Pecan Streusel Sweet Potato Spice Muffins

I’m kind of freaking out again….

It’s just, I woke up and realized we’re about to start the last month of the year and I’m caught in the storm of emotions that I think is familiar to most of you. I’m really excited (you don’t even know) about the holiday festivities but also a little tiny bit sad that time is speeding by so fast.

Maybe that sounds crazy, but hopefully you can understand. Anyway, it’s my nephew’s first Christmas. I think I already mentioned recently but that’s a huge part of why I really want this holiday season to be special for my sister (for my nephew too, but he won’t be the one to remember it). My sister, Liv, and I share almost every favorite holiday memory and nostalgic moment from being the first two kids in our family. Haha, every time I have the urge to make an obscure movie quote I know she’s the one most likely to get it.

Yes, so even if dreaming of a white Christmas can’t guarantee snow, we can still make Christmas smell and taste like it should. That’s where I come in and I think muffins are a really good place to start. Muffins, muffins, muffins! I just want to sing about muffins sometimes, don’t you? They deserve an ode for just being real. Marvelous muffins, you make my mornings much more meaningful by matching melt-in-mouth moisture with mind-blowing magic in a most magnificent marriage with every morsel, moreover meritting my most mesmerized monomania! I think you can tell I like muffins.

If you think sweet potato is an odd ingredient to put in a muffin, think again. Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite things to use in Fall baking because they are already really sweet and they make everything fluffy and soft. I know I could have left these at plain muffins, but come on, everyone loves a little streusel on top, admit it. Pecans are something that I really appreciate because I’ve spent a lot of time living where they aren’t grown so I learned what it’s like not to have them available. That’s why I had to include some because they’re just the best nut for the job of finishing off these muffins!

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Pecan Streusel Sweet Potato Spice Muffins

Got the baking bug this season? These simply delicious sweet potato muffins are topped with a pecan streusel that adds the perfect crunch.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients

Streusel:

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
• 2 tablespoons almond milk
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Muffins:

• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup organic granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or 1/4 tsp each of; allspice, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons organic vegetable oil
• 1 cup sweet potato puree (can be substituted with pumpkin puree)
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or 3/4 cup more all-purpose)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C) and grease a 12-count small muffin tin lightly with oil and flour well (or line with silicone or paper cups if desired).

Streusel:

1. Cream together coconut oil and sugar for streusel in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add almond milk, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and flour and mix until combined. Stir in oats and pecans until mixture is crumbly. Scoop out into a separate bowl so you can reuse mixing bowl for muffin batter,

Muffins:

1. Stir together the almond milk and vinegar in mixing bowl then add the white and brown sugar. Add oil, vanilla, and spices, then add sweet potato puree and mix until smooth. Sift in flours, salt, and baking soda and gently mix into wet ingredients until just combined.

2. Spoon batter into the slots in prepared pans and fill to the rim. Crumble streusel over the top of each muffin and bake for 25 - 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

If you're looking to make these a little healthier and don't mind a slightly less sweet version I sometimes like to replace all the all-purpose flour in this recipe with additional whole wheat flour and replace all the sugar with coconut sugar.

Another option, if you have an allergy to gluten, is to use a gluten free flour blend that you've worked with before and know replaces wheat flour measure for measure well.