Being that I grew up in central Florida, amongst the strawberries and navel oranges, I knew nothing of fall until my second semester of seminary in North Carolina. And oh let me tell you, North Carolina in the fall was definitely worth the wait for a person whose only thoughts of fall were football saturdays and an end to hurricane season.
I took full advantage of fall; running through leaves, going on hikes through mountains, attending football games wearing a long sleeve t-shirt or sweater, sitting outside with a blanket and a scarf to read a book, hitting up pumpkin patches and apple orchards – you know, commonly practiced activities during fall weather.
One of the activities that we love doing as a family in the fall is going to farms; whether they be pumpkins or apples or animals – it is just fun. My mister and I got married in the fall and went apple picking at a little orchard in Canada on our honeymoon. Guess the tradition continued. When our first son was just weeks old, we went to our first pumpkin patch in Arkansas. Just days after our second was born the next year, we took our family photos at a pumpkin stand down the street. Last year we traveled to north Georgia to wander among the piles of pumpkins. This year we are going to pick apples with family. It is a lot of fun.
Besides farms, I love fall food; pumpkins, soups, pears, apples, squashes – you name it, I love filling my kitchen and tummy with it! This recipe will be a good staple for your muffin rotation. It is hearty, not-too-sweet – and the pumpkin granola on top adds the perfect amount of crunch. I hope you enjoy. And with the pumpkin granola – save what you don’t use and toss it on top of some yogurt for a healthy breakfast.
Spiced Pecan Muffins with Pumpkin Granola
Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 3 eggs
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans
- ¾ cup buttermilk
Ingredients or the Granola:
- 1 ½ cup rolled oats
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans
- ⅓ cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- ⅛ cup uncooked quinoa
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅓ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 egg white
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- 2 T raw honey
- 1 ½ T melted coconut oil
- 1 ½ T turbinado sugar
- ¾ tsp vanilla extract
Direction to make muffins:
- Cream sugar and butter with mixer.
- Combine eggs and vanilla and mix until fully combined.
- Add in dry ingredients.
- Mix in buttermilk.
- Add in pecans and mix until just combined.
- Don’t overmix.
- Fill (greased) muffin tins ¾ full.
For granola:
- Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Mix all the wet ingredients.
- Combine and pour out onto a parchment paper lined rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake at 325 for about 35-40 minutes, stirring often.
- Let cool.
Sprinkle granola on top of muffins.
Bake muffins in a 375 oven for 22-24 minutes.
Let cool.
Serve warm with butter, pumpkin butter, or cranberry relish.
And coffee. Always coffee.
Spiced Pecan Muffins with Pumpkin Granola
Ingredients
(Ingredients For Muffins)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 stick unsalted butter softened
- 3 eggs
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans
- ¾ cup buttermilk
(Ingredients for the Granola)
- 1 ½ cup rolled oats
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans
- ⅓ cup raw pepitas pumpkin seeds
- ⅛ cup uncooked quinoa
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅓ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 egg white
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- 2 T raw honey
- 1 ½ T melted coconut oil
- 1 ½ T turbinado sugar
- ¾ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
(Directions for muffins)
- Cream sugar and butter with mixer.
- Combine eggs and vanilla and mix until fully combined.
- Add in dry ingredients.
- Mix in buttermilk.
- Add in pecans and mix until just combined.
- Don’t overmix.
- Fill (greased) muffin tins ¾ full.;
(Direction for granola)
- Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Mix all the wet ingredients.
- Combine and pour out onto a parchment paper lined rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake at 325 for about 35-40 minutes, stirring often.
- Let cool.
- Sprinkle granola on top of muffins.
- Bake muffins in a 375 oven for 22-24 minutes.
- Let cool.
Notes
And coffee. Always coffee.