Transform a simple box of spice cake mix into bakery-quality pumpkin muffins that rival your favorite coffee shop treats. These incredibly moist and flavorful muffins capture all the warm spices and rich pumpkin flavor you crave during fall, with a tender crumb that stays fresh for days. The secret? Using pumpkin pie mix instead of plain pumpkin puree adds layers of spice complexity that make these muffins taste like they came straight from a professional bakery
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
The genius of this recipe lies in combining cake mix convenience with bakery-style techniques. The pumpkin pie mix provides perfectly balanced spices and sweetness, while the instant pudding mix creates incredible moisture and tenderness. Beating the dense pumpkin mixture separately ensures light, fluffy muffins instead of heavy, dense ones that plague many pumpkin baked goods.
What Makes These Muffins Special?
Unlike traditional from-scratch recipes that require measuring multiple spices, this shortcut method delivers consistent, professional results every time. The combination of sour cream and pudding mix creates an incredibly moist texture that stays fresh for days, while the pumpkin pie mix ensures perfectly spiced flavor without any guesswork.
Ingredients
Dry Base:
- Spice cake mix – Provides the foundation with perfectly balanced warm spices
- Instant vanilla pudding mix – Creates moisture and tender crumb texture
- Baking powder – Adds extra lift for fluffy, bakery-style height
- Pumpkin pie spice – Enhances the spice blend for a deeper fall flavor
Wet Ingredients:
- Canned pumpkin pie mix – Pre-spiced pumpkin filling that adds flavor complexity
- Sour cream – Contributes tanginess and incredible moisture
- Large eggs – Provide structure and richness to the batter
- Vegetable oil – Keeps muffins moist and tender
- Pure vanilla extract – Enhances overall flavor depth
Topping Options:
- Brown sugar – Creates a beautiful caramelized crust when baked
How to Make Pumpkin Muffins with Cake Mix
- Combine the cake mix, pumpkin pie mix, pudding mix, and vanilla in a large bowl.
- Add sour cream, eggs, oil, baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice. Beat with a mixer or whisk until well combined.
- Spoon the batter into 24 lined muffin tin cups.
- Sprinkle brown sugar on top of the muffins.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Pumpkin is very dense. I find it helpful to beat the batter with a mixer for a full 2 minutes. This way, air is whipped into the mixture, making what could be super dense into something much lighter.
Recipe Variations
- If you are trying to reduce your sugar intake, omit the brown sugar on top. It isn’t necessary.
- Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top instead of brown sugar.
- Add nuts for a little crunchy and nutty flavor.
- Add chocolate chips for a little decadence.
- Top with cream cheese frosting for extra richness.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Reheating Method: Thaw frozen muffins at room temperature, then warm them in 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes to restore the fresh-baked texture. Avoid microwaving, which can make muffins rubbery.
- Room Temperature: Store in airtight containers for up to 4 days at room temperature. Muffins stay remarkably moist due to pudding mix and sour cream.
- Refrigerator Storage: Keep frosted muffins refrigerated in airtight containers for up to 1 week.
- Freezing: Wrap individual muffins in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. For frosted muffins, freeze uncovered until solid, then store in containers.
Favorite Pumpkin Recipes
- Double Layer Pumpkin Pie
- Olive Garden Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Custard
- Pumpkin Dump Cake
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Pumpkin Pie Dip
- Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Starbucks Pumpkin Bread
Popular Muffin Recipes
- Apple Muffins
- Donut Muffins
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Panera Apple Crumb Muffins
- Starbucks Blueberry Muffin
Check out more of my easy bread recipes and the best fall recipes here on CopyKat!
Easy Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Cake Mix
Ingredients
- 1 15.25-ounce box spice cake mix
- 1 30-ounce can pumpkin pie mix (pumpkin puree with spices)
- 1 3.4-ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
- 2 eggs slightly beaten
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a bowl combine the cake mix, pumpkin pie mix, instant pudding, and vanilla. Add sour cream, eggs, oil, and pumpkin pie spice, and mix well until combined.
