Call me basic, but when the weather cools, I am allllll about the pumpkin flavors. I head to Trader Joe’s and buy all the seasonal pumpkin stuff, and it really is the start of a new season. There’s nothing quite like when that first Pumpkin Spice Latte hits my lips, except for when I indulge in these Pumpkin Pecan Muffins.
These muffins are an adaptation of the recipe for my Gluten Free Banana Nut Muffins. They’re fluffy and light, while still feeling rich and indulgent. The pumpkin flavor comes from a fair amount of pumpkin in the batter, and are nicely spiced with signature pumpkin spice flavor.
The streusel topping is an excellent textural addition, lending the perfect sugary crunch to the soft crumb of the muffin. It’s truly mouth watering. I also threw in some pecans in the batter for more texture and flavor, but if you or someone you love has a nut allergy, feel free to leave them out.
How to make these gluten free and dairy free!
Speaking of allergies, you can easily make these muffins dairy free as well. Swap the butter for ghee or a vegan butter, though I don’t recommend coconut oil in this instance because of it’s low melt point, and swap the dough to your favorite milk alternative. I would choose a vegan milk that doesn’t have a distinct flavor, like oat, rice, or plain almond. Hemp and coconut milks may contribute an odd flavor to the batter.
You could try to make these vegan by using flax eggs instead of chicken eggs, but I haven’t tried it, and cannot guarantee a good rise or as fluffy of a texture in the muffin. Feel free to experiment, and let me know how it goes!
A Note About Decorative Sparkling Sugar
The streusel topping in this recipe calls for the addition of “Decorate Sparkling Sugar”. This sugar has a large crystalline structure, and you guessed it, looks like tiny crystals. I use this from Bob’s Red Mill, but I recently found out it has been discontinued. King Arthur still appears to make one though, so you can try this, or just google “Sparkling Sugar” on Amazon. In a pinch, if you can’t get your hands on it, you can always try using Turbinado sugar as a replacement. Ultimately, you want a large grain sugar that won’t melt down during baking, contributing to the crunch of the streusel topping.
Let me know if you try this recipe, and what you think in the comments. I’d love to know what you’re making in your kitchen!
Pumpkin Pecan Streusel Muffins
Equipment
- Muffin tin with paper liners
- Stand mixer or large bowl and hand mixer
- Small bowl
- Pastry blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup Pumpkin Puree Plain, not pre-seasoned pumpkin pie puree
- 1/4 cup Vegetable or Canola Oil
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter Melted
- 1 cup Brown Sugar Packed
- 2 large Eggs
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp Almond extract
- 2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten free 1-1 Baking Flour Blend
- 1 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 cup Milk
- 1/2 cup Chopped Pecans
Streusel Topping
- 1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-1 Baking Flour Blend
- 1/2 cup Brown sugar Packed
- 3 Tbsp Decorative Sparkling Sugar (the large grain crystalline kind, see above)
- 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 cup Unsalted butter Still cold
Instructions
Make the Streusel Topping
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, sparkling sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Whisk or fluff with fork.
- Using a pastry blender, cut butter into dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly.
- Set aside.
Make the Muffins
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
- Add oil, melted butter, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and almond extracts to the mixing bowl and mix until well incorporated.
- Dump in brown sugar, and mix again.
- Add eggs and milk and mix until incorporated.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together to the bowl.
- Mix until just combined.
- Add chopped pecans, and mix until evenly dispersed.
- Using a medium cookie scoop, fill the muffin liners. The liners should be between half and three quarters full.
- Using a tablespoon, sprinkle the streusel topping over each muffin. You may have some streusel left over, depending on how lightly you would like your muffins coated.
- Bake muffins at 425°F for 10 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350. Continue baking another 20 minutes on 350F.
- Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the largest muffin, making sure the toothpick comes out clean, with no wet batter..
- Cool and enjoy.
