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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Easy Stewed Pears Recipe

    Published: Aug 28, 2020 · Modified: Jun 30, 2021 by Kate Hackworthy · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Jump to Recipe
    Bowl of stewed pears with text overlay reading: Easy Stewed Pears with Cinnamon Syrup, try it on ice cream, waffles, 15 minutes.
    Bowl of cooked pears with text overlay reading: Easy Cinnamon Stewed Pears, 15 minutes.
    Bowl of stewed pears, with text reading: 15 minute stewed pears with cinnamon and cloves.

    Make this easy Stewed Pears recipe in just 15 minutes with 5 simple ingredients. Sliced pears are stewed in a cinnamon and clove spiced syrup until they get beautifully soft. Delicious on yogurt, ice cream, oatmeal, waffles and more.

    Close up of a bowl of stewed pears with a cinnamon stick and a serving spoon.

    You only need 5 ingredients to make Stewed Pears from scratch in 15 minutes!

    Pears are stewed in a quick cinnamon and clove infused syrup. Perfect warm or cold on ice cream, yogurt, oatmeal, waffles or just on their own as a dessert.

    The scent of stewed pears in the air always reminds me of my mum. Stewed apples too. Delicate spices dance in the air scented with sweet soft fruit. Bliss.

    Pears are lovely and fragrant when eaten fresh, but I really love stewing them. Simply adding them to a little sweetened water with spices takes them to a new level.

    A dish of soft, cooked pears swimming in a cinnamon and clove syrup. Can you imagine anything better? They're perfect on their own or over waffles, ice cream, whipped cream, cheesecake...

    Five ingredients and 15 minutes to pear nirvana.

    Be sure to also try my stewed plums and stewed rhubarb! Just as easy with a different fruit flavor.

    Bowl of stewed pears with a cinnamon stick.

    I have a HUGE pear tree at the bottom of my backyard. Too big. That's the problem. It's massively overgrown and about 30 foot tall. And it's absolutely laden with glorious orbs of fruit right now. Thing is, we can only possibly reach the lowest few branches.

    So all that free fruit turns into food for the birds, missiles in the wind or simply falls to the ground when they're overripe and smash, making food for any wild (or domestic) animals.

    It's such a shame, but those few beautiful pears that we get are absolutely divine. And perfect for stewed pears.

    Why you'll love this recipe

    Ready in 15 minutes.
    5 simple ingredients.
    A great way to use up pears.
    Stovetop cooked pears.
    The spiced cooked pears are melt-in-your-mouth good.
    The light syrup is flavored with cinnamon, cloves and pears.
    Versatile - try it on yogurt, oatmeal, granola, pancakes, ice cream...

    Close up of a bowl with cooked pears in cinnamon syrup with a cinnamon stick.

    Ingredients

    You only need a few simple ingredients for these fragrant, delicious spiced stewed pears.

    Pears - ripe, but not too soft, or they could break up into more of a compote. If they're on the firmer side, they'll soften while cooking.

    Sugar - use brown sugar, white sugar or maple syrup.

    Lemon juice - or substitute for orange juice.

    Cinnamon stick - optional, but adds an amazing flavor.

    Cloves - as with the cinnamon, they add a lovely flavor, but are optional.

    Step by step tutorial

    This is such a simple recipe, but full of WOW flavor. Follow these photo steps, then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.

    Pot with water, sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon stick.

    Add the sugar, water, lemon juice and cinnamon stick to a pot. If using cloves, add them too.

    Cinnamon stick in sugar syrup in a pot.

    Place over a medium heat and simmer until the sugar dissolves.

    Pot of pears, cinnamon stick and cloves.

    Peel, core and quarter the pears, then add them to the pot.

    Pot of stewed pears with cinnamon stick and cloves.

    Simmer for 10 minutes or until soft. Enjoy!

    Serving Suggestions

    Try these tasty ways to use up stewed pears!

