Easy Moist Pumpkin Butterscotch Muffins
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These Butterscotch Pumpkin Muffins are soft, moist, and packed with warm fall spices, with sweet butterscotch chips in every bite. They’re made in two bowls with simple pantry ingredients, so they’re the kind of fall baking you can pull off on a busy weeknight or a slow Saturday morning.
I made these one time when I did not have chocolate chips in the pantry but only butterscotch chips and it worked great with pumpkin! If you love pumpkin season as much as I do, these muffins are about to become your go-to fall baked treat. They’re perfect for breakfast, an afternoon snack with coffee, or a cozy treat to share with friends and neighbors.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy prep method – Wet ingredients in one bowl, dry in another, fold together, and bake. No fancy equipment needed.
- Perfectly moist texture – No dry muffins here. A full can of pumpkin puree plus oil keeps these muffins soft and tender for days.
- A great fall flavor combo – Warm pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon pair beautifully with sweet, buttery butterscotch chips.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pumpkin puree — Use plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced.
- Granulated sugar — Adds sweetness and helps create those lightly crisp muffin tops.
- Light brown sugar — Brings a hint of caramel flavor that complements the butterscotch.
- Eggs — Bind everything together and give the muffins structure. Room temperature eggs mix in more evenly.
- 2% milk — Thins the batter just enough. Whole milk works too.
- Vegetable oil — The secret to a moist muffin that stays soft (oil-based batters stay tender longer than butter-based ones).
- All-purpose flour — Spoon and level it into your measuring cup so the muffins don’t turn out dense.
- Salt — Balances the sweetness and brings out the spices.
- Baking soda — Gives the muffins their rise.
- Pumpkin pie spice — The classic blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Cinnamon — A little extra for that cozy, warm spice flavor.
- Butterscotch chips — The star of the show! They melt slightly while baking for pockets of buttery sweetness.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap the chips – Try white chocolate chips, or cinnamon chips instead of butterscotch, or do a half-and-half mix.
- Add a crunch – Fold in ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts along with the chips.
- Streusel topping – Sprinkle a simple brown sugar, flour, and butter crumble over the tops before baking for a bakery-style finish.
- No pumpkin pie spice? Make your own pumpkin pie spice blend.
- Milk swap– Any milk works here, including dairy-free options like oat or almond milk.
How to Make Butterscotch Pumpkin Muffins
Step by Step Instructions Overview. Full details in recipe card.
Step 1 –Preheat the oven and line your muffin pan with liners.. Whisk the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices in a bowl.
Step 1 -Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, eat the pumpkin, both sugars, eggs, milk, and oil until smooth
Step 3 – Combine. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet in two additions, just until combined.
Step 4 – Add the butterscotch. Gently fold in the butterscotch chips.
Step 5 – Fill and bake. Fill the liners to the top and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the muffins cool completely before serving.
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Time Saving Tips ⏰
- Measure the dry ingredients ahead. Whisk the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices together the night before and keep them covered on the counter.
- Use a large cookie scoop to fill the muffin liners quickly and evenly, with no mess and no drips.
- Skip the extra bowl wash. Measure dry ingredients first, then use the same cups for the wet ingredients.
- Double the batch. These muffins freeze beautifully, so bake two pans and stash one for busy mornings.
Serving Suggestions
- Enjoy warm with a pumpkin spice latte or a hot cup of coffee for a cozy fall breakfast.
- Add them to a brunch spread alongside a breakfast casserole and fresh fruit.
- Pack one in a lunchbox or take it on the go for an easy afternoon snack.
Storage and Reheating
- Room temperature – Store cooled muffins in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Place a paper towel on the bottom and top of the container to absorb extra moisture.
- Refrigerator – Keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezer – Wrap individually in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter.
- Reheating – Warm a muffin in the microwave for 10–15 seconds to soften the butterscotch chips and bring back that just-baked taste.
FAQs
Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned? Yes! Use about 1¾ cups of homemade pumpkin puree. Fresh puree tends to hold more water, so blot or strain it first to keep the muffins from turning out gummy.
Why did my muffins turn out dense? The most common culprit is overmixing once the flour goes in. Fold just until no dry streaks remain. Packing too much flour into your measuring cup can also make them heavy, so spoon and level it.
Can I make these as mini muffins? Absolutely. Fill mini muffin liners to the top and start checking for doneness around 10–12 minutes.
Will the butterscotch chips sink to the bottom? This batter is thick enough to hold them in place. For extra insurance, toss the chips in a tablespoon of the flour mixture before folding them in.
Can I make these without a mixer? Yes. A whisk and some arm power will combine the wet ingredients just fine, and the dry ingredients get folded in by hand anyway.
How do I know when the muffins are done? A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs (a little melted butterscotch is fine!). The tops should also spring back when lightly pressed.
More Muffin Recipes You’ll Love
Pumpkin Butterscotch Muffins
Equipment
- muffin pan
- Paper muffin or cupcake liners
- electric hand mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
- 1, 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup 2% milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add cupcake liners to the pan and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the wet ingredients (pumpkin, sugars, eggs, milk and vegetable oil). Mix on medium speed until all ingredients are incorporated.
- In another bowl, add the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon) and whisk to combine.
- Add half of the dry ingredients into the wet and gently fold in. Repeat until all mixture has been combined and smooth. Careful not to overmix.
- Lastly, fold in the butterscotch chips.
- Fill each cupcake liner to the top. Bake for 27-29 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Allow the muffins to fully cool and enjoy!
Nutrition
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