Spiced Pear Muffins

Name: Spiced Pear Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 70 gr (1/3 cup) Brown Sugar; 2 Eggs; 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 teasp. Ground Cinnamon; 1/2 teasp. Ground Ginger; 1/2 teasp. Allspice; 1 Pear; 1 1/2 tablesp. Demerara Sugar (or Raw Sugar); 1/4 teasp. Ground Cinnamon

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

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.

Close up on a pear muffin over baking paper and a wooden board

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, Spiced Pear Pie, Pear Frangipane Tartlets or Pear Crumble Cake to being Poached in Red Wine or turned into delicious Caramel Pear Cheesecake Bars.

These Pear Cinnamon Muffins are 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

Pear: choose a Pear that is slightly firm but not too ripe to keep a nice fruity texture inside the muffins

Brown Sugar: this type of sugar has Molasses in it, which brings the best flavours when combined with spices!

Oil: when baking, always choose a Flavour Neutral Oil like Canola Oil to avoid adding any non-desired taste to your muffins

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!

Spices: Ground Cinnamon, Ginger and Allspice create the perfect Fall Flavours Mix, but you can absolutely use any of your favourite spices here.

Ingredient Substitution

Canola Oil: can be replaced by any neutral flavoured Oil or Melted Butter

Greek Yogurt: can be substituted with any Natural Yogurt (including Dairy-Free Yogurt if needed) or Sour Cream

Spices: I used a mix of Cinnamon, Ginger and Allspice but you can absolutely use any spices you would like. Nutmeg, Cardamon or Star Anise for example will also be delicious with these muffins!

Muffins on a round wooden board with cinnamon sticks

How to make Pear Spice Muffins

These muffins are seriously super quick and easy to make! It all comes down to mixing together the wet ingredients, adding the dry ingredients and folding in the small chunks of pears. Easy peasy!

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.

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.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the Eggs and Brown Sugar for about a minute. The mix should be slightly foamy.

Add the Canola Oil and Greek Yogurt and whisk them in until fully combined and smooth.

You should get a light, smooth batter.

Process Shot: mixing the wet ingredients

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 (*).

Add the Dry Ingredient Mix 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 mix them into the batter until evenly distributed. Optionally, keep a little bit of Pear Chunks to top the muffins.

Pour the Muffin Batter into each Muffin Case. I like to use a small Ice Cream Scoop to do so, but you could use a simple spoon instead.

Either bake as is, or add the Pear and Cinnamon Sugar toppings before baking as explained below.

(*) 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.

Process Shot: adding the dry ingredients and pears

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

To finish these Muffins, I topped each cakes with a few chunks of Pears (set aside from a previous step) and sprinkled them with a mix of Demerara Sugar and Ground Cinnamon.

Demerara Sugar is a type of minimally refined Raw Cane Sugar recognisable for its large grain and crunchy texture. It is the perfect sugar to use as a crunchy topping for baked goods!

Alternatively, you can also use regular Raw Cane Sugar, Turbinado Sugar, Coconut Sugar or Brown Sugar (although brown sugar has a much finer grain and will not add a crunch).

The Sugar and Cinnamon are mixed together and sprinkled over the finished muffins just before baking. The sugar will slightly melt but stay partially crunchy, which is great for texture!

Process Shot: muffins in the tray with toppings

Tips to make this recipe

Don’t forget to pre-heat your oven before starting the recipe.

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.

Use an Ice Cream Scoop to easily pour the batter into the muffin pan.

Crumb shot of a muffin sliced in half from above

FAQ

Can I use Plain / All-Purpose Flour instead of Self-Rising Flour?

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 teasp. of Baking Powder and 1/2 teasp. of Baking Soda.

What are the Best Pears for Baking

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
– Bartlett / Williams
– Anjou
– Concorde

Storing the Pear Muffins

These Pear Muffins can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days, preferably in an air-tight container or well covered. Simply make sure to let them cool down completely before moving them to a container.

A great way to keep them fresh longer is to add some paper towels at the bottom and top of the container (as well as between each layers). They will absorb any moisture that might come out of the muffin and insure they stay fresh longer!

Can I freeze these Muffins?

Yes, these muffins can easily be frozen! First, make sure they have had time to cool down completely. Then wrap them individually in plastic wrap and/or aluminium foil or place them in a freezing bag, separated from each other with baking paper.

They can be kept in the freezer for up to 2 months.