Pumpkin Pecan Muffins with Bourbon Maple Glaze are moist, perfectly spiced and a wonderful addition to your fall breakfast table!
This recipe and photos have been updated since the original post on 10/30/2015
Pumpkin season is in full swing this month and go figure, it’s been extremely hard to find canned pumpkin. I had to go to several stores before I was able to find a few cans so I could make these pumpkin pecan muffins with bourbon maple glaze. Hopefully the shortage will be over before Thanksgiving so I can make these creamy pumpkin pie bars.
Pumpkin muffins are one of my favorite things to bake with canned pumpkin. They make the house smell so good and are perfect with a cup of coffee on a crisp fall morning. This pumpkin pecan muffin is great on it’s own, but if you want to make it extra special, drizzle it with the bourbon maple glaze!
Ingredients Needed to Make Pumpkin Pecan Muffins with Bourbon Maple Glaze
- Whole wheat pastry flour or regular whole wheat flour
- Baking soda
- Pumpkin pie spice and ground cinnamon
- Pumpkin purée
- Maple syrup
- Eggs
- Coconut oil, olive oil or canola oil
- Milk, dairy or non-dairy
- Vanilla extract
- Pecans
- Powdered sugar
- Bourbon or whiskey
How to Make Pumpkin Pecan Muffins with Bourbon Maple Glaze
This is a basic muffin recipe and one that anyone can make. Start by whisking together the flour, baking soda, salt and spices in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl whisk together the pumpkin purée, eggs, maple syrup, oil and milk. Pour the wet ingredients in with the dry and use a rubber spatula to stir everything together until it’s combined.
Stir in the pecans and then divide the batter into a standard 12 cup muffin pan that been sprayed with cooking spray or lined with paper liners. Bake the muffins then remove them from the pan and let them cool on a wire rack while you make the glaze.
Whisk together the powdered sugar, bourbon and maple syrup together in a small bowl until it’s smooth. If the glaze is too runny add a little more powdered sugar and if it’s too thick a little more bourbon or maple syrup. Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the muffins. You can also bring the glaze to the table and let everyone glaze their own muffins.
Do I Have to Use Bourbon in the Glaze?
No. If you don’t consume alcohol or don’t have any bourbon or whiskey on hand, you can absolutely omit it. If you do this I would suggest making a vanilla glaze like I did with these mini chai muffins with vanilla bean glaze.
How to Store Pumpkin Pecan Muffins
If you don’t plan to eat all of the muffins the day they are made, only glaze the ones you will be eating. The muffins will last for 2-3 days in an airtight container on the countertop or in the refrigerator. I find that they taste best the day they are made.
My preference is to store the leftover muffins in the freezer. Let them cool completely then place them in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Put them in the freezer for 30 minutes and then remove them and put them into a resealable freezer bag. Make sure to press all of the air out of the bag as you seal it. The muffins will keep for 2-3 months in the freezer.
Pumpkin Pecan Muffins with Bourbon Maple Glaze
Ingredients
Pumpkin Pecan Muffins
- 1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour or regular whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup milk of choice
- 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
Bourbon Maple Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon bourbon
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
Instructions
Pumpkin Pecan Muffins
- Preheat oven to 350° F and spray a standard muffin pan with cooking spray, or use paper liners.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. In a small bowl whisk together the pumpkin purée, maple syrup, milk, eggs, and oil.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold together until almost combined with a rubber spatula. Fold the pecans into the batter then distribute it evenly into the prepared muffin pan.
- Place the muffin pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool on a wire cooling rack for at least 10 minutes before glazing.
Bourbon Maple Glaze
- Whisk together all of the ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Add more powdered sugar if the glaze is too runny or a splash of water or milk if it's too thick. Drizzle over the muffins and top with extra pecans if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 191Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 208mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 3gSugar: 14gProtein: 4g
More Fall Muffin Recipes
Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Pumpkin Espresso Chocolate Chunk Muffins
Cranberry Apple Carrot Muffins
Pastry flour? Another option if unavailable?
Hi Danelle. If you can’t find the whole wheat pastry flour I would use either white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour. I prefer the pastry flour when baking with whole wheat because it tends to make a lighter and less dense baked good than traditional whole wheat flour. Hope this helps!
How much baking soda? Step 2 says to add baking soda along with the flour, sugar and spices but it is not listed in the ingredient list.
Hi Marion. Sorry about the error in the recipe and thank you for spotting it. The instructions shouldn’t say baking soda, there is none used in the recipe. I have corrected it now. Thank you!
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly since I was in the middle of making them.
mmmm I am definitely not tired of pumpkin… Bring on the pumpkin!! These look absolutely to DIE for!! Wow!! Can’t wait to give them a go! :)
Thanks Jane! Good to hear I’m not the only one who is still enjoying everything pumpkin!
Absolutely beautiful photography! You are making me hungry and these muffins look delicious!
Thanks Sheila! :-)
Look at that glaze! Beautiful treat, Danae!
Thanks Lisa!
I definitely pinned this recipe. You pictures are beautiful.
Thank you Jennifer!
The light coming across the glaze in these photos is so beautiful! And yeah, I would have had a few straight-up spoonfulls of the glaze as well. Pinning (twice!)
Thanks Katie! Have a great weekend! :-)
i’m definitely not sick of pumpkin recipes yet. :) love the sounds of this boozy glaze! and i have never dipped in a muffin either, so i think it’s time i give it a try. have a great weekend! xo
Thanks Amanda! You should definitely try glazing muffins sometime for a treat. Have a great weekend!
These muffins sound beyond perfect for the fall or any time of the year! I love that bourbon glaze! :)
Thanks Ramona! The glaze is so good!
Oh wow! These look amazing, I am really stuck on the bourbon maple glaze!
Thanks Marye!