Easy Cinnamon Pear Sauce (quick 30 minute recipe!) (2024)

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If you’re wondering what to do with lots of pears, this easy cinnamon pear sauce is the perfect solution! Sweet and gently spiced, this pear sauce is great on its own or as a spread/dip for a variety of foods.

Easy Cinnamon Pear Sauce (quick 30 minute recipe!) (1)

What to make with pears from a tree?

We have about 6 pear trees in our yard that started to produce fruit last year. We waited patiently for that first pear to ripen…..and waited….and waited some more.

Somehow, the pears stayed rock hard for months. Then went rotten. Sigh.

We decided that the trees were possibly too young to produce good fruit. This year, I kept my fingers crossed that we’d get at least one good pear.

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And the pear trees produced bountifully! So bountifully, in fact, that the birds had a feast on half of the fruits in the backyard before we could harvest them.

But at least we were able to salvage a few pounds of pears. They were still rock hard, so I tried not to get my hopes up.

Then, I read this tip about exposing your pears to a cold temperature for a few days in the fridge or freezer before transferring to room temp storage. The cold is supposed to somehow trigger the ripening process.

Guess what? It worked!

I was so excited to use them and wanted to do something special with them. Since the pears were quite small, I decided to use them to make cinnamon pear sauce. A perfect decision!

I love how the rich cinnamon changes the color of this sauce from a pale cream to a deep mauve.

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How to Make Cinnamon Pear Sauce from Scratch

This recipe is so simple!

First, wash and prep your pears. You can choose to peel your pears or leave the peels on, it’s up to you.

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Carefully slice as much fruit as you can from the pears, while being careful not to include the core (there are some small hard pieces you don’t want to end up in the sauce).

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Add all the pear pieces to a medium saucepan. Add 1/2 cup water, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and reduce heat to simmer. Allow to cook gently for 25 minutes.

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Once the pears are soft, use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until smooth. Alternatively, you can allow the pears to cool a bit and process in a regular blender. (To cook in a slow cooker or Instant Pot, see section on adapting this recipe.)

At this point, you can add a sweetener if you wish. Some good options are a couple tablespoons of sucanat, honey, or maple syrup. Or, if your pears are really sweet, you can leave it out altogether.

Transfer to jars and it’s ready to use or store!

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Easy Cinnamon Pear Sauce (quick 30 minute recipe!) (8)

How do you thicken a pear sauce?

There’s no need to add any thickeners – this spiced pear sauce recipe is perfectly thick already by simply blending up the cooked pears. If your sauce is too thin, you can simply allow it to reduce on a low heat with the lid off until it reaches your desired consistency.

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How to Preserve Your Pear Sauce

To preserve this pear sauce, you can freeze or can it.

To freeze, allow sauce to cool and leave 1-2 inches at the top of each jar for expansion before transferring to the freezer. Freeze for up to one year.

This recipe is good for water bath canning since it uses lemon juice for acidity. Here’s a good guide on canning for beginners.

How many pears do I need for a quart of sauce?

It depends on the size of your pears. Four pounds of pears yields about a quart of pear sauce.

We had around 5 pounds of pears, so I was able to make a quart of pear sauce plus an additional 8 oz. jar.

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Adapting for the slow cooker or Instant Pot

You can easily make this pear sauce in the slow cooker or Instant Pot! Just follow these directions:

  • Slow Cooker: Add all ingredients into slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 2 hours. Puree with an immersion blender or regular blender.
  • Instant Pot: Add all ingredients to the Instant Pot and lock lid in place/seal valve. Set to Manual, high pressure for 7 minutes. Do a quick pressure release then puree sauce with immersion or regular blender.
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Recipes for using pear puree sauce

There are lots of yummy ways to use your pear sauce, such as:

  • Use in place of jam on your favorite sandwiches or biscuits
  • Spread on pancakes instead of syrup
  • Stir into plain yogurt
  • Use pear sauce for pork – it’s a great accompaniment!
  • Make pear sauce muffins by adding a dollop in the middle of plain muffin batter as you fill the muffin cups
  • Or just eat plain! I love adding this pear sauce to my kids’ lunchboxes.
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Yield: 1 quart

Cinnamon Pear Sauce

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

If you're wondering what to do with lots of pears, this easy cinnamon pear sauce is the perfect solution! Sweet and gently spiced, this pear sauce is great on its own or as a spread/dip for your a variety of foods.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Wash and slice pears and add to a large saucepan. You may choose to peel the pears or leave the peels on. Easy Cinnamon Pear Sauce (quick 30 minute recipe!) (13)
  2. To the saucepan, add water, lemon juice, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.
  3. Stir and cover with a lid, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes. Easy Cinnamon Pear Sauce (quick 30 minute recipe!) (14)
  4. Once pears are soft, blend with an immersion blender. Or, allow pears to cool and blend in a regular blender until smooth.
  5. Add sweetener of choice if desired. Transfer to jars for storage. You may freeze or can the sauce. Easy Cinnamon Pear Sauce (quick 30 minute recipe!) (15)

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

32

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 33Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 0g

Will you try this homemade pear sauce? What’s your favorite way to use fresh pears?

