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    Where Is My Spoon > Recipes > Sweets > Desserts

    Easy Stewed Pears Recipe

    Last modified: May 15, 2025 ยท Published by Adina, Jan 15, 2022 ยท 4 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    pin image of pear with spices cooked in syrup.

    The stewed pears are simmered in a delightful spicy syrup with cinnamon and star anise. This simple dessert is ready in no time and perfect for serving with ice cream, waffles, pancakes, or on its own.

    cubes pears poached with spices in a black bowl.

    Stewed pears, roasted pears, and baked pears with yogurt, no matter how you cook them, pears make the most wonderful autumn or winter dessert. Iโ€™ve cooked todayโ€™s simple recipe so many times that Iโ€™ve lost count.

    And if you like stewed fruit, Iโ€™ve got you covered. Please try the Stewed Plums or the Crepes with Rhubarb Filling; you will love them! Or make a simple and delicious Nectarine Compote in summer.

    Jump to recipe
    • Recipe ingredients
    • How to stew pears?
    • Tips
    • Storage
    • Serving suggestions
    • More fruit desserts
    • Recipe
    • Easy Stewed Pears Recipe

    Recipe ingredients

    two halved pears, sugar, water, spices, lemon juice on table.

    Pears: Use any kind of pears you like, but make sure they are not too ripe. Slightly firm ones are best.

    Sweeteners: White or brown sugar, xylitol, agave syrup, maple syrup, or honey. Taste and add as much as you like, depending on how sweet the pears are.

    Flavoring: A bit of lemon juice makes the dessert taste fresher, so donโ€™t skip it. For extra flavor, add a cinnamon stick and a star anise. You can also use other spices like a slice of ginger, a few cloves, or some cardamom.

    See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

    How to stew pears?

    Make the syrup: Place water, lemon juice, spices, and sweetener in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil on medium heat, then simmer on low heat for 5 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is slightly glossy.

    collage of two pictures of raw and then cooked pears.

    Step #1: In the meantime, prepare the fruit. Cut it into large cubes. You can peel it first if you like, but I never do.

    Step #2: Add pears to the syrup mixture, cover, and simmer gently for about 7 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking for 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the ripeness and type of pear. The fruit should be on the soft side but not mushy; I like it when it still has a slight bite.

    Tips

    Regarding the ripeness of the fruit, firm pears will need a longer cooking time than soft ones. This is probably the best advice I can give you when stewing pears.

    Stew the pears in white wine, red wine, or mulled wine instead of water.

    Storage

    You can make a big batch if you have a glut of pears. Keep leftovers refrigerated in a jar or another airtight container for 3-4 days.

    Serving suggestions

    You can serve them on their own, warm or at room temperature.

    Serving ideas:

    • With a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
    • On top of German waffles, crepes, or pancakes.
    • With Greek yogurt or strained yogurt.
    • Make a healthy breakfast of oatmeal, homemade muesli, or buckwheat porridge topped with the fruit stew.
    close up chopped stewed pears with cinnamon and anis star.

    More fruit desserts

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      Stewed Rhubarb and Apples
    • puff pastry plum tarts on a plate close up.
      Easy Puff Pastry Plum Tarts
    • close up of scooped black currant ice cream in a cone.
      Black Currant Ice Cream (No-Churn)
    • cherry loaf cake sliced on a vintage cloth with a knife and fresh fruit around it.
      Fresh Cherry Loaf Cake

    Do you like this recipe?

    Please leave a good rating in the recipe card below. Stay in touch through social media: Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. Donโ€™t forget to tag #whereismyspoon when you try a recipe!

    Recipe

    stewed pears with cinnamon and star anise in a black bowl.

    Easy Stewed Pears Recipe

    Stewed pears simmered in a delightful spicy syrup with cinnamon and star anise. It is a simple dessert ready in no time and perfect for serving with ice cream, waffles, pancakes, or on its own.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Share GrowSaved! Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 69kcal
    Author: Adina
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients 

    • 1 lb pears Note 1
    • ยพ cup water
    • 3 tablespoons sweetener more to taste, Note 2
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 1 star anise
    • 1 cinnamon stick

    Instructions

    • Syrup: Place water, lemon juice, spices, and sweetener in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
      ยพ cup water + 3 tablespoons sweetener + 2 tablespoons lemon juice + 1 star anise + 1 cinnamon stick
    • Pears: In the meantime, cut pears into large cubes. You can peel them first if you like, but I never do.
      1 lb pears
    • Simmer: Add pears to the syrup, cover, and simmer gently for about 7 minutes.
    • Remove the lid and continue cooking for 5 to 8 minutes depending on the ripeness and type of pear. The fruit should be on the soft side but not mushy.

    Notes

    1. Pears: From underripe to ripe, but not too ripe. The cooking time depends on the ripeness of the fruit.
    2. Sweetener: I use xylitol. Sub with granulated sugar (the same amount) or any other sweetener you like to taste.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 69kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 146mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 32IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @adinabeck or tag #WhereIsMySpoon!

    More Easy & Fast Dessert Recipes

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    Comments

    1. Mike says

      May 25, 2024 at 1:20 pm

      Oops! Found the ingredients quantities and the temperatures for the recipes I was looking at. I was too busy drooling over the photos of the food to keep scrolling to the end. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
    2. Mike says

      May 25, 2024 at 1:14 pm

      Hi, I have just found your Web site. Nice recipes and the finished food looks great but there are no quantities given for ingredients or temperatures given for cooking???

      Reply
    3. Robin says

      July 12, 2022 at 3:36 pm

      Could I water bath can this?
      Looking to store up for these very uncertain times.

      Can you take a jar or two, thicken it and make a pear pie or gallery?

      Thank you for all your help. Blessings

      Reply
      • Adina says

        July 13, 2022 at 7:15 am

        Hi Robin. I've never canned these pears; maybe it's better to follow a recipe that's strictly developed for canning, just to make sure that everything goes right. This one seems good to me.

        Reply
    5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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