Name: Butter Pecan Muffins
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 box butter pecan cake mix; eggs (as called for on the cake mix box); vegetable oil (as called for on the cake mix box); butterscotch schnapps (use the amount of water called for on the box (about 1 1/4 cups)); 1 cup chopped pecans (plus more for topping)

These butter pecan muffins start with a box of butter pecan cake mix and a cup of chopped pecans, but the secret ingredient is a splash of butterscotch schnapps in place of the water. They bake up soft, golden, and full of buttery butterscotch flavor, and nobody ever guesses what makes them so good.

A Quick Look At The Recipe

Recipe Name: Jeff Cook’s Butter Pecan Muffins
Serves: 4
Main Ingredients: box butter pecan cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, butterscotch schnapps, chopped pecans
Why You'll Love It: These Butter Pecan Muffins are soft, golden, and packed with rich flavor. Made with cake mix, chopped pecans, and a splash of butterscotch schnapps, they’re quick to bake and always a crowd favorite!

You only need five ingredients and about 30 minutes, so they’re an easy pick for holiday mornings, a brunch spread, or a plate to share with the neighbors next to a pan of lotsa crumb cake.

The Story Behind These Butter Pecan Muffins

This recipe came to us from Jeff Cook, who played lead guitar and that roaring fiddle for the band Alabama. We grew up huge Alabama fans, with the t-shirts and records to prove it, and the first record I ever bought with my own money was “Mountain Music.”

Jeff and his wife sat down with Mama one day and, like most Southerners do, they got to talking about food. He told her these butter pecan muffins were what he baked for all of his neighbors every Christmas, and that everyone raved about them but no one could ever figure out the secret ingredient. Mama texted me the recipe with two words, “Call me,” and I had my husband out buying butterscotch schnapps that same night.

Of everything people said about Jeff, the compliment that stuck with Mama was the simplest one: he was just the nicest person. These muffins are a sweet way to remember that, and they’re every bit as easy as my cake mix cherry crumb cake.

Stack of butter pecan muffins with pecans

Ingredients for Butter Pecan Muffins

Butter pecan cake mix: This gives the muffins their flavor and keeps the recipe simple. If you can’t find it, a butter golden or yellow cake mix works in a pinch, though the flavor won’t be quite as rich.
Butterscotch schnapps: It replaces the water called for on the cake mix box and adds a warm butterscotch flavor. Use the same amount of schnapps as the water your box calls for.
Eggs and vegetable oil: Use whatever amounts your cake mix box calls for.
Chopped pecans: Stir a cup into the batter and save a handful for sprinkling on top. Toasting them first brings out even more flavor, or try my candied pecans for a sweeter topping.

You’ll find the full recipe in the card below.

Helpful Tips Before You Start

Read your cake mix box. Since the schnapps replaces the water, check the box for the exact amount of liquid, eggs, and oil before you start.
Use liners or grease the pan well. Parchment tulip liners make these look bakery-pretty, and they keep the muffins from sticking.
Fill the cups about two-thirds full. A large cookie scoop helps every muffin bake at the same speed.
Top with extra pecans. A few chopped pecans on top of each muffin before baking gives them a pretty, toasty finish.
Don’t overmix. Stir just until the batter is smooth and the pecans are mixed in, like you would for pecan pie muffins.

How to Make Butter Pecan Muffins

1. Mix the Batter

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add the eggs, oil, and butterscotch schnapps to a mixing bowl, then add the cake mix.

Cake mix, eggs, oil, and butterscotch schnapps in a mixing bowl

Mix for about 2 minutes, the same way you would for a regular cake mix.

2. Add the Pecans

Stir in the chopped pecans until they’re mixed all the way through. It only takes a few seconds.

Adding chopped pecans to butter pecan muffin batter

Butter pecan muffin batter in a blue mixing bowl

3. Fill the Muffin Tin

Line a muffin tin with liners or grease it well.

Muffin tin lined with parchment tulip liners

Divide the batter between the cups, filling each one about two-thirds full, and sprinkle a few extra pecans on top.

Muffin liners filled with batter and topped with pecans

4. Bake

Bake at 350°F for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Your whole house will smell like butterscotch and pecans.

Baked butter pecan muffins in a muffin tin

5. Cool and Serve

Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes, then move them to a wire rack. They’re wonderful warm with a little butter. If you’re baking for a crowd, peach cobbler muffins make a nice second batch.

Butter pecan muffins cooling on a wire rack

Butter pecan muffin split open with butter

Can I Make Them Without Schnapps?

Yes. If you’d rather skip the schnapps, use water or milk in the amount your cake mix box calls for. The muffins will still be soft and nutty, just with a milder butterscotch flavor.

Keep in mind that baking doesn’t cook off all of the alcohol, so if you’re baking for kids or anyone who avoids alcohol, the no-schnapps version is the way to go. For another butterscotch treat the kids can help with, try butterscotch chow mein candies.

What to Serve With Butter Pecan Muffins

Butter pecan muffin with butter on a plate

For breakfast or brunch: cheesy scrambled eggs and banana French toast with pecans
With a warm drink: a cup of coffee or a mug of old-fashioned stovetop hot chocolate
On a holiday treat tray: next to pecan bars and a batch of chocolate pretzel bark

Storing and Gifting

Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature, or warm them in the microwave for a few seconds.

To share them the way Jeff did, wrap a few in a tin or a bakery box lined with parchment. They make a sweet addition to a box of homemade Christmas food gifts for neighbors.

Butter pecan muffins with coffee and butter

Butter Pecan Muffin FAQs

How many muffins does one box of cake mix make?

Most boxes make about 24 regular-size muffins, depending on how full you fill the cups.

Can I make mini muffins?

Yes. Start checking mini muffins around 10 to 12 minutes, since they bake much faster.

Can I add other mix-ins?

Butterscotch chips, toffee bits, or a few chocolate chips are all good additions. Stir them in along with the pecans.

Can I use a different cake mix flavor?

You can, but butter pecan gives these muffins their signature flavor. A butter golden or yellow cake mix is the next best choice. For more cake mix ideas, try my cake mix cupcakes.

More Muffin and Pecan Recipes

Southern Plate Recipe