Recipe: Sweet Potato Muffins with Pecan Streusel

As these muffins bake, the aroma conjures a crisp fall morning, crinkly leaf-­lined sidewalks and all. The contrast of crunchy streusel and moist, tender muffin is classic for a reason, and I adore the added toastiness whole grains bring to the bash.

Any whole wheat flour will work, but I urge you to use a red wheat (see My Favorite Flours, page 313). When choosing a flour variety, I follow the advice of California-­based miller and grain advocate Nan Kohler and use the logic of food and wine pairings. Just like you’d marry hearty meats with bold red wines, warm fall flavors meld with darker, nuttier red wheats. Combined with mashed sweet potato, toasted nuts, and a touch of spice, a feisty red wheat can find its groove dancing to a more mellow tune.

I love baking with sweet potatoes as a pumpkin alternative. The latter already gets plenty of play in the fall. Plus, sweet potato prep is quick and easy. Since they’re smaller, you can just boil as many as needed. For this recipe, you can mash them in advance and keep them in the fridge for about 3 days or in the freezer for up to a month.

Sweet Potato Muffins with Pecan Streusel

Makes 12 muffins

Equipment: muffin tin

For the pecan streusel

10 pecan halves

3 tablespoons whole-­grain hard red wheat flour, such as Turkey Red or Red Fife

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Pinch of ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-­inch (1.25 cm) cubes

For the muffin batter

1 large sweet potato (195 to 225 g/7 to 8 ounces), peeled and cut into 2-­inch (5 cm) chunks

1¼ cups (165 g) whole-­grain all-­purpose or hard red wheat flour, such as Sonora or Red Fife

1 teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon kosher salt

⅔ cup packed (150 g) dark brown sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk

⅓ cup (80 ml) vegetable oil

⅓ cup (50 g) golden raisins (optional)

1. Place an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Scatter the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until a nut cut in half is golden inside. Let the pecans cool. Chop the toasted pecans into pieces.
3. Increase the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).
4. For the streusel, combine the flour, sugars, salt, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Add the butter cubes and toss to combine. Quickly cut the butter cubes in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles a coarse meal with pieces the size of peas. Add the chopped pecans and toss to combine. Refrigerate the streusel until ready to use.
5. Put the sweet potato in a small saucepan and cover with water. Boil for 25 to 30 minutes, until very tender when poked with a fork. Drain, transfer to a bowl, and mash with the back of a fork while the potato is still warm. Let the mash cool completely before using. You can make the mash up to 3 days ahead and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
6. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Using your hands, make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, egg, egg yolk, buttermilk, oil, and ¾ cup (180 ml) of the sweet potato mash. Pour the liquid mixture into the well in the dry ingredients and whisk slowly from the center out to draw the dry ingredients into the liquids. Then whisk vigorously to ensure the batter is well combined. Stir in the golden raisins, if using.
7. Coat a muffin tin lightly with nonstick spray.
8. Evenly distribute the muffin batter, filling each cup almost to the top. Top each muffin with a spoonful of streusel. Bake for 12 minutes. Then rotate the tin and bake for 12 minutes more, or until the muffins turn golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
9. Let the muffins sit until cool enough to handle. Carefully release the muffins from the tin, running an offset spatula or a paring knife along the edges if necessary. Serve at room temperature. The muffins will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Excerpted from Morning Baker: Recipes and Rituals for Breakfast and Beyond. Copyright ©2026 by Roxana Jullapat. Used with permission of the publisher, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Photographs by Kristin Teig.