Sweet Potato Crumb Muffins From Samantha Seneviratne

Flour, melted butter, and brown sugar combine to make a crumb topping that is chewy and crisp, not soft. The brown sugar in the batter helps create a light and tender crumb and contributes to the muffins’ moistness and gorgeous golden exterior. They’re tasty and texturally satisfying, and they make a great self-contained breakfast that is perfect for feeding a hungry child while in transit on hectic school mornings.

Sam loves making this recipe for her son, Artie, on weekend mornings. (Check them baking them here!) from Hanna Andersson's fresh new Farmer’s Market Collection.

To keep up with all things Samantha, follow her on Instagram and catch her show, Everyday Cooking, and don't miss her latest cookbook, Bake Smart.

A plate of six baked muffins with crumbly topping.

Photo by Johnny Miller

In partnership with Hanna Andersson

INGREDIENTS

Makes 12 muffins

FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING

¾ cup (102 grams) all-purpose flour

½ cup (100 grams) packed dark brown sugar

¼ cup (29 grams) chopped pecans

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of kosher salt

4 tablespoons (½ stick; 57 grams) butter, melted

FOR THE MUFFINS

2 cups (272 grams) all-purpose flour

2½ teaspoons baking powder

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

8 tablespoons (1 stick; 113 grams) butter, at room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) packed dark brown sugar

2 large (100 grams) eggs, at room temperature

1½ cups (368 grams) roasted, peeled, and mashed sweet potatoes (from about 3 potatoes)

NOTE: Roasting the sweet potatoes will produce the sweetest results, but really any way you cook them will be just fine—in the oven or microwave, or in boiling water.

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

Prepare the crumb topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, pecans, cinnamon, and salt. Add the melted butter and stir to combine. Set aside.

Prepare the muffins: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the mashed sweet potato. Beat in the flour mixture. Do not overmix.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the tops, squeezing it to create clumps of various sizes. (It’s okay if some of the crumb mixture lands on the tin.)

Bake the muffins until they are puffed and set and a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean, 26 to 30 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then transfer to the rack to cool completely.

The muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature.

NOTE: I prefer light-colored pans for cakes and dark pans for muffins. Darker pans absorb heat more quickly than light pans. For cakes, that leads to dark, unpleasant edges. But for muffins, it means they dome nicely and brown evenly.

TIP: Use a large spring-loaded ice cream scoop to divide the batter evenly into the muffin cups.

From Bake Smart: Sweets and Secrets from My Oven to Yours by Samantha Seneviratne. Reprinted by permission of Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishing.

In partnership with Hanna Andersson