Simply put, these muffins are so easy to make that my 8 year old daughter can make them without much interference on my part. Even the dishes are minimal, which I’m grateful for since she hasn’t quite mastered the art of dish washing without turning the kitchen into a splash zone. The grated pear gives them such a delicate crumb, that there’s little danger of drying them out. We made ours generously sized and only got 9 muffins, but a lighter hand in scooping will give you an even dozen. Don’t miss the sprinkle of sugar on the top, that’s that 1% extra magic that brings these from wholesome afternoon snack into “oooh, these are the best muffins you’ve ever made” territory. And that’s a direct quote from my honest kitchen critic of a husband...
Ingredients:
Makes 12 muffins
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
½ cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 pears (any variety!), seeds and stem removed and grated on a box grater
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
optional mix-ins: up to ½ cup of raisins, chopped dates, pecans, or walnuts
(my kids prefer them without!)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with liners and set aside.. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together. Add the melted butter, cinnamon, and vanilla and whisk in. Grate the pear directly into the bowl and give it a stir with a wooden spoon. Sift the flour and baking soda into the bowl. Use a wooden spoon to mix it together well. Add the mix-ins to the bowl (if using) and fold in gently. Fill each muffin cup almost to the top. Sprinkle to tops with a generous amount of brown sugar. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes until the tops spring back when pressed lightly. Allow the muffins to cool a bit and eat while warm.
