Ginger Pear Muffins with Honey Glaze
These muffins are easy to make—no mixer required! Ginger and a honey glaze add lots of flavor to ginger pear muffins. They are tender, sweet and absolutely delicious!
Ginger pear muffins are a simple, yet incredibly flavorful breakfast treat. The pears add bits of sweet fruit dispersed throughout each muffin, which is complemented by the ginger in the batter. The only thing that could make these muffins better is the honey glaze on top! I use a similar glaze for my honey bun cake.
Why this recipe works
The flavor pairings are the best part of this recipe. Pears, ginger and honey complement each other beautifully. This recipe is also incredibly easy to make (no mixer required!) and a good use for pears if you have a bunch!
Ingredient notes
- Pears: Take a break from apples and try out pears in your baked goods!
- Sour cream: This is a great ingredient to use when baking. It adds more moisture than simply using milk.
- Ginger: This is sometimes an under-utilized spice in baking. Ginger adds a zest that pairs well with the blank canvas of pears.
- Sugar: Both brown and white sugars are used here to add a complex flavor, and I also include a touch of honey.
- Glaze: You could leave it off, but I think the honey glaze takes these muffins over the top.
Recipe variations
Up the ginger flavor by adding 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger to the mix. Peel the ginger with a food peeler and grate it on a small grate. Mix it in with the wet ingredients.
For a larger batch of muffins, you can double this recipe and get 24 servings. You can also halve the recipe to yield a half dozen. To make mini muffins, fill the cups of a mini muffin tin 2/3 full and bake for about 8 minutes. This will yield about 36 mini muffins.
How to make ginger pear muffins
- Whisk together dry ingredients—flour, baking powder, ground ginger, sugar and brown sugar. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix together wet ingredients—vegetable oil, sour cream, eggs and honey.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients, then stir in chopped pears.
- Divide batter evenly in a standard 12-cup muffin tin. Sprinkle additional brown sugar on top.
- Bake muffins at 400 F for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before adding glaze. Whisk glaze ingredients together and use a spoon to drizzle over muffins.
Expert tips
There are three rules of thumb I follow teach you how to make muffins fluffy. Follow these tips and you’ll have success!
First, bring all ingredients to room temperature. This helps the wet ingredients trap air, which expands in the oven. Second, bake muffins in a hot oven (400 F). A hot oven gives muffins a rapid rise to make them bigger and fluffier.
Lastly, mix ingredients just until combined. Over mixing the batter will make the muffins dense and heavy instead of light and fluffy.
Frequently Asked Questions
I suggest Bartlett pears, but Bosc and Anjou pears work well too. These varieties will hold their shape and texture the best.
Muffins are best when eaten the day they are baked, but may be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.
Yes (without glaze). Once the muffins have cooled, place them in an airtight container or freezer safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator before bringing to room temperature.
Related recipes
Let’s fill the freezer with muffins for easy snacks and breakfasts!
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Get the Recipe: Ginger Pear Muffins
Ingredients
Pear and Ginger Muffins
- 1 ¾ cups (218 g) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (125 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- ⅔ cup (160 g) sour cream, room temperature
- ½ cup (125 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups peeled, cored and finely diced (about 1/4-inch) pears
Honey Glaze
- ½ cup (60 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2-3 teaspoons milk
Instructions
Ginger Pear Muffins
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with papers liners. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, white sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar and the ground ginger.
- In a large measuring pitcher or bowl, whisk together the sour cream, oil, honey and eggs.
- Pour wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold together just until mixed. Add pears and fold again to mix.
- Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar. Bake until risen and firm, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool. Serve while still warm.
Honey Glaze
- In a medium bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, honey and milk (one teaspoon at a time) until combined. Use a spoon to drizzle glaze over muffins. Serve immediately.
Notes
Recipe from The New York Times.
7 Comments on “Ginger Pear Muffins with Honey Glaze”
Pear and ginger sounds like a wonderful combination! And aren’t parents’ kitchens the best? So much spaaace! 🙂
The directions don’t say anything about how to make the glaze. Any help please!
Oh no! So sorry about that, Kitana. I switched to a new recipe card template and it may have been deleted. I updated the recipe with the glaze ingredients and instructions.
Pear and ginger is one of my favorite combinations. These muffins look so fluffy and amazing!
Son awards 10 out of 10!
Very very good! Will definitely be making them again. May also try using apples or peaches for a different spin on the recipe! Thanks for sharing your delicious recipe!
These are a great muffin – straight out of Nigella Lawson’s cookbook! I enjoyed the honey glaze add-on.