These super soft and moist pumpkin pecan muffins have a pecan streusel and a maple espresso glaze! These pumpkin muffins are literally fall in a muffin! You don't need a mixer to make these fall muffins, and you can freeze them so you can have them all fall long.

Save This Recipe! 💌
Am I waiting all year long with my box of pumpkin decorations and fall-related paraphernalia for the first chilly day? Yes, yes I am! These pumpkin pecan muffins are the perfect recipe to make for that first crisp, fall day!
Based on my pumpkin walnut bread, these pumpkin muffins are extra moist and soft. I've added more baking powder to help give these muffins more lift, you know I love that bakery-style look! If you want more of a ✨sparkly✨ version, try my pumpkin sour cream muffins. These muffins use the same maple espresso glaze that I used for my cardamom oatmeal cookies!
If you want more pumpkin recipes, try my pumpkin sauce for coffee, chocolate chip pumpkin cake, and my fave soft and chewy pumpkin cookies!
My Favorite Recipe for Fall! 🍁
Here are a few reasons why I can't get enough of these muffins:
- Simple & easy to make
- Super soft thanks to oil and sour cream
- Tall muffin tops, I'm talking sky-high muffin tops!
- The best maple espresso glaze
Grab Your Ingredients!

- Pumpkin: Make sure you're using 100% pure pumpkin - not pumpkin pie filling!
- Pecans: I like to chop up the pecans in my food processor so they're quite small, but you can use a knife if you prefer.
- Oil: Use a neutral oil like sunflower oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil. Using oil instead of melted butter will keep our muffins soft for days - for days, people!
- Sour Cream: Adding sour cream to these muffins will make them moist.
Let's Make This Recipe!

- Step 1: Combine all the streusel ingredients together. Place in the fridge.

- Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together.

- Step 3: Add in the dry ingredients, then stir in the pecans. Let the muffin batter sit for 10-15 minutes. Preheat the oven.

- Step 4: Fill the muffin liners all the way to the top (I mean to the tippy top!) then sprinkle over the pecan streusel. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes at 425°F, then lower the heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 16-18 minutes.

Getting Bakery-Style Muffins
Here are a few tips on how to get those bakery-style muffins! Your friends are going to be asking, "What fancy bakery did you buy these from?" and you can smugly say, "I MADE THESE!"
- Let the Muffin Batter Rest: Let the muffin batter rest for about 10-15 minutes while the oven warms up. This will give the baking powder time to start working, giving us taller muffin tops.
- Fill Every Other Cavity: I like to bake the muffins six at a time, so only filling in every other muffin cavity. This gives the muffin tops more room to grow!
- High Heat: Start off baking the muffins at a high temperature for the first five minutes, then lower the oven temperature. This is another way to kick-start the baking powder!


Made This Recipe?
Make sure to leave a ⭐️ rating and review below! You can tag me on Instagram @alpineella or follow along on Pinterest, Facebook and TikTok!
Thank you!
Ella
Recipe

Pumpkin Pecan Muffins with Pecan Streusel
Equipment
- Muffin pan
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- ¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter melted
- ¾ cup (90 grams) all purpose flour
- ¼ cup (55 grams) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup (38 grams) pecans finely chopped
Muffins
- 1 ¼ cup (240 grams) sugar
- 1 ⅓ cup (300 grams) pumpkin puree
- 8 tablespoons (90 ml ) vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60 ml) sour cream room temperature
- 2 large large eggs room temperature
- 2 cups (220 grams) all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (114 grams) pecans chopped
Maple Espresso Glaze
- ½ tablespoon freshly brewed coffee
- Drop maple extract Optional but adds more maple flavor!
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ cup (56 grams) confectioners' sugar sifted
- pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Whisk together all of the streusel ingredients until all the crumbs are moist. Place in the fridge.¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, ¾ cup (90 grams) all purpose flour, ¼ cup (55 grams) light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ⅓ cup (38 grams) pecans
- Preheat the oven to 425°Fahrenheit/220°Celsius and line two muffin pans with 12 muffin liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients until smooth.1 ¼ cup (240 grams) sugar, 1 ⅓ cup (300 grams) pumpkin puree, 8 tablespoons (90 ml ) vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ¼ cup (60 ml) sour cream, 2 large large eggs
- Add the dry ingredients and fold everything together until the muffin batter is smooth.2 cups (220 grams) all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Stir in the chopped pecans.1 cup (114 grams) pecans
- Scoop out the muffin batter into the muffin liners to the very top. Take out the streusel and sprinkle over the muffins, gently press the streusel into the muffin batter.
- Bake for 5 minutes, then without opening the oven door, lower the temperature to 350°Fahrenheit/175°Celsius and bake for an additional 16-18 minutes.
- Take the muffins out of the oven and let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Take them out and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Whisk all of the maple espresso glaze ingredients together. If too thick, add a splash of heavy cream or milk. If too thin, add more sifted confectioners' sugar. I like to place the glaze in a small squeeze bottle to drizzle it over, but you can also use a spoon to do that.½ tablespoon freshly brewed coffee, Drop maple extract, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, ½ cup (56 grams) confectioners' sugar, pinch kosher salt













Lizzie says
Fantastic!!! Soft, moist muffins for fall. I thought the proportions would be off, but glad I followed the recipe as written.
Ella says
Thanks so much for your review!