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Earlier this year, I decided to try to make cookies using butternut squash. After I baked them and gave one to Brian, he said “wow, these are tasty… but I think they’d be better as muffins!” and thus my Butternut Pecan Muffin recipe was born. As with all of our recipes, these muffins are completely oil-free and plant-based. You can check out the video here or scroll below to print out the recipe.
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The key to making these muffins is to get a good silicone muffin pan. I really like this one from Trudeau because it has a metal rim that gives it the same structure and stability as a normal muffin pan, but the cups are nonstick and flexible, making it really easy to remove your muffins with minimal mess.
For the dry ingredients, I started with oat flour, which I make myself by simply adding old-fashioned rolled oats to my Vitamix and pulsing for a few seconds. I also wanted to give it a nice pecan flavor, so I made my own “pecan flour,” which is basically just pecans that are ground up really finely. I experimented with just using those two as my flour base, but ultimately decided to add in just a bit of whole wheat flour as well. I also added in some cinnamon and baking soda.
For the wet ingredients, this beautiful butternut squash purée I made in our last video takes center stage. If you missed that video, check it out here to see how I roast the squash and make it into a purée. I also make my own date paste by blending equal parts pitted Medjool dates and hot water. Freshly squeezed lemon juice and vanilla extract round out the wet ingredients. When I first made these, I felt like they needed just a touch more sweetness, so I also add in some raisins at the end.
The recipe as it is written below will only make about six regular size muffins, but you can always double it to fill your entire pan. I like to use a cookie scoop to help me transfer the mixture into the cups. The key is to also use a spatula to make sure your batter gets pushed down into the bottom of the cups so your muffins don’t turn out lumpy.
After about 25 minutes in the oven, you’ll have delicious muffins! Just let them cool for a bit in the silicone baking pan and they will pop right out. These will keep for several days at room temperature, or you can extend their life by refrigerating or freezing them.
Be sure to watch the video to see us make the recipe and get even more tips!
Jessica's Butternut Pecan Muffins
Ingredients
- – 1 cup oat flour
- – 1/2 cup pecans, finely ground into a flour-like consistency
- – 1/4 cup whole wheat flour (our favorite is King Arthur Organic White Whole Wheat Flour)
- – 2 tsp cinnamon
- – 1 tsp baking soda
- – 1 cup cooked butternut squash purée
- – 1/4 cup date paste
- – 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- – 1 tsp vanilla extract
- – 1/4 cup unsweetened raisins
- – OPTIONAL: Pecan halves for topping
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Add dry ingredients (oat flour, ground pecans, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, baking soda) to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add wet ingredients (puréed butternut squash, date paste, lemon juice, vanilla) and gently stir to combine.
- Add raisins and stir to combine.
- Use a cookie scoop or spoon to fill a silicone muffin pan, pushing down gently with a spatula to make sure you fill the bottom of the cups. Top each muffin with a pecan half (or quarter for mini muffins).
- If using a standard size muffin pan, bake for 25 minutes. For a mini muffin pan, bake for 14 minutes.
- Let cool and remove from the pan. Enjoy!
Makes approximately 6 regular size muffins or 20 mini muffins.
- NOTES:
- *For the oat flour, we like to make our own by simply adding old fashioned rolled oats into our Vitamix and pulsing for a few seconds until it reaches a flour-like consistency.
- *For the butternut squash, we roast it whole at 375°F for 40-60 minutes, until the outside is very bubbly and the inside is tender. Then let cool, cut in half, and scoop out the seeds. Add the remaining insides of the squash to a food processor and process until you get a purée. You can watch our butternut squash video here to see that process.
- *For the date paste, you can make your own by blending equal parts pitted Medjool dates and hot water in a high-speed blender. It works best if you let the dates soak for a few minutes prior to blending. Store any extras in your fridge.
- *The muffins are not super sweet, but that’s how we like them! If you prefer a sweeter muffin, you can add extra date paste.
Baking is something I used to love doing prior to going to plant-based, so it’s always fun to come up with recipes that I can still feel good about eating.
These are perfect for any time of the day! We like to eat them with a banana for breakfast. You can also add a little bit of nut butter for an extra decadent treat.
As always, we’d love to hear from you if you make the recipe. You can find us on Instagram and Facebook – don’t forget to tag us if you post a photo!
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Trudeau Structured Silicone Muffin Pan, 12 Cup Regular, Confetti/Fuschia
Trudeau Structure Silicone Muffin Pan, 24 Cup Mini, Confetti/Fuschia
Cookie Scoop Set – 1 Tbsp / 2 Tbsp / 3 Tbsp
Vitamix A2500 Ascent Series Smart Blender, 64 oz. Container, White
Cuisinart CFP-9GMPCY Food Processor, 9-Cup, Gunmetal
Smithcraft Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons Set, Stainless Steel, 8 Measuring cups, 9 Measuring Spoons
This is a wonderful recipe! The muffins are just right not too moist nor too sweet. They hold their shape well. We just returned from a 2 week trip to the Oregon coast and took these to have as part of our breakfast each day. They stayed nice in the cooler and were so fragile that we were worried they would fall apart. Our only complaint is that I made only a double batch and they ran out too soon!!! Stopped at our favorite melon stand in Utah on the way home and got a couple of butternut squash to roast to make more. Thank you for these!