Get festive with these mini pumpkin cupcakes topped with a cinnamon-kissed cream cheese frosting. These bite-sized cupcakes are perfectly spiced and ready to rock your holiday parties and gatherings!
I’m under strict instructions from my friends and family members to keep them fully stocked with fluffy pumpkin goodies at all times.
I started this Fall baking season off with the most divine Pumpkin Cupcakes, then followed up with some fluffy Pumpkin Banana Bread (recipe coming soon!) and made enough Pumpkin Cornbread to feed an army.
Needless to say, everyone’s been pretty happy and full around here!
Since things are always more fun when they’re miniature, today we’re breaking out the mini muffin pan and whipping up a pint-sized version of my favorite cupcakes.
This mini pumpkin cupcake recipe makes 24 fluffy and flavorful cupcakes.
Grab your favorite can of pumpkin puree (Publix brand is my JAM) or roast up a pumpkin (helloooo delicious smelling kitchen!) and puree the flesh for all your Fall baking shenanigans.
You can refrigerate or freeze homemade puree in 1/2 cup portions and basically swirl it into everything from muffins to quick breads to chilis and soups galore.
YES PLEASE!
If you’re feeling more of a muffin-vibe or prefer to make these without the frosting, go for it!
They’re sweet and flavorful and can TOTALLY hold their own as mini muffins. I did this for one batch and slipped them into one of the little bento compartments in my daughter’s lunch box as a treat.
Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes
This easy peasy recipe makes 24 mini cupcakes. Serving a larger crowd? Feel free to double the recipe if you have two 24-cup mini muffin tins handy.
For easy-peel cupcakes, I love using all-natural parchment paper liners instead of traditional paper liners.
Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour 90 grams
- 1 + ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice blend
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsweetened canned pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150 grams
- 1 large egg
- 2 TBSP avocado oil or vegetable oil
- 2 TBSP orange juice pulp-free
- 2-3 tsp sprinkles (optional garnish)
CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened 56.5 grams
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar 250 grams
- 1/2-1 tsp ground cinnamon or extra if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 24-cup mini muffin tin with parchment paper liners.
- Combine flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Mix and set aside.
- Combine pumpkin puree, sugar, egg, oil, and juice in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until just blended.
- Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and stir with a fork or whisk until just moistened.
- Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups using a Tablespoon until 3/4 filled. Approx. 1 heaping TBSP per cupcake.
- Bake in preheated oven for 16-19 minutes, checking for doneness with a toothpick inserted to the center of the cupcake. Mine are usually perfect at 17-18 minutes (I'm at sea level) but oven times may vary.
- Carefully remove cupcakes from muffin tin and allow to cool completely on a wire baking rack.
- While they cool, make the frosting.
- To make the cinnamon cream cheese butterream, combine softened butter and cream cheese in a medium/large mixing bowl. Use an electric hand-mixer and beat until lusciously creamy and free of lumps.
- Beat in vanilla and salt until incorporated. Adjust mixer speed to low and, in batches, gradually add powdered sugar while mixing the frosting, followed by cinnamon. Start with 1/2 tsp and increase to taste. The taste-testing part is my favorite! After the powdered sugar and cinnamon is incorporated, beat at medium speed for a few more seconds to fluff, then add to a piping bag to frost cooled cupcakes.
- After frosting, feel free to sprinkle cupcakes with a teeny bit of extra ground cinnamon or even pumpkin pie spice or sprinkles as a tasty garnish.
Notes
Nutrition
If you get a chance to try these mini pumpkin cupcakes, let me know!
Leave some love in the comment form below or tag your photos with @peasandcrayons on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creation. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
More Tasty Pumpkin Recipes
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
- Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
- Pumpkin Mac and Cheese via Cabot Creamery
- Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon Sugar Streusel
- Pumpkin Black Bean Tacos
Questions & Reviews
Just made this and it smells delicious! I will wait till Thursday am to frost.
Question: Do I refrigerate the cupcakes before frosting?
