Simple, sweet, and elegant, Baked Pears make a lovely dessert, but there are lots of other ways to use them, too.
I love a fruit dessert, especially one whose simplicity highlights the fruit’s natural sweetness and signature taste. And I like to use fruits that are in season and pair them with complementary flavors, like fall fruit with cinnamon and maple syrup. Baked pears check all the boxes.
Pears have the perfect texture for baking, especially when they are nearly ripe. They are beautifully sweet yet not in a cloying or overwhelming way, which allows them to be enhanced by the spicy cinnamon, warm vanilla, and rich maple syrup flavors we’re using in this recipe. The pears are topped with brown sugar and butter, which helps them caramelize in the oven, creating a gorgeous color, luscious flavor, and slightly crispy topping.
You will love how effortless baked pears are to make. Once you’ve halved them and scooped out the core, the pears go into a baking dish (you can slice a tiny bit off the bottom of each pear if they wobble). They’re topped with the brown sugar and cinnamon, dotted with butter, and drizzled with vanilla and maple syrup. Into the oven they go! So simple, yet such a sophisticated way to eat this lovely fruit.
Baked pears are perfect with a big scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream, which you might then top with some Homemade Caramel Sauce to match the fruit’s caramelization. Or you could do a version of the classic French dessert Poires belle Hélène. In that preparation, the pears are poached instead of baked, but if you top the vanilla ice cream with Chocolate Sauce, you’ll have a pretty close second.
The Best Type Of Pears To Bake
There are various types of pears grown in the U.S., each with its own distinct flavor and level of sweetness. For this recipe, you’ll need pears that are sweet and have a texture that holds up to baking. While other varieties of pears can work here, our favorites are the Bartlett and the Anjou.
The Bartlett pear is probably the most well-known and recognizable variety, especially the one with green skin (there is a Red Bartlett pear, too) and the sweet yet mildly tart taste. It’s that balance of flavors and the smooth, buttery texture when nearly ripe that makes Bartletts so great for baking. The Anjou pear, which also comes in red or green, has a slightly sturdier texture than Bartletts and a subtle citrusy flavor.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Cooled baked pears can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Packed in freezer-safe containers, baked pears can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Should I Peel The Pears First?
Peeling the pears is not necessary in this recipe. In fact, leaving the skin on contributes to the pears holding their shape after baking them.
Serving Suggestions
It’s true that baked pears make a wonderful dessert, but there are so many other things you can do with them, starting with breakfast. Cube them over Healthy Baked Oatmeal or Easy Homemade Granola. And why not top these already delicious Cinnamon Bun Pancakes with slices of cinnamon-laced baked pears? For the sweet and savory lovers in your house, serve the pears with these crispy Sweet Potato Hash Browns and a side of Candied Bacon.
But wait, there’s more! I love to add cold, leftover baked pears to salads, particularly this Roasted Beet Salad With Walnuts and Blue Cheese, because, you know, pears and blue cheese are a famous combination! And whenever I make this Roasted Kabocha Squash, I serve the baked pears beside it, turning them into a sweet side that pairs (pun intended!) with the delicious sweet and spicy veggie.
Baked Pears
Ingredients
- 4 medium pears such as Bartlett or Anjou
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Wash the pears, cut them in half lengthwise, and use a spoon to scoop out the cores. Arrange the pear halves, cut side up, in a baking dish.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the pear halves. Dot with pieces of butter and drizzle with vanilla extract and maple syrup.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-30 minutes, or until the pears are tender and the topping is bubbly.
- Serve warm, optionally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
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