Equipment Needed
- 12-cup standard muffin tin
- Muffin liners (paper or silicone)
- Two mixing bowls (one medium, one large)
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cooling rack
Step-by-Step Instructions
First, I always start by preheating my oven to 350°F (175°C) and lining my muffin tin with papers. This recipe doesn’t use any leavening agents like baking powder, so getting the oven hot and ready is crucial for the right rise and texture. In my medium bowl, I whisk together the flour and chopped pecans. This little step of coating the pecans in flour helps prevent them from all sinking to the bottom during baking—a tip I learned after a batch where all the nuts congregated sadly at the base.
Now, in the larger bowl, it’s time for the wet ingredients. I whisk the eggs vigorously for a good 30 seconds until they’re well beaten and slightly frothy. Then, I stream in the melted (but not piping hot) butter while whisking constantly. Next comes the brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. I switch to a spatula here and mix until it’s a smooth, glossy, caramel-colored batter. You’ll notice it’s quite thin, and that’s exactly right—don’t panic.
Here’s the fun, almost magical part: I pour the dry pecan-flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Using my spatula, I fold it together just until combined. The batter will transform right before your eyes, thickening into a lovely, glossy, pecan-studded mixture that’s like a thick cake batter. Be careful not to overmix; a few streaks of flour are fine. I use a cookie scoop or two spoons to divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups—they should be about 3/4 full. I press one whole pecan gently onto the top of each mound of batter.
Into the oven they go for 20-22 minutes. The key sign of doneness isn’t a toothpick coming out clean (it often won’t, and that’s good!), but the tops looking set, dry, and beautifully cracked. The edges will also pull away slightly from the liners. I let them cool in the pan for exactly 5 minutes—any longer and they can start to steam and get soggy. Then, I transfer them to a cooling rack. The hardest part is waiting for them to cool enough to eat without burning your mouth!(See the next page below to continue…)