Gingerbread Pear Muffins

Fall is here and pears have arrived! We went to our neighborhood farmer's market last Thursday and got a big ol' bag of pears. I decided to try out a new recipe for gingerbread pear muffins. These are super tasty, although if you are not a fan of gingerbread, don't bother. But, if you are a fan of molasses, like me, then you had better double up on this recipe!

What You Need:

• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar (or substitute 1/8 cup agave syrup for 1/2 of the sugar, or 1/4 cup agave syrup for all of the sugar)
  
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup milk (can sub rice or other non-dairy milk if preferred)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup backstrap molasses
• 1 egg
• 2 small to medium pears, peeled, cored and finely chopped or pureed
  

What to Do:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease muffin tray.

2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into large bowl.

3.Combine milk, oil, molasses and egg in medium bowl. Stir in pear. Stir milk mixture into flour mixture just until moistened.

4. Spoon evenly into prepared muffin cups, filling 2/3 full.

5. Bake 20 minutes, remove from oven, cool on wire rack and eat!

Makes 12, very yummy, regular sized muffins.