Pecan Pie Muffins

Satisfy two cravings in one by combining two iconic baked goods: pecan pie and muffins. When you marry the fluffiness of a muffin with the chewiness of pecan pie filling, the results are pretty irresistible. Clocking in at just eight ingredients with a dump-and-stir method, there are no crusts to roll out or blind baking to do.

Whatever the pecan pie craving, this recipe has got you. While bourbon is a delightful pairing in pecan pie, it can easily be omitted if the alcohol flavor is not your thing. Or sub in whiskey, rye, or rum instead. And if you love chocolate pecan pie, just throw in a handful of chocolate chips. One last recommendation for the ultimate experience: Treat these like little pecan pie muffin cakes and serve them with vanilla ice cream and a spoon. Trust me.

In baking, many different variables can affect whether a baked good comes out dry or moist, but two main ones are having enough sugar and enough fat. 

Leaveners like baking powder, baking soda, and eggs make muffins fluffy. Many pecan pie muffins just use eggs for a firmer, more pie-like texture. We add a little baking powder for a slight lift, but know that this isn’t your average sky-high domed muffin.

Either oil or butter is great for a muffin — it just depends on the texture and flavor you are looking for. Oil cooks up super fluffy and moist, but adds little residual flavor, as most oils are neutral or relatively flavorless. Butter tends to add less moisture, but imparts its rich, buttery flavor.