Yield: 9 standard muffins Prep: 10 minutes Bake: 18–22 minutes Oven: 350°F / 175°C Texture: crisp/caramelized outside, chewy and moist inside
Ingredients
Main ingredients
1 cup pecans, finely or coarsely chopped — about 110 g
1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar — about 200 g
½ cup all-purpose flour — about 60–65 g
2 large eggs, room temperature
⅔ cup unsalted butter, melted — 150 g / 10⅔ tablespoons
1 teaspoon vanilla extract — optional but highly recommended
¼ teaspoon salt — recommended, especially if using unsalted butter
For the topping
9 pecan halves, optional
A little powdered sugar, optional
The traditional versions are deliberately simple. Some recipes use only the five core ingredients, while others add vanilla and salt for better flavor.
S
seemecook.com
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Step-by-Step Method
1. Prepare the oven
Preheat oven to:
350°F / 175°C
Place paper liners in 9 muffin cups.
Important: These muffins can be sticky and delicate because of the high butter and brown-sugar content. If you’re not using liners, grease the muffin pan very generously.
2. Prepare the pecans
Use raw or roasted pecans.
For significantly better flavor:
Spread the pecans on a baking sheet.
Toast at 350°F / 175°C for 6–8 minutes.
Let them cool.
Chop them.
Don’t over-toast them — pecans contain a lot of natural oil and can burn quickly.
Reserve 9 pecan halves if you want a decorative topping.
3. Mix the dry ingredients
In a large bowl combine:
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup flour
¼ teaspoon salt
Mix thoroughly and break up any lumps of brown sugar.
4. Prepare the wet ingredients
In another bowl:
Beat 2 eggs until slightly foamy.
Add the melted butter.
Add vanilla.
Whisk until combined.
Important: Let the melted butter cool for several minutes before adding it to the eggs. Very hot butter can partially cook the eggs.
5. Combine
Pour the egg/butter mixture into the pecan mixture.
Fold gently with a spatula.
Do not overmix.
The mixture will be much thicker and more sticky than ordinary muffin batter. That’s normal. This is closer to a pecan-pie batter than a conventional cake batter.
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Epicurious
6. Fill the muffin cups
Divide the mixture among 9 muffin cups.
Fill each approximately ⅔ full.
Put a pecan half on top if desired.
7. Bake
Bake at:
350°F / 175°C for approximately 18–22 minutes.
Start checking around 18 minutes.
They’re ready when:
the edges are browned,
the tops are set,
the center is still slightly soft,
a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, rather than completely wet batter.
Don’t bake until completely dry — that will remove the characteristic chewy pecan-pie texture.
8. Cool
Leave the muffins in the pan for approximately 5 minutes.
Then carefully remove them and place on a cooling rack.
They become easier to handle as they cool.
ALL ABOUT THE PECANS
How many pecans do I need?
For this recipe:
1 cup chopped pecans ≈ 100–110 g
The exact weight varies according to how finely you chop them.
Can I use pecan halves?
Yes.
Use approximately 1¼ cups pecan halves, chop most of them, and reserve 9 halves for decoration.
Should pecans be toasted?
Highly recommended.
Toasting gives the muffins a deeper, more buttery/nutty flavor.
Bake pecans at 350°F / 175°C for 6–8 minutes, then cool before chopping.
Can I use salted pecans?
Yes, but reduce or omit the additional salt.
Can I use walnuts?
Yes. Walnuts are the closest practical substitute.
Use:
1 cup walnuts
The flavor will be more walnut-like and slightly less sweet/buttery than pecans.
Can I use almonds?
Yes, but the result will be quite different. Chopped almonds work better than whole almonds.
Can I omit nuts?
Technically yes, but then these aren’t really pecan-pie muffins. The pecans provide much of the texture and flavor.
If someone has a tree-nut allergy, don’t simply substitute another nut.
Tips for PERFECT Pecan Pie Muffins
1. Don’t overbake
This is probably the most important tip.
The center should remain moist and chewy. A completely clean toothpick can mean you’ve gone too far.
2. Pack the brown sugar
When measuring brown sugar, press it firmly into the measuring cup.
3. Use room-temperature eggs
They combine more evenly with the butter.
4. Cool melted butter
Warm is fine; piping hot isn’t.
5. Use liners
These muffins are particularly buttery and sticky. Paper liners make removal much easier. One established version specifically warns that they can crumble or stick without properly prepared liners.
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Epicurious
6. Don’t overmix
Mix only until everything is incorporated.
7. Let them cool
They become more structurally stable as they cool.
