Baked Pears
- Rose Huxford
- Nov 15, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 18
My Baked Pears are a fantastic choice to wow your guests. They are low in calories, gently sweetened, soft, delicate, and full of seasonal flavors, all while looking beautiful. With only a handful of ingredients, they can be prepared easily in around 30 minutes!
During the holiday season, time is precious, and selecting the perfect dessert to impress your guests for Thanksgiving or Christmas can be challenging. My Baked Pears are ideal for serving a large group and give the impression of a time-consuming preparation. Your guests can opt to add a scoop of ice cream alongside homemade caramel sauce, or just enjoy the caramel sauce alone. Baked Pears are a light option following a hearty Thanksgiving or Christmas meal, and their natural sweetness will definitely satisfy your guests' sweet tooth.
Baked Pears
Pre-heat oven: 375 degree F
Yields: 4 half pears
Prep-time: 5 minutes
Bake-time: 30 minutes
Total-time: ~30 minutes
Equipment: 9x13 baking dish pan, apple core remover, cutting board, paring knife, sauce pan, wooden spoon, spatula, pretty serving tray or plate
Ingredients
2 whole Anjou Pears, cut in half
3 tbsp unsalted butter, dairy free, vegan or regular
3 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon, I use Ceylon Cinnamon
1/2 tsp pure almond extract
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch Demerara sugar (for sprinkling)
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
Directions
Pre-heat your oven to 375 degree F.
Place a saucepan over medium heat and add the butter, honey, salt, cinnamon, almond, and vanilla extract. As the butter starts to melt, begin mixing the ingredients. Stir frequently until the butter is fully melted and the ingredients are well combined. Set aside.
Next, cut your pears in half. Use a apple core remover, or a spoon, to remove the core from each pear.
After the butter mixture has fully melted, pour half of it into your baking dish. Arrange the flat side of each pear in the dish.
Place the baking dish with the pears in the pre-heated oven and bake for about 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, your pears should begin to brown and soften. Using oven mitts, turn each pear over with a spatula. Drizzle additional butter mixture over the pears, then sprinkle nuts on top of each one, followed by some demerara sugar and more cinnamon.
Place back in the oven for 5 more minutes. After 5 minutes, turn the broiler on and let the pears cook and softened for another 5 minutes. This last 5 minutes will crisp up the outer layer of the pears and help caramelize the sugar.
Turn off the oven and remove the baking dish. Place each pear on a serving plater or plate. You can serve right away with caramel sauce and a side of ice cream, or whip cream.
You can also let the pears cool and place in the fridge for up to two days. To REHEAT, put the pears on a baking sheet pan with parchment paper and broil for about 5 minutes.
Baked Pears taste great hot or cold! Enjoy!
* For the Homemade Vegan Caramel Sauce, check out the Jams/Sauce/Dips section!
By Rose Huxford
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