Buttered Pecan & Bittersweet Chocolate Muffins

Leaves are turning yellow and orange, the weather is getting cooler, days are shortening, and pecans up in pecan trees are ripening if they haven’t already—their husks will turn from green to brown and then split and crack. These buttered pecan and bittersweet chocolate muffins are just the ticket for cozy autumn mornings.

I’ll admit, muffins are breakfast items that I rarely eat. They have to be something special to tempt me, and these buttered pecan and bittersweet chocolate muffins are! They’re so delicious warm out of the oven (and smell like donuts). They somehow get even better with time so they can still be enjoyed days after. They are wonderful for a weekend treat or brunch!

Muffins can sometimes be a bit underwhelming. Three things help these muffins taste more elevated: a good dose of vanilla, toasted pecans with butter and sea salt, and chopped bittersweet chocolate.

Add at least 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla to this recipe. Muffins without vanilla are sad. I have had a beautiful looking blueberry muffin from a bakery that was tasteless. How is that even possible? Probably not enough vanilla.

A step above regular toasted nuts, the pecans are toasted in a skillet with melted butter to draw out their nutty oils, and then sprinkled with a touch of flaky sea salt. The sea salt not only enhances the flavor of the pecans, but the chocolate as well. This creates a richer, more flavorful muffin.

Adding chocolate can obviously make a muffin tasty. Bittersweet chocolate chopped into fine chunks add a sophisticated hit of chocolate in every bite. Using bittersweet chocolate prevents the muffins from tasting overly sweet.

BUTTERED PECAN & BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE MUFFINS

Makes 12 muffins in a standard muffin pan

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup (132 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (112 mL) grapeseed or other neutral oil
• 1 cup (240 mL) buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

INSTRUCTIONS

In a skillet over medium heat, melt one tablespoon of unsalted butter. Add the chopped pecans and reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir occasionally for three to five minutes until the pecans are fragrant and deepen in color. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and stir; set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a muffin pan with liners and grease them.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and chopped chocolate in a large mixing bowl, and create a well in the center. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, buttermilk, pecans, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the well in the dry ingredients and fold just until combined. Scoop the batter into the liners an extra generous three-quarters of the way to the top. Turn the oven down to 375° F and bake for 19-22 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

Let the muffins rest in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer the individual muffins on a wire rack to continue cooling.