingredients in a bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon until you can no longer see the flour mixture. Do not overmix. Do not use a mixer.
Divide muffin batter among the liners in muffin pan. I use a spring ice cream scoop. You should have enough for exactly 12 muffins.
Bake the muffins for 7 minutes at 400° F.
Next, without opening the oven, set the temperature to 375° F and timer to 12 more minutes. Check the muffins with a toothpick. Instert it into the center of each muffin. If it comes out clean, the muffins are done.
Remove pan from the oven and let the muffins cool for 5 minutes. Then remove from pan and set on a cooling rack or cutting board to cool completely.
Notes
If you don't have a toothpick, use a dry spaghetti noodle to check the muffins!
Don't use colored cupcake liners to make the muffins. They will stick! Use parchment liners. They never fail me!
To properly measure flour, whisk it first in the container you store it in. Then scoop with a spoon into the measuring cup and level the top with a butter knife. If you dunk the measuring cup into the flour, you will end up with too much flour and the muffins will be dense.
You can use apple cider vinegar in place of lemon juice to make the buttermilk.
Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.