PECAN PIE MUFFINS

Pecan Pie Muffins

For the muffins:
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup flour
2 large eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla


For the streusel:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped (optional)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
If you have a food processor, combine the brown sugar and pecans and grind them together in the food processor. (Otherwise, finely chop the pecans by hand.)
Add the pecans, brown sugar, and flour to a large bowl and make a well in the center of the mixture.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until foamy and stir in the butter and vanilla. Add the egg mixture to the well in the dry ingredients and stir everything together until combined well.
To make the streusel, put the flour, sugar, cinnamon, butter, and pecans (if desired) into a medium bowl and stir them together with a fork until combined well.
Generously grease your muffin pans and spoon batter into the cups, making sure to only fill each cup 2/3 of the way full.
Sprinkle the pecan streusel on top of each muffin, pressing lightly on each batch of streusel to make sure it sticks to the batter below.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until they pass the toothpick test – place a toothpick into the center of a muffin and if it comes out clean, the muffins are done.
Remove them from oven and take the muffins out of the pan immediately, and place them on wire cooling racks. Serve warm (and consider also serving with cream cheese).
Enjoy!