2 ingredient pumpkin muffins are soft, moist, warmly spiced muffins made from nothing but a box of spice cake mix and a can of pumpkin. They are the easiest fall bake there is, good for breakfast, lunchboxes, a bake sale or a quick treat when someone drops by.
How to make 2 ingredient pumpkin muffins: Mix one box of dry spice cake mix with one 15-ounce can of plain pumpkin puree. Do not add the eggs, oil or water listed on the box. Scoop the thick batter into a lined or sprayed muffin pan and bake at 350°F for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Why You’ll Love It
- Two ingredients. A box and a can. Nothing to crack and nothing to measure.
- One bowl. Stir, scoop and bake.
- Fast. About 5 minutes to mix and under 20 minutes in the oven.
- A full pan. One batch makes 12 muffins.
Ingredient Notes
Spice cake mix. One box. Use only the dry mix. Leave out everything the back of the box tells you to add. Cake mix boxes are sold in sizes from 13.25 to 15.25 ounces, and the recipe asks only for one box, so use the one your store carries.
Pumpkin puree. One 15-ounce can of plain pumpkin puree. Read the label: you want pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling is already sweetened.
Nonstick cooking spray. Not an ingredient in the batter, but you will want it for the pan or the paper liners.
Ingredients
- 1 box spice cake mix, dry mix only
- 1 can pumpkin puree (15 ounces), plain, not pumpkin pie filling
- Nonstick cooking spray, for the muffin pan or the paper liners
How to Make 2 Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins
1. Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Mix the batter. Mix the spice cake mix and pumpkin puree together. Do not add the ingredients listed on the cake-mix box.
3. Fill the muffin pan. Scoop the batter into lined or sprayed muffin wells.
4. Bake. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
How to Keep the Muffins From Sticking to the Liners
Spray them. Either spray the muffin pan itself and skip the papers, or use paper liners and give each liner a light spritz of nonstick spray before the batter goes in. That one small step helps the muffins come away from the paper cleanly.
| If you use | Do this |
|---|---|
| A bare muffin pan | Spray every well with nonstick cooking spray |
| Paper liners | Give the liners a light spritz of nonstick spray |
The batter itself will surprise you the first time. It is thick, closer to a soft dough than a pourable batter, because the only liquid in it is the pumpkin. That is how it should look. Do not thin it with water or milk. Scoop it into the wells with a spoon or a cookie scoop.
Tips for Success
Do I add the eggs, oil or water printed on the cake-mix box?
No. The pumpkin takes the place of all of them. The dry mix and the can of pumpkin are the whole recipe.
Should I buy pumpkin puree or pumpkin pie filling?
Plain pumpkin puree. Pumpkin pie filling is a different product and is not what this recipe uses.
How do I know the muffins are done?
A toothpick pushed into the middle of a muffin comes out clean. That takes 18 to 20 minutes. Go by the toothpick, not only the clock.
Why is my batter so thick?
It is supposed to be. With no eggs, oil or water, the batter is stiff. Stir until no dry mix is left and scoop it as it is.
How many muffins will I get?
This recipe makes 12. The count changes with the size of your scoop: the same box and can may give you 9 to 10 large muffins or as many as 15 smaller ones. Fill the wells evenly and check each muffin with a toothpick.
How Long Does It Take?
About 23 minutes: 5 minutes to mix and scoop, and 18 minutes in the oven. If your muffins need the full 20 minutes, give it to them.
Variations
Chocolate chips. Chocolate chips, or mini chocolate chips, are an optional stir-in. They make it a three-ingredient muffin.
Nuts. Chopped nuts are another optional addition.
A different cake mix. Yellow or white cake mix can be used in place of spice cake mix, with pumpkin pie spice added to bring the spice back.
The recipe card below is the plain two-ingredient version, with none of these added.
If you’re in the mood for another muffin, try Snickerdoodle Muffins for a soft, buttery bite with a crackly cinnamon-sugar top.
Storage & Reheating
These muffins are eaten at room temperature and do not need reheating. For leftovers, put them in a covered container, refrigerate promptly and use within 3 to 4 days.
To freeze, let the muffins cool completely, then pack them in airtight packaging and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
What to Serve With It
If you like recipes with a short shopping list, try Southern 3-ingredient sausage crescent bites for breakfast or 3-ingredient biscuit ranch bombs for a snack. For something sweet, there are 4-ingredient Depression era caramel dumplings and slow cooker 4-ingredient strawberry margarita fudge. And for dinner, 4-ingredient slow cooker chicken or 4-ingredient French onion chicken.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I keep the muffins from sticking to paper liners?
Give the liners a light spritz of nonstick spray, or spray the muffin pan and bake without liners.
Can I make two-ingredient pumpkin muffins without cake mix?
Not with this recipe. The cake mix is one of the two ingredients, and I do not have a version without it to offer.
Can I use cake mix and pudding instead?
Not for these muffins. The two ingredients here are spice cake mix and pumpkin puree, and pudding mix is not one of them.
Can I freeze pumpkin muffins?
Yes. Cool them completely and freeze them in airtight packaging for up to 2 months.
Final Notes
I give the paper liners a quick spritz of spray before I scoop, because it is the easiest way to get a clean muffin out of the paper. If you make them, leave a comment to tell me how they turned out or ask a question.
2 Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins
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Ingredients
- 1 box spice cake mix use the dry mix; do not add the ingredients listed on the box
- 1 can pumpkin puree 15 ounces; plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
- nonstick cooking spray for the muffin pan or the paper liners
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Mix the spice cake mix and pumpkin puree together. Do not add the ingredients listed on the cake-mix box.
- Scoop the batter into lined or sprayed muffin wells.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
