Pear and Cardamom Muffins

Happy New Year, everyone! Welcome to 2021! Should we decide collectively to be good to each other this year? And also to do things that make us feel good? Sound like a plan? Great! I will not be taking any follow-up questions. 

2020 was a beast. It asked a lot of us, but look at us surviving! Something that continues to raise my spirits during *gestures vaguely* all this, is this little space that we’ve created together. I started Elyse Creates in July and I’m so incredibly grateful for the positive responses, encouragement, and suggestions. You all fill my heart with such joy and in 2021 I’m determined to bring you more of the good stuff. More cake. More bread. More savory. More sweet. More all of it!

To kick us off, we’re talking muffins. Specifically, these supersized Pear and Cardamom Muffins. Full of pear chunks (is there a more unappealing word than chunk?) and warming spices, these babies are the cure for any post-holiday blues. I topped them with an awesome oat streusel and added another kick of spice by drizzling a glaze over the whole dang thing. 

How to Properly Mix Muffin Batter

Homemade muffins are fast to throw together and perfect with a pat of butter and coffee, but can be a touch finicky, so I’m here to help. The main hurdle folks face when making muffins is in the mixing. Because muffins tend to have less fat and sugar than a cupcake, we use the muffin method (creative name, I know). Luckily, this method is fairly straightforward: Mix your dry ingredients in one bowl, mix your wet ingredients and fat in another, pour your wet into your dry, mix and bake. You want to thoroughly mix your dry ingredients and thoroughly mix your wet ingredients, but when you combine them—easy does it. If you overmix, it leads to a dense, gummy muffin. So know that it is A-OK to have a few lumps and bumps. (Just like in life.)

Another tip for properly mixed muffins is to have all of your ingredients at room temperature. So, about 30 minutes before you begin baking, pull out your eggs, milk, and sour cream. Because this muffin is getting its fat from oil, this isn’t a huge deal, but wow does this make a big difference when working with a butter-based muffin.

Last thing, if you don’t have a jumbo muffin tin, no worries! You can use a regular muffin tin, but you’ll need to adjust the bake time. I recommend checking them at the 15-20 minute mark. Enjoy!

Looking for even more muffins? Try giving these buttermilk spice muffins a try.

Pear and Cardamom Muffins

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★★★

3 from 1 reviews

• Author: Elyse Villa
• Yield: 6 jumbo muffins 1x

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Description

These pear muffins are full of cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon. And, because we are maximalists, we are also adding an oat streusel and topped with a spiced glaze.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the muffins:

• 1 1/2C all-purpose flour
• 1/2C whole wheat flour
• 1/3C granulated sugar
• 1/3C brown sugar
• 1 1/2t baking powder
• 1/4t baking soda
• 1/2t kosher salt
• 1t ground cinnamon
• 1/4t ground ginger
• 1/4t ground cardamom
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 1C whole milk
• 1/2C sour cream
• 1t vanilla extract
• 1/4C canola oil
• 1C chopped pears (about 1–2 pears)

For the streusel:

• 1/2C almond flour
• 1/2C old-fashioned oats
• 1/4C brown sugar
• 1T granulated sugar
• 1/4t ground cinnamon
• 1/4t ground ginger
• pinch of ground cardamom
• 1/8t kosher salt
• 2oz unsalted butter, cubed

For the glaze:

• 1/2C powdered sugar
• 2T whole milk
• 1/2t ground cinnamon
• 1/4t ground ginger
• 1/4t ground cardamom
  

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Instructions

Make the streusel:

1. Combine all your dry ingredients into a bowl. Work the cubed butter in with your fingers until evenly distributed. You’re looking for a moist, clumpy sand texture. Set aside.

Make the muffins:

1. Preheatthe oven to 350F and put liners in a jumbo muffin tin.
2. Stir together the flours, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
3. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the milk, sour cream, egg, and vanilla. While still whisking, stream in the oil until combined.
4. Make a well in the middle of your dry ingredients and add your wet ingredients. Use a spoon or rubber spatula to gently mix your batter, being careful not to overmix. Fold in the pears.
5. Evenly divide your mix over the six muffin tins. Make sure to leave a little space at the top of each one.
6. Top each muffin with streusel, you’ll need to very lightly press it in to ensure it sticks.
7. Bake for about 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. They’ll be done when a toothpick comes out clean and they spring back when gently touched. Once done, dump out the muffins on a wire rack. While the muffins cool slightly, make the glaze.

Make the glaze:

1. In a bowl, stir together the sugar and spices.
2. Slowly whisk in the milk and continue to whisk until the sugar dissolves and you reach your desired consistency.
3. Drizzle the glaze over still-warm muffins and enjoy with butter and a coffee.