These 3 ingredient pumpkin muffins with spice cake are so easy! Pumpkin muffins with just 3 ingredients for a quick fall treat! And don't miss my super easy Pumpkin Pecan Dump Cake, the decadent Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls, and my no-bake Pumpkin Mousse Pie!
Easy 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins Recipe
This recipe is a game changer! I vaguely remember having cupcakes made with pumpkin and chocolate cake mix years ago -- they were delicious, but these easy pumpkin muffins are even better! You'll literally only need to mix together your two base ingredients, plus a mix-in, and you're ready to bake them! It's almost unfair how simple these muffins are! Perfect when you want a treat for yourself or your guests, but you have NO time!
And these muffins aren't just easy -- they're delicious. The pumpkin makes them SO moist and bursting with the fall flavors of pumpkin season. You definitely won't miss the eggs, butter, or oils! And because we're using a spice cake, they've got all the warm fall spices you love baked right in! Perfect way to enjoy a quick breakfast on an autumn morning.
Spice Cake Pumpkin Muffins Ingredients
Here's all you'll need for this recipe: a box of spice cake mix, a can of pumpkin puree, and chopped pecans.
It's so simple! And really, this easy pumpkin muffin recipe only has a base of two simple ingredients, so you could get away with making these a 2 ingredient pumpkin muffins recipe! I do add some chopped pecans (there's your third ingredient), and I love the way these pumpkin muffins turned out!
Alternative Mix-Ins
I love the buttery crunch of pecans, and I think they go so well with the spices and pumpkin flavor. But if you prefer, you can swap out the pecans for walnuts, or make them a little more decadent with chocolate chips or butterscotch chips!
Optional Toppings and Mix-Ins
If you're feeling giddy, you can turn these into 4 ingredient pumpkin muffins and add some cinnamon sugar on top before you bake like I did! I love the added sweetness and spice, plus there's a bit of crunch that's just perfect! Or go even further and turn these into 5 ingredient pumpkin muffins by topping them after baking with a quick cream cheese icing (recipe for the icing in the recipe card below)!
You can also make these 3 ingredient pumpkin muffins with cinnamon chips -- just fold in ⅔ cup of cinnamon chips before scooping out your muffin batter! You can also use chocolate chips to make chocolate pumpkin muffins!
Equipment
No need for a mixer, or even a whisk -- you can mix up these easy 3-ingredient pumpkin muffins with just a spoon and a bowl! Then once it's mixed, you'll need a muffin tin and muffin liners, and that's it!
Are Pumpkin Muffins Healthy?
These spice cake pumpkin muffins are a simple recipe -- with just cake mix, pumpkin, and pecans, I'd say it's relatively healthy. Cake mix can have some objectionable ingredients, depending on the brand you choose. But these easy 3 ingredient pumpkin muffins with spice cake mix are egg-free, dairy-free (check your cake mix box to be sure), and full of nutrients from the pumpkin! Plus, we're skipping any butter or vegetable oil, so these muffins are relatively low in fat.
So all in all, while a boxed cake mix is not be fully healthy (and I'm not necessarily an expert), these muffins are a healthier option than others might be. Baby steps.
How Do You Make 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins?
It's pretty simple: you just mix everything up in a large bowl. Then once everything's mixed together, scoop them into your lined muffin cups and bake! It's really that simple. My favorite thing about this cake mix pumpkin muffins recipe is that there's almost no measuring! And no weighing your dry ingredients, creaming your butter, or whipping egg whites!
Don't get me wrong, I love the process of baking -- I find it meditative, and it's so awesome when something you work hard on turns out well. But there's something so refreshing about an easy recipe that turns out THIS good.
Tips and F.A.Q.
Yes! Make sure they're fully cooled and then wrap them individually in plastic wrap. You can then put them in an airtight container or freezer bag and they'll be fresh for up to 6 weeks. To thaw, just let them sit at room temperature, still wrapped, for about an hour.
You sure can! A can of pumpkin purée is about 1-½ cups of pumpkin, so just measure it out and mix it in!
I wouldn't recommend using pumpkin pie filling, since the spices and sweeteners in the spice cake mix are more than enough. Pumpkin pie filling (also labeled pumpkin pie mix) has added sweeteners and spices of its own, which will definitely be too much in these spice cake pumpkin muffins.
Once cooled, store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days.
