Spiced Pear Muffins with Cinnamon-Pecan Crumb Topping {gluten-free option}

Cinnamon and nutmeg add warmth and depth to these simple pear muffins, alongside a crunchy-sweet pecan crumb topping. Buckwheat flour adds a nutty twist, while yogurt keeps the muffins light, tender, and moist. Pair them with a mug of coffee or chai for a perfectly cozy grab-and-go breakfast - that's prepped in just 25 minutes!

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Once upon a time I thought I hated pears... and then I tried baking with them. Be it tucked into a flaky galette, poached in a champagne syrup, nestled underneath the sweetened oats of a crumble, or folded into a warmly-spiced muffin batter, their juicy flesh bakes up like a dream.

Of course, the busier I get, the more I find myself gravitating towards those quick and easy muffin recipes - especially of the no-mixer variety. And when you add fresh pears to the mix, a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg, and a sweet, crunchy, pecan-studded crumb topping -- ahhh. Served alongside a sweet honey latte, fall breakfast can't get any cozier!

Jump to:

• Why this pear muffin recipe works!
• Ingredients and substitutions
• Step-by-step instructions:
• How to store these muffins
• Are these pear muffins healthy?
• Recipe Tips and FAQ
• More muffin recipes
• 💬 Comments and Reviews

Why this pear muffin recipe works!

• We start with a good, thick muffin batter - one that's leavened with baking powder for a perfect rise. This, along with filling your muffins tins, is key to making classic bakery-style muffins with gorgeously domed muffin tops.
• Greek yogurt keeps the muffins light and moist, without thinning out the batter like milk would. Remember, we want it to be thick! Dark brown sugar - with its high(er) liquid content - also pitches in here to keep the muffin moist. Finally, using oil instead of butter keeps the muffins extra-tender. (This trick is great for cake recipes too!)
• Additions like cinnamon, nutmeg, buckwheat flour, and brown sugar contribute warmth and richness to the batter, giving these muffins a distinctly "fall" vibe.
• And of course, pears add natural sweetness and moisture, plus just a hint of fruity tang to bring all of the flavors to life!

Ingredients and substitutions

There's nothing worse than a recipe that involves shopping at five different stores just to buy all of the ingredients. Everything you'll need for these spiced pear muffins should be available at your local grocery store, but if you have any trouble finding buckwheat flour, it's easy to find on Amazon!

A few items of note:

• In most recipes (including this one) the type of brown sugar you use won't make or break the finished product. But if given the choice, I love the Sprouts brand of dark brown sugar. Its high molasses content will give your muffins better texture and flavor.
• If you're on the fence about nuts in your baked goods, I highly recommend chopping your pecans up nice and small to use in the crumb topping. You still get the good, maple-y flavor, minus the in-your-face nut texture. Of course, if you LOVE nuts, feel free to add pecans into your muffin batter as well! If you want to substitute, I'd suggest using walnuts.
• Salted butter can be used in the crumb topping - just skip the added salt.
• I used gluten-free all-purpose flour in these spiced pear muffins, but regular all-purpose flour should do the trick too. You can also swap half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour if preferred. If you do opt for a gluten-free blend, make sure it contains xanthan gum, which helps with binding, moisture, structure, and texture - all important things!
• These muffins also contain buckwheat flour, which is a naturally gluten-free flour made from ground buckwheat berries. It has an earthy, nutty flavor that plays so well with the other flavors in this muffin. If you want to skip it, just replace it with more all-purpose flour, gluten-free or otherwise.
• Avocado oil can be swapped with any neutral-flavored cooking oil (like canola), or even melted coconut oil. I've found that the Sprouts brand avocado oil is much more affordable than some others!
• Using whole milk Greek yogurt in these muffins is preferable (more fat = better texture), but any plain Greek yogurt will do. You can also sub sour cream, which works wonders in these lemon poppy seed muffins and double chocolate muffins.
• For the pears, you can use D'Anjou, Bosc, Bartlett, or a combination of the three; just make sure they're on the firmer side, and not overripe. No need to peel them!

Step-by-step instructions:

For the cinnamon-pecan crumble:

Can we just agree that muffins with a crumb topping instantly become ten times better? We've got a crunchy, brown sugar-sweetened, pecan-studded crumb topping situation here that complements these not-too-sweet pear muffins perfectly. We'll make this first to give the flour time to absorb the butter in the mixture before crumbling it over the muffins.

To make it: Grab a small mixing bowl and whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, chopped pecans, cinnamon, and salt. Mix in melted butter and vanilla extract until the mixture is evenly moistened. Then, fold in gluten-free flour, working just until everything is well-combined. Finally, use your hands to clump the mixture into a single ball of dough. Set this aside while you prep your muffin batter.

For the spiced pear muffins:

These yogurt-enriched pear muffins are tender, moist, and lightly sweetened, with juicy bits of pear in every bite, and perfectly-domed muffin tops. Here's how you make 'em:

Step one: Start by preheating your oven to 350ºF, and greasing a standard 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray.

Step two: Whisk your dry ingredients together in a medium bowl: gluten-free flour, buckwheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.

Step three: Get a second bowl that's about the same size, and whisk together the oil, sugars (brown and white), and eggs. The mixture should have an even consistency, and be slightly paler in color than it was when you started. Then, whisk in Greek yogurt and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.

Step four: Use a rubber spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet, just until the two are almost evenly incorporated - it can still be a little streaky. Then, fold in finely-chopped pears, working just until everything is evenly combined; always avoid over-mixing! The batter should be thick.

Step five: Spoon the muffin batter into your prepared muffin pan, making sure each cup gets a fairly equal amount. Keep in mind that they'll be nearly full. Use a fingertip to gently smooth out the top surfaces if needed. Then, grab your ball of streusel dough and use your hands to break it into crumbs, pressing those crumbs into small clumps as you go. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the muffins; go ahead and pile it on high so you use it all.

Step six: Bake your muffins for 23-27 minutes; they're done when a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs. Set the pan over a wire rack and let them cool for 20-25 minutes. Then, remove them from the pan and place them directly on the rack to finish cooling.

You can serve them as-is, with a schmear of butter, or even with a dollop of cranberry sauce. That last option may sound strange, but I promise the flavor combo is killer!

How to store these muffins

Once the muffins have cooled completely, I recommend storing them in a single, flat layer, either in a zip-top bag or an airtight container. Placing a sheet of paper towel above and below the muffins will help prevent them from getting soggy over time. They'll keep for two to three days at cool room temperature (the preferable option), or up to five days in the refrigerator. If refrigerated, I prefer to reheat them in the microwave before serving.

Are these pear muffins healthy?

While I wouldn't call this recipe "healthy" they do have a few redeeming qualities compared to your average muffin! In fact, I'd say that if you skip the cinnamon crumb topping and opt for a sprinkle of raw sugar on top instead, you could even call them healthy-ish. Here's why:

• Buckwheat is a complex carbohydrate - technically a seed, although it resembles a grain - that's high in protein and fiber.
• Greek yogurt is also high in protein, while also being much lower in fat than a typical baking alternative like sour cream.
• Avocado oil is low in saturated fat and relatively high in monunsaturated fats. It goes through much less processing than your average vegetable oil.
• And pears, of course, are particularly nutrient-dense, and high in both fiber and vitamin C!

Long story short - as far as muffins go, these won't completely break the nutritional bank.

Recipe Tips and FAQ

More muffin recipes

Like I said before, I love an easy muffin recipe! Here are a few other favorites:

 

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