Pecan Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

It's a wonder why baking with pumpkin is only popular during the Fall when canned pumpkin is deliciously available all year round - well, let me tell you that these Pumpkin Streusel Muffins will have you baking with it right through Spring and Summer because they are just so darn good! They are super soft and plush, moist and tender and full of flavor. They will also make your house smell incredible, so let's dive in!

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE:

• Moist pumpkin muffins - this recipe makes muffins that are so moist and not crumbly nor dense.
• Soft and fluffy texture - these muffins have the most wonderful plush texture. They are moist but not *too* moist that they feel pasty.
• Pumpkin spice muffins - the fragrant spices are so cozy and warming, and they pair with pumpkin so well. You can use your favorite pumpkin spice blend, your make your own with a combination of cinnamon, ginger, clove, nutmeg and allspice.
• Easy to make - all you need is a whisk, a bowl and a spatula to make this recipe. It is super simple.
• Pecan streusel topping - a buttery pecan streusel takes these muffins to the next level and adds such a rich flavour. These are the best pumpkin muffins you will ever have!

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MUFFINS AND CUPCAKES?

The difference between muffins and cupcakes is the method! If you are creaming butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then you are making cupcakes my friend! Muffins are quick breads, NOT cake. Muffins have a soft, moist open, spongy texture instead of a fine, tight crumb structure like cake.

Quick breads are batters that are made by first mixing wet ingredients in one bowl. Then, mix dry ingredients separately in another bowl. Simply combine the two with minimal stirring to form the batter. It is a very simple method.

INGREDIENTS FOR PECAN PUMPKIN STREUSEL MUFFINS

• Unsalted butter - melted butter adds richness and tenderness. For this recipe you can use unsalted or salted butter. If you use salted butter, then reduce the added salt by half. I like to use butter in this recipe to carry the spice flavors, however this recipe also works with an equal amount of oil.
• Brown sugar - brown sugar adds caramel-like flavor due to the molasses content and it really complements the pumpkin and the spices.
• Canned pumpkin - canned pumpkin is easily accessible and inexpensive. You can also make it yourself, but it is important to reduce it down so it is very thick otherwise the moisture balance will be off in the recipe.
• Eggs - Two large eggs will add nice structure and help with the moist spongy texture.

• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla will add rich backnotes. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
• Milk - I recommend using whole milk or 2% milk for this recipe and it helps if it is at room temperature.
• All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour works great for open-textured muffins. If you have bleached cake flour, then you can replace half of the unbleached all-purpose flour with cake flour and it can give you a more exaggerated muffin top. That's because bleached flour absorbs moisture more readily and sets more quickly.
• Pumpkin pie spice - use your favourite brand, or make your own from a blend of 1 part nutmeg, clove and allspice with 2 parts cinnamon and ginger.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1). Make the streusel topping. Combine pecans, flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse just a couple of times to combine. Add the cold butter and pulse 5 or 6 more times until combined. Tip it out into a bowl and keep refrigerated until needed.
• STEP 2). Combine wet ingredients. Add pumpkin puree, brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, vanilla and milk to a large bowl and whisk until evenly combined. Add baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk to combine.
• STEP 3). Add flour. Sprinkle over the flour and spice and fold it in until just combined. Do not over-mix.
• STEP 4). Portion and add topping. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups, filling them to the rim. Top with a heaped mound of streusel (be generous).
• STEP 5). Bake. Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown and muffins spring back when pressed gently. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring muffins individually to the rack to finish cooling.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR PUMPKIN STREUSEL MUFFINS

• Do not over-mix the batter. Once the flour is mostly combined (with a few light streaks), then the batter is ready for baking. Since muffin batter is more lean with less sugar than cake batter, it is more likely to develop gluten and result in a tougher texture.
• Melted butter brings the flavor. I like to use melted butter when making recipes that call for a lot of spice since it adds rich undertones that carry the spice well so it is more rounded rather than sharp and astringent.
• Top generously with streusel. As the muffins rise and puff up during baking, the topping will spread out so it may look like a lot at the beginning, but it will be just right when they are baked.

RECIPE FAQ

Can I make these pumpkin streusel muffins with oil?

Yes, you can use oil to make this recipe and it still works well, however I find melted butter carries the spice flavours much nicer.

How can I achieve a domed muffin top?

Muffins with super tall pointed tops look nice but are often dry. That's because the batter needs to be quite dry and dense to get that way. A denser batter will dry out quickly on the surface and crack. Nice soft moist muffins will have a flatter top and be DELICIOUS! If you want a pointed top for these muffins, there are two things you can do:

• Rest the batter for 1 hour, covered, before baking. This will allow the flour to hydrate further so there is less evaporation through the surface during baking.
• Bake at a high temperature - bake at 400°F for the first 5-10 minutes. This will give the batter an initial bolt to kick-start that baking powder and set the surface quickly.

How to make homemade pumpkin pie spice?

Pumpkin pie spice is easy to make at home! Just blend equal portions of ground ginger, nutmeg, allspice and clove with 3 times as much cinnamon. So, you can combine ½ teaspoon each of ginger, nutmeg, allspice and clove with 1 ½ teaspoons of ground cinnamon. This will give you 3 ½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.

Can I use fresh pumpkin for this recipe?

I use canned pumpkin puree for baking for two main reasons: 1). Consistency - if I buy the same brand all the time then I am guaranteed to have the same results. Homemade pumpkin puree will vary in moisture content depending on how long you cook it; and 2). Ease! - it's so much easier to use canned pumpkin and the quality is just as good.

Can I freeze extra pumpkin puree?

Since you don't need a whole can of pumpkin puree for this recipe, I always freeze the rest and use it for another recipe later on - it works so great! You can freeze it in an ice cube tray or just spoon portions of it into a ziptop bag and freeze. You can also stir it into soup, which is so delicious!

If you love muffins, check out these recipes!

Pecan Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

Christina Marsigliese

Super soft and moist Pumpkin Muffins with a butter pecan streusel topping and fragrant pumpkin pie spices!

5 from 10 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients

  

Muffin batter:

• 1 cup 240ml pure pumpkin puree
• ¾ cup 165g packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• ⅓ cup 75g unsalted butter melted
• ⅔ cup 160ml whole milk
• 1 teaspoon 5ml pure vanilla extract
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ¾ cups 250g all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Streusel topping:

• ¼ cup 35g all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup 55g packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup 60g pecan halves
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoon 42g cold unsalted butter

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the cups of a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
• First make the streusel. Combine pecans, flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse just a couple of times to combine. Add the cold butter and pulse 5 or 6 more times until combined. Tip it out into a bowl and keep refrigerated until needed.
• Combine pumpkin puree, brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, vanilla and milk in a large bowl and whisk until evenly combined. Add baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk to combine.
• Sprinkle over the flour and spice and fold it in until just combined. Do not over-mix.
• Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups, filling them to the rim. Top with a heaped mound of streusel (be generous). Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown and muffins spring back when pressed gently. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring muffins individually to the rack to finish cooling.

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