Maple Pecan Muffins

Maple Pecan Muffins

These maple pecan muffins are a quick-and-easy, healthy-ish muffin recipe full of fall flavors! Thanks to the generous use of ingredients like pecans and maple syrup, these muffins are super flavorful and moist! The muffins are made with both pecan nuts AND pecan flour in the batter. Both ingredients are packed with protein and give the muffins an extra nutty flavor. Similarly, the muffin batter is sweetened with maple syrup, and then each muffin is topped with a maple glaze.

Why You Should Make These Maple Pecan Muffins

Here are all the reasons to make these maple pecan muffins:

These maple pecan muffins are extra flavorful thanks to the generous use of ingredients like maple syrup and pecans.

When I was developing this recipe, I tried a bunch of the most popular maple pecan muffin recipes as my first step. I found that many of them were a little bland—specifically, neither were pecan-y or maple-y enough!

I knew that I wanted my muffins to be extra flavorful, so I doubled up on a lot of the most flavorful ingredients. What does that mean? I used pecans twice in the recipe—both in the form of pecan flour in the batter, and pecan nuts themselves as a mix-in.

Similarly, I used maple syrup twice in the recipe. First, as a stand-in for sugar in the batter, and to flavor the glaze. The result is an extra-flavorful maple pecan muffin!

This maple pecan muffin recipe really IS quick-and-easy; it is almost one bowl and does not require a stand mixer!

Although my muffin recipes are some of the most popular recipes on Hummingbird High, I’ll sometimes get complaints that many of them are too complicated. There are a lot of folks out there who just want basic muffin recipes that instruct you to mix everything together in one bowl.

And I get that! So I delivered. These maple pecan muffins come together SO quickly. You simply mix the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another, then mix everything together by hand. No stand mixer required!

Maple Pecan Muffins Ingredients and Substitutions

Now that I’ve convinced you to make these maple pecan muffins, here’s your shopping list for the recipe:

Shopping List for Maple Pecan Muffins

Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the exact ingredient amounts and quantities:

• all-purpose flour
• pecan flour
• baking powder
• kosher salt
• maple syrup
• unsalted butter
• large eggs
• whole milk
• pecan halves
• confectioners’ sugar

And let’s talk about some key ingredients and their substitutions:

All-Purpose Flour

You need 2 cups all-purpose flour to make the batter for these maple pecan muffins.

Does a 1-1 gluten-free all-purpose flour work in these maple pecan muffins?

I’m sorry, but I don’t know. I rarely bake with those types of flour replacements because they’re expensive and my household is fortunate not to have any gluten restrictions. However, if you replace the flour in this recipe with any gluten-free alternatives, please leave a comment so I can update this post accordingly!

Pecan Flour

You need 1 cup pecan flour to make the batter for these maple pecan muffins.

What is pecan flour?

Pecan flour is similar to almond flour, but made from ground pecans as opposed to ground almonds. It’s a great, healthy-ish ingredient because it is both grain- and gluten- free, and contains 0 grams of net carbs. The best part? It adds a TON of flavor to baked goods, giving everything a subtle toasted, rich, nutty flavor.

What pecan flour do you recommend?

For these maple pecan muffins, I used Fisher’s Pecan Flour. However, Amazon offers plenty of other brands and alternatives!

Can I make my own pecan flour at home?

Absolutely! To make the amount of pecan flour needed for these recipes, weigh out 3.5 ounces (99 grams) of raw pecans. Pulse the pecans in a food processor until a fine meal forms. Be careful not to over-process—if you do, you might end up with pecan nut butter!

I don’t want to use pecan flour. What can I use instead?

If you don’t want to use pecan flour, you can substitute it with the equivalent amount of almond flour. That being said, your muffins will lose their pecan taste—instead they’ll taste more like almond!

If using another nut flour is unappealing to you, you can also substitute it out for the same amount of all-purpose flour. That being said, I don’t recommend doing so. Again, you’ll be losing a lot of the pecan flavor in these muffins if you don’t use the pecan flour!

Kosher Salt

You need ½ teaspoon kosher salt to make the batter for these maple pecan muffins.

Why You Should Use Kosher Salt When Baking

I like to use kosher salt (as opposed to table salt) when baking. Its larger crystals make it difficult to confuse with granulated sugar. However, not all kosher salts are created equal. Some kosher salts have smaller granules than others, which will result in saltier tasting baked goods.

For consistency, I recommend sticking to one brand, and one brand only: Diamond Crystal kosher salt. It’s the only brand of salt I use when I develop recipes for Hummingbird High. Why? Diamond Crystal kosher salt is one of the few 100% pure salts in the grocery store. Other brands have additives that can add unexpected flavors to your desserts.

I can’t find Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Is Morton’s Coarse kosher salt okay?

