Looking for a cozy fall treat? My sweet potato muffins are the perfect addition to your autumn repertoire! Packed with flavorful spices, these muffins are moist on the inside with a perfect crumbly pecan streusel on top. Whether you’re looking for a quick breakfast option or something warm and comforting to enjoy with your afternoon coffee, these muffins have got you covered. Plus, they’re also great for prep and storage — if you can resist eating them all fresh out of the oven!
Let’s make it together! This recipe is divided up into steps, so it’s easy to follow along for beginner or intermediate bakers.
The Ingredients You Need
Sweet potato muffins require a few basic pantry ingredients along with those lovely roasted sweet potatoes, which give a natural sweetness and depth of flavor. The best part? These muffins are made with real sweet potatoes, not canned puree, so you’ll have that authentic, rich flavor in every bite.
Muffin Ingredients:
- Sweet potato puree: 3-4 medium sweet potatoes (roast ahead of time) or 1 ¼ cup store-bought puree
- Flour: 1¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- Baking powder: 2 teaspoons
- Baking soda: ¼ teaspoon
- Cinnamon: 2 teaspoons (adds warmth and spice)
- Nutmeg: 1 teaspoon (for an extra touch of fall flavor)
- Salt: ½ teaspoon
- Oil or butter: ½ cup (118 ml) canola oil, vegetable oil, or melted butter for moisture
- Sugar: ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar and ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar for sweetness
- Eggs: 2 large room-temperature eggs (this helps bind everything)
- Sour cream: ½ cup (120 g) for tenderness and richness
Pecan Streusel Ingredients:
For that crunchy, sweet topping:
- Pecans: ½ cup chopped pecans
- Brown sugar: ⅓ cup (67 g) light brown sugar brings the perfect caramelized flavor
- Cinnamon: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: ¼ teaspoon
- Butter: 3 tablespoons melted butter
Required Kitchen Tools
Before we get started on the actual baking of these sweet potato muffins, let’s make sure we have the right tools in place. A well-prepared kitchen can really make the baking process smooth and enjoyable!
- Baking sheet: This is for roasting the sweet potatoes.
- Food processor: To puree the sweet them once they are cool (or you can mash them by hand).
- Two muffin pans (12 ct each): If you’re baking a double batch or want ease, line them with cupcake liners.
- Three mixing bowls: Two for dry and wet ingredients, one for the streusel.
- Whisk or flexible spatula: For mixing the batter.
- Large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons): Optional but helpful if you want to portion the batter equally into the liners!
Getting Started: Roast Your Sweet Potatoes
Now that we’ve got our ingredients and tools ready, we’ll start by prepping the sweet potatoes since we need them to be tender enough to mash or puree.
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scrub your sweet potatoes and poke them 5-6 times with a fork. Roast for about 40-45 minutes, or until they’re fork-tender.
- Step 2: Let them cool to room temperature. Scoop out the flesh and puree it in a food processor until smooth. You’ll need 1¼ cups of sweet potato puree for the muffins. If you’re using canned puree, no roasting required!
Mixing The Dry and Wet Ingredients
Alright, now that we have our roasted and pureed sweet potato ready, it’s time to combine the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately. This ensures the muffins have the perfect blend of flavor and consistency.
Step 1: Prepare The Dry Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the following dry ingredients:
- 1¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
Give everything a good whisk to make sure it’s evenly mixed. This will help the spices and leavening agents (baking powder and baking soda) disperse evenly throughout the batter, so every muffin gets a nice rise and flavor.
Step 2: Prepare The Wet Ingredients
In a separate mixing bowl, we’ll now work on the wet ingredients:
- ½ cup (118 ml) canola, vegetable oil, or melted butter (your choice!)
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ½ cup (120 g) sour cream, at room temperature
Whisk these ingredients together until smooth, making sure to break the eggs completely into the mix and ensuring the sugars dissolve nicely into the oil or butter. The sour cream will add a lot of tenderness to your muffins and will help make them extra soft.
Step 3: Add Sweet Potato Puree
Now, take the 1 ¼ cup (or canned if using) of sweet potato puree and whisk it into the wet ingredients. Stir until everything is well combined and smooth, ensuring there are no lumps of sweet potato floating around.
Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Now it’s time to bring the two bowls together!
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, gently folding everything together using a whisk or flexible spatula. Mix just until combined — you don’t want to overmix, as this can make the muffins tough. Overmixing can activate the gluten in the flour, causing your muffins to be denser instead of light and fluffy.
- Once the dry and wet ingredients are just combined, set the bowl with the batter aside. Cover it with a clean dish towel or lid and allow the batter to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes . This step also gives time for the oven to preheat!
Rest The Batter & Preheat The Oven:
Resting the muffin batter will allow the dry ingredients to fully absorb the liquid, making the muffin texture even better once baked. While the batter is resting, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) .
While it’s resting, we’ll move on to preparing that amazing cinnamon pecan streusel.
Making The Cinnamon Pecan Streusel
Now let’s create the crunchy, buttery streusel that will top each muffin with irresistible flavor and texture. The combination of sweet pecans, cinnamon, and brown sugar really takes these muffins to the next level!
