Pumpkin Pecan Pie Muffins
Fall is my favorite time of year. I love the bright colors outside when the leaves begin to change, the warm smells in the kitchen of seasonal vegetables roasting and the crisp feeling of the chilly air when taking the dog for a walk in the afternoon sunshine…oh and November is my birthday month (only child syndrome!). Growing up everyone in my family loved Pumpkin Pie with Cool Whip at Thanksgiving…not me, I was a Pecan Pie and vanilla ice cream girl. My taste for all things pumpkin didn’t develop until later in life but now I simply cannot get enough of it…pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pie…the list is practically endless. Several years ago I found a recipe for the ultimate Thanksgiving dessert, Pumpkin Pecan Pie…it’s my new favorite but since following a paleo/primal diet I haven’t tried to adapt the recipe yet (don’t worry, the recipe WILL be adapted and posted before Thanksgiving this year!). I started my fall baking this season with these wonderful Pumpkin Pecan Pie Muffins…they are fruit sweetened, dairy free and great for breakfast, snack and even dessert!
Pumpkin Pecan Pie Muffins
Makes about 24 muffins
2 large ripe bananas
1/2 cup medjool dates, pitted and soaked (about 6-8 dates)
5 eggs
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh roasted)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 /2 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice (or more/less according to your taste)
1/2 cup of pecans, chopped
24 pecan halves (optional, for topping)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper liners or grease well with coconut oil.
- Place pitted dates in a bowl, cover with very hot water and soak for about 10 minutes, drain well after soaking.
- To a blender add bananas, pumpkin, dates, vanilla, eggs, and melted coconut oil. Puree until smooth.
- Sift all dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.
- Add wet ingredients to the dry and stir until there are no lumps.
- Stir in chopped pecans.
- Divide evenly between the muffin cups (I use an ice cream scoop which is about 1/4 cup of batter).
- Place one pecan half on top of each muffin.
- Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool completely on rack before serving.
Recipe Tips…
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice add: 2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cloves instead
- You could omit the coconut oil and add and extra 1/4 cup of pumpkin
- Make these an even more decadent dessert by adding 1/2 cup 70% (or greater) dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs for a completely sugar-free recipe
- Top with a dollop of whipped coconut cream or if you tolerate dairy a dollop of fresh whipped cream
Enjoy the taste of pumpkin pecan pie everyday, guilt-free!
This recipe is shared at:
Simply Living Healthy 
Great recipes, I love how they look. Cooked pecans as simply incredible too.
Wow, these loo fabulous and I have all the ingred in my kitchen at this very moment. I also have a weaknessfor pecan pie. Fabulous!
These look absolutely wonderful and I have been digging on pecans lately.
I’m always looking for new pumpkin recipes and I make muffins all the time for a quick breakfast. These look great. Hope to try them soon.
I like to make a big batch and keep them in the freezer…they don’t freeze hard so they are really grab and go! Hope you enjoy them.
These look delicious. And what’s not to love about the ingredients you use?
These look very tasty (I love pretty much anything pumpkin!) And I’m curious about the diet you follow?? I always find it interesting when I see different ingredients than I’d normally use in recipes. Thanks for sharing!
I used to sell a mix called Pecan Pie Muffins and they went like hot cakes. I’m always trying to replicate them, but they are never at bit healthy. This loooks like a great alternative. 🙂
These muffins are so moist from the pumpkin and plenty sweet from the dates with that caramelly pecan pie filing taste…I hope they hit the spot for you!
Thanks for your sweet comment on my Cinnamon Sugar Scones. I hope that you try something similar and grain free. Feel free to link up to my Must Try Mondays, too. These muffins look so good!
Hello! Stopping by for the first time because i was excited when I saw pecan pie in your title. I am ‘a Pecan Pie and vanilla ice cream girl’ too! They sure do look good! So nice visiting with you!
Kindly, Lorraine
Thanks for linking your great post to FAT TUESDAY. These look fantastic! Hope to see you next week!
Be sure to visit RealFoodForager.com on Sunday for Sunday Snippets – your post from Fat Tuesday may be featured there!
http://realfoodforager.com/2011/10/fat-tuesday-november-1-2011/
If you have grain-free recipes please visit my Grain-Free Linky Carnival in support of my 28 day grain-free challenge! It will be open until November 2.
http://realfoodforager.com/2011/10/grain-free-real-food-linky-carnival/
Visiting from Tasty Tuesday.. .these sound wonderful! Thanks for sharing.. I know some pecan pie lovers that will love these!
I always have a difficult time manipulating ingredients to replace more than 3 eggs in a recipe, but sounds so tasty I may still have to give it a try 🙂
Looks great. Will have to try this soon.
This great post is featured at Sunday Snippets this week! Thanks for sharing! Come and check it out!
http://realfoodforager.com/2011/11/sunday-snippets-november-6-2011/
These sound heavenly! Should I decide to share them, any suggestions on what to replace the coconut flour with for my coconut-allergic-pumpkin-lovin’ sister-in-law?
I would sub 2 cups almond flour for the coconut flour reduce it to 2 eggs…or if you have use happen to have any peanut flour around it can be subbed out equally for the coconut flour.
Thanks! I’ll have to test it out.