20 Perfect Pear Recipes To Enjoy At Every Meal

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Updated on November 3, 2023

Simplest Pear Tart — Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely

Toward the end of summer and the beginning of fall, you begin to see pears at the farmers' market and in the produce section. While we enjoy them all on their own, pears are an extremely versatile ingredient in the kitchen. With their natural sweetness, pears make an incredible choice for adding some freshness to a sugary dessert.

Our Apple and Pear Crisp and Spiced Pear Hand Pies are certainly proof of that. But don't assume that all of these pear recipes are desserts. You can enjoy pears at breakfast, lunch, and dinner too. Start supper with sweet and salty Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese and Pear, add something homemade to your cheese board with a jar of Pear Preserves, or whip up a vintage Pear Salad sure to impress Grandma. Top off your fruit-filled meal with a perfect pear cocktail. With these genius pear recipes, you'll never overlook them at the market again.

01 of 20

Pear Salad

Pear Salad — Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox

This old-school recipe made an appearance at almost every holiday gathering and luncheon Grandma hosted. A serving of this Pear Salad certainly comes with a generous helping of nostalgia.

02 of 20

Apple and Pear Crisp

Apple and Pear Crisp — Jennifer Davick; Food Styling: Vanessa Rocchio; Prop Styling: Missie Crawford

There's no dessert easier than a classic crisp, and this one comes together with the help of your slow cooker. The pears are complemented by two types of apples and are especially delicious when served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

03 of 20

Spiced Pear Hand Pies

Spiced Pear Hand Pies — Micah A. Leal

These homemade hand pies are the sweetest grab-and-go treats for picnics and road trips. Vegetable shortening is the secret to giving these buttery pastries a pleasantly crumbly texture.

04 of 20

Pear Preserves

Pear Preserves — Southern Living

Putting up fresh produce to enjoy year-round is one of our favorite pastimes. With just three ingredients, you don't have any excuse not to try this recipe.

05 of 20

Pear Upside-Down Cake

pear upside down cake — Photographer: Isaac Nunn, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn

Pineapple has been dethroned as our favorite upside-down cake fruit. Bosc pears take the cake as a delicious top (or bottom?) for a fall dessert full of warm spices.

06 of 20

Bourbon and Hard Pear Cider Cocktail

Bourbon and Hard Pear Cider Cocktail — Becky Luigart Stayner

Bourbon, pear cider, and fresh pears are a sipper you'll savor. Show off your bartending skills with this cocktail recipe that calls for two homemade simple syrups.

07 of 20

Roasted Pears

Roasted Pears — Hector Sanchez

Roasted Pears come together in just 20 minutes to delicious effect. These tender, caramelized pears were developed with our Acadian Syrup Cake, but they're delicious atop classic pound cake, plain vanilla ice cream, or even French toast at brunch.

08 of 20

Slow-Cooker Cranberry-Pear Butter

Slow-Cooker Cranberry-Pear Butter — Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox

This recipe makes 16 jars of beautiful fruit butter, so you can give it as gifts to friends and new neighbors alike. Don't worry, you'll still have leftovers to enjoy for yourself on biscuits or with charcuterie.

09 of 20

Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese and Pear

Pancetta Crisps With Goat Cheese and Pear — Ralph Anderson

This salty, sweet, and absolutely beautiful appetizer has just the right blend of flavors in each bite. A drizzle of honey pulls the whole dish together.

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Pear Pie

Southern Living Pear Pie in the pie dish with a slice out — Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

Set aside your apple pie recipe card in favor of this game-changing spiced dessert. Pear pie is warmly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. A brown sugar-butter crumble is a perfect topper instead of more pastry.

11 of 20

Apple-and-Pear Cornmeal Galette

Apple-and-Pear Cornmeal Galette — Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Making this rustic fall dessert is easier than fussing with pie crust. Plus, you can make this galette ahead of time and reheat it a few minutes before serving to help you out when hosting.

12 of 20

Mini Pear-Cranberry Pies

Mini Pear-Cranberry Pies and Mini Pumpkin Pies with Maple Whipped Cream — David Malosh; Prop Styling: Robyn Glaser; Food Styling: Maggie Ruggiero

Tart cranberries and sweet, tender pears are a match made in fall dessert heaven. The mini pies are as adorable as they are delicious, and the recipe makes serving oh-so-simple.

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Poached Pears with Vanilla Custard Sauce

Poached Pears with Vanilla Custard Sauce — Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely

Pears don't always get the attention they deserve, but this recipe gives them the royal treatment. If you want to serve a fall dessert that will make your guests feel like they're at a fancy restaurant, these gorgeous poached pears will do the trick.

14 of 20

Dark Chocolate-Pear Cake

Dark Chocolate-Pear Cake — Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely

Our Test Kitchen calls this fudgy cast-iron skillet dessert a "brownie cake" because of its crisp crust and gooey center. A dessert so decadent that shows off one of the most underrated fall fruits is everything we want and more.

15 of 20

Pear-Plum Tartlets

Pear-Plum Tartlets — Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely

How cute are these? Since they're delicious served warm or at room temperature, these tartlets are a great make-ahead breakfast or dessert option for the busy fall season.

16 of 20

Caramel Apple-Pear Pie

Caramel Apple-Pear Pie — Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely

Caramel and apples are one of our favorite fall pairings, and the addition of pears only amplifies the delicious combination of flavors. While the apples deliver that well-loved crunch, the addition of pears brings an unmatched tenderness to the table.

17 of 20

Maple-Pecan-Pear Cheesecake

Maple-Pecan-Pear Cheesecake — Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely

Pears star in the cheesecake filling and topping for this recipe. This way, you don't get a shortage of fall flavor in this photo-worthy dessert.

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Brown Sugar Baked Pears

Brown Sugar Baked Pears — Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely

If you don't have time for an intricate layer cake this holiday season, don't stress. These beautiful baked pears take just 10 minutes of hands-on time but are full of fall flavor.

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Pear-and-Brie Puff Pastry Tarts

Pear-and-Brie Puff Pastry Tarts — Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Meet your new favorite holiday appetizer. These pretty little tarts are best served warm, so plan on popping them in the oven about 20 minutes before friends and family arrive.

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Simplest Pear Tart

Simplest Pear Tart — Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely

First-time Thanksgiving hosts or novice bakers will love this easy but elegant dessert for the season. Simple to prepare and ready in just 45 minutes, this treat will impress no matter your skill level.

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