Step 1: Prepare The Streusel
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the following ingredients:
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ⅓ cup (67 g) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Once combined, pour in the 3 tablespoons (45 ml) melted butter . Stir the mixture gently with a fork to ensure everything is coated evenly with the butter and begins to form small crumbs. You should end up with a moist, crumbly-textured mixture that holds together slightly when pressed between your fingers.
Step 2: Chill The Streusel
Pop the streusel mixture into the fridge while you start prepping the muffin pans. Chilling will help the butter firm up and create those wonderful, crispy crumbles when baked.
Step 3: Prepare The Muffin Pans
While your batter rests and the streusel chills, take a moment to prepare your muffin pans.
- Grease (2) 12-cup muffin pans or line them with cupcake liners . If you’re using liners, it will prevent sticking and result in prettier muffins. If you’re baking in two batches, no worries — you can use the same pan twice.
If you have a cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons in size), it’s perfect for easily portioning the batter. If not, a large spoon will work just fine as well.
Step 4: Fill The Muffin Cups
Once your muffin batter has rested and the oven has preheated to 375°F (190°C), it’s time to divide the batter into the prepared muffin cups:
- Using your cookie scoop (or spoon), scoop equal portions of batter into each lined muffin cup. Fill them about ¾ full to allow for enough rise. Since we’re making a dozen muffins, alternate filling every other cup in both muffin trays, making sure that the batter is evenly distributed.
Step 5: Add The Streusel Topping
Now grab that chilled pecan streusel from the fridge!
- Gently spoon (or crumble) 1-2 tablespoons of streusel over each muffin, pressing it lightly onto the batter so it adheres. Don’t skip this step — you want to make sure the streusel sticks to the top and bakes into a deliciously crunchy layer.
Step 6: Bake The Muffins
It’s finally time to bake your sweet potato muffins!
- Slide your muffin pans into the preheated oven and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 18-22 minutes .
- To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of one of the muffins. If it comes out clean, or with only a few moist crumbs (not wet batter), your muffins are ready.
- Another way to check for doneness is to gently press the top of a muffin with your finger — if it bounces back, the muffins are done.
Once baked, let the muffins rest for 5-10 minutes inside the pan before carefully transferring them to a cooling rack.
Cool, Serve, and Store Your Sweet Potato Muffins
Now that your sweet potato muffins have baked to golden perfection, it’s time to cool them down and enjoy! Here’s how to cool and store them correctly for maximum freshness and flavor.
Step 1: Cool The Muffins
Once you’ve removed the muffins from the oven:
- Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes . This helps them set and makes them easier to handle.
- After they’ve had a few minutes to cool, carefully remove each muffin from the pan and transfer them to a cooling rack . Allow them to cool completely to room temperature before serving or storing. If you serve them too hot, the muffins may fall apart, and the flavors won’t have fully developed yet.
Serving Suggestions
These muffins are incredibly versatile and delicious on their own, but if you’re feeling fancy, you can serve them with:
- A drizzle of honey or maple syrup for extra sweetness.
- A swipe of softened butter , cream cheese, or your favorite nut butter adds richness and complements the spices.
- A side of Greek yogurt with berries for a balanced breakfast treat.
- Pair with a warm cup of coffee or tea for the perfect cozy afternoon snack.
These sweet potato muffins are best enjoyed fresh and warm, but if you’d like to save some for later, here’s how to store them.
Step 2: Storage Instructions
Storing At Room Temperature:
- Place leftover muffins in an airtight container or tightly wrap them in plastic wrap or foil.
- They will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 2 days. Tip: Lining the container with a paper towel will help absorb moisture and prevent them from becoming too soggy.
Storing In The Fridge:
- If you’d like to keep them fresh for longer, these muffins store well in the fridge for up to 5 days . Just pop the muffins in a sealed container, and when you’re ready to enjoy, reheat them for a few seconds in the microwave for a warm, fresh-out-of-the-oven feel.
Step 3: Freezing Muffins
Sweet potato muffins freeze beautifully, so feel free to make a big batch and enjoy them anytime by following these steps:
- Cool completely before freezing to prevent sogginess.
- Place the muffins in a single layer inside a freezer-safe bag or container. For extra protection against freezer burn, you can individually wrap them in plastic wrap or aluminum foil before placing them in the bag.
- Label the container with the date, and they’ll stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months .
To Reheat:
- To thaw frozen sweet potato muffins, just leave them at room temperature for about an hour or pop them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds . You can also reheat them in the oven at 300°F (150°C) for 10-15 minutes , which will bring back their delicious freshly-baked texture.
Conclusion
And there you have it—naturally sweet, cinnamon-spiced sweet potato muffins with the irresistible crunch of pecan streusel! I hope you enjoy baking and sharing this delicious fall-inspired treat. They’re great for grabbing on the go, serving at brunch, or even gifting to family and friends.
Whether you’re savoring them warm from the oven or rewarming a frozen batch, these muffins are guaranteed to bring a cozy touch to any occasion. Don’t forget to get creative with your toppings, and feel free to experiment by adding things like chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or even a cream cheese glaze.
Happy baking, and enjoy your sweet potato muffin masterpiece!
