Last Updated on 07/10/2024 by Adina
These roasted pears with balsamic and honey, made with only four ingredients, are a delight and a must-try this fall!
These caramelized roasted pears with balsamic and honey are a super easy-to-make dessert.
I didn’t even plan on making this recipe; it was not something that immediately caught my eye while perusing a cookbook.
So yesterday, after we finished lunch (we had these delicious German Meatballs or Königsberger Klopse again), I told my family to give me another half an hour, and then they could have dessert. A roasted pear dessert!
This roasted pears recipe was first published in 2017 and has had rave reviews over the years, especially on Pinterest. Check out a few of them below!
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Recipe ingredients
Pears for roasting: Choose slightly underripe and large ones. This recipe is perfect for using those stone-hard pears we all buy occasionally. The roasting process softens them without making them mushy, and the added honey makes them sweeter. Don't use very ripe fruit; it will get mushy.
The best ones for baking would be Bartlett, Anjou, or Bosc. They all retain their shape and flavor when baked or cooked.
Other ingredients: unsalted butter, honey (the clear, runny kind), and balsamic vinegar.
You will also need a cast-iron or another oven-proof heavy-bottomed pan.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Check out these Honey Pears with Greek Yogurt, too. Or make some Stewed Pears.
How to roast pears?
- Step #1: Halve and core the fruit carefully, but leave the peel on.
- Step #2: Melt the butter in the skillet. Place the pears in the pan with the cut side facing down and saute them for 2 minutes.
- Step #3: Transfer the pan to the hot oven and roast for 20 minutes.
- Step #4: Flip in the pan, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, and roast for a further 5 minutes.
- Step #5: Remove the pan from the oven, drizzle each half with honey, and let rest for a few minutes. You can garnish with a small thyme sprig, but that is not mandatory. It just looks nice.
Variations
- Sprinkle with chopped walnuts or almonds before drizzling with honey. The caramelized, roasted nuts really add lots of flavor. About 1 teaspoon per pear half should be fine.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon before serving.
How to serve baked pears?
Serve warm with some pan juices and more honey, if you wish.
Add a dollop of vanilla ice cream on top or the side.
Drizzle the pears with Greek yogurt or serve with strained yogurt.
Storage
You will probably not have any leftovers, but just in case. Keep them refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
You can chop the leftovers and serve them over oatmeal, porridge, or homemade muesli.
The pears are not suitable for freezing.
Reviews from delighted users
Trinette: It’s fall and pear season. I Made this as written. It was Terrific! Easy, healthy, tasty, and inexpensive if you have a tree pick a few pears.
Cheyenne: I’ve made this twice so far and it’s fantastic. I added a touch of flakey sea salt and a big scoop of vanilla bean ice cream - yum. It’s fairly easy too, but makes a big impact presentation-wise.
Emilia: I used to make something almost exactly like this in the restaurant I worked in. The only difference was we splashed a little white wine in the cast iron pan before sticking it in the oven. So tasty!
Elisabeth: These were absolutely amazing and so simple to prepare. The best was they cooked while we had the main course. Easy & so delicious.
Roasted Pears
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet or another ovenproof heavy-bottomed pan
Ingredients
- 2 pears large and slightly underripe, Note 1
- 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar good quality
- 4 teaspoons runny honey or more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C.
- Cut pears: Halve and core the pears. Don't peel them.2 pears
- Melt butter in the skillet or ovenproof pan.2 teaspoons unsalted butter
- Cook on the stove: Add the pears, the cut side facing down, and saute them for two minutes on the stove.
- Roast pears: Place the pan in the oven and roast the pears for 20 minutes.
- Flip the pear halves and drizzle the balsamic vinegar on the pears. Continue roasting for a further 5 minutes.3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Drizzle pears: Remove the pan from the oven, drizzle each pear with some honey, and let the pears rest for another few minutes.4 teaspoons runny honey
- Serve warm with some of the pan juices and more honey, if you wish.
Notes
- Choice of pears: Make sure they are slightly underripe; they should not be soft, or the roasted pears will be mushy.
siorse root says
Jump Too Recipe' right there', Understood the 'Oven Temp' for US of A; ppl want you to cook it in their kitchen for them Evidently!!!!, and it came out of the oven Superbly!!!!
When a Pear is Just there.... still firm, but ready... this recipe COULDN'T BE WRITTEN ANY MORE concise, and delicious.
I had some left over reduced Balsamic V with some Port, so I drizzled w/ JUST THAT!
Lovely my Dear, Exquisite!
CAROL PRICE says
VERY,VERY GOOD!!!
Pam says
Great recipe! Yes they taste better when warm. I got mine nice and caramelized by cooking on stove top for a few more minutes
Jane says
Beautiful, delicious, different and simple to make. This was a big hit! I added a tbsp of pomegranate molasses with the basalmic and garnished with pomegranate seeds and thyme. Beautiful!!
Barbara says
So perfectly gorgeous. At the end I flipped back on sliced side to get a bit more of that carmelized magic. Thinking I’ll put a few walnuts in cavity and a side of yogurt. Wow,, And much healthier than most desserts.
Olga Timofey says
Wow!!!
I will definitely try this ❤️🥵
Steve Hays says
Super easy to make and even more delicious than expected. I made mine with candied pecans. I can't wait to serve this at a dinner party with ice cream.
Marcela Grey says
Deliciosa!!
Lori says
Left off honey - I love the natural sweetness of fruit. Used dairy free butter in a bit greater amount and cherry infused balsamic. I sprinkled cinnamon on them and served with dairy free whipped cream. Was sooooo good. Next time, I’ll likely add crushed walnuts.
StelladeSeine says
I used real maple syrup instead of honey and yum!
Adina says
It sounds great, I am glad you liked the pears.
Jane says
I was not successful following this recipe. I kept increasing the temperature of the oven until it was up to 375. Then roasted for over an hour. I used Saratoga fig balsamic vinegar and raw honey. Dropped A spoonful of fresh homemade yogurt on top and sprinkled about a teaspoon of granola on top, plus some of the pan juices. Delicious!
Adina says
I am happy it worked out in the end. I suppose it depends on the oven and maybe on the ripeness of the fruit.
Wayne says
It calls for the oven temp to be 200C/400F, you say you kept raising the temp up to 375, did you start at 200F?
Adina says
Hi Wayne. I am not sure what you mean; I never speak of 375°. Somebody mentioned that in the comments, but I assume she mistook Celsius for Fahrenheit and that is why she had to increase the temperature. You have to roast the pears at 200 degrees Celsius or 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Me says
@Jane,
375c would be over 700f. Are you sure you didn’t put them at 200c instead of 400f ?
ZD says
Delicious! I tried the recipe yesterday with some pears a friend gave me. They did not turn out that caramelized as on the picture though. They tested much better warm than cold.
Louise Pare says
Delicious with some added lavender goat cheese.
Adina says
Sounds great!
Antoinette says
So delicious and so easy to prepare too. I’ve made this dish a couple of times as an after dinner treat and loved it!
Adina says
I am so happy to hear it, Antoinette. Thank you for the feedback.
No Name says
Your site was very difficult and frustrating to navigate. You don't have a jump to recipe, so you have to scroll down, through tons of advertisements!! If I hadn't committed to having roasted pears, I would have given up the first time on your site.