- Place a large scoop of batter into lined cupcake cups, and sprinkle each one with brown sugar. Place on a baking stone or cookie sheet, and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Nutrition
Special thanks to Layaley who sent us this recipe.
This recipe is great. Added the 1 tbsp of baking powder and it was perfect. I love it. Just took them out of the oven and my family loved them.
what good substitutes are there if you don’t have instant vanilla pudding? please reply fast! thank u!
I recently baked these and I hated them. I cooked them for over an hour and they weren’t even halfway cooked! Never again!
I recently baked these and I hated them. I cooked them for over an hour and they weren’t even halfway cooked! Never again!
These muffins sound Great. I’m definetly going to make them real soon.
I made these last night and had one for b-fast this morning. Delicious, super pumpkinny and spicey. Im sure I could have ommitted the pumpkin spice, because I used organic pumpkin pie mix from Farmers Market company. I also used a huge 1 tbsp scoop of baking powder. I filled the cupcake paper cups (all i had) to the top and sprinkled a streussel topping on top in stead of brown sugar alone, i made 19 total. I then cooked them for 35 minutes, which made them moist after they cooled they were delicious and moist. Mine came out looking like muffins (not like the picture where it looks sunken). I also could put a glaze of milk and powder sugar to make it more aunthentic DD. I can’t remember how the DD ones tastes since they havent came out with them in a while, but when they do in about a month ill compare.
I made these delicious muffins a few days ago and my friends can’t get enough of them. They asked where I bought them from and their jaw fell open when I told them I made them. I followed the directions as noted except I added 1 heaping tsp of baking powder as another baker had suggested. They came out perfect. I didn’t bake mine for quite 30 minutes. I waited until they looked about right and poked them with a toothpick to make sure they were done. Excellent recipe and my mom just made them too and she’s getting rave reviews. Well done on this recipe!
I’ve made these 2 years in a row now and they do not come out fluffy at all. They must take way longer than 30 mins to bake because even after 45 mins they aren’t cooked inside.
Is it instant pudding or the regular pudding?
it is instant pudding
Is it instant pudding?
Yes, it is instant pudding
Question? In the recipe for Dunkin Donut Pumpkin spice muffins: Is the pudding regular or instant?
It is instant, either would work fine.
Very tasty, but nothing like a Dunkin Donut Pumpkin Spice Muffin. Needs more spice. Wonder if molasses or nutmeg would help
greattttttt
Sissy– just add the cake mix to the other ingredients, do not prepare as stated on the box. ; )
I wait all year long for Dunkin Donuts to put these incredible muffins on the shelf! This recipe is great!! The only things I added was a strussel topping and a drizzle of icing (just made with powdered sugar and milk). They are wonderful!!!
Air bubbles can mean improper mixing. A tip that I learned from my grandmother was to gently tap a pan on the bottom a few times before placing it into the oven.
Recipe worked great for me. I made these for my nephew who loves DD pumpkin muffins – he’s autistic so very particularl about food and taste. I tried a different recipe and he wouldn’t touch them; this one – he devoured them. I did bake longer then the 30 minutes; I made two batches one "plain" and in the second batch added cranberries and walnuts – turned out great.
do you mix the cake mix according to the box or do you just add the other ingredients to it?
This is my recipe I submitted it last year. I also have been making it very often and added some changes making it even better. I added 1rounded tsp of baking powder. I gives it a nice fluff…. If you would like to change it, also I added a cup of chocolate chips, yummy =)
Layaley
This recipe also mimics the pumpkin spice cake doughnuts you can find at Fractured Prune seasonally. Just use a doughnut cutter, fry them up, and dip them in a glaze (we used cream cheese, caramel, chocolate, and the regular sugar glaze) and they are heavenly.