Optional Pecan-Pie Topping
For an even more decadent version, combine:
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter
2 tablespoons chopped pecans
1 tablespoon maple syrup or corn syrup
Pinch of salt
Place a small amount on each muffin before baking.
This gives you a more pronounced sticky pecan-pie top. Corn syrup is also used in some established pecan-muffin recipes to produce a softer, syrupy pecan-pie texture.
K
Karo
Serving Ideas
These are excellent served:
Warm with butter
With vanilla ice cream
With whipped cream
With caramel sauce
With maple syrup
Alongside coffee
With tea
As a Thanksgiving/holiday dessert
For an especially indulgent dessert, warm one for about 10–15 seconds in the microwave and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Storage
Room temperature
Keep in an airtight container for up to about 3–5 days.
Refrigerator
Store airtight for approximately 5–7 days. Bring to room temperature or warm gently before serving.
Freezer
Wrap individually and freeze for up to 3 months. A comparable published pecan-pie muffin recipe also recommends freezing for up to 3 months.
K
Kitchn
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then warm gently.
Q&A
Q: Why did my muffins fall apart?
A: They are naturally delicate because of the high butter/sugar/pecan ratio. Let them cool for several minutes before removing them. Paper liners help considerably.
Q: Why are my muffins hard?
A: Usually overbaking or too much flour. Measure flour carefully and remove them when the center still has moist crumbs.
Q: Why are they greasy?
A: The recipe contains a substantial amount of butter. If the batter looks excessively oily, the butter may have been too hot or the ingredients weren’t properly combined.
Q: Can I use salted butter?
A: Yes. Simply omit the added salt or use only a tiny pinch.
Q: Can I replace brown sugar with white sugar?
A: You can, but brown sugar is preferable. It gives the muffins their characteristic caramel/molasses flavor and chewy texture.
Q: Can I use maple syrup instead of some of the sugar?
A: Yes, but don’t make a direct 1:1 substitution without adjusting the dry ingredients. Maple syrup adds liquid and can change the structure.
Q: Can I add chocolate chips?
A: Absolutely. Add about ½ cup (85–90 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Q: Can I add cinnamon?
A: Yes. Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon. For a stronger holiday flavor, use ½ teaspoon cinnamon + a small pinch of nutmeg.
Q: Can I make mini muffins?
A: Yes. Use a mini-muffin pan and begin checking them around 12–15 minutes rather than using the full standard-muffin baking time. Mini versions are specifically noted as an adaptation of this style of recipe.
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Epicurious
Q: Can I make 12 muffins instead of 9?
A: Yes. Multiply everything by 4/3:
Ingredient For 9 For 12
Pecans 1 cup 1⅓ cups
Brown sugar 1 cup 1⅓ cups
Flour ½ cup ⅔ cup
Eggs 2 2⅔ eggs
Butter ⅔ cup ⅞ cup
Vanilla 1 tsp 1⅓ tsp
For the 12-muffin version, the easiest egg measurement is 2 eggs + 1 egg yolk.
Q: Are pecans safe for people with nut allergies?
A: No. Pecans are tree nuts and can cause serious allergic reactions. Anyone with a tree-nut allergy should avoid this recipe unless their allergist has specifically advised otherwise. Also consider cross-contamination from the pecans, flour, chocolate, equipment, and baking surfaces.
Q: Are these really muffins?
A: They’re muffin-shaped, but this particular style is much richer and denser than a conventional breakfast muffin. The classic version is essentially a crustless pecan pie in muffin form — which is why the center is chewy and fudgy rather than light and airy.
E
Epicurious
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Quick Recipe Card
PECAN PIE MUFFINS
350°F / 175°C • 9 muffins • 18–22 min
Ingredients: 1 cup chopped pecans 1 cup packed brown sugar ½ cup all-purpose flour 2 large eggs ⅔ cup melted unsalted butter 1 tsp vanilla ¼ tsp salt 9 pecan halves, optional
Method:
Heat oven to 350°F. Line 9 muffin cups.
Combine pecans, brown sugar, flour and salt.
Beat eggs; mix in cooled melted butter and vanilla.
Fold wet ingredients into dry just until combined.
Fill cups ⅔ full. Add pecan halves.
Bake 18–22 minutes.
Cool 5 minutes in pan, then transfer to rack.
Serve warm or completely cooled.
With years of experience in restaurant research and local SEO, Sara creates accurate, user-friendly guides that work for both people and search engines. Her goal is to help users go from search results to their nearest restaurant or menu choice with as few clicks as possible.
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