Simple 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins Recipe
These simple 3 ingredient pumpkin muffins are a quick and delicious treat perfect for fall or any time of year. Made with a spice cake mix, canned pumpkin puree, and hot water, these moist and flavorful muffins come together effortlessly, delivering a tender crumb and warm autumnal spices. Ideal for breakfast, snacks, or dessert, they require minimal prep and baking time, making them perfect for busy days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients:
- 1 box spice cake mix (or yellow cake mix with 2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice)
- 15 oz unsweetened pumpkin puree (canned or homemade)
- 1/4 cup hot water
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Muffin Pan: Preheat your oven to 425° F. Line the muffin pan cavities with baking cups, parchment paper, or lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray to ensure easy muffin removal after baking.
- Mix the Muffin Batter: In a large bowl, combine the spice cake mix (or yellow cake mix combined with 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice), pumpkin puree, and hot water. Mix gently until just combined and no large lumps remain. Avoid overmixing to prevent dense muffins, and scrape down the bowl sides to incorporate all ingredients evenly.
- Fill Muffin Pan and Prepare for Baking: Using a cookie scoop or spoon, fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full with batter. For a taller, bakery-style muffin, fill them to the top with about two scoops of batter, noting that baking time will need to be extended by 3 to 5 minutes.
- Bake the Muffins: Place the muffin pan in the oven and bake at 425° F for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350° F and continue baking for an additional 10 to 12 minutes. Muffins are done when they spring back to touch, the tops are no longer glossy, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Serve: Remove muffins from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature. Serve slightly warm with a smear of butter if desired.
Notes
- Use either a spice cake mix or yellow cake mix with added pumpkin pie spice for authentic flavor.
- Don’t overmix the batter to keep muffins light and fluffy.
- Filling the muffin cups to the top produces taller muffins but requires longer baking time.
- Let muffins cool completely for best texture and flavor.
- These muffins freeze well and can be reheated in the microwave.
- Try adding nuts or chocolate chips for variation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 3.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: pumpkin muffins, easy pumpkin recipe, 3 ingredient muffins, quick fall baking, spice cake muffins
