Hazelnut pear and chocolate chip muffins make a fantastic fall treat for an afternoon tea. They are loaded with dark chocolate chunks, juicy pears, and hazelnuts for an irresistible crunchy bite.
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What I like with muffins, is that once you have a great batter recipe, you can pretty much add anything you want inside. Muffins are also the perfect on-the-go portion size breakfast, snack or dessert! In this version, I combined pear, dark chocolate chopped into chunks, and some crunchy hazelnuts.
Not only they’re perfect for fall, but they’re absolutely scrumptious and extra delicious, with a moist tender crumb. Pretty much everything we love in a muffin, right?
What are hazelnut pear chocolate chip muffins?
- A perfect fall treat ✔
- Perfect crunchy bite ✔
- Dark chocolate and pears are just awesome together ✔
- A recipe that only takes minutes to make ✔
The recipe ingredients
- Pear. Choose it ripe but still firm, and dice into bite size chunks.
- Dark chocolate. Do yourself a favor and use dark baking chocolate, roughly chopped, rather than chocolate chips. The crunchy chocolate will do amazing with hazelnuts and the soft pears.
- Hazelnuts. You can basically use any nut you like in this recipe, but I personally fall for hazelnuts with chocolate. No need to toast them prior to using them in the recipe.
- For the muffin batter: all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, egg, melted butter (or vegetable oil), plain yogurt, baking powder and salt (+ vanilla extract).
Pro tips to make hazelnut pear chocolate chip muffins
- Use high quality dark baking chocolate. I recommend high quality chocolate, ideally around 70% cocoa. Pear and dark chocolate are like best friends (see my other recipes below)!
- Mix the batter until just combined (do not overmix). This allows the leaveners to activate while in contact with the wet ingredients. Overmixing the batter however yields some dense muffins, and you definitely want to stay away from this.
- Choose ripe, but firm pears. You want them to be sweet and juicy, but not mushy.
- Sprinkle extra chopped chocolate and hazelnuts on top of the muffins before baking. They will tall and beautiful, and you’ll love the melting chocolate on top!
- Place muffins in a very warm oven. You want to bake them in a 400°F (250°C) preheated oven, and then lower the oven temperature immediately to 375°F (190°C). This helps create tall muffins. Note to yourself: do not forget to lower the oven temperature!
- Baking tips. Bake these cookies until baked through (do the toothpick test), but make sure you do not overbake them or you will end up with dry muffins, and probably burned on top too. If the muffins are browning rapidly on top while baking, cover with foil and continue baking.
How to eat, store and freeze these muffins?
These hazelnut pear chocolate chip muffins are best eaten the same day, once cooled. To store, pile them up in a cake plate with a dome. They’ll stay fresh for 2 days at room temperature. I don’t recommend to store them in the refrigerator, it will make the hazelnuts on top flabby. You can however freeze these muffins, by placing them in an airtight container or freezer bag, and keep them up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for an hour or so.
Recipe variations
Pear-chocolate-hazelnuts make the perfect fall combo if you ask me. Now you can also add a few twists to the recipe, based on the ingredients you have at hands. Find below a few recipe variations to consider:
- Replace hazelnuts with some walnuts or pecans for a different but equally delicious version.
- Replace vanilla extract with 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
- Top the muffins with some sparkling sugar before baking…
- OR add a streusel topping for extra sweetness and an additional crunchy bite.
Other muffin recipes you’ll love:
- Best Ever Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Vegan Blueberry Muffins
- Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
- Raspberry Streusel Muffins
With pear and chocolate, try also…
Hazelnut Pear Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 10 muffins 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Hazelnut pear and chocolate chip muffins make a fantastic fall treat for an afternoon tea. They are loaded with dark chocolate chunks, juicy pears, and hazelnuts for an irresistible crunchy bite.
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup (180g) all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (180g) plain yogurt, full fat
- ⅓ cup + 1 Tablespoon (90 ml) unsalted butter, melted*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (100g) baking dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- ½ cup (75g) hazelnuts, chopped
- 1 large pear, peeled, cored and cubed
Instructions
- Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together egg and granulated sugar until combined. Pour in yogurt, melted butter (slightly cooled), and vanilla extract.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until combined.
- Add chocolate chunks, diced pear and chopped hazelnuts into the muffin batter and stir until evenly spread (do not overmix the batter).
- Cover the bowl with a cloth and let the muffin batter sit at room temperature for 1 hour to give time to the baking powder to activate – it’s the key to tall and fluffy muffins, with an airy crumb.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (250°C), and carefully scoop the muffin batter into the muffin cavities up to the top**.
- Place muffins in the oven and reduce immediately the oven temperature 375°F (190°C). Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan then remove muffins and on a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Notes
* If you like your muffins extra moist and tender, replace the melted butter with canola oil or other vegetable oil, neutral in taste. The use of melted butter makes them “bakery style” with a wonderful nutty flavor. I can’t choose which version is my favorite!
** You can add extra chocolate chunks and hazelnuts on top of each muffin if desired, and sprinkle with sugar for bakery-style muffins.
Did you make this recipe?
Lastly, if you make this Hazelnut Pear Chocolate Chip Muffins, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!
