Sticky-Bun Pumpkin Muffins

by Cindy

I love all of the fall decorations and the pumpkins everywhere.  I like the fact that when I decorate for fall in September, the decorations can stay up for 3 months.  So we are baking with pumpkins this week, and my favorite pumpkin recipe is Pumpkin Roll (thanks Marilyn!), but that recipe is already here on the blog.  This recipe caught my eye and is from Southern Living.  Who doesn't like a sticky bun and why not make it with pumpkin?  These muffins taste really good.  They have a soft texture, and I love the crunchy pecans that are on top. They are easy to make and tasted wonderful with my coffee this morning. 

Sticky-Bun Pumpkin Muffins

Yield: Makes about 2 dozen

2 cups pecan halves and pieces

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 T light corn syrup

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 cups granulated sugar

1 T pumpkin pie spice

1 t baking soda

1 t salt

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin

1 cup canola oil

2/3 cup water

4 large eggs

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Bake pecans in a single layer in shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.

2.  Stir together melted butter and next 2 ingredients.  Spoon 1 rounded teaspoonful butter mixture into each cup of lightly greased 12-cup muffin pans, and top each with 1 rounded tablespoonful pecans. (Save excess for later).



3.  Stir together flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl, and make a well in center of mixture.  Whisk together pumpkin, next ingredients, and 2/3 cup water: add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. 



4.  Spoon batter into prepared muffin pans, filling 3/4 full.  Place an aluminum foil-lined jelly-roll pan on lower oven rack to catch any overflow.



5.  Bake at 350 degrees F on middle rack for 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Invert pan immediately to remove muffins, and arrange muffins on a wire rack.  Spoon any topping remaining in muffin cups over muffins.  Let cool 5 minutes.

Personal Note:

My muffins didn't take 25 minutes to bake, so check them after about 15 minutes with a toothpick.  I had enough extra batter that I could have made at least 6 more muffins, so keep that in mind if you want to make a few more then prepare another muffin pan.  With my excess batter I made 24 mini muffins.  I used the excess pecan mixture to sprinkle on top of the muffin dough instead of putting it in the bottom of the muffin pans.  I baked them about 13 minutes but checked often as to not overbake.       

recipe from

Southern Living