Warm, cozy and full of toasted crunch, these cinnamon pecan muffins are the ones I bake when the house needs to smell like a bakery. They are soft and buttery, packed with chopped pecans, and finished with a pecan half and a little cinnamon sugar on top.
Brown sugar and a good hit of cinnamon give them that warm, spiced flavor, while the pecans add crunch in every bite. They come together with simple pantry staples and no mixer. If you love that cozy cinnamon smell in the kitchen, serve them with a batch of air fryer cinnamon baked apples.
Quick navigation
Quick Rundown
Soft, buttery muffins spiced with cinnamon and studded with pecans, topped with a pecan half and a dusting of cinnamon sugar. The recipe makes 12 muffins, bakes in about 20 minutes at 375°F, and stores well all week. My kids grab them on the way out the door, and they are just as good with an afternoon coffee. If you love a from-scratch muffin, they are in good company with these almond flour lemon blueberry muffins.
This recipe was originally published on The Top Meal in February 2020 and has been updated with an improved recipe and better tips.
What Makes These Muffins Special
- Double cinnamon flavor. Cinnamon goes in the batter and gets sprinkled on top.
- Real pecan crunch. Toasty pecans folded through, plus a pretty pecan half on each muffin.
- Brown sugar depth. It adds moisture and a caramel-like warmth that loves cinnamon.
- No mixer needed. Two bowls, a whisk and a spoon.
- Make-ahead friendly. They keep for days and freeze well.
Recipe Ingredients
Here's everything you'll need to make these pancakes. Detailed amounts are in the recipe card.
All-purpose flour. The base for a soft, classic muffin crumb.
Brown sugar. Adds moisture and a deeper, caramel-like sweetness that pairs perfectly with cinnamon.
Cinnamon. The star spice, in the batter and sprinkled on top.
Pecans. Chopped and folded into the batter, plus a pecan half for the top of each muffin. Toast them first for extra flavor.
Eggs, oil and milk. The wet ingredients that keep these muffins tender and moist. Melted butter works in place of oil for a richer taste.
Baking powder, baking soda and salt. For a good rise and balanced flavor.
How to Make Cinnamon Pecan Muffins
These come together in one bowl of dry and one bowl of wet, then bake in about 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In one bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
- In another bowl, whisk the eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, milk and vanilla until smooth.
- Pour the wet into the dry and stir until just combined, then fold in the chopped pecans.
- Divide the batter among the cups, press a pecan half onto each, and sprinkle with a little cinnamon sugar.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing.
My Recipe Tips
Toast your pecans. A few minutes in a dry pan or the oven wakes up their flavor and makes the whole muffin taste richer.
Do not overmix the batter. Stir just until the flour disappears. Overmixing makes muffins tough and dense instead of light.
Fill the cups almost full. These muffins do not spread much, so filling them high gives you tall, bakery-style tops.
Add the cinnamon sugar right before baking. A quick sprinkle over the top gives that lightly crackly, sweet-spiced finish you can see on each muffin.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Check early. Ovens vary, so start checking at 18 minutes. A toothpick with a few moist crumbs means they are done.
Serving and Variations
A few easy ways to switch these up or serve them.
- Drizzle with a simple vanilla or maple glaze
- Swap pecans for walnuts or add a handful of both
- Stir in a diced apple for cinnamon apple pecan muffins
- Add a pinch of nutmeg or pumpkin spice for extra warmth
- Serve warm with a pat of butter or a smear of cream cheese
- Make them mini for lunchboxes, like these blueberry date banana mini muffins, checking a few minutes early
- Pair them with a cozy breakfast spread alongside a stack of Kodiak Cakes banana pancakes
- Pack a couple with a few banana oatmeal cookies for an easy snack box
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use pecans?
No. Walnuts are the easiest swap and taste just as good. You can also leave the nuts out entirely for plain cinnamon muffins.
Should I toast the pecans first?
It is optional but worth it. Toasting deepens their flavor and adds a little extra crunch. Just watch them closely so they do not burn.
Why are my muffins dense?
Usually it is from overmixing the batter. Stir just until the flour disappears, and your muffins will bake up light and soft.
Can I make these into a loaf?
Yes. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 45 to 55 minutes. It bakes up a lot like this triple coconut quick bread, just cinnamon-spiced.
Can I use a boxed mix?
You can stir cinnamon and pecans into a plain muffin mix in a pinch, the same trick behind these Bisquick strawberry muffins, but this from-scratch version has far better flavor.
What do you serve with these muffins?
They are lovely on their own with coffee and fresh fruit, or as part of a bigger fall breakfast with a plate of pumpkin spice waffles. For dessert, warm one up next to a scoop of Ninja Creami blueberry ice cream.
Storage and Reheating
Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container or freezer bag.
Reheat in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds, or in the air fryer at 350°F for 2 minutes.
More Recipes You'll Love
- Cranberry Blueberry Bread
- Fluffy Pancakes with Evaporated Milk
- Kodiak Cakes Crepes
- Ninja Creami Peach Ice Cream
- Pineapple Mango Lassi
Hope you love these cinnamon pecan muffins as much as my family does. Rate the recipe if you made it and leave a comment below if you have any questions or suggestions!
Recipe
Cinnamon Pecan Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup neutral oil or melted butter
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
- 12 pecan halves for topping
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar mixed with ½ teaspoon cinnamon for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In one bowl, whisk 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt and 1½ teaspoons cinnamon.
- In another bowl, whisk 2 eggs, ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup oil, ¾ cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined, then fold in ¾ cup chopped pecans.
- Divide the batter among the 12 muffin cups, filling each nearly full. Press 1 pecan half onto each and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar (1 tablespoon sugar mixed with ½ teaspoon cinnamon).
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing.
Susan G
Hi... looking forward to trying this Cinnamon muffin recipe however the Nutrition Info doesn’t look correct w/the High Carbs! 😵. Carbs & Sugar need to be adjusted.