Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins

ByApril HarrisPublished: October 24, 2026

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Five Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins in a 6 hole muffin tin

These easy to make, indulgent Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins are full of ginger and spice. They have been a favourite at our house for over a decade, and family and friends love them too.

The Story Behind The Recipe

This recipe was inspired by the gorgeous British countryside, our Lake District, and days gone by. (You can use the Jump to Recipe button at the top of this post if you’d rather go straight there.)

One cool summer day in England’s Lake District some years ago, after lunch at the Wordsworth Hotel, my family and I took a walk through the beautiful village of Grasmere. We were drawn to a small 17th century cottage by the heady scent of gingerbread. It was utterly irresistible.

The cottage was formerly a school that boasted poet William Wordsworth amongst its teachers. In the mid 1800‘s this cottage became home to one Sarah Nelson and her family. To make ends meet, Sarah began to make and sell gingerbread. The locals loved it, and eventually Sarah’s Grasmere Gingerbread became famous far and wide. Today Grasmere Gingerbread is still made in Sarah’s own kitchen, using the same recipe that she used all those years ago.

Treacly and heady with spice, Grasmere Gingerbread was like no gingerbread I had ever tasted before – just thinking about it now is making my mouth water. Tasting it inspired me to create more recipes with deeper ginger flavours.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins on a round plate with a green border

Then one day I came across a recipe from the lovely and talented Karen of Trilogy Edibles. It reminded me of that day in the Lake District and the taste and smell wafting from Sarah’s cottage, so I used it as inspiration to create an homage to Sarah’s gingerbread, a new recipe of my own. It has been a favourite among readers, family and friends for over a dozen years.

A partly eaten pumpkin gingerbread muffin in the foreground and a green mug in the background

Tips for Making This Recipe

You can reduce the sugar to 1 cup (200 grams). When I first developed this recipe I was not as into healthy eating as I am now. So since then I have played around with it a bit, and in my experience it really isn’t noticeable if you reduce the sugar to this level.

You can also make the pumpkin gingerbread muffins without the streusel topping if you prefer. They still taste great.

The flavour of these Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins deepens with age, so don’t hesitate to make them a day or so before you plan to serve them.

Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.

Re-warm cooled muffins slightly before serving for an even better flavour.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins freeze really well, with or without the streusel topping. Thaw the muffins overnight in the fridge and serve them slightly warm. They are best used within a month or so.

Reheat muffins in the oven if possible. In my experience four or five minutes at 325°F (that’s about 150°C) usually does the trick. You can reheat the muffins in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds instead, but the streusel will not be as crunchy.

Serve the muffins with a cup of tea, coffee or a cold glass of milk for breakfast, afternoon tea or a snack.