    On vanilla ice cream.
    In yogurt.
    On oatmeal.
    On waffles or pancakes (try my Vegan Waffles and Fluffy Vegan Pancakes).
    Serve in a bowl swirled with heavy cream.
    Alongside custard.
    Sprinkle with granola for a deconstructed pear crisp (aka pear crumble).
    Try using the cooked pears in this Gingerbread Parfait.
    Serve for Christmas breakfast as a quick topping for waffles, porridge, baked oatmeal, pancakes (perfect on Gingerbread Pancakes), Cinnamon French Toast etc...

    Tips

    Swap the water for red wine or mulled wine for a more festive Christmas dessert.

    I prefer to peel my pears before stewing, but you can leave the skin on. It softens as it cooks.

    Firmer pears will take longer to cook, while ones that are more ripe could cook quicker. Keep an eye on them as you want the stewed pears to be cooked and soft, but not collapsing.

    Try adding a thumb-sized piece of peeled root ginger, chopped, to your stewed pears.

    Make it refined-sugar-free by using maple syrup or stevia instead of sugar.

    Try it with vanilla ice cream.

    Add a star anise or some cardamom for another flavor.

    Delicious served warm on its own with toasted crushed salted hazelnuts.

    Fruit recipes

    I hope that you'll love these stewed pears as much as we do. Be sure to try these other tasty fruit recipes.

    Fruit Tacos
    Fruit Platter Ideas
    Chocolate Avocado Dip with Fruit Skewers
    Blackberry Compote
    Raspberry Compote
    Blueberry Popsicles
    Fruit Salad with Tea Simple Syrup
    Poached Pears in Red Wine with Cinnamon Cream

    Bowl of stewed pears with a serving spoon and a cinnamon stick.

    Easy Cinnamon Stewed Pears

    Kate Hackworthy | Veggie Desserts
    Make this easy Stewed Pears recipe in just 15 minutes with 5 simple ingredients. Sliced pears are stewed in a cinnamon and clove spiced syrup. Delicious on yogurt, ice cream, oatmeal, waffles and more.
    5 from 26 votes
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    Prep Time 3 mins
    Cook Time 12 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Breakfast, Dessert
    Cuisine American, gluten-free, Vegan
    Servings 6
    Calories 152 kcal

    Equipment

    • Vegetable peeler
    • Cutting board
    • Knife
    • Pot

    Ingredients
     

    • 8 ripe pears
    • ½ cup water
    • 2 tablespoons sugar brown sugar or white
    • Juice of ½ a lemon
    • 1 cinnamon stick optional
    • 5 cloves optional

    Instructions
     

    • Place the sugar, water, lemon juice and cinnamon stick into a medium-sized pot over a medium heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves.
    • Peel and core the pears and cut into quarters, and add them to the pot.
    • Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the fruit is soft and begins to break down. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick and cloves.
    • Enjoy hot or cold. Delicious on yogurt, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, granola or cheesecake. Get creative with the tasty stewed pears.

    Video

    Notes

    Swap the water for red wine or mulled wine for a more festive Christmas dessert.
    I prefer to peel my pears before stewing, but you can leave the skin on. It softens as it cooks.
    Firmer pears will take longer to cook, while ones that are riper could cook quicker. Keep an eye on them as you want the stewed pears to be cooked and soft, but not collapsing.
    Try adding a thumb-sized piece of peeled root ginger, chopped to your stewed pears.
    Add a star anise or a large pinch of ground cardamom for another flavor.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 152kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 3mgPotassium: 275mgFiber: 8gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 59IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 1mg

    The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @kateveggiedesserts or tag #veggiedesserts! I love seeing your recreations.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ray

      October 28, 2022 at 2:11 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe was great as a side dish to stuffed pork chops

      Reply
    2. Joselyn

      October 22, 2022 at 9:20 pm

      5 stars
      Had pears in the fridge for too long. Found this recipe and it is simple, healthy, and delicious.

      Reply
    3. Laura S Crowther

      September 13, 2022 at 4:16 am

      5 stars
      my mom gave me a whole 5 gallon bucket of pears and I didn't have time to deal with them. I used the ingredients in your recipe but put them in a large slow cooker for about 2hours at 350 degrees. Turned it off and came back to them later that day. Sliced and peeled and cored after cooking . Very tasty. I have way too many to eat within 3 days so after looking into it.. I plan on freezing most of them.

