Description
Delightfully moist pear muffins topped with a crunchy crumble streusel, combining the natural sweetness of ripe pears with warm cinnamon and a tender crumb. Perfect for a cozy breakfast or snack, these muffins bake up fluffy and flavorful with a delectable streusel topping that adds the perfect contrast in texture.
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Muffins
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup neutral oil (such as vegetable or canola oil)
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- ¾ cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups ripe pears, peeled, cored, and diced into 1cm pieces
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 425℉ (220℃). Line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake liners or grease the wells with butter or baking spray to prevent sticking.
- Make Streusel Topping: In a bowl, combine the melted butter, flour, light brown sugar, rolled oats, kosher salt, and cinnamon. Mix together using a fork until small and medium-sized crumbles form. Set this streusel mixture aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and cinnamon. This will be your dry base for the muffins.
- Coat the Pears: Take 2 tablespoons of the dry flour mixture and toss it thoroughly with the diced pears in a separate bowl to coat them, which helps prevent the pears from sinking to the bottom during baking.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the melted butter, neutral oil, granulated sugar, and eggs until the mixture is very smooth and well combined.
- Add Dairy and Flavorings: Stir in the sour cream, whole milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk until incorporated and the batter is smooth.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold gently with a rubber spatula just until no streaks of flour remain. Avoid overmixing to keep the muffins tender.
- Start Filling Muffin Tin: Spoon one tablespoon of batter into the bottom of each muffin tin hole and tap the pan lightly to spread the batter evenly.
- Fold in Pears: Gently fold the coated pears (and any excess flour mixture clinging to them) into the remaining batter until they are evenly dispersed throughout.
- Fill Muffin Cups: Using two spoons or an ice cream scoop, fill each muffin cup completely to the top with the batter mixture.
- Add Streusel Topping: Sprinkle the prepared streusel topping generously over each filled muffin cup to add a crunchy texture after baking.
- Bake: Place the muffin tin in the oven and bake at 425℉ for 5 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 375℉ (190℃) without opening the door and continue baking for an additional 8 to 10 minutes. The muffins are done when they spring back when lightly touched and the centers are no longer wet.
- Cool: Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Room temperature ingredients help achieve a smoother batter and even baking.
- Coating the pears with flour prevents them from sinking and distributing evenly throughout the muffins.
- Do not overmix the batter once the dry ingredients are added, as this can make the muffins dense.
- The initial high temperature baking helps set the muffin structure and creates a nice rise.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
