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These baked pears are the perfect, light dessert that pairs (or should I say “pears”) well with anything! Warm and naturally sweet, these are a go-to when I’m looking for a quick and sweet Fall treat.
A Naturally Sweet and Delicious Dessert
Baked Pears are tender, full of flavor, and have a natural sweetness that makes them the perfect light dessert for any occasion. I love making them around the holidays, topping them with Christmas-y spices and sauces like nutmeg, ginger, and caramel sauce. Not only do they taste fresh, juicy, and flavorful, they look so sweet and pretty on the plate. Dress baked pears up any way you want, they are guaranteed to taste wonderful.
The Best Pears For Baking
When you are making Baked Pears, you want to look for a sturdier pear. This is because a sturdy pear will keep its shape when baking, remaining upright and full. The two best pears to use for baking are Bosc pears and Anjou pears. Bosc pears are a warm brownish color with a sweet, slightly spicy flavor that gets pleasantly stronger as they bake. Their dense, crisp flesh is perfect for baking. Bosc pears are ripe when they give slightly when you push at the neck, right near the stem. Anjou pears come in red and green. These pears are sweet and juicy. You know the Anjou pear is ripe when it gives slightly.
Consider the skin of your pears, if the pears you have chosen have thick or firm skin, you will need to peel this skin before you bake, otherwise you can keep the skin on. The peel of a pear holds a lot of nutrients and it will also soften as it bakes so if you have a pear with thinner skin, consider leaving it on.
Cooking time will vary from pear to pear. Every type of pear has a different type of flesh. The size, ripeness, and type of pear will determine how long you need to cook them. When you can pierce the pear with a fork and it is tender, then you will know it is finished cooking.
How to Make and Assemble Baked Pears
Begin by preheating your oven to 375°F and spraying a baking dish with cooking spray. If necessary, peel your pears first before cutting them in half and coring them.
Next, place the sliced pears flat side up in your baking dish and brush with lemon juice to keep from browning. Sprinkle with spices and coat evenly with brown sugar.
Combine maple syrup and vanilla extract and pour over the halves. Bake until caramelized on the edges, this should take about 30 minutes.
Flip your pears so they are now flat side down and spoon excess sauce in the cooking pan over the halves and bake for another 30-45 minutes.
Finally, remove from oven and serve with your desired toppings. Enjoy!
Baked Pear Toppings
Many people love to start with a drizzle of honey, adding crushed nuts like walnuts, almonds, pecans, and hazelnuts. Spices can be added such as cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon to give the pears more depth of flavor. Some people can get really indulgent and add melted chocolate. I’ve never tried this, but I’ve heard that adding cheese, like goats cheese or blue cheese, can be incredibly delicious!
A Healthy Twist
Try adding Greek yogurt, granola, and a sprinkle of coconut sugar for a healthier alternative. The Greek yogurt is so creamy, you won’t miss the other toppings. Another good topping is just Greek yogurt and honey, a classic!
Tips for Making Baked Pears
For a more caramel-y sauce, add butter over the pears before baking. You can melt the butter and pour it over or slice the butter and place it directly on the pears to melt while baking.
The easiest way to check how ‘done’ your pears are is to slide a butter knife or fork into the flesh and see how tender they are. Check at intervals.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
The best way to store your baked pears is in an airtight container in the fridge. Baked pears do not freeze well so I do not recommend freezing. To reheat your pears from the fridge, you can either warm them in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes, heat them up in the microwave at 30 second intervals, or enjoy them cold (many people like this).
More Fruity Baked Desserts
Blackberry Pie
Peach Galette
Gluten Free Apple Pie
Raspberry Oatmeal Bars
Raisin Filled Cookies
Apple Oatmeal Cookies
Brown Bag Dutch Apple Pie
Baked Pears
Ingredients
- 4 large pears (bosc or anjou)
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon apple pie spice
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- granola, vanilla ice cream, or Greek yogurt (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish or oven safe casserole dish with cooking spray. Set aside.Peel pears, cut in half, and core out the middle with a melon baller or spoon.
- Place pears flat side up in the baking dish. Brush each pear all over with lemon juice to keep from browning.
- Sprinkle evenly with cinnamon and apple pie spice then sprinkle evenly with brown sugar.
- Stir the maple syrup and vanilla extract until combined. Drizzle evenly over the pears.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until soft and slightly caramelized on the edges. Remove from oven and flip pears, flat-side down and spoon excess sauce from the pan over the pears so each pear is covered in the caramel-y sauce.
- Bake another 30-45 minutes until you reach desired caramel thickness and color. The longer you bake, the thicker and darker the caramel will be.
- Serve warm with granola, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or yogurt.