Yes, with reservations. Morton’s Coarse kosher salt granules are much smaller, denser, and crunchier than Diamond Crystal. According to this Food52 article, the two are different shapes and sizes because of how they’re made. Morton’s is made by flattening salt granules into large thin flakes by pressing them through high-pressure rollers, whereas Diamond Crystal is formed by a patented method in which “upside-down pyramids [are] stacked one over the next to form a crystal.” You can even see a visualization of the different sizes in this Cook’s Illustrated article.

Okay, but what does that mean, exactly? 1 teaspoon of Morton’s will taste saltier than 1 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal. Wild, right? So if you follow my recipes exactly as they are written but use Morton’s instead of Diamond Crystal, the results will come out saltier. In fact, sometimes they will come out TOO salty. So if you’re using Morton’s instead of Diamond Crystal, reduce the salt in the recipe by half.

Want to learn more about Diamond Crystal versus Morton’s Coarse kosher salt? Definitely check out the Food52 and Cook’s Illustrated articles I linked to above, as well as this Taste article.

I can’t find Diamond Crystal OR Morton’s Coarse kosher salt. Can I just use table salt?

Yes, with reservations. If you use table salt, you’ll need to reduce the recipe’s salt quantity by half.

If you read my little essay about Diamond Crystal and Morton’s, you learned that Diamond Crystal kosher salt granules are larger than Morton’s kosher salt granules. The same principle applies to table salt versus kosher salt. Table salt granules are much smaller than kosher salt granules. As a result, 1 teaspoon of table salt tastes much saltier than 1 teaspoon of kosher salt… simply because it can hold more granules! Wild, right?

So if you follow my recipes exactly as they are written but use table salt instead of kosher salt, the results will come out saltier. If you’re using table salt instead of kosher salt, I recommend reducing the salt in the recipe by half. 

Maple Syrup

You need 1 cup maple syrup to make the maple pecan batter, and 3 Tablespoons maple syrup to make the maple glaze.

What maple syrup do you recommend for these maple pecan muffins?

For these maple pecan muffins, I used “dark” maple syrup in both the batter and glaze.

Golden versus Amber versus Dark versus Very Dark Maple Syrup

A few years ago, maple syrup used to be sold in three grades: Grade A, Grade B, and Grade C. Most folks at the grocery store often had to make a choice between the first two grades (Grade C was often only sold to manufacturers who processed the syrup further into other products). Grade A maple syrups were lighter and had more delicate flavor profiles, making them perfect for pouring over pancakes and waffles. Grade B maple syrups were darker and more strongly flavored. Recipes using maple syrup as an ingredient often instructed home cooks and bakers to source Grade B maple syrup for the job.

However, in 2015, the USDA implemented a new grading system. Many of the maple syrups available to consumers now all fall under Grade A. This “new” Grade A divides them into four categories: Golden, Amber, Dark, or Very Dark. I recommend you use either “Dark” or “Very Dark” maple syrup for these maple pecan muffins. But if you only have Golden or Amber on hand, don’t worry about it! Your buns will still be pretty tasty no matter what.

Milk

You need ¼ cup whole milk to make the batter for these maple pecan muffins.

Can I use skim, low-fat or non-fat milk instead of whole milk in these maple pecan muffins?

Yes, but with reservations. Skim, low-fat, and non-fat milks will lead to less flavorful baked goods.

Can I use non-dairy milk like almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, or oat milk instead of whole milk in these maple pecan muffins?

Yes! You can use alternatives like almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, and/or oat milk in this recipe without altering the results.

However, be mindful that using an alternative milk with “strong” flavors (like coconut or oat milk) will impart their flavors into the muffins, too. Specifically, your muffins might have a subtle coconut or oat milk flavor to them, too. So pick something that complements their maple pecan flavor—I personally would go with oat milk!

How To Make Maple Pecan Muffins

Here are the basic steps to make maple pecan muffins from scratch:

First, make the maple pecan muffins.

1. Prep the oven, pan, and muffin batter ingredients. (Prep Time: 5 minutes)
   While the oven is preheating, prep your muffin pan by lining the cavities with paper liners, and measure out the ingredients for the muffins.
   
   To save myself some dishes, I like to use a digital scale to weigh out all the dry ingredients in one bowl, tare-ing the scale back down to “0” every time I add a new ingredient. This keeps me from using too many measuring cups. I do the same with the wet ingredients. The recipe will instruct you to mix all those ingredients together, anyway!
   
   Note that the recipe instructs you to use melted butter. I start by using a microwave to melt the butter in the bowl I’m planning to use for mixing everything together. Once it’s melted, I add the maple syrup, eggs, and milk to that bowl.
   
   
2. Make the maple pecan batter. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
   It is so incredibly easy to make the batter. All you need to do is whisk together the dry ingredients in their bowl, then the wet ones in another bowl. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients into the wet ones until just combined, then add the pecans. Boom! You just made the muffin batter.
   
