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How to Make Pear Butter: Spiced Pear Butter Recipe

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Sep 30, 2023 • 1 min read

Pear butter is an easy way to preserve pears by turning them into a sweet spread flavored with fall spices.

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What Is Pear Butter?

Pear butter is a fruit butter made by cooking fresh pears until tender, then puréeing them into pear-sauce, and then reducing the pear-sauce into a dark, thick spread. It’s a great way to use up an abundance of pears.

3 Ways to Use Pear Butter

Pear butter is the perfect spread for whole-grain toast or a homemade English muffin. If you’re looking to get creative with pear butter, try it:

  1. 1. In a parfait: Infuse a granola-and-yogurt parfait with fall flavor by layering in pear butter.
  2. 2. On a cheese plate: Pear butter goes especially well with blue cheese.
  3. 3. On a sandwich: Pear butter makes for an unexpected sandwich spread when topped with pulled pork or sliced turkey.

Vanilla-Spiced Pear Butter Recipe

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makes

2 cups

prep time

15 min

total time

2 hr 45 min

cook time

2 hr 30 min

Ingredients

  1. 1

    In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or other wide, shallow pan over high heat, combine pears, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla seeds with enough water to just cover.

  2. 2

    Wrap the spices (including the empty vanilla seedpod) in a piece of cheesecloth and add to the pear mixture. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a lively simmer. Simmer until the pears are very soft, about 30 minutes.

  3. 3

    Remove spice sachet and pass pears through a food mill into a bowl. If you don’t have a food mill, purée with an immersion blender or in a food processor.

  4. 4

    Return pear purée to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, until the mixture has reduced significantly and is very thick and glossy, about 2 hours.

  5. 5

    To test doneness, remove a spoonful of pear butter and let rest at room temperature, away from the steam, for 2 minutes. If the butter remains mounded on the spoon, it’s ready. Alternatively, spoon a little pear butter onto a chilled plate. If liquid runs off the pear butter, it needs more time.

  6. 6

    When pear butter has reached the desired consistency, season with a pinch of salt. Spoon into jars and let cool to room temperature. Pear butter will keep, refrigerated, about 3 weeks.

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