Butternut Squash Pecan Muffins

Warmly spiced butternut squash muffins make you look forward to fall. To make it easier, you can use frozen cubed butternut squash.

Ingredients

• 0.5 pound butternut squash, cubed
• 0.5 cup white sugar
• 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
• 0.5 cup whole wheat flour
• 0.5 cup wheat bran
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 0.75 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 0.25 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon ground ginger
• 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 0.25 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 0.25 teaspoon ground star anise
• 0.25 teaspoon ground allspice
• 0.75 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 0.5 cup crushed pecans, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar, or to taste

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread butternut squash over a baking sheet.
2. Bake in the preheated oven until soft, about 25 minutes. Remove and let cool. Leave oven on. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
3. Combine white sugar, all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, wheat bran, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, star anise, and allspice in a large bowl.
4. Mix milk, egg, and oil in another bowl. Mash cooled squash with a fork; mix into the milk mixture. Pour over flour mixture and fold until combined.
5. Scoop 1/3 of the batter into each muffin cup. Combine pecans and brown sugar in a small bowl; sprinkle over the muffins.
6. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 minutes.