My husband and I make waffles or pancakes for breakfast every weekend. Last weekend, I topped my waffles with toasted pecans and a drizzle of maple syrup- such a delicious flavor combination! At first bite, I knew I wanted to capture that flavor in a muffin for a grab-and-go breakfast on weekday mornings. These Maple Pecan Muffins took a few tries to get right, but this version is so good and definitely reminiscent of the inspiration!
How to Make Maple Pecan Muffins
Making the Batter
First things first – don’t forget to preheat your oven to 400°F and prep your muffin tin before getting started with the batter. To make the batter for these muffins, combine all of the dry ingredients- the salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and flour- in a mixing bowl. In a separate, large mixing bowl, stir together the oil, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Once combined, mix in the eggs, vanilla extract, and milk. Next, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Mix just until all of the flour is combined, which will keep the muffins soft and tender. Finally, fold in the chopped pecans. I like to reserve a small amount of the pecans to sprinkle on top of the muffins before baking.
Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each well about ¾ full. If you kept any pecans aside, sprinkle them on top of the batter and bake!
Baking
These muffins are so light and fluffy, part of which is because of how they are baked. For best results, bake them at 400°F for 5 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350°F and bake for another 15-17 minutes. The muffins go into a really hot oven, which helps them puff up quickly and get a beautiful, domed top. It also gives the outside of the muffin a slightly crisp golden brown shell. It’s important not to forget to reduce the temperature, though! Baking the muffins for too long at 400°F will result in overcooked muffins. For the perfect texture, start high at 400°F for a few minutes, then reduce to 350°F for the remainder of the cooking time.
Storage
The Maple Pecan Muffins store well in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days. If you don’t expect to eat them all before then, wrap each muffin individually and freeze them for up to two months. Allow the muffins to come back to room temperature before eating them for the best flavor.
These Maple Pecan Muffins are sweet and fluffy, with the perfect nutty crunch. They’re also super straightforward to make. Just mix a few ingredients in a bowl, pop the muffins in the oven, and enjoy! You can eat them for breakfast, as a snack, or as a side with a meal. If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the reviews section below!
Maple Pecan Muffins
Ingredients
- ½ cup neutral oil canola or vegetable works well
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ cup milk
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup pecans chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease or line a 12-cup muffin tin.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and flour. Set aside.
- In a separate, large mixing bowl, combine the oil, brown sugar, and maple syrup.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and milk to the sugar mixture. Stir to incorporate.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Stir in the chopped pecans. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin so each well is about ¾ full.
- Bake the muffins at 400°F for 5 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350°F and bake for another 15-17 minutes. The muffins will be golden brown and a tester inserted into the largest muffin should come out clean.
Click on the images below to check out some of my other favorite breakfast pastry recipes!
I made this with my family last night. They were delicious and the highlight of our dinner!
Oh, so glad your family liked them! Thank you!