   
3. Assemble the maple pecan muffins. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
   Once you’ve made the batter, it’s time to assemble the muffins. I like to use a 1-Tablespoon cookie dough scoop to portion out the batter quickly and evenly between the different cavities. The recipe instructs you to scoop 4 generous Tablespoons of batter into each cavity. It will seem like a lot, but trust me! This is the secret to tall and domed muffin tops.

Next, bake and cool the maple pecan muffins.

1. Bake the maple pecan muffins. (Bake Time: 22 minutes)
   The muffins need 22 to 24 minutes in the oven. When done, they’ll be golden brown with a nice dome. Cool them in the muffin pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto the wire pan directly to cool completely.
   
   
2. Cool the maple pecan muffins.
   The hardest part about this recipe is waiting for the muffins to cool before glazing them. Although I enjoy muffins warm and fresh from the oven, they need to be cool when you glaze them. Why? The glaze won’t set properly if they’re still warm. Instead, they’ll run off the muffin tops and drip down the sides of the muffin, creating a sticky mess.

Finally, glaze the maple pecan muffins.

1. Prep the maple glaze ingredients. (Prep Time: 5 minutes)
   Once the muffins are cool, it’s time to prep the ingredients for the muffins. Similar to what I recommended for the batter above, I suggest melting the butter in the mixing bowl first, then adding the rest of the ingredients to the melted butter.
   
   
2. Make the glaze, then glaze the muffins. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
   The glaze comes together VERY quickly. Once you’ve whisked all the ingredients together (a process that takes only 1 minute or so), it’s time to glaze the muffins. The easiest way to glaze each muffin is this: grab one muffin, turn it upside down, dip its top into the glaze, then turn it around right side up very quickly. You can also spoon the glaze over the muffins, but it takes longer and is much messier.

Maple Pecan Muffin Recipe Troubleshooting and FAQ

FAQ: Make Ahead Techniques For Maple Pecan Muffins

Can I refrigerate the maple pecan muffin batter to save it for baking later?

Yes! You can refrigerate the muffin batter for up to 3 days before baking. Their muffin tops will actually come out taller and more domed when you do! There’s also no need to bring the muffin batter to room temperature or adjust Bake Time dramatically.

FAQ: Maple Pecan Muffin Recipe Troubleshooting

Help! My maple pecan muffins don’t look as tall and domed as yours. What did I do wrong?

In the recipe, I instruct you to fill each muffin pan cavity with 4 Tablespoons of muffin batter. That amount goes beyond the conventional wisdom that states that you should only fill muffin pans up to ⅔- or ¾- full of batter! So a lot of people tend to panic and stop at around that capacity. Many think that, if they follow my instructions, the muffin batter will overflow out of the pan and into the oven floor when baked.

And I get that, I really do. But it’s also likely why your muffins aren’t as tall and domed as mine. It turns out one of the secrets to super tall and domed muffin tops is filling the muffin cavities with a generous amount of batter. Don’t worry about the muffin batter overflowing out of the pan—the batter is fairly thick, and will hold its shape in the pan before, during, and after the baking process.

Help! My maple pecan muffin glaze was too thin, and it ran off the muffins’ tops and sides. What did I do wrong?

Uh oh! In the recipe, I instruct you to cool the muffins to room temperature before glazing them. If you glaze them while they are still hot, the glaze will melt and refuse to set properly!

However, if you DID wait until the muffins were at room temperature and still had this issue, it’s likely a glaze issue. Your glaze might have too much liquid in it. Its consistency should be fairly thick, similar to Elmer’s Glue. Anything thinner will cause it to run off the muffins.

If your glaze is too thin, don’t panic! You can fix it. Simply add 1 Tablespoon of confectioners’ sugar to the glaze, and give it a good whisk. Keep going, adding a Tablespoon of confectioners’ sugar at a time, until you achieve the thick consistency I described above.

FAQ: How To Store Maple Pecan Muffins

How To Store Maple Pecan Muffins

The maple pecan muffins can stored at room temperature, under a cake dome or in an airtight container, for up to 2 days.

Can I freeze maple pecan muffins?

Yes! You can freeze maple pecan muffins.To do so, freeze them after baking and before glazing. Follow the recipe instructions to bake and cool the muffins to room temperature. Once cool, individually wrap each muffin in two layers of plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months.

When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Rewarm by placing the muffins on a parchment-lined sheet pan, and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, then follow the instructions to make the maple glaze and assemble the muffins.

More Muffin Recipes

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• Blueberry Cornflake Muffins
• Blueberry Muffins (Small Batch)
• Copycat Levain Bakery Blueberry Muffins
• Mini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
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• Maple Lime Custard Pie
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• Vegan Cakey Chocolate Chip Cookies
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