Amazing Butternut Squash Muffins Recipe

Last week, Dale was in Nicaragua doing super cool coffee things. Because he’s cool and talented and interesting like that. While he was gone, I remembered a few things that I’d forgotten since having Dale around all the time:

  1. Sometimes, I forget to eat dinner.
  2. I’m pretty sure that my cat loves laying next to me on the couch more than anything in the entire world.
  3. I need someone around to talk to at home, otherwise, I descend into nonsensical one-sided conversations with my cat. It’s pretty normal.
  4. I get really cold at night. Like really.
Amazing Butternut Squash Muffins Recipe
Amazing Butternut Squash Muffins Recipe

So, while Dale was off doing adventurous, awesome things, I was here working on a paper, which I presented at a conference on Saturday, and I was working on a contract. Totally thrilling, right? Then, I roasted a butternut squash, stirred in some sugar and spices and things, sprinkled with streusel, and ate these muffins.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a huge pumpkin lover, aside from my serious adoration for pumpkin pie during the holidays. Squash on the other hand is a whole different story. I’ve been eating some maaad squash lately. Acorn squash stuffed with quinoa or sausage or veggies or all of the above. Creamy, sweet-spicy butternut squash soup. And apparently, butternut squash streusel muffins.

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Amazing Butternut Squash Muffins Recipe
Amazing Butternut Squash Muffins Recipe

I ate these muffins sitting on my balcony in sun beams, much like an aforementioned kitten, with a cup of V60-ed coffee drank out of a baby blue coffee cup, much like an aforementioned Dale. It was quite the perfect solitary late morning breakfast situation. Plus, these muffins are sort of to die for. And how could they not be–look at that color!

This is basically to tell you that you need not worry about Thanksgiving or next day breakfast. I’ve got you covered. A soft, warm, light muffin with a smear of butter and good cup of hot coffee is all you’ll need. What with the turkey-stuffing-tater-pie coma of the Thanksgiving meal. And it’s just spiced and squashy and fall-colored enough to keep with the holiday spirit. It’s a muffin kind of calm.

Amazing Butternut Squash Muffins Recipe

Amazing Butternut Squash Muffins Recipe
Amazing Butternut Squash Muffins Recipe

Makes 12 muffins

Aadapted from Pastry Affair

Streusel

  • 100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
  • 45 g (1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp.) all-purpose flour
  • 42 g (3 Tbsp.) cold butter, cubed

Muffins

  • 370 g (1 1/2 cups) fresh butternut squash puree (see instructions below)
  • 250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp. ground cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 60 ml (1/4 cup) vegetable oil
  • 108 g (1/2 cup packed) light brown sugar
  • 100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Make squash puree. Preheat oven to 400 F and line a cookie sheet with foil. Place one large butternut squash cut side down on the cookie sheet. Roast until fork tender, about 30 minutes (depending on the size of the squash). Let cool for 15-20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, scrape the soft squash from the skin into a fine mesh strainer. Press the squash lightly with a spatula to remove excess juices then transfer to a food processor and process until smooth. Refrigerate puree until ready to use. (Puree can be made ahead of time and refrigerated in an airtight container overnight for fresh muffins in the morning, as can the streusel topping.)

Amazing Butternut Squash Muffins Recipe
Amazing Butternut Squash Muffins Recipe

Make streusel. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar and flour. Work in butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Make muffins. Reduce oven heat to 350 F and line a regular muffin tin with baking cups. In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt to combine. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the butternut squash puree, oil, and sugars on low until combined. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Add vanilla and beat for a few seconds.

With mixer on low, incorporate dry ingredients until just combined. Pour batter into muffin cups until each is about 2/3 full and sprinkle generously, completely covering the top of the batter, with streusel. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and tops spring back when lightly pressed. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Amazing Butternut Squash Muffins Recipe
Amazing Butternut Squash Muffins Recipe
Amazing Butternut Squash Muffins Recipe

Amazing Butternut Squash Muffins Recipe

Natasha
As I've mentioned before, I'm not a huge pumpkin lover, aside from my serious adoration for pumpkin pie during the holidays. Squash on the other hand is a whole different story. I've been eating some maaad squash lately. Acorn squash stuffed with quinoa or sausage or veggies or all of the above. Creamy, sweet-spicy butternut squash soup. And apparently, butternut squash streusel muffins.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
10 mins 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American, Chinese
Servings 4 people
Calories 1900 kcal

Ingredients
  

Makes 12 muffins

    Streusel

    • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
    • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
    • 43 gram cold butter, cubed

    Muffins

    • 1 1/2 cups fresh butternut squash puree
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 tsp. baking soda
    • 1 tsp. baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
    • 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
    • 1/8 tsp. ground cardamom
    • 1/2 tsp. salt
    • 1/4 cups vegetable oil
    • 1/2 cups light brown sugar
    • 1/2 cups granulated sugarĀ 
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

    Instructions
     

    Make squash puree

    • Preheat oven to 400 F and line a cookie sheet with foil.
    • Place one large butternut squash cut side down on the cookie sheet. Roast until fork tender, about 30 minutes (depending on the size of the squash).
    • Let cool for 15-20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, scrape the soft squash from the skin into a fine mesh strainer.
    • Press the squash lightly with a spatula to remove excess juices then transfer to a food processor and process until smooth.
    • Refrigerate puree until ready to use. (Puree can be made ahead of time and refrigerated in an airtight container overnight for fresh muffins in the morning, as can the streusel topping.)

    Make streusel

    • In a small bowl, whisk together sugar and flour. Work in butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal.
    • Make muffins. Reduce oven heat to 350 F and line a regular muffin tin with baking cups.
    • In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt to combine. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the butternut squash puree, oil, and sugars on low until combined.
    • Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Add vanilla and beat for a few seconds.
    • With mixer on low, incorporate dry ingredients until just combined.
    • Pour batter into muffin cups until each is about 2/3 full and sprinkle generously, completely covering the top of the batter, with streusel. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and tops spring back when lightly pressed
    • Cool in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

    Video

    Notes

    It was quite the perfect solitary late morning breakfast situation. Plus, these muffins are sort of to die for. And how could they not be--look at that color!
    This is basically to tell you that you need not worry about Thanksgiving or next day breakfast.
    I've got you covered. A soft, warm, light muffin with a smear of butter and good cup of hot coffee is all you'll need.
    What with the turkey-stuffing-tater-pie coma of the Thanksgiving meal. And it's just spiced and squashy and fall-colored enough to keep with the holiday spirit.
    It's a muffin kind of calm.
    Keyword Amazing Butternut Squash Muffins Recipe

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