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!
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.
