Copycat Panera Pumpkin Muffin Recipe {+ High Altitude Adjustments}

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This copycat Panera Pumpkin Muffin Recipe is just as fluffy, delicious, and moist as the original with the option to make regular size or jumbo pumpkin muffins! Filled with pumpkin spices the fragrant fall aroma that fills the air when you bake this pumpkin muffin recipe in your kitchen! Includes high altitude adjustments!

It is that time of year! Perfect for breakfast on a cool and crisp Autumn Day, these Pumpkin Muffins Panera Style are a soft and scrumptious way to welcome the morning. Pair the muffins with a hot chai tea latte and a thick slice of Prosciutto & Gruyere Quiche with Hash Browns, and you’ll be transported.

But this Panera Pumpkin Muffin Recipe is not only for breakfast; it is great any time of the day. Serve a jumbo pumpkin muffin on the side of your Fall Harvest Salad for lunch.

Perhaps you want a muffin for dessert? I agree wholeheartedly! Top your pumpkin muffin with a dollop of Homemade Whipped Cream or a scoop of Old Fashioned Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, and you have an envy-worthy evening treat – add a Hot Buttered Rum too!

Where are my Panera lovers?

If you love a good Panera copycat recipe, you are certainly not alone! For instance, you may want to try my Orange Scones and my Cinnamon Crunch Scones recipe. Then there are the soups that are to die for at Panera! Try out one of these tried-and-true copycat recipes like my Panera Autumn Squash Soup or my copycat Broccoli Cheese Soup.

Of course, there are those iconic Panera Pickled Red Onions made quick and easy in the refrigerator right at home! What’s not to love about Panera copycats in your kitchen?

Key Ingredients For Panera Pumpkin Muffin Recipe

For the full ingredients and instructions see the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Vegetable Oil | For these muffins, I used avocado oil. But you can use coconut oil, veggie oil or canola oil. If you choose coconut oil, use refined unless you want them coconut tasting.
• Sugars | You will need both white sugar and brown for this recipe. For High Altitudes, the sugars are reduced. As for the brown sugar, feel free to use light or dark brown.
• Honey | Honey not only provides rich color in baked goods, but it locks in moisture and keeps the muffins deliciously moist!
• Eggs | Be sure your large eggs are at room temperature; they give the structure of the muffin and keep them light and fluffy.
• Pumpkin Puree | Please, not pumpkin pie filling. You want pure pumpkin puree to get the authentic flavor of pumpkin.
• All-purpose Flour | Baked goods always combine flour as the base of the cake or muffin. You can use enriched or whole wheat flour.
• Kosher Salt | Salt in a recipe balances out the sweet.
• Baking Soda & Powder | These two add the fluff to your muffins. They are the leavening agents. If your baked goods don’t rise well, check that these are fresh!
• Warm Spices | Cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice brings together the distinct spicy fall essence, with hints of ginger, cloves, allspice and nutmeg.

How to Make Pumpkin Muffins Panera Style

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (400 F for high altitude) to get ready to bake this fluffy Panera Pumpkin Muffins recipe.

Step 1 | Making the Crumb Topping

Let’s start with the delicate gorgeous crumble. Take a small bowl and combine all the crumb ingredients called for in the recipe card. Use a fork to stir until a crumble texture forms. Then place that bowl into the fridge while you make the pumpkin batter.

Step 2 | Mix the Wet Ingredients

Now you are ready to begin mixing the spiced pumpkin muffin mix.

In a large mixing bowl, measure in the oil, sugars, honey, eggs, and canned pumpkin. Whisk the pumpkin batter until smooth and creamy. 

Step 3 | Mix the Dry Ingredients

Now we can mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Measure out the dry ingredients: flour, salt, soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk by hand until all are combined. This way, no one gets a big clump of baking soda in their muffin!

Step 4 | Combine the Two

Time to combine the two bowls to make the pumpkin spice batter. Add the bowl of dry ingredients to wet ingredients a cup at a time and fold with a rubber spatula to combine.

Now — do not overmix the ingredients. That is the point of folding– but make sure no flour streaks remain. 

