GF Spiced Pear Muffins

Good morning Friends!   I got up at 6 am to bake these delightful Gluten Free Spiced Pear and Brown Butter Muffins for a very special client.

I found this recipe in a beautiful cookbook called Small Plates and Sweet Treats by Aran Goyoaga.

I am not a very accomplished baker and I made a HUGE mess in my kitchen this morning, but the result is an impossibly moist muffin but still perfectly light.  These are some of the best muffins I’ve ever tried, gluten-free or not.

And by the way, despite the mess, these were very easy to make!

Spiced Pear and Brown Butter Muffins

• 1 1/4 stick (10 Tbsp) unsalted butter

• 1 cup superfine rice flour

• 1/2 cup almond flour

• 2 Tbsp tapioca starch- in a pinch, tapioca flour can be substituted for tapioca starch or corn starch

• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp ground ginger

• 1/8 tsp nutmeg

• 1/8 tsp cardamom

• 2 eggs, at room temperature

• 1/3 c maple syrup

• 1/3 c light brown sugar; packed

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 2 medium Bartlett pears, shredded

• 2 Tbsp. chopped pistachios, garnish (The Best Part)

Preheat the oven to 350*

In a small saucepan, cook butter over medium heat until it starts to bubble and the milk solids start to turn brown on the bottom of the pan (approx. 5 minutes). Remove from heat and transfer to a clean bowl to cool.  

In a large bowl, whisk together rice flour, almond flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, salt and spices.

In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, syrup, sugar, vanilla and brown butter.  Add wet to dry ingredients and mix until well combine. Fold pear into batter.

Fill muffin cups 3/4 of the way.  Sprinkle with pistachios.

Bake 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick is clean.  Allow to cool in pan for 2 minutes, before transferring to a cooling rack.

Makes 12 muffins