Sweet Butternut Squash Muffins

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1 butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
• Water, as needed
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup oats
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 pecan halves

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Prepare 12 muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper liners and prepare the liners with cooking spray.

Put squash into a roasting pan with cut sides down. Pour enough water into pan to fill 1/2-inch deep.

Roast squash in preheated oven until flesh is easily pierced through with a fork, about 45 minutes. Remove roasting pan and reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Scoop hot squash into a large bowl and mash until no large chunks remain. Stir sugar and butter into the squash.

Whisk flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt together in a bowl.

Beat eggs, milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl. Stirring constantly, add a spoonful of squash mixture into the egg mixture to temper it before adding egg mixture to the squash mixture; stir.

Fold flour mixture into the squash mixture until just incorporated; spoon into muffin tins. Top each with a pecan half.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes.