
Notes
INGREDIENTS: brown butter sweet potato mixture (makes 12 regular OR 6 jumbo):
- 1 3/4 cups (210g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp (8g) baking powder
- 1/2 tsp (3g) baking soda
- 2 tsp (4g) cinnamon
- Optional: 1 tsp (2g) pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp (3g) salt
- 1/2 cup (113g) salted butter
- 3/4 cup (180g) brown sugar, light or dark
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 11/3 cups (320g) sweet potato purée
- 1/3 cup (80g) Greek yogurt or sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 tsp (4g) vanilla bean paste or extract
INGREDIENTS: Cream Cheese Filling
- 8oz (1 block; 250g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (55g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp (4g) vanilla bean paste or extract
- Pinch of salt
INGREDIENTS: Brown Sugar Pecan Streusel
- 1/2 cup (55g) chopped pecans
- 5 tbsp (72g) brown sugar, light or dark
- 1 tsp (2g) cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp (1g) salt
- 3 tbsp (42g) salted butter, softened
INSTRUCTIONS: brown butter sweet potato mixture
1) Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with 6 muffin liners (you can use two muffin pans if desired, meaning you'll only fill every other muffin well with batter (this prevents overcrowding and helps create the classic muffin top). OR line a 6-cup jumbo muffin pan with 3 liners (again, you can use two muffin pans if desired). This isn't completely necessary, but I love how the muttins turn out like this! If you only have one pan and want to stick to one round of baking, line all of the muffin wells with liners. Set aside.
2) Start by browning the butter for the muffins. Add the butter to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Allow to melt and brown, while stirring continuously (~5-8 minutes). Once the brown butter reaches a deep golden amber color and smells nutty, remove from the heat and immediately pour into a large bowl. Set aside to cool slightly (about 15-20 minutes).
3) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice (if using), and salt. Set aside.
4) To the bowl with the cooled brown butter, add the brown sugar, eggs, sweet potato purée, Greek yogurt or sour cream, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined and smooth.
5) Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and use a wooden spoon or spatula to fold until just combined and there are no flour streaks.
6) Cover the bowl and allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes; do not skip this!
7) After 15 minutes, scoop and divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, filling them to the rim
8) Snip the tip off of the piping bag with the cream cheese filling (or the corner of the ziplock bag, and place it into the center of the batter for each muffin, pushing it about halfway down. Press down to squeeze, pulling up slowly in a circular motion to make a little swirl at the top to fill out a small circle at the surface of the batter, so the cream cheese is exposed.
9) Then, sprinkle the cinnamon pecan streusel on top of the muftins, placing it around the cream cheese.
10) For regular-sized muffins: bake at 425F for 5 minutes.
Then turn the oven temperature down to 350F and bake for another 15-18 minutes, until they feel firm when pressed and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
For jumbo muffins: bake at 425F for 5 minutes. Then turn the oven temperature down to 350F and bake for another 25-28 minutes.
Remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
Serve the muffins warm with a hot cup of coffee.
Enjoy!
INSTRUCTIONS: cream cheese filling
1) In a medium bowl, use a handheld electric mixer to beat the cream cheese to smooth.
2) Then beat in sugar, vanilla, and salt for about 2 minutes, until very smooth and creamy. Transfer the cream cheese filling to a piping bag or a large ziplock bag.
INSTRUCTIONS: brown butter pecan
1) In a medium bowl, mix together the pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
2) Then add in the softened butter, and use your hands or a fork to mash together until it forms a crumble.