Pecan Pie Mini Muffin Bites of Delight!

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Pecan Pie Mini Muffin Bites Of Delight will disappear before you’ve poured the coffee! These tiny toffee praline treats are an alternative to the calorie laden classic Pecan Pie. Compact, dense with flavor and easy to hold with no sticky mess, these mighty mini cakes are sure to please at your next BBQ, reception, breakfast, brunch, lunch, drunch, picnic, pot luck or binge watching session. Anytime is a good time to gobble up several of these mouth pleasers. Serve them with my Cherry Cheesecake Petite Treats for a variety of miniature desserts your friends and family will love!

Tooth-Ache Pie

All-American Pecan Pie easily competes for the championship title for sugar density. In fact, the expression “so sweet it will make your teeth hurt” is the criteria for the blue ribbon prize. Karo Syrup is the culprit for achieving the gooey glacé base of sweetmeat contained in a crust.

Pecan Facts

The pecan is a species of hickory native to the southern United States and northern Mexico. The edible seed is not truly a nut, but a drupe which is fruit with a single stone or pit, surrounded by a husk. The flesh is soft and slightly sweet making it a perfect confectionary ingredient. Pecans are in the category of “good” fat, mostly monounsaturated. They are low in carbs, high in fiber, and full of nutritional punch providing 19 vitamins and minerals, B vitamins and manganese.

Easy Bake Recipe for Toddlers

Pecan Pie Mini Muffin Bites of Delight recipe is a winner for novice bakers. That’s why this recipe is featured in my blog posting for Kids in the Kitchen. The simple batter of flour, sugar, pecans, flavoring, spice, butter and eggs requires very little preparation or specialized equipment. Bakers as young as three years old will enjoy the time spent in the kitchen with a parent, grandparent, babysitter or teacher learning the joys of making and eating these simple cakes.

Serve it Up!

Pecan Pie Mini Muffin Bites of Delight pair well with other brunch or special occasion desserts such as my Blueberry Streusel Swirl Coffee Cake!

Print Recipe

Pecan Pie Mini Muffin Bites of Delight

Crazy good! These bite sized mini muffins are packed with pecan pie flavor without the sticky mess or the calories! Super easy and quick to make, they are a perfect addition to a buffet style meal, bbq pot luck or picnic. Caution: these are so delicious, they might disappear before you pour the coffee!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, barbeque, bbq, brunch, Dessert, dinner, lunch, picnic

Cuisine: American

Keyword: muffin, Pecan, Pecan Pie

Equipment

• 24 count mini muffin tin or 20 count Silpat or silicone mini muffin tray
• 24 paper mini muffin liners (optional)
• 1 large mixing bowl
• 1 mixing spoon
• Measuring cups and spoons
• 1 cooking sheet (to use with silicone tray)
• Toothpick or bamboo skewer

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
• ½ cup all purpose flour
• ⅔ cup unsalted butter 10 tbsp + 2 tsp
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp cinnamon optional
• ½ tsp salt
• whole pecans for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Melt butter, set aside and let cool.
• Grease and flour the muffin tin if you are not using paper liners. If using a Silpat, wash and dry the tray and place onto a cooking sheet.
• Loosely combine all ingredients except the melted butter into a mixing bowl.
• Add the cooled melted butter and combine thoroughly. The batter should look wet and glossy.
• Fill the muffin tin cups ⅔ full with batter, leaving enough room for the batter to rise.
• Place a whole pecan on top of each cup of batter for garnish.
• Bake 20 – 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and let cool.

Notes

Chopped pecans:  I like to hand chop nuts.  I find that I can control the size better than pulsing in a food processor.   Regarding size, think “minced” rather than “coarsely” chopped.  Smaller pieces will disburse evenly in the batter.   

Measuring butter:  2/3 cup = 10 tbsp + 2 tsp.  Don’t over think this.  A little less or a little more will not harm this recipe.

Adding melted butter:  Raw liquid eggs are important to the rise or leavening of the cakes.  Hot butter added to eggs could cause curdling or scrambling.  Butter should be cooled to the point that it begins to solidify or a finger can be comfortably dipped in to test the temperature.

Filling the mini cups:  Don’t worry if you don’t get exactly 2/3 filled.  A little less or a little more will still have a delicious result!

Pecan garnish:  A whole pecan is made of two pieces that are separated when processed for sale. Try to use pieces that are whole and look perfect.  Gently press one piece into the top of the batter.  When the batter rises, it should surround it without swallowing it.