pecan pie muffins;

These pecan pie muffins are just heavenly. Even though they’re called pecan pie muffins, they’re almost like a crustless, individual pecan pie. Not weighed down by the corn syrup goo, but dense and bite-sized, making the star of the show the pecans.

Nutty aromas of toasted pecans make these pecan pie muffins drool-worthy. Drizzle them with a sweet orange or maple icing, and these pecan pie muffins are a perfect treat for any morning. Morning, afternoon, or night, but honestly even leftovers rarely make it past lunchtime in our house.

This is my mother-in-law’s recipe, and the toastiness of the nuts is really homey and delicious on holidays. There’s something about nuts at the holidays–they just go together so well! That’s one of the reasons my crockpot candied nuts recipe comes out on holidays. But the smell of these pecan pie muffins in the morning, freshly made, can’t be beaten.

You can never go wrong with extra pecans, so sometimes I’ll add a pecan half on top of the icing drizzle.

secret to success

Because there are no leavening agents (things to make the pecan muffins “rise”), these muffins are pretty flat. But without the fluff or too much flour, the pecans’ texture really comes through. Though you can never go wrong with extra pecans, so sometimes I’ll add a pecan half on top of the icing drizzle. The icing has just enough hold to make it stick and then you get an extra satisfying pecan crunch right on top of each pecan pie muffin.

One of the things I love about this recipe is that it’s a breeze to prep the night before. Since, as I mentioned above, there are no leavening agents, the batter can easily sit overnight. You can mix the batter and leave it in the mixing bowl overnight in the fridge, or take it one step further.

This recipe is a breeze to prep the night before.

secret to success

Spray the muffin tin and scoop dough into each cup, so all you need to do is pop it in the oven the next morning. Note, you may need to adjust bake times if cooking directly from the refrigerator. If you don’t want to worry about adjusting the bake time, then just leave the muffin tin on the counter for 45-60 minutes and let it come to room temperature before baking.

While the pecan pie muffins are baking, make the icing. I provided recipes for two different flavored icings here: orange, and maple. The OG recipe calls for maple icing, and my mother-in-law always makes it, as it’s the perfectly sweet complement to the muffins. You get a boost of sweetness by combining maple extract and maple syrup with your standard powdered sugar recipe. Classic flavors and delicious.

But sometimes if I feel like changing up the flavors, I go with an orange icing. The brightness of the citrus really contrasts with the dense nuttiness of these pecan pie muffins. Of course you could swap in any extract or flavoring if you prefer. Butter extract for an extra buttery icing, raspberry, anise. The possibilities are endless! But if you want a recommendation, I say stick with the classic maple. It’s classic for a reason.

Sometimes if I feel like changing up the icing, I’ll swap in different extracts. Orange is a favorite: the citrus really contrasts with the dense nuttiness of these pecan pie muffins.

secret to success

Though I will say, these muffins are so delicious that depending on the day, sometimes I skip the icing entirely.

secrets to success;

Want all the best tips and tricks to make this recipe a success? Check out the blog post above to find out more!

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Looking for other delicious breakfast options?

• Cream cheese apple cake is another recipe that’s perfect for dessert or breakfast! It’s basically a creamy, moist, delicious coffee cake.
• Another sweet bread, my healthful chocolate chip banana bread is so addictive. You can’t go wrong with chocolate chips for breakfast! As an added bonus, it uses healthy fats to bind the banana bread together instead of a boatload of butter.
• Is it that time of year when there’s just a bit of a nip to the air? If you’re looking for fall flavors, try these chocolate chip pumpkin scones.
• For a savory option, try my biscuit and sausage gravy bombs. Everything you know and love about biscuits and gravy in one perfect, handheld pocket!
• For a breakfast option loaded with veggies, try these twice-baked breakfast sweet potatoes.