These easy Spiced Pear Muffins make a delicious Fall and Winter sweet treat to enjoy for breakfast, afternoon tea or dessert. Ready in 35 minutes only, the spiced muffins are packed with fresh pear chunks and finished with a cinnamon sugar topping.
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Why we love this recipe
I simply LOVE using Pears in my baked good when Fall and Winter come around. It is a delicious fruit that can be used in so many different ways, from being baked inside an Almond and Pear Cake, Pear Frangipane Tartlets or Pear Crumble Cake to simple Stewed Pears.
This Pear Muffin recipe is what Autumn bakes are all about: fragrant, spiced, packed with fresh fruits and and oh so comforting! You always know it's gonna be a good one when a recipe makes your whole house smells delicious.
Just like my Apple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins, they are perfect for breakfast, tea time or just as a snack. These muffins with pears and spices will also make a great lunchbox treat for your kids.
These cakes can be made ahead and frozen if needed, which is always a great bonus. And did I mention how quick and easy they were to make!?
Ingredients
Scroll down to recipe card below for all quantities
- Pear: choose medium pears that are slightly firm but not too ripe. You want the fruits to get nice and soft once baked but still hold their shapes.
- Canola Oil: or a neutral flavoured vegetable oil.
- Greek Yogurt: I recommend using a Full Cream, Non-Sweetened Yogurt to make this recipe. It's the best to create nice and moist muffins!
- Eggs: medium to large eggs, at room temperature.
- Spices: Ground Cinnamon, Ginger and Allspice create the perfect Fall Flavours Mix, but you can absolutely use any of your favourite spices here such as nutmeg or star anise.
- Self-Rising Flour: can be substituted with Plain / All-Purpose Flour, Baking Powder and a pinch of Salt. See FAQs section below for exact quantities.
To finish the pear muffins, I mixed some Demerara Sugar (or Raw Cane Sugar, Turbinado Sugar / Coconut Sugar) with a little bit of cinnamon to give that delicious extra crunch. That topping is optional.
Ingredient Substitution
- Canola Oil: can be replaced with Melted Butter, but the muffin will tend to get dry more quickly with butter. Coconut Oil is another alternative, but it will change the overall flavor of the muffins.
- Greek Yogurt: can be substituted with any Natural Yogurt (including Dairy-Free Yogurt if needed) or Sour Cream.
How to make Pear Spice Muffins
- First, preheat your oven on 180'C/350'F and prepare your muffin pan with paper liners or by greasing it with a little bit of oil. You can also use silicone muffin cups if preferred.
- Peal, core and slice the Pear into very small cubes. If the pear chunks are too large, they will tend to sink down before the cakes start to bake. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the Eggs and Brown Sugar for about a minute. The mixture should be slightly foamy.
- Stir in the Canola Oil and Greek Yogurt and whisk until fully combined and smooth. You should get a light, smooth batter.
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Once all of the wet ingredients are combined, it is time to add the rest of the ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, mix and sift together the Self-Rising Flour and the Spices.
This is optional and you could add them all directly to the wet ingredients, but I like to pre-mix them together first. This way, you make sure the spices are evenly distributed into the batter and avoid 'pockets' of dry ingredients.
- Add the Flour Mixture to the wet Ingredients and whisk together until smooth and no lumps remain. Try not to over-whisk the batter or it will result in a heavy, tough cake.
- Lastly, add the pre-cut chunks of Pears. Using either a whisk or a spatula, carefully fold them into the batter until evenly distributed. Optionally, keep a little bit of Pear Chunks to top the muffins.
- Pour the Muffin Batter into the prepared muffin tin. I like to use a small Ice Cream Scoop to do so, but you could use a simple spoon instead.
- Optionally, top each muffin with a few chunks of pears.
- For the Cinnamon Sugar Crunch, mix together the Demerara Sugar and Cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle it over each pear muffin.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until puff, golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Place on a wire rack and leave to cool down completely before removing from the muffin pan.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, Plain Flour can be used instead of Self-Rising Flour, but you will need to add Baking Powder and Baking Soda to it as well.