Many commercial bakers freeze their cakes and cupcakes when making them in advance then thaw before frosting and delivering to clients. The fridge can dry out breads and baked goods. For short term advance prep or when I have tasty leftovers, I typically keep them in a small shallow airtight container (one of those short lidded glass baking dishes so there is less air to cupcake ratio) on the counter at room temp. Hope this helps! Have a great Thanksgiving Ann!
Made these as directed to take to church for coffee hour and another batch to keep at home. Husband LOVED them and so did my neighbors and I. Very moist and perfect amount of ‘spice’ from the pumpkin pie spice. I plan to double the recipe today and bake in a 13X9 dish for my dominoes group this evening. Do I need to add any additional oil and what would be the bake time?
Hi Denise! I haven’t tested them in a 9×13 pan and when I alter my recipes to go from muffins/cupcakes to 8×8 pans, for instance, I never add any additional oil. The doubled cupcake recipe makes the same amount of batter you would use for a 12 count tray of full-size cupcakes/muffins. I’m not sure if 9×13 is the right size pan for the job?
I make this super delicious pumpkin coffee cake that is very similar to the cupcakes: https://peasandcrayons.com/fluffy-pumpkin-cranberry-coffee-cake/ and you could use that recipe as your base and leave out the cranberry sauce and streusel and instead frost it with the cupcake frossting once it has cooled. I’ll do some experimenting in the kitchen this season and see how it works out because that sounds so tasty and great for serving a crowd without the fuss! 😃
PS: I’m so glad you all loved the cupcakes! Totally makes my day! xoxo
Hi! Looking to make these for an event tonight but I don’t have orange juice on hand. Would apple cider with a little lemon juice work? Or do you have a suggestion for another substitute? Thank you! Looking forward to trying these!
Hi Theresa! Apple cider with a little lemon juice would be delicious! I think that would be an excellent swap for the orange juice.
Thank you!
Delicious!!! How do I get these cupcakes to remove from the parchment cupcake holders. I have tried many kinds of parchment cups. Thanks!
Hey Kim! So glad you enjoyed the cupcakes! What brands or parchment cups have you bought so far? I’ve tried some before from Kroger and the craft store that weren’t as good and it was such a bummer! I ADORE the “If You Care” brand of parchment cups and nothing ever seems to stick to them when I make both muffins and cupcakes. If the parchment you have on hand already isn’t working great can actually spritz them with some spray avocado oil instead of tossing them.
Would this recipe work with real homemade pumpkin purée? I’m in France and can’t get canned pumpkin. It’s just not a thing here.
Hi Cynthia! Since homemade puree can have a higher moisture content, you can try blotting away some of the excess liquid with paper towels if it appears runny.
This recipe is so good. I know the frosting is cream cheese but all I could taste is cream cheese other wise it was super good!!!
This has to be the best muffin I’ve ever made. This was my first time at your site, but I will definitely be back! I have now made the muffins twice…once as mini’s and once as larger. The larger ones didn’t rise as much as would have hoped, but I also think it’s because I didn’t fill them as full. But both sizes came out sooooooooo moist and tasted wonderful. It is so hard to not keep eating them. Even my husband, who isn’t a huge pumpkin fan, really likes them. I will DEFINITELY be making these again. BTW, I did add mini chocolate chips in the bigger muffins and it was really yummy. Thanks again for this wonderful recipe.
Thank you Debbie! Filling the larger ones fuller for sure helps give them that glorious domed top. I’m so happy you’re both enjoying the recipe!
delish!
LOVE these pumpkin cupcakes! Perfect taste and perfect size ?? Everyone loved them!
Thank you Jenna! So glad they were a hit! xo
These are knock your socks off good. My kiddo was pretty mad when he saw me eat the last one. Can’t wait to make more!!!
Bahahaha! Love it!
The pumpkin cupcakes were delicious! Literally the best I’ve ever had!!!
Yay!!! So glad you enjoyed them! I’ll bring some more over when I make another batch – we’re addicted!!