This pumpkin streusel muffin recipe will get you excited for fall baking

Pumpkin spice is synonymous with seasonal flavors of fall and with recipes like this, it's easy to whip up an on-trend treat at home.

Lynn April -- a self-taught baker, businesswoman, blogger, mother and cookbook author -- created this tender, crumb-topped muffin made with real pumpkin and spice streusel for the ultimate cozy confection.

Although some people may want to hold on to the last shimmers of sunshine as long as possible, "when fall comes around, instead of lamenting that summer is gone, pumpkin gives us a reason to celebrate changing seasons and turning on our ovens again," April told "Good Morning America."

"I created this recipe after the end of my maternity leave ... our first son overlapped with the start of pumpkin season," the Fresh April Flours blogger said, adding that it was inspired by the seasonal menu item at Dunkin' but hers would be done without the icing and in a more manageable size. "I was so happy with the outcome and was really glad to be able to have perfect pumpkin muffins all year round if I wanted to."

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

Ingredients

For the topping
1/3 cup (40g) all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter cold and cut into pieces
1 and 1/2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the muffins
1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup (67g) firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup (57g) unsalted butter melted
1 large egg room temperature
1/2 cup (120g) pumpkin purée
2 and 1/2 tablespoons (38mL) milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray 7 wells of a 12-count muffin pans2 with non-stick spray or line the wells with cupcake liners. Set aside.

Place flour, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt into a small bowl.

Using a fork, press ingredients together until butter is in small chunks. Use your fingers to pinch pieces together until streusel is mostly small crumbles. Some large crumbles are ok. Set aside.

In a large bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

In a medium size bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and butter until smooth. Add the egg, pumpkin purée, milk, and vanilla extract and whisk again until everything is combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently with a spatula until just combined.

Spoon batter equally into prepared muffin pans. Add crumble to the top of each muffin, about 2-3 Tablespoons each. Bake muffins for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to 350ºF and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes until streusel starts to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Muffins will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days or in the refrigerator up to one week. Muffins freeze well, up to 2 months. Thaw in microwave for 45-60 seconds before eating.

Notes:

It is always a good rule of thumb to use room temperature eggs when using melted butter. To bring egg to room temperature quickly, place in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes.

If you want bakery size pumpkin muffins, double the recipe and bake in a jumbo muffin pan and top with my easy royal icing (halve the recipe). Second bake time is 17-20 minutes. 

Recipe reprinted courtesy of Fresh April Flours.