From their soft pumpkin muffin base to their sweet espresso glaze, these pumpkin spice latte muffins are a delicious breakfast that tastes like your favorite fall coffee drink.
Back in high school and college I worked at a local (to Oregon) drive-through coffee shop. For those of you who had the pleasure of the visiting the Pacific Northwest in the late 90s/early 2000s, you know that those wonderful little shops used to outnumber Starbucks by a significant number. . .not so much anymore.
Those shops were doing pumpkin spice lattes long before PSL was a hashtag. At my shop, we ordered vats upon vats of pumpkin spice sauce for our lattes (NOT the syrup—customers wanted the real deal thick sauce-y stuff, not the anemic-looking stuff in a glass bottle).
Anyone who’s ever worked as a barista probably knows what I mean when I say I often felt like a drug dealer, especially when working the morning shift and people’s hands shook as they reached out their car windows for their morning Americano.
But never was that feeling more profound than in late August, when people started asking when we’d get in our pumpkin. When? Not until NEXT MONTH? But the Halloween candy is out at Bi-Mart! Fall is HERE!
Then they’d drive off in a huff, glowering into their no-whip half-caff soy mochas, and leave me dreading the long, hard slog that is PSL season.
Now might be a good time to mention that I’ve never in my whole life finished a pumpkin spice latte. Even if I liked sweet beverages, which I do not, I would have burned myself out on PSLs back in my coffee-slinging days.
But I can still appreciate the flavor combo! And these muffins are my ode to pumpkin and coffee—a totes delicious little breakfast, if I do say so myself.
This is my new favorite pumpkin muffin recipe. It’s super light and totally pumpkin-y. The espresso glaze on top of the pumpkin spice latte muffins is worthy of slurping with a straw, but restrain yourself so you can top your muffins with it.
Or make a double batch of glaze and feel free to slurp away.
These little hunks o’ love just call out to be consumed by the dozen alongside your morning coffee/tea/no whip soy mocha. Make a batch of pumpkin spice latte muffins today and celebrate all things autumn!
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 3/4 cups vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon*
- 3/4 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 4 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 3 to 6 tablespoons warm coffee or whole milk
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 15 or 16 muffin cups with paper liners or spray with cooking spray. Set pan aside.
- Combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth.
- Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices in a medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the pumpkin-oil mixture until just moistened.
- Fill prepared muffin cups about 3/4 full. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
- Combine the powdered sugar, espresso powder, melted butter, and 3 teaspoons of the milk in a small mixing bowl. Stir vigorously until smooth. Add additional coffee or milk if necessary to thin the glaze. Spoon over the muffins, then let the muffins sit until the glaze sets. Serve.
*You can substitute 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice for the spices listed in this recipe.
Muffins adapted from Taste of Home
Laura says
Just tried your PSL muffin recipe. Delicious! Had to share it!
Julie is Hostess At Heart says
I’m a muffin lover and these babies are calling my naaaame!
Kelsie says
Thank you, Julie!
Dana says
These look fabulous Kelsie! That glaze/frosting had me drooling, it looks so rich and decadent. I enjoyed reading this, it’s not too often I get to hear a barista’s perspective. I see the Starbucks Baristas almost rolling their eyes (haha) that they have to start making them September 1st now (the second August is over, essentially) as apparently that is their biggest selling drink. So why not hype it up and get people buying it sooner and sooner? lol That’s interesting that your local coffee shop was doing the PSL-type drink back then too, even before Starbucks figured out it was a good idea. People love their pumpkin and other dessert-like drinks for sure. I’m not a huge fan of the sweet drinks either but I do enjoy the occasionally pumpkin latte– maybe once or twice in the fall (half-sweet, then its almost tolerable haha) and I really like the cinnamon whip cream to go on top. But I’d MUCH rather have it in dessert form, like these delicious-sounding muffins. I can’t wait to give these a try!! Happy Saturday, friend! 😀
Kelsie says
Awwww thank you Dana! I hope you had a fabulous weekend, my friend! And have a fabulous week!
Emma says
I do like a pumpkin spice latte but I really only have one or two a season as they are just full of sugar and I really do just like my coffee black and not sweet. But I think I could easily have these muffins more than once or twice a season!
Kelsie says
Thank you Emma! Have a fabulous rest of the week!
Alia | Everyday Easy Eats says
Oh HELLO Pumpkin Spice Latte in muffin form!! These are wicked!!! Super creative and perfect sweet treat for the fall! 🙂
Kelsie says
Thank you, Alia! Hope you’re having a great week, my friend!
thebakingskillet says
These look delightful Kelsie. Since I promised, i’m gonna give pumpkin desserts a shot this season, I think i’ll whip up a batch of these. Loving that glaze !!
Kelsie says
Thank you Jenny! I hope you love them like I do!
Kankana says
oh the pumpkin season and all the deliciousness we can make 🙂 Turning latte into muffins… neat!
Kelsie says
Thank you, Kankana! Hope you’re having a great week!
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
A barrista sounds like a fun job, Kelsie, although I can see how crazy it can get when there’s an endless line of caffeine deprived people waiting for their cup of joe. I don’t usually go to Starbucks but I do enjoy their PSL. I agree that they tend to be too sweet. These muffins are an awesome idea! I’m loving all the flavor combo. I can have my PSL and I can eat it too!
Kelsie says
It really was fun! Thank you, Thao! Hope you’re having a great week!
heather (delicious not gorgeous) says
agreed! psl’s aren’t my favorite, but the combo of pumpkin and coffee still works really well together. i’ve never worked in food service (just retail), but i can still remember the perpetually disgruntled customers!
Kelsie says
They’re so good together, I’d just rather eat my sugar than drink it :). Have a great rest of your week, Heather!
Ashika | Gardening Foodie says
Oh these muffins must taste amazing Kelsie. And that glaze.. absolutely heavenly,if anything has coffee or espresso in it, then it’s definitely calling my name.,?
Have a great week ?
Kelsie says
Thank you so much, Ashika! You have a great week, too!
Milena Perrine says
Sometimes (well, most of the time) I am just amazed by how your creative mind works Kelsie! Pumpkin Spice lattes are the only thing I really enjoy when it comes to the entire pumpkin spice craze. And your capturing the flavors in a muffin seems amazing to me. The glaze is so on point – yum! There are so many cool things about Oregon. Definitely one of my favorite areas on Earth, such diversity and such beauty. Some pretty cool people too:)
Kelsie says
Awww thank you so much, Milena! Oregon really is an awesome place :). Hope you’re having a great week, my dear!
Georgie | The Home Cook's Kitchen says
Didn’t even know PSL were a thing until coming to America! I am a plain espresso/latter gal through and through, I wouldn’t say no to these muffins though!
Kelsie says
Thank you, Georgie! Hope you’re having a great week!