Moist Pear and Ginger Muffins (Easy MUST BAKE Recipe)

When you’re craving something warm and cozy this fall, these pear and ginger muffins are just that! They are full of spicy warmth that pairs perfectly with a hot cup of coffee. Each bite has a soft crumb that is moist and slightly nutty. They’re an exciting change and something new to try instead of your regular muffin recipe.

Of course we all know that apples are the stars of the season for comforting recipes but the often overlooked pear can be just as delicious and versatile.  And this recipe proves it!

Ingredients

These morning muffins are made with a combination of whole-wheat and all-purpose flour giving them a hearty texture with more flavour but still keeping them on the lighter side. The addition of walnuts gives the pear and ginger muffins texture and you can substitute the walnuts for your favourite nut if you please. But the best part is the turbinado sugar covering the tops of the muffins that gives them a slightly sweet, sticky and crunchy topping.

• Walnuts
• Bosc pears
• Unsalted butter
• Natural yogurt or plain
• All-purpose flour
• Whole-wheat flour
• Ground ginger
• Eggs
• Granulated sugar
• Turbinado sugar
• Baking powder & baking soda
• Salt

Variations

1. Nut Variations: Replace walnuts with pecans, almonds or hazelnuts depending on your preference, or leave them out completely for a softer texture.
2. Extra Spice Blend: Enhance the ginger flavour by adding cinnamon, nutmeg or a pinch of cardamom to the batter for a deeper, warmer spice profile.

Once you start baking with pears you’ll wonder why you don’t do it more often! They are sweet, juicy and work beautifully in both sweet and savoury recipes. And if pears have caught your attention, my classic pear crisp is another easy and delicious autumn recipe you’ll want to add to your list.

What is Turbinado Sugar?

Turbinado sugar comes solely from the first pressing of sugar canes. It’s similar to brown sugar but is processed less. When the sugar is processed less it retains the original molasses which gives the sugar a slight caramel flavour. On the other hand sugar that is processed to white sugar is boiled over and over again until the molasses is gone. 

The grains of Turbinado are also coarser than refined white sugar, which makes turbinado ideal for a finishing sugar. The slight brown (or natural looking) colour also makes it perfect for the finishing touches on baking or simply to serve with coffee or teas.

Because these pear and ginger muffins are made with whole-wheat flour and nuts it gives the muffins a heartier taste. So, the turbinado sugar actually balances those flavours. With this in mind I highly recommend not skipping out on this part of the recipe!

Instead of making your favourite apple recipe, why not give these pear muffins a whirl?

Alie’s Baking Tips

Moist Pear and Ginger Muffins (Easy MUST BAKE Recipe)

1. Use Ripe Pears for Moist Muffins: Use ripe Bosc pears for the best flavour and texture. You want the pears ripe enough to be sweet and juicy, but not so soft that they become mushy when mixed into the batter. Slightly firm ripe pears will hold their shape better while baking and give the muffins little pockets of soft pear throughout.
2. Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure the yogurt and eggs are at room temperature before mixing. This helps the batter come together smoothly and creates a more even texture.
3. Don’t Overmix the Batter: Overmixing is one of the biggest mistakes when making muffins. Once the dry ingredients are added, gently mix just until combined. A few lumps are perfectly fine and will give you softer, lighter muffins.
4. Leave the Pears in Chunks: Keep the pears in small chunks rather than chopping them too finely. The pieces of pear throughout the muffins help create extra moisture and texture. If the pears are cut too small, they’ll disappear into the batter while baking. About 1/2-inch chunks are ideal for getting soft bites of pear throughout each muffin.
5. Watch the Muffins Closely Near the End: Bake just until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Overbaking can dry out the muffins and take away from their soft, moist texture.

How to organize and prep your kitchen

Get the Best Results - Read First!

Avoid mistakes! Read my Baking Tips before you start.

Need visuals? Check out Step by Step Images to see how it's done.

Have questions? Head to the FAQ's section where we tackle the most common baking concerns.

Feeling creative? Explore Variations to make this recipe your own.

Moist Pear and Ginger Muffins (Easy MUST BAKE Recipe)

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Alie Romano
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Yield: 12 1x

Pin Recipe

Print Recipe

Description

These pear and ginger muffins are full of warm spiced ginger, nutty walnuts and juicy pears. They are super moist from the chunks of fresh pears scattered throughout and the batter is made with yogurt to give extra moisture.

---

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup (124 g) natural yogurt or plain, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (110 g) white sugar
• 1 cup ( 145 g) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (96 g) whole-wheat flour
• 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (55 g) walnuts, roughly chopped
• 2 ripe Bosc pears
• Turbinado sugar for topping (or coarse sugar)

---

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a muffin tin with paper cups and set aside.
2. In a large bowl add melted butter, yogurt, eggs and sugar, whisk together until smooth and well incorporated. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl add all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, ginger, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix together until well blended. Add chopped walnuts. Set aside.
4. Peel and core pears. Next, using a sharp knife, slice 12 slices lengthwise (these will be your pears to top each muffin), set slices aside. Chop the rest of the pears into chunks. Add chopped pears to your butter mixture.
5. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Gently mix until just incorporated (don’t overmix).
6. Fill muffin cups with batter and top each muffin with pear slices.
7. Sprinkle turbinado sugar on top of each muffin.
8. Bake in the middle of the oven for approx. 15-18 minutes or until muffins are browned and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. 
9. Sprinkle with more turbinado sugar and let muffins cool on a cooling rack.

Equipment

Muffin/Cupcake Pan

Buy Now →

Muffin Cup Liners

Buy Now →

Notes

Muffins will last 3-4 days in a tin.

• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Category: Snack
• Cuisine: Canadian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1
• Calories: 246
• Sugar: 13.7g
• Sodium: 227mg
• Fat: 12.1g
• Saturated Fat: 5.5g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 31.6g
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 5.1
• Cholesterol: 51mg