Pumpkin Muffins with Brown Sugar Pecans (gluten free & egg free)

Photo Credit: The' N. Pham

Pumpkin Muffins with Brown Sugar Pecans (gluten free, egg free)

Makes: 12 muffins

1 3/4 cup gluten free flour mix (I prefer Pamela's Bread Mix because it DOES NOT already have salt or baking soda/powder in the mix)

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

1 teaspoon vanilla or vanilla paste

1/2 cup oil (I use canola)

3 tablespoons maple syrup

3 tablespoons water

1 cup chopped brown sugar pecans (see recipe below)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put liners in 12 standard-sized muffin cups. 

Make brown sugar pecans. 

In a large bowl add flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix well to combine.

In a small bowl, mix together pumpkin, vanilla, oil, maple syrup and water. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and combine (by hand) until just moistened. Batter will be thick. Fold in brown sugar pecans.

Divide batter among muffin cups (each about 3/4 full) and sprinkle chopped brown sugar pecans on top. 

Bake until toothpick into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 to 35 minutes. (Please remember that oven temperatures can vary, so pay close attention while muffins are baking.)

Cool in cupcake pan on a cooling rack for five minutes. 

Transfer muffins from pan to rack until warm or room temperature.

Note: If you would like muffins to be dairy free, use plain pecans in place of brown sugar pecans.

Brown Sugar Pecans

Makes: 4 cups

1/2 cup butter (one stick)
1  cup brown sugar

1  teaspoon vanilla
4 cups pecans

Place butter in 1 1/2 quart casserole in microwave. Melt (about one minute). 

Stir in brown sugar and vanilla. Microwave on high for two minutes. Mix well to combine butter and sugar. Add pecans and mix to coat. 

Place pecans on lined cookie sheet and bake at 350F for eight minutes. Allow pecans to cool. 

Take one cup of pecans and chop into small pieces for the muffin mix. Store extra in airtight container and try not to eat them all in one day… they are addicting!