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Aromatic, intoxicating pears are an experience on their own, but sometimes they need a little something to stand out. This is where ginger steps in! Its bright, cleansing warmth elevates the subtle pear flavor, making these ginger pear muffins extra special. Each one is tender and moist, studded with fresh pears, and nearly impossible to resist.
Pears are one of my all-time favorite fruits and I look forward to the start of pear season every fall. Pear butter, pear crumble, tarts, and more…they have such a distinctly luxurious flavor that holds up nicely even when baked.
Their high moisture content also makes your muffins and quick breads extra tender and lovely, especially when paired with candied ginger.
We love to make a batch of these to keep on hand throughout the week, yet they’re decadent enough to take to a brunch or fall party. They’re such a treat!
If you want to preserve fresh pears, try infusing pear and vanilla in vodka for a delicious winter treat. You can also make dehydrated pears to snack on all winter long!
Ingredients for Pear Ginger Muffins
- White sugar – Although I love baking with brown sugar, it has a stronger flavor that can hide the flavor of the fresh pears a bit. I prefer to use white sugar in this recipe in particular.
- Sour cream – Interchangeable with Greek yogurt for soft, moist muffins.
- Oil – You’ll want to use either vegetable oil or melted coconut oil to get just the right softness and moisture level.
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract – I always use my homemade Bourbon vanilla extract for maximum flavor.
- All purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Kosher salt
- Ripe pears – You can use any type of pears you like! I’ve used both slightly underripe and slightly overripe pears and they all turn out well. If they’re a little over, they just may be a little bit softer while slightly underripe pears will have a bit more texture.
- Candied ginger – This is key! You can also add fresh ginger or ginger powder, but I prefer the little sweet-spicy pops of diced crystallized ginger.
How to Make Ginger Pear Muffins
- Preheat oven to 400 F and line a muffin pan with 12 liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
- Fold in the dry ingredients, then add the chopped pears and ginger pieces. If desired, reserve some of each to sprinkle on top of the muffins before baking.
- Divide muffin batter evenly into muffin cups. This should fill each cup until almost full.
- Bake at 400F for 5-7 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until fully baked inside.
- Remove from oven, cool slightly, then transfer to a cooling rack to continue cooling to room temperature.
Storing Suggestions
Since these muffins contain freshly baked fruit, it is best to store them in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of days. That will make them firm and can dry them out, so I recommend letting them come to room temperature before serving.
You can also store leftover muffins in a freezer bag for several months. They thaw quickly and make a great grab-and-go snack!
Tips & Variations
- Amp up the ginger flavor. Add a teaspoon of ground ginger and grate fresh ginger into the batter for an even spicier bite.
- Add nuts. A half cup of chopped walnuts or pecans would be absolutely lovely!
More Homemade Muffin Recipes
- Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins
- Lemon Lavender Muffins
- Lemon Poppyseed Muffins with Lemon Glaze
- Blackberry Oatmeal Muffins
- Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Muffins
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment or ask a question below! I’d love to hear what you think or troubleshoot any issues.
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Homemade Ginger Pear Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 cup flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup pear, approximately 1 – 1.5; minced into small pieces
- 1/3 cup candied ginger, cut into small pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F and line a muffin pan with 12 liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.1 cup sugar, 3/4 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup oil, 2 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Fold in the dry ingredients, then add the pear and ginger pieces. If desired, reserve some of each to sprinkle on top of the muffins before baking.2 tsp cinnamon, 2 cup flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1 cup pear, 1/3 cup candied ginger
- Scoop batter into muffin cups evenly. This should fill each cup until almost full.
- Bake at 400F for 5-7 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until fully baked inside.
- Remove from oven, cool slightly, then transfer to a cooling rack to continue cooling to room temperature.
Nutrition
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🍂🍪 Want more cozy fall recipes?
My brand new recipe ebook, The Cozy Season Bakebook, has 20 seasonal bakes that taste like a love letter to fall!
You can expect all the most iconic fall flavors, like cinnamon apple, pumpkin spice, maple, pecans, and more.
It’s also intentionally low-tech and beginner-friendly, so anyone can bake along!
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