      Reply
    4. Pat

      August 24, 2022 at 8:02 am

      5 stars
      I love this dish and I also do it with apples and pears together. Yummy.

      Reply
    5. Lauren

      April 10, 2022 at 3:23 pm

      Could you substitute other fruit when pears aren't in season? Have you tried this with apples or plums?

      Reply
    6. Gerarda

      July 24, 2021 at 8:18 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious. Wouldn’t change a thing. Good way to use up excess pears. Thank you

      Reply
    7. Linda Nelson

      April 03, 2021 at 6:48 pm

      5 stars
      just made this for the first time they are great. thanks for the recipe

      Reply
    8. Roy

      February 19, 2021 at 8:48 am

      5 stars
      Just tried these pears ,delicious

      Reply
    9. Nkechi Ajaeroh

      October 13, 2020 at 12:29 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a perfect healthy topping for anything! I will load it up on my warm waffles; the kiddos will love this too! Thanks so much for sharing!

      Reply
    10. Ashley

      August 31, 2020 at 6:51 pm

      5 stars
      I have become with all things pear -- and this was just the most delightful dessert. Paired perfectly with a glass of Sauternes.

      Reply
    11. Sarah

      August 28, 2020 at 7:47 pm

      5 stars
      I love fall fruits and dessert. Such a wonderful classic recipe, I love that your tips for using this recipe are inspirational for future uses.

      Reply
    12. Alisa

      August 28, 2020 at 7:07 pm

      5 stars
      I am gonna lean over the fence and steel a few pairs from my neighbours tree... they look that good and I need to make some now! So excited I am all sorts of drools over here looking at your pictures.

      Reply
    13. Pris

      August 28, 2020 at 5:52 pm

      5 stars
      Ohhhhh it's actually hard to imagine anything better. Mother nature's sweet, just with a few tweaks 🙂 Thanks for this lovely recipe!

      Reply
    14. Kristin

      August 28, 2020 at 5:35 pm

      5 stars
      I would never have thought to stew pears! But it's a genius idea! My son just told me he can't wait for me to try this recipe. I just put pears on my shopping list. Thanks for the great recipe!

      Reply
    15. Shelley

      August 28, 2020 at 5:09 pm

      5 stars
      These lovely stewed pears just give me such a wonderfully cozy, autumn feeling, just looking at the photos! Super easy and really nutritious, too (you know I love that) - with such a yummy flavor combo from the spices you chose. Autumn in every bite - and really perfect for the holiday season, too! Loved your great suggestions for how to use them (OMG that Gingerbread Parfait?!?!). YUM!!!

      Reply

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    Kate Hackworthy in the kitchen

    Hi, I'm Kate, a journalist, author and multi-award-winning food blogger. I hope you enjoy my vegetarian and vegan recipes. About Me

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    Popular recipes

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    • Mini Baked Potatoes
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    Healthy Recipes

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    My cookbook

    Veggie Desserts and Cakes Cookbook cover.

    Check out my Veggie Desserts Cookbook, full of tasty desserts with vegetables!

    Kate Hackworthy in the kitchen

    Hi, I'm Kate, a journalist, author and multi-award-winning food blogger. I hope you enjoy my vegetarian and vegan recipes. About Me

    Collage of press logos.

    Popular recipes

    • The BEST Easy Red Lentil Dahl
    • Easy Naan Bread Recipe (yeast-free)
    • Mini Baked Potatoes
    • Easy Lentil Soup

    Healthy Recipes

    • Butternut Squash Salad
    • Easy Healthy Cabbage Soup
    • Easy Vegan Ramen (15 minutes)
    • Rajma Masala (Kidney Bean Curry)

    My cookbook

    Veggie Desserts and Cakes Cookbook cover.

    Check out my Veggie Desserts Cookbook, full of tasty desserts with vegetables!

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