10 Pear Recipes to Make at Home

Whether you’re looking to make a lightly sweet appetizer for a weeknight dinner or planning a feast for your whole family, here are some easy pear desserts to try at home.

1. 1. Asian pear salad: This refreshing salad is a perfect lunch or side dish for a weeknight dinner. Asian pears are the best type of pear to use for this salad because they have a crisp texture, almost like a cross between jicama and an apple, earning the fruit its other moniker, the “apple pear.” To make this salad, combine juicy, ripe Asian pear slices with peppery arugula, shaved brussels sprouts, creamy avocado, and gorgonzola (or goat cheese). Top this pear and arugula salad with apple cider or red wine vinaigrette, red onions, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, and fresh-cracked black pepper.
2. 2. Pear butter: Pear butter is a fruit butter made by puréeing tender, cooked pears into a pear sauce and then reducing it to a dark, thick spread. Pear butter makes the perfect brunch spread for toast or sandwiches, a flavorful layer in a parfait, or a tasty pairing with blue cheese. It’s also a great way to use up an abundance of in-season pears.
3. 3. Pear cobbler: This freeform fall dessert has a pear base and a biscuit topping. Home cooks shouldn’t confuse a pear cobbler with a pear crisp, which features a streusel topping rather than a biscuit topping. For a gluten-free cobbler, swap the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free variety such as almond flour or coconut flour.
4. 4. Pear crumble: A pear crumble is a baked dessert consisting of tender pieces of cooked pear tucked under a buttery crumb topping made with rolled oats, nuts, and spices like cardamom and cinnamon. Swap apples for pears in any apple crumble recipe. Top this dessert with a scoop of homemade vanilla bean ice cream or a non-dairy whipped topping.
5. 5. Pear galette: A pear galette is a rustic French dessert composed of free-form pastry dough with a sweet pear filling. While summer produce is most common for galettes, pear galettes are popular autumn fruit desserts, featuring sliced pears folded into a buttery galette dough.
6. 6. Pear gelato: Italian gelato is a thick, creamy frozen dessert made from a mixture of milk, cream, and sugar. For a richer flavored gelato, blend caramelized pears, brown sugar, and unsalted butter with a milk custard. As the mixture cools to room temperature, slowly churn the mixture into gelato by hand or machine. Serve this frozen treat with chopped hazelnuts, pistachios, or sliced almonds, or store it in the freezer in an airtight container.
7. 7. Pear jam: This fruit spread consists of chopped pears cooked with sugar and an acid such as lemon juice. Make pear jam with most pear varieties, including Anjou pears, Bartlett pears, or Bosc pears.
8. 8. Pear pie: Pear pie is a dessert featuring a traditional tart or pie crust surrounding a pear mixture. Use a standard apple pie recipe to make the best pear pie. Simply coat your pear slices in cinnamon sugar and lemon juice, then pour them into your pie crust and lattice the top. Bake the pie in the oven until golden brown, then serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
9. 9. Pear tarte Tatin: Tarte Tatin is a French upside-down tart that typically calls for an apple filling. To make a pear tarte Tatin, caramelize pears in sugar and butter on the stovetop, then cook them in the oven beneath a layer of buttery puff pastry. Serve this French pear upside-down cake with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
10. 10. Sweet potato and pear bisque: This rich and creamy soup pairs the natural sweetness of roasted sweet potatoes with aromatics and heavy cream. Add juicy pears to your sweet potato bisque purée for sweetness and texture.

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