Shelly's Recipe

PUMPKIN PECAN CRUNCH MUFFINS

Category: Muffins

For the topping:
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup demerara sugar (raw cane sugar, also called turbinado)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

For the muffins:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 15-ounce can 100% pure pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two standard muffin pans with non-stick cooking spray.

For the topping:
Combine flour, butter, demerara sugar, chopped pecans and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.

For the muffins:
Combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl and mix well (I like to use a whisk). Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar at low speed until just blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; continue beating at medium speed until very light and fluffy, a few minutes. Add pumpkin and beat until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Turn speed down to low and mix in flour mixture until just combined. Use an ice cream scoop to transfer batter to muffin pans, filling each muffin tin about 3/7 full. Sprinkle topping evenly over batter. Bake for about 30 minutes. Let cool on rack for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool completely (use a butter knife to lift them out of pan).