Sometimes you need a little decadence in your morning. The ho-hum bowl of cereal just isn’t enough. That’s when you need Pear and Raisin Allspice Crumb Muffins. (And some googly eyes if you’re grumpy and need a laugh, too!)
Like going to a party, these require a little extra preparation. I pre-cooked the pears and raisins in butter and sugar until the pears were soft. That would have been fantastic spooned over the top if I wasn’t already adorning with a streusel topping as well. Placed in the middle of each muffin, however, they turned an already fancy treat into the life of the party!
This adaptation comes from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From my home to yours, which is one of my most favorite cookbooks. Beautiful photos, appealing flavors, and the narrative is like having your friend come over and help you bake. You can’t go wrong with this recipe. What are friends for?
- ½ cup white whole wheat flour
- ½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces
- 1 Bosc pear, sliced thinly and chopped
- ¼ cup dark raisins
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon turbinado (raw) sugar
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour
- ½ cup turbinado (raw) sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 Tablespoons (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
- Put the flour, brown sugar, and allspice in a large bowl and stir.
- Add the butter to the bowl and, using a pastry blender, work the butter into the dry ingredients until you have small, pea-sized crumbs.
- Put it in the fridge until ready to use.
- In a small saucepan, heat the pear, raisins, butter, and sugar over medium heat until the pears are soft. Keep warm until ready to use.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, allspice, and salt.
- In a large liquid measuring cup (or medium bowl), whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract.
- Slowly pour in the melted butter, whisking the whole time, continuing to whisk until well blended.
- Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry and, using a silicone spatula, stir until just combined.
- Using a large cookie scoop, portion out a scoop of batter into each prepared cup, then spoon some filling over that. Cover with another scoop of batter.
- Sprinkle the streusel over the top, pressing down lightly when finished.
- Bake on a center rack for 20 minutes or until the tops are golden colored and the muffins bounce back when lightly pressed.
- Place muffin tin on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes, then remove muffins to the cooling rack to cool completely.
Muffin Monday is an initiative by Baker Street. A culinary journey of sharing a wickedly delicious muffin recipe every week. Drop in a quick line to join her on her journey to make the world smile and beat glum Monday mornings week after week.
What other crumb-y muffins do we have this morning?
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14 comments
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Stacy
22 October, 2012 at 1:23 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Oooh, pear and raisin filling! What a wonderful idea! Your googly eyes gave me the first laugh of the day on this Monday morning so, thank you.
Still smiling,
Stacy
Stacy recently posted..Apple Allspice Muffins for #MuffinMonday
baker street
22 October, 2012 at 7:26 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Cooking the pears and raisins in butter was a fantastic idea! And those googly eyes are too cute! Great twist on dorie’s recipe, Carrie!
Kate | Food Babbles
22 October, 2012 at 8:02 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
The googly eyes are just too cute and did give me a chuckle. Love it! And these muffins sound amazing. Yum! Happy Monday!
Kate | Food Babbles recently posted..Apple Spice Crumb Muffins – #MuffinMonday
The Poet Herself
23 October, 2012 at 1:24 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
As happy as a Monday can be!
Ashley Bee
22 October, 2012 at 10:33 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
These are too cute! And they sound so lovely and fall-themed too
Ashley Bee recently posted..Falling into Fall — Apple Beet Salad with Maple Dressing
The Poet Herself
23 October, 2012 at 1:23 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Thank you! They really do scream “Fall,” don’t they?
Barbara Bamber | justasmidgen
22 October, 2012 at 11:47 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I love these cute muffins.. what a great idea to prepare the fruit this way before adding into the batter! I’m your latest follower:D
Barbara Bamber | justasmidgen recently posted..Katie’s { Vegan } Carrot Cake
The Poet Herself
23 October, 2012 at 1:23 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Welcome! I thought it would be a little more special pre-cooking the pears and raisins and making a sort of caramel-y sauce. Very yummy!
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes
22 October, 2012 at 2:55 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
These look so yummy! Love the googly eyes haha!
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes recently posted..Hot Corn and Cheese Dip
The Poet Herself
23 October, 2012 at 1:22 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Mondays really need a pick-me-up. How can you be grumpy when those eyes are staring at you?
Ronja @ a dash of faith
23 October, 2012 at 1:02 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
What a great idea to cook the fruit in butter and sugar beforehand! The combination of pear and raisins also sounds really yummy!
Ronja @ a dash of faith recently posted..chai concentrate
Jennie @themessybakerblog
24 October, 2012 at 8:53 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Oh, yum, a pear and raisin filling. Drool! These look delicious.
Jennie @themessybakerblog recently posted..#MuffinMonday~ Allspice Cinnamon Chip Streusel Muffins
Paula @ Vintage Kitchen
25 October, 2012 at 8:00 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I agree with sometimes needing a little extra treat in the morning. Besides, whole wheat flour, pears and raisins make it healthy, jaja. Really wonderful recipe to try with so many fruits!
Paula @ Vintage Kitchen recently posted..Limoncello Glazed Citrus Poppy Seed Cake
The Poet Herself
30 October, 2012 at 10:38 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Exactly!