These easy 3 ingredient pumpkin muffins are super soft, moist, and fluffy. Made with spice cake mix, pumpkin puree, and dark chocolate chips, every bite is full of incredible pumpkin spice flavor for the autumn season. Your family and friends are sure to love this delicious fall muffin recipe!
So many of us enjoy fall baking, but we don't always have time to make elaborate recipes. These pumpkin muffins with three ingredients take all the fuss out of baking! They are ready to enjoy in less than 30 minutes. No mixer is required! They are the BEST pumpkin muffins and anyone who loves pumpkin spice flavor will enjoy them.
If you love pumpkin season as much as I do, you'll also love this vegan pumpkin banana bread and these gluten-free pumpkin cookies. This homemade pumpkin spice latte pairs perfectly with a pumpkin muffin for breakfast!
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Why You'll Love These Muffins
- Easy to make - These muffins with cake mix have only 3 ingredients and take less than 30 minutes to make.
- Pumpkin spice flavor - Pure pumpkin puree gives this recipe plenty of pumpkin spice flavor for the fall season.
- Soft & fluffy - Each muffin is tall, soft, and fluffy with a super moist, tender texture that makes it hard to stop eating them!
- No oil or dairy - The recipe is free from oil, dairy, and eggs, making these pumpkin muffins healthy and still very delicious.
Ingredients
Making pumpkin muffins with cake mix is incredibly easy. You only need 3 simple ingredients. Be sure to see the recipe card at the end for all ingredient information.
- Spice cake mix - Use a 15.25-ounce box of cake mix. Box mix replaces the flour, sugar, spices, and baking powder. This allows the recipe to have only 3 ingredients.
- Pumpkin puree - Make sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree. You can use Libby's canned pumpkin puree or homemade pumpkin puree with no added sugar.
- Chocolate chips - Dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips are best, but milk chocolate or butterscotch chips are other good options. I use dairy-free chocolate.
- Water - Adding water gives the muffin batter the perfect consistency. You can use milk instead for a thicker, fluffier muffin.
Step-by-Step Instructions
You only need one bowl and no mixer to make this recipe. Here are step-by-step instructions for how to make 3-ingredient pumpkin muffins with spice cake mix:
STEP 1: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake mix, pumpkin puree, and water until a smooth batter forms.
STEP 2: Gently fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the batter. Be careful not to over-mix!
STEP 3: Use a spoon or large cookie scoop to transfer the batter into a muffin pan with liners. They will be quite full.
STEP 4: Add extra chocolate chips on top of the muffin batter. Bake the pumpkin muffins at 350℉ or 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
TIP: Let the muffins cool in the pan for 3-5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. If you like a sweeter muffin, consider topping the cooled muffins with a spread of carrot cake frosting.
Expert Muffin Baking Tips
- Flour - Make sure the flour is spooned and leveled in the measuring cup. If you stick the measuring cup into the flour, it will compact it and can lead to dry muffins.
- Mixing - It is easy to over-mix muffin batter and create dense, gummy muffins. Stop mixing as soon as the ingredients are combined for fluffy muffins.
- Fluffy - For extra tall muffins, bake at 425℉ for the first 5 minutes. This blast of heat will force the muffins to rise up rapidly, then turn the oven down to 350℉.
- Toppings - If chocolate chips aren't enough, add some chopped walnuts or a cinnamon streusel topping for even more flavor.
Easy Recipe Variations
- With applesauce - If you don't have canned pumpkin puree, you can substitute unsweetened applesauce instead.
- With cinnamon chips - Add some crunch to the muffins by mixing cinnamon chips into the batter.
- With yellow cake mix - Instead of spice cake mix, you can use vanilla cake mix and add 1-2 tablespoons of pumpkin pie spice.
- Mini muffins - Use a mini muffin pan for the perfect bite-size mini pumpkin muffins.
If you love how easy these muffins are, you'll also love these quick and easy no-bake pumpkin protein bites!
Frequently Asked Questions
No, I don't recommend using pumpkin pie mix because it has added sugar that will make the muffins much too sweet. Pure pumpkin puree is best.
For moist and soft muffins, do not over-mix the batter, and make sure not to over-bake the muffins. Keep an eye on the baking time and remove them from the oven when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Yes, you can! Use mini muffin liners and reduce the bake time for mini muffins compared to regular-size muffins.
