Spiced Pear and Walnut Whole Wheat Muffins

• 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups peeled, diced ripe pears (about 2 medium pears)
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until well combined.
3. In a separate medium bowl, beat together the brown sugar, egg, Greek yogurt, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold together just until combined. Be careful not to overmix; the batter should be thick and lumpy.
5. Fold in the diced pears and chopped walnuts evenly throughout the batter.
6. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
8. Allow muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

Chef tips

• Use ripe but firm pears to avoid excess moisture that can make muffins soggy.
• If you don’t have Greek yogurt, use plain yogurt or sour cream as a substitute for moistness.
• For a nut-free version, omit walnuts or substitute with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
• Avoid overmixing the batter to keep muffins tender and fluffy; a few lumps are normal.