Pumpkin Hazelnut Muffin
This is one of those seasonal recipes, that you start to crave around September | October time frame. These Pumpkin Hazelnut Muffins have a tender crumb, full of pumpkin flavor, along with the spices that enhance the monotone essence of the winter squash while being very moist and satisfying.
Here are a few of my thoughts and checkboxes I wanted to have, making these muffins stand out, better than store-bought and to become a Traditional in the baking spirit:
- Toasted hazelnuts are ground into a nut flour while mixing with a lovely blend of Fall spices. This adds to the wonderful texture while adding to the earthy, nutty flavors found in the pumpkin purée.
- Not gummy, as some baked products containing pumpkin can be dense, heavy, almost sticky.
- Finding balance, being slightly sweet, not clogging. Using a blend of light & dark sugars adds depth while being just sweet enough, with the ratio. Maple sugar could be replaced to add enhance the Autumn element.
- Bright flavors, using fresh, some grated into the bowl spices. Having a good blend of flavors, while not overdoing it, resulting in a spiced muffin, not a pumpkin hazelnut muffin. Also adding some fresh orange | citrus zest, adding a touch of acid, and brightening the flavors.
- Thinking about the final flavor, I wanted to add that extra pop, that savory yet sweet element, that fermented twang; miso. While optional, the addition of white miso to baked goods is something I’ve been playing with and enjoying the results.
- Using buttermilk | sour cream | Mexican crème | crème fraîche | yogurt aides in the finished texture of the baked good. The dairy in these formats coats the flour, helps prevent gluten forming while helping keep them moist for a day or two.
This thought process helped identify the ingredients used, why they are added, and what they help achieve in the finished muffin. With the testing of this recipe, these were the things that were adjusted and tweaked to get that right flavor, texture, sweetness, a balance that a muffin should have.
This Pumpkin Hazelnut Muffin recipe has a tender crumb, full of pumpkin flavor, along with just enough the spices that enhance the monotone essence of the squash while being very moist and satisfying!
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 12-14 muffins | 10 minute |
| Cook Time |
| 30 minute |
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This Pumpkin Hazelnut Muffin recipe has a tender crumb, full of pumpkin flavor, along with just enough the spices that enhance the monotone essence of the squash while being very moist and satisfying!
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Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup hazelnuts, shelled, and toasted
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, Ceylon ground
- 1 teaspoon salt, kosher
- 3/4 teaspoon ginger, ground
-
1/2 teaspoon
nutmeg, freshly grated on a Microplane Zester | Grater
- 1/2 teaspoon clove, ground
- 1/3 cup sugar, light brown
- 1/3 cup sugar, dark brown
- 2 1/2 cup flour, all-purpose
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter, unsalted melted
- 1 cup yogurt, whole milk, plain,
- 1 cup pumpkin purée, preferably organic
- 1/2 cup sour cream | Mexican crème | crème fraîche
- 2 each eggs, extra large
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract preferably Bourbon based
- 1 tablespoon miso, white (optional)
-
1 each
orange | tangerine | blood orange | tangelo zested | grated on a Microplane Zester | Grater
Servings: muffins
Units:
Instructions
Dry Ingredient Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375˚F | 191°C
- Place the toasted hazelnuts into the bowl of a food processor, fitted with a blade attachment. Add the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, clove, light & dark brown sugar and seal with its lid. Pulse the mixture several times, to start to break up the hazelnuts into a fine powder. Having added the spices and sugars will prevent the hazelnuts from being ground into nut butter while pulverizing the nut to a fine flour. This will also mix the baking powder, baking soda, and salt well into the final mix. Add in the remaining flour, and pulse until the dry ingredients are uniform throughout the mixture.
Wet Ingredient Direction:
- In a 2 cup liquid measuring cup, add the butter and place it into the microwave. Set the timer for 2 minutes and press start; watch the butter until it is just melted and remove.
- Add the melted butter to a medium-size bowl. Measure and add the yogurt, pumpkin purée, sour cream | Mexican crème | crème fraîche, eggs, vanilla extract, and white miso (if using). The miso will add a wonderful pop of umami, that blended with the fall spices, the earthy pumpkin, and molasses rich sugars. Using a whisk, blend these ingredients together for a minute, incorporating all the ingredients together.
- Pour the Dry Ingredients on top of the Wet Ingredients and fold together using a spatula. Mix the batter it just comes together, with no more flour ribbons.
- Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, fill a lightly greased muffin tin 2/3 of the way full with the batter. One can use baking cups | muffin cups if they wish.
- To bake, place in the center of the oven, baking for about 30 minutes or the internal temperature of the muffins reads 205°F | 96°C on a thermometer.
- This Pumpkin Hazelnut Muffin can also be topped with a Hazelnut Crumble, chopped toasted hazelnuts, a pumpkin spice sugar, or flaked oats | rye | barley | wheat. All these additions will add texture and emphasize other flavors to the finished muffin.
Recipe Notes
Pumpkin Hazelnut Muffin Recipe Variations:
- Instead of using hazelnuts, try almonds, pecans, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds. Still toast the nut or seed, to add that extra complexity to the first bite.
- Add 2 tablespoons of minced crystallized ginger, for extra zing!
- Use a tablespoon of orange marmalade instead of the citrus zest
- Frost with a Maple Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting to make them into cupcakes
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