Step 5 | Fill the Muffin Tin

Place the muffin liners in your 12 regular size muffin tin or a 6-muffin jumbo muffin tin. The choice is yours. Then use an ice cream scoop and drop batter to fill each of the cups 2/3 full to allow for expansion and prevent overflow.

Step 6 | Add the Crumble on Top of the Muffins

Break the crumble apart with a fork. Then, using a tablespoon, add the streusel crumb topping to the tops of each muffin batter-filled cup.

Now you are ready for the oven! This is the reason I love these tulip cupcake liners, they hold everything in from tumbling onto the muffin tin!

Step 7 | Bake and Cool

Place your pan of batter with crumble in the oven and wait for that comforting smell to waft throughout the house!

You will want to bake the muffins according to the size of the muffin tins. See the recipe card for instructions.

When time is up, and a toothpick inserted in a cupcake comes out clean, remove the pan from the oven to a cooling wire rack. Let them cool for 10 minutes in the pan, before you burn your fingers trying to get them out. Trust me on this one!

Once they have cooled completely, dust the tops with the powdered sugar and serve.

Variations & Substitutions

• Pumpkin Pie Spice Substitute | If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, (make your own!) or replace it with ¾ teaspoon cinnamon + ¼ teaspoon of each of these spices; ginger, allspice, cloves, or nutmeg (or some combination, omit spices you dislike, increase spices you love!)
• Additions | Want to change up the recipe and get a little adventurous? Feel free to add chopped walnuts, grated carrot pieces, or even raisins. Heck- why not add chocolate chips?! You can even pipe in a cream cheese filling.
• Dairy-Free Pumpkin Muffins | This is an easy recipe to make into a dairy-free recipe. The only ingredient you need to switch is the butter in the crumb topping. Just use a dairy-free butter substitute in the crumble, and you are good to go!
• Out of Muffin Cups? No problem. Either grease your muffin pan or use squares of parchment paper pressed into the muffin form.
• Want Cream Cheese Frosting? Skip the Crumble topping and frost away! Use my cream cheese frosting from these to-die for cinnamon rolls. Or try my carrot cake cupcakes with brown sugar cream cheese frosting. Sigh!

Storage Tips

• For your convenience, store the satisfyingly familiar muffins on the counter in an airtight container for 3-7 days. Muffins are best when not refrigerated as it can dry them out!
• Freeze: These muffins may be frozen up to 3 months when wrapped in plastic wrap or foil and sealed well in a freezer bag or container. To enjoy, thaw overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter. 

How to Serve Pumpkin Muffins

• Serve Warm! Place a muffin on a microwave-safe plate and heat for 10 to 30 seconds, depending on your microwave and be sure to serve with a generous pat of butter. Dreamy!
• Instead of cornbread or biscuits, serve these delectable pumpkin muffins instead!

Gluten-Free Panera Pumpkin Muffin Recipe

I am a firm believer that somehow, every allergy or preference can be accommodated with home baking. That said, I have not tried to make these GF, but from past experiences I have had great luck substituting. My typical substitution is to replace the unbleached flour with ½ almond flour and ½ GF All-Purpose Flour <== my favorite mixture!

More Fluffy Muffin Recipes to Enjoy

1. Healthy Banana Streusel Muffin
2. Honey Bran Muffins <<== a crazy popular muffin recipe, Mimi’s copycat!
3. Healthy Strawberry Bread Muffins

More Copycat Recipes You’ll Love

• Copycat Cracker Barrel Chicken and Rice Recipe
• Copycat Crumbl Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe {The Best}
• Best White Chocolate Raspberry Bundt Cake {Nothing Bundt Cake Copycat Recipe}
• Maple Pumpkin Scones {Starbucks Copycat}
• Cilantro Lime Rice {A Chipotle Copycat}
• Olive Garden Steak Alfredo (Copycat Recipe)

More Pumpkin Recipes

• Easy Pumpkin Dump Cake Recipe
• Soft Pumpkin Cookies {with Butterscotch Chips}
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars Recipe {with Streusel topping}
• Chocolate Pumpkin Graham Crisp {+ Video}
• Creamy Pumpkin Curry Soup

Whether you make the regular sized Panera Pumpkin muffins or the Jumbo pumpkin muffins, you are going to love this recipe and I’d love for you to share your creation on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest? And be sure to comment below!

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