Pecan Crumb Muffins

pecan crumb muffins on a round wire rack
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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!

stack of three pecan crumb muffins with a bite

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.

mise en place for pecan crumb muffins ingredients

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

6 alternating cups with muffin liner

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.

flour mixture in a clear glass bowl with a whisk

STEP 2.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.

liquid ingredients mixed together in a large bowl using a whisk

STEP 3. In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, milk oil, egg, and vanilla.

mixing the muffin batter with a whisk

STEP 4.  Gradually add flour mixture, stirring until almost combined.

folding the pecans using a spatula

STEP 5. Add pecans, and stir suing a spatula until just combined and no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.

pecan crumb topping mixture in a white bowl

STEP 6. Make the crumb topping. In a medium bowl, mix flour, pecans, brown sugar, butter, and white sugar.

scooped muffin batter with crumb topping in a gray muffin tin ready for baking

STEP 7. Divide the muffin batter between the 6 muffin cups (around 85g of batter each) then sprinkle the crumb topping.

freshly baked pecan crumb muffin in  a gray muffin tin

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.


❤️ Tried this recipe and loved it? If you made this recipe or any other recipe on this site, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating + review below – or tag @thebakeologie on Instagram and hashtag it #bakeologie !

Pecan Crumb Muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 6 muffins
Author: trish
Nutty, tender, and topped with a sweet, crunchy crumble, they're the perfect treat for your morning coffee or afternoon snack. No mixer required!
On measuring: All recipes are developed and tested in metric grams. I have provided a conversion to US customary (based on this Baking Conversion and Measurement Chart) in the recipe but I strongly recommend using a digital scale for a more accurate result. 
Step-by-step photos: My recipe post contains step-by-step photos and helpful tips to guide you in making this recipe. Go to >>> https://bakeologie.com/pecan-crumb-muffins/
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Ingredients

For the Muffins

  • 167g all-purpose flour (1⅓ cup, measured using scoop and level method)
  • 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 flourbaking powdersalt, and nutmeg.
    167g all-purpose flour
    1¾ tsp baking powder
    ¾ tsp fine sea salt
    ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  •  In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, milk, oil, egg, and vanilla.
    110g (½ cup) light brown sugar
    80g (⅓ cup) full-fat or whole milk
    75g (⅓ cup) neutral-tasting oil
    50g (1 large egg) egg
    1 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 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
  • 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.

Notes

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.
Tried this recipe?Mention @theBakeologie or tag #Bakeologie!

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