Pear and Cranberry Muffins Recipe Get festive and enjoy a white christmas with snow-topped Christmas muffins. Have everything measured out on Christmas Eve so you can whip them together and throw them in the oven in time for tearing into your stocking full of goodies the nest morning.

Make 12

Ingredients:
Canola oil spray
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. quick-cooking oats, divided
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. firmly packed dark brown sugar, divided
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup low fat milk
4 tsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
4 canned pear halves (not in syrup), drained and diced*
1/4 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
1 Tbsp. roasted pumpkin seeds
1 Tbsp. roasted sunflower seeds

Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin tin with eight 2-inch cups with paper liners and coat them with cooking spray. Set aside.

In mixing bowl, whisk together flours, 1/2 cup oats, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, allspice and cinnamon.  In another bowl, combine the milk, butter, vanilla and egg.

Pour wet ingredients into dry, mixing just until combined. Stir in the pears and cranberries. Divide batter among muffin cups.

In blender, chop pumpkin and sunflower seeds with remaining oats and sugar until it turns into a fine crumbly topping-like mixture. Sprinkle topping generously over the muffins.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until muffins are golden brown and a straw inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan, unmold, and serve muffins warm

Pear and Cranberry Muffins Recipe