There is no debating that these tender and light pecan crumb muffins are a must-bake fall staple. Nutty, tender, and topped with a sweet, crunchy crumble, they’re the perfect treat for your morning coffee or afternoon snack. No mixer required!
There’s something undeniably comforting about the aroma of freshly baked muffins wafting through the kitchen, especially when they come with a crumbly, nutty topping like my Pecan Crumb Muffins.
Each bite offers a delightful contrast between the tender muffin and the crisp, sweet crumb topping. Whether you’re enjoying them with your morning coffee or as an afternoon treat, these muffins are sure to bring a touch of cozy warmth to your day.
In the step-by-step tutorial below, you’ll learn the trick to achieve a domed muffin top, like the one you see in bakeries!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Shop efficiently (treat this as your grocery list) and gather your ingredients at home without running circles in your kitchen. (i.e. One trip to the fridge to get all your dairy needs.)
***The ingredients listed below yield 6 muffins. Easily double the recipe if you need more.***
REFRIGERATED:
- butter. You need 28g (2 tablespoons) of melted, unsalted butter. You can use immediately after melting, no need to cool down.
- egg. 50g eggs (weight is without shell) or 1 large egg at room temperature.
- milk. 80g (⅓ cup) of whole milk, at room temperature. Measure the amount of milk that you need and leave it at your kitchen counter for 30 minutes to 1 hour – time to reach room temp depends on how cold or warm your kitchen is.
PANTRY:
- flour. 167g (1⅓ cup) of all purpose flour for the muffin batter + 31g (1/4 cup) for the crumb topping
- baking powder. You need 1¾ teaspoon – baking powder lose its leavening power over time so make sure your are still good.
To check if your baking powder is still active, pour 1/4 cup boiling water over 1/2 tsp baking powder. If it bubbles, it’s still good. If not, it’s no good!
- salt. ¾ teaspoon of fine sea salt
- nutmeg. You need ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg. Skip if you really can’t find this ingredient in your area.
- brown sugar. 110g (½ cup) light brown sugar for the muffin batter + 55g (1/4 cup) for the crumb topping. Golden yellow sugar or dark brown sugar are good substitutes.
- white sugar. 19g ( 1½ tablespoons) of granulated white sugar
- oil. 75g (⅓ cup) of any neutral tasting oil such as canola, grapeseed, avocado, or vegetable oil.
- vanilla. 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
- pecans. You need a total of 90g (¾ cup) of coarsley chopped toasted pecans for both the muffin batter and the for the crumb topping.
To quickly toast nuts, spread them in a baking sheet and bake in a 350F (177C) oven for about 10 mins.
Recommended Tools To Make This Recipe
- digital food scale (this is a must!)
- measuring spoons
- muffin tin or cupcake pan
- muffin/ cupcake liners
- cooling rack
The Trick To Bakery-Style High Domed Muffins
Achieving bakery-style high-domed muffins involves a few key tricks:
- Start with a Hot Oven:
- High Initial Temperature: Begin baking at a high temperature, usually around 425°F (218°C), for the first 5-7 minutes. This high heat causes rapid steam production in the batter, which helps the muffins rise quickly and form a tall dome.
- Lower the Temperature: After the initial rise, lower the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) to finish baking. This prevents the muffins from over-browning or drying out.
- Fill the Muffin Cups Generously:
- More Batter: Fill your muffin cups all the way to the top or even slightly overfilled. This gives the batter more volume to rise, resulting in taller muffins.
- Rest the Batter:
- Chill the Batter: Letting the batter rest in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes before baking allows the flour to hydrate and the gluten to relax. This can improve the structure and height of the muffins.
- Alternate the muffin holes:
- Skip some cups: Leave every other cup of the muffin pan empty for maximum doming and rise to your muffins.
How To Make Pecan Crumb Muffins Step-by-Step
STEP 1. At least twenty minutes before you start baking, preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Set an oven rack at the middle level.
Fill 6 alternating cups with muffin liner. If you don’t have a liner, spray 6 alternating cups of a 12-cup muffin pan with baking spray with flour.
STEP 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
STEP 3. In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, milk oil, egg, and vanilla.
STEP 4. Gradually add flour mixture, stirring until almost combined.
STEP 5. Add pecans, and stir suing a spatula until just combined and no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
STEP 6. Make the crumb topping. In a medium bowl, mix flour, pecans, brown sugar, butter, and white sugar.
STEP 7. Divide the muffin batter between the 6 muffin cups (around 85g of batter each) then sprinkle the crumb topping.
STEP 8. Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425°F then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an additional 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
Expert Baking Tips For Pecan Crumb 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.
- 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.
Storage & Reheating
Storage. These pecan crumb muffins stay fresh at room temperature for about 2 days and up to 1 week in the fridge.
Reheating. I like reheating them in the microwave using DEFROST mode or at low power for about 1 minute and they’re gonna be like they’re fresh from the oven.
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Pecan Crumb Muffins
Ingredients
For the Muffins
- 167g all-purpose flour (1⅓ cup, measured using scoop and level method)
- 1¾ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 110g (½ cup) light brown sugar golden yellow sugar is a good substitute
- 80g (⅓ cup) full-fat or whole milk
- 75g (⅓ cup) neutral-tasting oil (e.g. canola, vegetable)
- 50g (1 large egg) egg weight is without shell
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 60g (½ cup) coarsley chopped toasted pecans
For the Crumb Topping
- 31g (¼ cup) all-purpose flour
- 30g (¼ cup) coarsley chopped toasted pecans
- 55g (¼ cup) light brown sugar
- 28g (2 tbsp) melted unsalted butter
- 19g (1½ tbsp) white granulated sugar
Instructions
- PREP: At least twenty minutes before you start baking, preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Set an oven rack at the middle level.Fill 6 alternating cups with muffin liner. If you don’t have a liner, spray 6 alternating cups of a 12-cup muffin pan with baking spray with flour.
- MAKE THE MUFFIN. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.167g all-purpose flour1¾ tsp baking powder¾ tsp fine sea salt½ tsp ground nutmeg
- In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, milk, oil, egg, and vanilla.110g (½ cup) light brown sugar80g (⅓ cup) full-fat or whole milk75g (⅓ cup) neutral-tasting oil50g (1 large egg) egg1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Gradually add flour mixture, stirring until almost combined.
- Add toasted pecans, and stir suing a spatula until just combined and no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.60g (½ cup) coarsley chopped toasted pecans
- MAKE THE CRUMB TOPPING. In a medium bowl, mix flour, pecans, brown sugar, melted butter, and white sugar.31g (¼ cup) all-purpose flour30g (¼ cup) coarsley chopped toasted pecans55g (¼ cup) light brown sugar28g (2 tbsp) melted unsalted butter19g (1½ tbsp) white granulated sugar
- Divide the muffin batter between the 6 muffin cups (around 85g of batter each) then generously sprinkle the crumb topping.
- BAKE the muffins for 5 minutes at 425°F then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an additional 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.