Pear Gingerbread Muffins
Looking for a Thanksgiving recipe that will meet the dietary needs of all your guests? Look no further! These muffins are dairy-free, and can also be made gluten-free and/ or vegan (just follow the modifications). Reminiscent of gingerbread cookies, they are great for an afternoon snack or a light dessert.
Adapted by Antonia Harvey, P.Dt from http://robustrecipes.com/gingerbread-pear-muffins/
Makes: 12 muffins
Ingredients:
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2 overripe pears
2 ¼ cups of rolled oats*, ground into oat flour in a food processor
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon dried ginger
1 large egg**
¼ cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup molasses
½ teaspoon orange zest
Instructions:
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line it with non-stick muffin liners.
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Using a cheese grater, grate the pears over a bowl. Be sure to use a bowl so that both the solids and liquids are kept.
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In a medium bowl, stir together the oat flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and dried ginger.
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In a large bowl, whisk the grated pear, egg, apple sauce, vanilla, molasses, and orange zest.
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Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently stir to combine.
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Fill each muffin cup ¾ full with batter. Bake for 18 – 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
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Let the muffins cool for 10 minutes before removing from the muffin tin.
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Store muffins in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Serve on their own, or with a spread (try butter/ margarine or your favourite nut butter).
*To make the recipe gluten-free, use certified gluten-free rolled oats. These can be found in the health food section of most grocery stores.
**To make the recipe vegan, use a flax egg. To make a flax egg, mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of warm water and let sit for 10 minutes. Add to the wet ingredients in Step 4 instead of the egg. If the recipe needs to be gluten-free, ensure that the ground flax seeds are gluten-free.