Pecan Pie Muffins

[party_music50]

Just thought someone else might like to try these. I got the recipe from another forum, but have made annotations. When I make these I can't stop eating them -- they're sort of a cross between a sticky-bun and a pecan pie in texture and flavor. It's a good time of year for 'em anyway.

Pecan Pie Muffins

1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix dry ingredients; add wet ingredients. Prepare a mini-muffin pan with cooking
spray. Spoon batter into muffin pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Start
testing after about 10 to 15 minutes; if firm to touch and slightly brown, remove
from oven.

My notes:
- these mix up surprisingly quick!
- non-stick pans without cooking spray do stick some, and I don't use the spray, so have found it's best to lightly butter the pans
- remove from pans immediately
- I used only 1/2 c butter on my last batch (easier with just one stick) and they were just fine. I also omit the vanilla (just my preference)
- Ideal texture (IMO) is when they've just cooled and are extra crunchy on the outside. But they're great days later too. lol!
- makes about 2 dozen mini-muffins if filled 2/3 full

[Spider]

Sounds pretty simple.

[pauhaus]

Thanks for this recipe, it's a keeper in my book now. I made these yesterday morning and they were awesome. Very easy to throw together and really good. The only bad thing is I can't stop eating them

[party_music50]

Glad that you liked them, pauhaus! I can't stop eating them either and now I want to make some. lol!

They do mix up surprisingly fast, don't they? I should have mentioned that I don't even bother to beat the eggs.

[LucyGoose]

Wow.....now I need to get mini muffin pans.....I can use my new flour to see how things come out and this would be one to try! Thanks for sharing!!

[JaneG]

I have a mini-muffin pan . . . . . guess I'll have to try these. They sound delicious! I love both sticky buns and pecan pie, so anything that is a cross between them has to be good!!!

[party_music50]

LucyGoose, I just picked up a very nice 24-count heavy-duty non-stick mini-muffin pan from WalMart for my niece (for xmas) and it only cost $4.50. The brand says "MainStays". It looks nicer than my much more expensive 12-count pans and is definitely easier to maneuver! If you have a WM near you, I'd suggest you look there for a pan. I'm glad they look like something you could refashion into your celiac diet! with only the 1/2 c of "flour" I was hoping they'd be a good candidate to try.

JaneG, you definitely won't be sorry if you try them! unless you're on a diet, of course. LOL!

[LucyGoose]

Yes, I do have a Wal-Mart by me.......Thanks for letting me know....I just hope I can get one for the Thanksgiving dinner, as I found out yesterday I am to do the *desserts*, and the sweet potatoes.... .....I will be making gluten free for sure, and I think this will be just fine.......If I do not get them made for TG, they will be made for Christmas! Thanks!!!

[LucyGoose]

First I want to say these are really, really good..... .....But is it my flour mix, which I think it is, or do they normally stick a little and crumble? I mean, you say to remove from pan right away.....well, when I di, that is when I had trouble......but if I waited a tad, they really were hard to get out.... .....all in all I bet if I used the white flour, they would have just popped out.....They are really just fine, and only have a couple ugly ones.... ....I will be making more, that is for sure!!! Thanks for sharing!! Happy Thanksgiving!!

Oh, and I forgot....I used butter in the pans first, then on the last one, I used spray.......it didn't matter!!....but I think butter was better a little!

[party_music50]

LOL! yes, they stick easily, don't they? Anything that sticks to a "non-stick" pan is going to give you fits. I actually made some tonight too! I tried using a little Crisco on the muffin cups this time... I think butter works better. I had a small part of some of the bottoms break away because they were stuck, but they don't crumble. The first time I made them I also tried the "wait awhile" bit and thought I'd never get them out of the pans. LOL! That's why I said to remove from pans immediately. I don't mind it so much though, because I get to eat the broken bits right away.

I'm glad that you liked them! Enjoy your Thanksgiving!

[LucyGoose]

Okay..... .....Sounds just like what happened to me....... ....It's not the flour......because I made that prissy Tracy Butler's recipe of Crustless Cranberry Pie last night, and that came out just fine with my special flour! So now I know..... Thanks a lot!! Happy Thanksgiving!!

[LucyGoose]

I tweeked it, I tweeked it..... ....I found the secret to getting these out of the pan in one piece! Okay, when I baked them the last time.....(I have made these I think 4 times now.....hehe..love'em.......) I let them cool ALL THE WAY TILL COLD....and they came out of the pan for the most part......you stick a butter knife on the side, and kinda twist it......out they came......so tonight when I pulled them out of the oven, I put them on the back porch, in the cold.......Yep, got them really cold.......took the butter knife and went around the edge and then kinda twist them.......not one broke.....I have the knack for them now and can take *pretty* ones on Christmas!!

Thanks for sharing this.......and best of all they are gluten free with my flour and there is no difference.......I am happy!!

[party_music50]

Well, that's fantastic! Glad you like them and glad you found the trick! (I thought of trying to let them cool, but was worried that they'd stick so badly that I'd have to throw away the pans. lol!)

That also tells me that any recipe using small amounts of flour would be ideally suited to converting to 'gluten free'. Brownies comes to mind. And for cookies, something like a "Russian Tea Cake" where you could substitute cornstarch for the flour. If you're looking for a specific type of recipe that could be converted easier, let me know!

[Epona]

Ok, now I want one. Anyone take pics of their creations? I like to see them.