Chocolate Pear Muffins

These Chocolate Pear Muffins are the perfect balance of sweet and chocolatey in every bite!  Excellent for snacks or weekend breakfasts, they are also quick to prepare --- ready before you even finish your first cup of coffee (or tea)!

If you have a lot of fresh pears on hand, try almond pear cake and pear puff pastry tart as well --- both treats are ready in no time!

You don't need to use a lot of fruit to make these pear and chocolate muffins.  

But if you want more, it's not a problem to add another half cup of chopped fruits --- it's a very forgiving recipe, so don't even hesitate.

Oh!  Are you worried that it's too sweet?  Nope.

The chocolate flavor will hit you first, then the subtle sweetness of the pears and the muffin.  Absolutely yummy.

I dare you to stop with only one piece of these delicious chocolate and pear muffins! 🙂

FOR MORE QUICK BREAKFAST RECIPES, CHECK OUT THESE POSTS!

Ingredients 

• Flour - you only need all-purpose flour to make this chocolate pear muffin recipe.

• Butter - melted and cooled.

• Pears - feel free to use your favorite type of pears; make sure they're peeled and cored before chopping into small bits.

• Eggs - medium-sized (about 63 to 73 grams) and at room temperature.

• Cocoa powder - I always use unsweetened, Dutch-processed cocoa powder for making these pear and chocolate muffins.

• Sugar - regular granulated white sugar will work great.

• Milk - whole cream milk, if possible.

• Vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt - just use your favorite brands.

Preparation 

Start making your chocolate pear muffins by preheating the oven to 180°C (350°F) and lining your baking tray with muffin paper --- then set aside.

Sift the following ingredients into a medium-sized bowl: flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder.

Using a bigger bowl, combine sugar and eggs.

Mix until it turns pale in color and the sugar has mostly dissolved.

Add the milk and melted butter.

Continue mixing to combine everything evenly.

Add the strained, dry ingredients from earlier.

Mix gently --- just enough to combine.

Add one cup of the chopped pears.

Use a spatula to mix the pears gently with the rest of the chocolate batter.

Use a spoon to fill the lined muffin tray with the chocolate pear batter --- about two-thirds full.

Add the remaining chopped pears on top of each muffin.

Place your chocolate pear muffins in the middle of the oven for about twenty to twenty-five minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when you stick it in the muffin.

Remove from the oven and transfer to rack to cool for a few minutes.

Your freshly baked pear and chocolate muffins are now ready for serving!

Helpful tips 

• Make sure the melted butter has cooled down before adding it to the batter.

• Use a good cocoa powder for baking; it makes a lot of difference in the flavor of these pear and chocolate muffins.

• Do not overmix when you add the dry ingredients --- and remember to fold the pears to combine with the rest of the batter.

• If your granulated sugar has big granules, try to pulse it in a food processor a couple of times before adding it to the eggs.

Recipe variation

• Cinnamon.  Do you want a bit of spice in there?  Cinnamon powder would be great.

• Extra sugar.  This pear and chocolate muffin recipe is not too sweet, so if you want more sugar, roll the remaining pears in sugar before placing them on top of each muffin.

• Almond extract.  If you don't have vanilla extract on hand, almond extract is also excellent.  Pear and almonds go well together; if you don't believe me, check out this pear almond cake. 🙂

So how about it?  Try this pear chocolate muffins recipe this weekend!

OR GET MORE IDEAS FROM THIS LIST OF EASY SNACK RECIPES!