Pumpkin Muffin Tops | Panera Pumpkin Muffies Copycat

A copycat recipe for Panera Bread's Pumpkin Muffies, otherwise known as muffin tops, with a powdered sugar streusel topping.  No special pan required!

We were in Nashville this weekend visiting friends.  What a whirlwind!  When you have a 17-month old running around your friends' entire house grabbing anything he can get his hands on, you definitely don't rest or slow down.  Our friends' home is very kid-friendly, yet Simon still wanted to get into the things he could break or whatever was of the most destruction.  The first thing I said to our friends when we arrived their house?  "You'll be reminded real quick of how you're glad to be past this baby stage!"

So imagine me chasing after Simon, arms straight out ready to grab him, just about the entire weekend.  To add to the baby chaos, two of the restaurants we tried going to didn't have high chairs!  Seriously!?  I get it if it's a fine dining establishment or something of the like, but these were both restaurants that can handle kids...I guess they just don't want babies??  C'mon, guys, get at least ONE high chair!

Nonetheless, we had a very enjoyable time visiting with my bestie and her family, catching up on life, and also getting a girls' night out with two of my favorite gal pals in one of my favorite Nashville districts.  Ahhh, I love Nashville.  I miss living there, but glad we are within driving distance to make weekend trips.

Saturday, we spent the morning hours at a pumpkin farm celebrating our Nashville friends' daughter's 8th birthday.  It was our first pumpkin farm experience for this season, so it definitely got me in the mood for Fall!  In a couple of weeks, we'll be heading up north for our annual fall Michigan trip to visit family, pick apples, chow down on pumpkin donuts and guzzle apple cider.  I.cannot.wait.

In the meantime, I've been making this copycat recipe for Panera Bread's Pumpkin Muffies.  (Yeah, weird name for them, I know. haha.)  Have you had them??  When I was pregnant with Judah way back in 2009, I ate a Panera Pumpkin Muffin or Muffie every single morning of my first trimester!  Whoa!  Might be why I gained 50 pounds with him!  Anyway, we no longer have a Panera near us here in Mississippi, so I figured out a good ol' homemade version.  And, it's fantastic, y'all.  Like, seriously, I can't wait to wake up tomorrow morning and have another one for breakfast...and I'm not even pregnant this time!

You do not need a special muffin top pan for this recipe.  Instead, you just scoop large mounds onto a lined baking sheet, just like cookies!  But, they bake up like muffin tops, perfectly shaped on their own.  Right before serving, sprinkle it with the yummy powdered sugar topping.  Soooooo good with a hot cup of coffee!

Print Recipe

4.64 from 55 votes

Copycat Panera Bread’s Pumpkin Muffies

A copycat recipe for Panera Bread's Pumpkin Muffies, also known as muffin tops, with a powdered sugar topping. No special muffin top pan required!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: copycat panera pumpkin muffies, copycat panera recipe, panera pumpkin muffies, pumpkin muffies, pumpkin muffin tops

Servings: 13 muffin tops (a baker's dozen!)

Calories: 245kcal

Author: Nikki Gladd

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

For the topping:

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Adjust oven rack to the center position.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the oil, pumpkin and vanilla extract until combined.
• In a separate medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Add to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just blended.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone liner. Using a large cookie scoop (3 to 4 tablespoons), scoop 5 mounds onto the baking sheet, spaced about 2 1/2 inches. Bake for 8 minutes, rotate pan and bake an additional 8 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Scoop 5 more mounds of dough onto baking sheet, and repeat.
• When the cookies are completely cool, stir together the powdered sugar and brown sugar. Sift or sprinkle evenly onto the tops of each muffin. Store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. For best results, wait to sprinkle on the sugar topping right before serving.

Notes

Nutrition information is an estimation only.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pumpkin muffie | Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 187mg | Potassium: 121mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 2970IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg

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