These muffins were born from two questions: What can I use pumpkin pie spice for, aside from pumpkins and coffee? Also, how am I going to use up all the pears my parents gave me?

For context on the second question, this is what my parents give me when they say they’ll just give me “a few things from the garden:”

I did hesitate to make this, as a quick scroll through Pinterest assured me that cinnamon pear muffins, ginger pear muffins, and chai pear muffins are all a thing, but no one seems to be using their pumpkin pie spice in pear muffins. But pumpkin spice is pretty much the same thing as chai spice, only it has nutmeg in place of cardamom, so I went forth.

And bakers, we need to be using our pumpkin spice blends in things other than pumpkin recipes because this was delicious, and also because it is near impossible to use a jar of pumpkin pie spice before it expires. I don’t care how basic you are, no one aside from a professional baker makes that much pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread. I can’t be the only one who buys a jar of pumpkin pie spice every year only to use it once or twice and then realize there are four other jars of it rolling around the back of the cupboard.

This is a light, fluffy muffin that is not oversweet. In my not-so-humble opinion, it is a great way to transition into fall baking.

Spiced Pear Muffins
Servings: 12 muffins

				Prep Time: 10 minutes
			

				Cook Time: 20 minutes
			
Difficulty: Easy
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  For a gluten free recipe, make sure your oat flour is certified gluten free.

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups oat flour (or all purpose flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
½ cup canola oil
1 5-oz package plain Greek yogurt
1 cup diced pears
Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray or use muffin liners.
Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a small bowl. 
Mix wet ingredients in a medium bowl. Once well incorporated, mix in the dry ingredients and then fold in the diced pears.
Divide muffin batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. 
Bake for 20 minutes.

If you try this recipe, let me know how it turns out!