Some of my favorite pumpkin recipes are my Pumpkin Mousse Pie with Maple Cookie Crust, my Sour Cream Pumpkin Bread with Maple Brown Butter Glaze, and my Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls. So you've got a lot of options to feed your pumpkin cravings!
More of my Favorite Muffin Recipes
- Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins with Lemon Zest
- White Chocolate and Raspberry Muffins
- Pancake Mix Muffins
- Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins with Orange Zest
📖 Recipe
Equipment you may need
Ingredients
- 1 box spice cake mix - 15.25 ounces
- 1 can pumpkin purée - 15 ounces
- ⅔ cup chopped pecans - plus more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners and spray lightly with cooking spray.
- In a bowl, combine cake mix and pumpkin purée and stir to combine. Fold in pecans.1 box spice cake mix, 1 can pumpkin purée, ⅔ cup chopped pecans
- Fill muffin cups evenly and top with more pecans.
- Bake in preheated oven for 22-24 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Cool 10 minutes in pan, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PIN this spice cake pumpkin muffins recipe for later!
Last Updated on October 11, 2022 by Chenée Lewis
Suja md
Perfect! I love this recipe! I haven’t made one in ages. Thanks for the idea!
Chenée Lewis
Glad you like it!
Dana
What an easy recipe! I love it! And these are so so good, too. I'll be making these a lot. That's a little bittersweet, lol.
Chenée Lewis
Haha I know what you mean!
Suja md
I love how versatile this recipe is! It's a perfect fit for my family! So delicious!
Chenée Lewis
Thank you so much! Glad you like it.
Holley
I love how quick, easy, and delicious these muffins are! You can't beat a 3 ingredient muffin recipe!
Chenée Lewis
I agree! They're so easy!
Dannii
These were so light and fluffy. 10/10. Easy to make too.
Chenée Lewis
So glad you liked them! 🙂
Kim
These were so moist and flavorful. Definitely something I'd eat year round, and not just in the fall. Yum!
Chenée Lewis
Me too! Thanks so much!
Gina Abernathy
So easy and so delicious!
Chenée Lewis
Thank you so much! I love these!
kushigalu
Perfect fall recipe. These pumpkin muffins look delicious.
Chenée Lewis
Thank you! I love these for fall!
Irena
Love simple recipes like this using little clever hacks like a cake box mix! I couldn't get the same spice cake mix here in Australia so I used regular vanilla cake mix and added some spices to it myself.
Chenée Lewis
Great idea! Glad you liked them!
Tara
These muffins are my new go-to fall breakfast/snack! So easy and I love that it doesn't need a ton of ingredients!
Chenée Lewis
Yeah they're so easy! Glad you like them!
Britney Brown
I cannot believe that this recipe only required 3 ingredients and turned out SO good! We loved these muffins so much and ate them all fresh out of the oven!
Chenée Lewis
Thanks! They're almost too easy!
Rose Marie Mac Gilvray
Love,love,love these muffins. ! !
Chenée Lewis
Thank you so much! So glad you like them!
Karla
These are perfect for families! Easy to make and delicious
Chenée Lewis
Thank you! Definitely a kid favorite!
Jazz
These are the easiest muffins I've ever made and they taste amazing. Thank you!
Chenée Lewis
Thank you! I love how simple they are!
Tamara Johnson
Wow these muffins were delicious! I was in a pinch to make something for a brunch I was invited to. These were a HUGE hit! People kept asking for the recipe! Thanks for sharing.
Chenée Lewis
Thank you for trying them out! 🙂
Karla
These were so easy to make and they are really good too!
Chenée Lewis
Thank you! I'm so glad you like them as much as I do!
Robin
I made these muffins for breakfast thinking I'd have some again the next morning. They were so good however we finished them all in one day!
Chenée Lewis
Haha that happens sometimes!
Jeri
Loved how easy this came together! So delicious, perfectly moist and I enjoyed the crunch from the pecans. Great recipe!
Chenée Lewis
Thanks so much! They're definitely a go-to of mine!
Lilly
Okay, after seeing your reel on Instagram and how easy these muffins are to make, I just HAD to give it a try! And wow, I am so happy I did. Not only are they super easy to make, but they are delicious!! Thanks for the recipe!
Chenée Lewis
They're SUPER easy! So glad you liked them!
Marta
Prefect for breakfast and ready so quick! They were a great companion to my coffee..
Chenée Lewis
So glad you liked them!