For the ratios, use the same amount of Plain Flour than Self-Rising and add 1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder and 1/4 teaspoon Salt.
For this recipe, you will want to use a pear that is slightly ripe (so it is sweeter), but not so ripe that it would fall apart when you slice it.
For the pear variety, I recommend using one of the following that are known to bake well:
- Bosc Pears
- Bartlett Pears (sometimes called Williams)
- Anjou Pears
- Concorde Pears
Want some extra pear taste? Simply substitute the Greek Yogurt with my Pear Compote! You could also use some Applesauce for a slightly different flavour.
Tips for Success
- Make sure the pears are cut into very small pieces. If the chunks are too large, they will sink to the bottom of the muffins before they get a chance to bake. Alternatively, you can toss the pear chunks with a little bit of flour before adding them to the batter.
- Mix the dry ingredients together and sift them if needed before adding them to the wet ingredients. It is the best way to insure all the spices are evenly distributed within the batter.
- Do not over-mix the batter after adding the Flour, or you might get a muffin crumb that is heavy and tough.
Storing & Freezing
These Pear Muffins can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Add some paper towels at the bottom and top of the container to absorb any moisture and keep the muffins fresh for longer.
Once completely cool, you can freeze the muffins for later. Wrap each muffin in plastic wrap and/or aluminium foil and keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Leave at room temperature for a few hours to thaw or in reheat in the microwave for a minute.
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Recipe
Spiced Pear Muffins
Ingredients
Pear Muffins
- 1 medium Pear
- 70 gr (1/3 cup) Brown Sugar
- 2 Eggs, medium to large size, at room temperature
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) Canola Oil, or neutral flavoured oil
- 120 gr (1/2 cup) Greek Yogurt
- 200 gr (1 1/3 cup) Self-Rising Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon Allspice
Cinnamon Sugar Topping (optional)
- 1 1/2 tablespoon Demerara Sugar, or Raw Sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
Instructions
Pear Muffins
- Preheat your oven on 180°C/350°F. Line your Muffin Pan with paper liners or grease the pan well with oil.
- Peal, core and slice the Pear into small cubes (see note 1). Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the Eggs and Brown Sugar for a couple of minutes or until lightly bubbly.
- Add the Canola Oil and Greek Yogurt and whisk until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the Self-Rising Flour and Spices (see note 2). Add it to the Wet Ingredients and whisk until fully combined.
- Gently fold in the Pear Chunks (see note 3). Optionally, keep about 1/4 of the Pear chunks to use over the muffins
- Scoop out the muffin batter into the prepared muffin pan. Optionally, top each muffin with the leftover pear chunks.
Cinnamon Sugar Topping (optional)
- Mix together the Sugar and Ground Cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle some of it over each muffins.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden (see note 4). Place on a cooling rack to cool down completely.
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Notes
- Make sure to cut the pear into very small pieces. If sliced too large, they will tend to sink down to the bottom of the batter.
- The purpose of pre-mixing the dry ingredients before adding them to the wet ingredients is to make sure the spices are evenly distributed in the batter.
- Make sure the pear chunks are well distributed into the batter so that you get some fruits in each muffins.
- The time it will take for your muffins to bake will depend on your oven. I recommend checking the muffins after about 15 minutes and leave them in for longer if needed.
Jen says
I’m a novice baker & have made this recipe 1/2 dozen times & it works every time! I’ve even varied the fruit & made them chocolate. Excellent!
Sylvie says
Yay thank you!
Louise says
I've tried many muffin recipes over the years, and this is definitely one of the best! They didn't last long in our house. I thought that the spices may be a bit overpowering but they were the perfect combination with the pear. I did sub the allspice with nutmeg instead as that is what I had on hand.
Sylvie says
That's lovely to hear, thanks Louise!
Jeanne says
Delicious! I made six and now I’m sorry I didn’t make the full recipe. I grated the pear into the batter and topped them with a small cube of pear. Will definitely make again! Thank you
Sylvie says
Lovely to hear!