Description
Delightfully moist Pear Walnut Streusel Muffins combine tender chunks of ripe pears with crunchy walnuts and a cinnamon-spiced streusel topping for a perfect balance of sweet and nutty flavors. These muffins are easy to prepare and bake to golden perfection, making them an ideal treat for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Muffin Batter
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (115 grams) butter, melted
- 2 medium ripe pears, peeled, cored, and diced
- 1 cup (120 grams) walnuts, chopped
Streusel Topping
- 1/2 cup (65 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) cold butter, cubed
- 1/4 cup (30 grams) walnuts, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a muffin tin by lining it with paper liners or greasing the cups to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt until evenly combined to create an airy and uniform dry mix.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, beat the eggs lightly and add the milk, vanilla extract, and melted butter, mixing until smooth and homogenous.
- Combine Batters: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently stir with a spatula just until combined, being careful not to overmix to keep muffins tender.
- Prepare Streusel Topping: In a small bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon. Cut in the cold cubed butter using a pastry cutter or fingers until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Optionally, fold in the chopped walnuts for extra crunch.
- Fold in Pears and Walnuts: Gently fold the diced pears and chopped walnuts into the muffin batter, ensuring they are evenly distributed without breaking up the fruit pieces.
- Fill Muffin Cups: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling each cup about two-thirds full to allow room for rising. Sprinkle the streusel topping generously over each muffin.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, indicating they are fully baked.
- Cool: Remove the muffins from the oven and cool in the tin for about 5 minutes to set, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving to maintain texture and flavor.
Notes
- For best flavor, use ripe, but firm pears to maintain texture after baking.
- Ensure the butter for the streusel is cold to achieve a crumbly topping texture.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep muffins light and moist.
- Walnuts in the streusel topping are optional but add a nice crunch and flavor contrast.
- Store muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
