It's like there is some secret baking police squad out there that is going to come and fine you if you make pumpkin cupcakes during the month of September or throw you in baking jail for a pecan pie in April... Heaven knows what would happen to you if you baked gingerbread in May!
That being said, I've been anxiously awaiting the arrival of gingerbread season.
December and gingerbread are like peas and carrots or peanut butter and jelly- they just go hand-in-hand.
Another thing that goes hand-in-hand? Gingerbread and pears.
I recently saw a recipe for a gingerbread and pear upside down cake and got inspired. I realized I hadn't made muffins in forever and decided to use the gingerbread and pear combination as inspiration for some holiday muffins.
I hope you enjoy them as much as Mountain Man and I did!
Gingerbread & Pear Muffins
Recipe adapted from Old Fashioned Bake Sale
Oven: 375 Bake time: 20 minutes
Yields about 12 standard muffins
1/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup molasses (unsulphured)
1 egg
2 cups AP flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup whole milk
2 pears, peeled and diced
December and gingerbread are like peas and carrots or peanut butter and jelly- they just go hand-in-hand.
Another thing that goes hand-in-hand? Gingerbread and pears.
I recently saw a recipe for a gingerbread and pear upside down cake and got inspired. I realized I hadn't made muffins in forever and decided to use the gingerbread and pear combination as inspiration for some holiday muffins.
I hope you enjoy them as much as Mountain Man and I did!
Gingerbread & Pear Muffins
Recipe adapted from Old Fashioned Bake Sale
Oven: 375 Bake time: 20 minutes
Yields about 12 standard muffins
1/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup molasses (unsulphured)
1 egg
2 cups AP flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup whole milk
2 pears, peeled and diced
Preheat oven to 375. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, beat butter and molasses until fluffy.
Add egg, beat well. Stir in 2 cups of flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt.
Slowly add milk and blend until all ingredients are combined.
Fold in diced pears, mixing until equally distributed.
Fill prepared muffin cups about 3/4 the way full.
Sprinkle with brown sugar or turbinado sugar* optional
Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool 5 minutes, then remove from pan.
In a large bowl, beat butter and molasses until fluffy.
Add egg, beat well. Stir in 2 cups of flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt.
Slowly add milk and blend until all ingredients are combined.
Fold in diced pears, mixing until equally distributed.
Fill prepared muffin cups about 3/4 the way full.
Sprinkle with brown sugar or turbinado sugar* optional
Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool 5 minutes, then remove from pan.
Happy Baking!
And congratulations to Sara of CaffeIna who won the Tate's Cookie and Cookbook Giveaway :) Thanks to everyone who participated!!
28 comments:
Oh my!! These look delish!
Bring on the gingerbread recipes! I like the idea of the pears with the gingerbread. I think you will escape lock-up with this recipe. These might even make good cookies. Have a great week!
-Gina-
Oh that sounds great. Pears are so good this time of year. I love gingerbread also. the two together has to be a marriage made in the taste buds.
I'm so happy you love gingerbread ;)! The combination of gingerbread and pear sounds ammmmaazzzing! I seriously want to eat all of those muffins, you make such delicious looking sweets. :)
Ooooo! I bet the gingerbread-pear combo is FANTASTIC!
Evan! I made the gingerbread men last night. The icing was ok - still really unsteady - but I did better than I thought i would. I should just stick to muffins like the ones you have in this post ;] Fine motor skills just are not my thing.
::sigh:: It seems that we move right from pumpkin to gingerbread and I love both, though my hips are screaming at me to stop!
These look so incredibly good. I love the idea of pear with gingerbread. It's on the list. :)
I'm a firm believer that any food is good any time of year! And I could go for one of these muffins right now.
Gingerbread and pear sounds so yummy! These are really pretty!
oh wow these sound great! I love gingerbread but I've never tried gingerbread muffins!
I love those muffins! They would make a great X'mas breakfast.
looks amazing! now following you :)
I've been craving gingerbread since the day after Thanksgiving! It's really too bad we've relegated it to December. I say we protest! Bake gingerbread in July!
These muffins look fabulous! Put a pear on it and make it a muffin and I'll only love gingerbread more.
I like what you've done here, pairing gingerbread with pears!
I adore making muffins and these must smell wonderful when baking and be a special seasonal treat. Thank you for sharing and the inspiration on this combination of flavors. :)
Evan, these cupcakes look wonderful. I love gingerbread and I think I've been missing out by not pairing it with pears. Great idea! Will have to try sometime.
It's totally true, there seem to be things that get baked only in certain times of the year. I'm glad it's gingerbread time 'cause you did a great job with these muffins. A great way to start the week!
The pear looks great in this dish. I just love gingerbread.
I think that's especially true of pumpkin (autumn only!) and cherries (summer only!)....
I could eat gingerbread year-around. Its delicious.
Dee-lish! I'm a gingerbread fanatic, and I've made quite a few ginger treats this month already, although muffins haven't yet made the list. I love the idea of combining ginger and pear...I don't have pears on hand right now, but I'm wondering if I could sub in apple?
Thanks everyone! The pears were definitely an added treat..
@Roxan- I can't wait for you to see the gingerbread men I'm posting later this week, they'll probably make you feel better about your fine motor skills :)
@Mom Chef- My hips have been screaming that a long time.. I've learned to zone them out ;) ha
@Deborah- I like the way you think!
@Rachel- let's do it! gingerbread in July!
@Kylie- I think apples would be perfect in this! What a great idea!
I love your list of forbidden out of season treats:) Gingerbread is definitely connected to the month of December and the Christmas holidays. That's why we can't find an egg nog latte at Starbucks in August,lol. I love this muffin recipe as it contains a couple of my favorite ingredients and they look like they would be perfect with a cup of tea after a morning of Christmas shopping, thanks for the recipe:)
These look so delicious. I have never had this flavor combination before and that sounds so incredible!
Haha, it is funny that certain foods are limited to the time of year. Strawberry shortcake in January - what?! :) These look lovely, I love the gingerbread/pear combination.
You and I obviously think alike. I love it! I bet the addition of pear was just lovely in these muffins. I"m going to have to try adding some fruit to my next ginger bread cake. Maybe some apple? Thank you for sharing this recipe. I hope you are having a beauty-filled afternoon!
I think we should eat these muffins any time! Ginger and pear and is a wonderful combination. I bet they were very moist:)Congratulations Sara!!
Oh my....gingerbread and pears....brilliant! Sounds just delicious. Hmmm...you are right about seasonal foods...there's no rule that says I must have a peppermint frenzy in winter...but my frenzy refuses to acknowledge this fact. ;)
I'm dreading this saturday which is when i'm going to be baking up a storm of cookies, but I LOVE the combination of pears and gingerbread. The muffins sound amazing, I just wish I didn't have to bake a batch to get one.
My, oh my! I just noticed this recipe and am excited for gingerbread season to roll around again, so I can try it! The addition of pear sounds so delicious! Thanks for sharing, and happy 2011 to you!
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