The cake mix is what allows the recipe to have only 3 ingredients. You can try these pumpkin protein muffins for a pumpkin muffin recipe without cake mix.
Storage & Freezing
Store leftover pumpkin muffins in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
The muffins can be frozen for longer storage. Wrap each muffin in plastic wrap to preserve the moist texture and store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 30 days. Thaw frozen muffins at room temperature for 1-2 hours before eating.
More Easy Muffin Recipes
Did you make these easy 3-ingredient pumpkin muffins with cake mix? Please leave a star rating and review below. This really supports my blog and helps other readers! Share your muffins on Instagram or TikTok and remember to tag me! To stay updated with the newest recipes, follow me on Pinterest and join my email list. Enjoy!
Recipe
Easy 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins
Equipment
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 Muffin Tin
- 12 Muffin Liners
Ingredients
- 1 15.25 oz. box spice cake mix (see notes for gluten-free option*)
- 1 15 oz. can 100% pure pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
- ¼ cup water (or milk of choice)
- 1 cup vegan chocolate chips (dark or semi-sweet preferred)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a muffin pan with liners. Lightly spray the liners with non-stick cooking spray for easy muffin removal later.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the spice cake mix, pumpkin puree, and water until smooth and well combined.1 15.25 oz. box spice cake mix, 1 15 oz. can 100% pure pumpkin puree, ¼ cup water
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the batter. Be careful not to over-mix!1 cup vegan chocolate chips
- Use a spoon or cookie scoop to scoop the batter into the prepared muffin liners until about ¾ of the way full. Add extra chocolate chips on top if desired.
- Bake the pumpkin muffins for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (or with a few moist crumbs).
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store leftover muffins in an airtight container.
Susan says
These pumpkin muffins are so yummy! The kids helped make them and it couldn't be easier with the box mix. The pumpkin puree makes them so moist and tender. I used mini chocolate chips and they were perfect for the whole family! I will make them in a mini muffin pan next time and pack them in the kids lunches for school. Thanks for an awesome and EASY fall muffin recipe.
Samantha Ensinger says
Hi Susan,
Thanks for making the recipe! I am so happy your kids had fun making them with you. Mini chocolate chips is a great idea, especially if you make them mini size next time! Enjoy them and happy fall baking.
Annabelle says
I love these muffins. I am a “lazy baker” and skip the more complicated recipes with a bunch of ingredients. This is exactly what I was looking for. A QUICK and very delicious pumpkin recipe. I will definitely be making them many more times this fall. They would be perfect for Halloween parties or Thanksgiving gatherings. Yum!
Samantha Ensinger says
Hi Annabelle,
I can totally relate to the "lazy baking" part! These muffins are perfect when you are in a time crunch or don't want to spend hours in the kitchen. They would be the perfect addition to your fall parties! Enjoy the muffins!
Sarah says
My new favorite muffin recipe. These are awesome and so easy! You’d never know they were made from box mix since they’re so good. I used a gluten-free vanilla cake mix and added pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon. They still had that awesome pumpkin flavor. Will make again.
Kathy Hart says
My grandson reminded me today that it’s time to make more pumpkin muffins. I’ll teach him how to make them himself this year!
Samantha Ensinger says
Hi Kathy,
That's a great idea from your grandson! I hope you give these pumpkin muffins a try. They are so quick and easy with cake mix that he can definitely make them by himself in the future. Enjoy the recipe!
Kelly says
Love this simple muffin recipe. I stocked up on pumpkin puree this year and wanted to try out some new recipes. I love this recipe!! Definitely going to make again.
Samantha Ensinger says
Hi Kelly,
So happy to hear you loved making these easy pumpkin muffins. You can't beat how quick they are to make, and definitely a good recipe to use up extra pumpkin puree this fall. Enjoy them!
Olivia says
Guys these were AMAZING!! Made them with my aunt and I’ve loved them ever since !
Samantha Ensinger says
Hi Olivia, thanks for such kind words! I'm so happy you are enjoying the pumpkin muffins. Cake mix makes them such a breeze to make!
Luke says
What a perfect fall recipe. I made these quickly for a fall halloween party and they came out so fluffy and flavorful. I will make these again!
Sasha says
These muffins are amazing. I used gluten-free pumpkin mix and they turned out great! Kids loved them and I will definitely make them again. Great way to use up pumpkin puree from pumpkin carving!