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Easy Cinnamon Pear Sauce (quick 30 minute recipe!) (18)
Easy Cinnamon Pear Sauce (quick 30 minute recipe!) (2024)

FAQs

Can I use pear sauce instead of applesauce? ›

Ways to Use Pear Sauce

Basically, any way that you like to use applesauce is a good way to use pear sauce. I like to enjoy it as-is, with a sprinkling of (extra) cinnamon, either cold or warmed up over the stove.

What food pairs well with pears? ›

Pears Make the Perfect Partner for Wholesome Snacking

even replace meals, a pear's juicy, subtle flavor pairs well with protein-filled nut butters or almonds and walnuts. And its gentle acidity is a bright match for richer companions, like cheese and cured meats.

What can I do with backyard pears? ›

We love eating pears just as they are, but also love them in fresh salads, on toast with almond butter and in smoothies. I also like to preserve pears for the winter, so I make pear sauce (which is just like apple sauce but with pears). ☺I juice pears and freeze it so there is juice later in the year.

What do you put on pears? ›

Top evenly with oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice. Flip pears cut-side down and bake for 20-30 minutes (uncovered) or until tender (a knife inserted should easily slide out – bake longer as needed for larger / firmer pears).

Why did my pear sauce turn pink? ›

Excessive heat changes natural food pigments. Use correct processing methods and time to reduce discoloration. If the fruit grew in dry weather, it often turns pink and cannot be prevented. While the color doesn't look right, the pears are safe to eat.

Can I use sour cream instead of applesauce in baking? ›

On the flip side, if your recipe calls for applesauce as a source of moisture, then fat-heavy substitutes like yogurt or sour cream that can make your final product rich and moist will work well.

What enhances the flavor of pears? ›

In classic French cuisine, pears are often poached with vanilla beans in wine, and for good reason. The wine's fruit-forward acidity perks up the mellow pears, while fragrant vanilla beans amplify their floral aroma and the gentle cooking method keeps their delicate texture intact.

What brings out the flavor of pears? ›

What enhances the flavor of pears? A warm spice like cinnamon does the trick. It's especially fantastic combined with the molasses flavor of the brown sugar. Ginger is also delicious!

Can dogs eat pears? ›

Yes, dogs can eat pears. Pears are a great snack because they're high in copper, vitamins C and K, and fiber. If you're sharing pears with your dog, just be sure to cut the pear flesh into bite-size chunks and remove the pit and seeds first, as the seeds contain traces of cyanide.

Can I freeze fresh pears? ›

If planning to use pears uncooked, freeze using juice or water method. Freezing pears using dry packing or in sugar is the best method for pies or other cooked dishes. If planning to use pears in a sweetened jam, jelly, fruit butter, or sauce, try freezing using the juice or water method, but choose unsweetened juice.

Do pears last longer in the fridge or on the counter? ›

Just-picked or purchased pears should be ripened at room temperature. On the counter is fine, but keep unripened pears out of the 'fridge. Once ripe, you can store pears in the refrigerator. The cold temperatures will slow the ripening process and they'll keep for 3 to 5 days.

What is the healthiest way to eat pears? ›

As with any fruit, the best way to eat a pear is to eat the whole thing. The skin is where most of the nutrients are, particularly the fiber and antioxidants.

What do you put on top of pears? ›

Sprinkle a dusting of cinnamon and arrowroot or cornstarch onto the pears and toss to combine. Sprinkle a generous helping of the crumble on top of the pears, spreading evenly to coat. Bake the crumble at a 350º oven for 20 minutes. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

What do you substitute for applesauce? ›

There are many substitutes for applesauce that can be used in baking. These include pumpkin puree, mashed bananas, pear puree, and plain Greek yogurt or more. Each of these substitutes has its own unique flavor and texture that can add something special to your baking.

What can you substitute for applesauce in a recipe? ›

What To Substitute for Applesauce?
  1. Pureed Pears. What is a better way to replace applesauce than with a fruit puree? ...
  2. Pureed Pumpkin. Another fruit puree that you can use as an applesauce baking substitute is made out of pumpkin. ...
  3. Mashed Banana. ...
  4. Mashed Avocado. ...
  5. Mashed Sweet Potato. ...
  6. Pureed Carrots. ...
  7. Plain Yogurt. ...
  8. Peanut Butter.
May 23, 2023

Can I use pear instead of apple? ›

As you probably already know, pears can be substituted for apples in almost any recipe. I decided to make a pear cake, so I checked through my files for my favorite apple cake recipes. I actually combined two recipes for this pear cake, and it worked great.

What can I eat instead of applesauce? ›

Pureed pears, peaches and other fruit will work but may leave a slightly stronger taste. Mashed bananas can be used as a substitute for oil or applesauce. Mashed sweet potatoes can also work when substituting applesauce in baking.

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