These baked pears are drizzled with honey, stuffed with vanilla flavored yogurt and topped with a sweet pecan crumble. They’re a delicious pie-alternative to celebrating fall.
There was a time at the ripe old age of 25 that I sat in my living room in our house in Florida with a holiday edition of some decorating magazine in my hands and cried to my husband how I missed the change of seasons in New York and wanted to move back.
Many years (and long NY winters) later, I truly wish I could slap myself in the face for that outburst of idiocy. I wish life came with do-overs because that is one of the few things I’d rewind to and change.
It’s true, fall is one of my favorite times in NY, but what I’ve realized now is that a short 2.5-hour plane ride could’ve given me my fix of apple cider donuts, pies, apple picking, pumpkin patches, foliage and everything else fall is about for a week or two, and then I could’ve flown myself back to my pool, 80-something degree weather, and palm trees instead of hibernating for the next 5 months.
Everyone thinks of apples when they think of fall, but aside from the occasional Honeycrisp snack, I’m really not a huge apple person. I’d rather eat a pear (this pear bread being one of my favorite fall treats) if I had to choose between the two.
In thinking of fall desserts to share, I realized pear pie isn’t a thing you hear of too often. Why is that? For as ubiquitous as apple pie is, you’d think pear pie would be a thing. Weird.
These baked pears don’t solve that oddity, but I did hollow them out, bake, stuff and drizzle them with all sorts of deliciousness to prove that they can be a simple and healthy yet stunningly decadent treat for fall.
Why You’ll Love Baked Pears
- They’re baked until perfectly tender, then filled with creamy vanilla yogurt and topped with a crunchy pecan crumble. They’re strikingly elegant in presentation and with all the contrasting textures — a joy to eat.
- Ready in just 40 minutes which is quicker than any pie and with a short and simple ingredient list.
- Cold creamy yogurt, warm soft and creamy cooked pears, and rich and nutty pecans are the perfect mixture of flavor, texture and temperature in every bite.
- Naturally sweetened with a drizzle of honey to bring out the innate sweetness of the pears.
- The perfect cozy, fall dessert with warming cinnamon and nutmeg spices.
- An easy dessert recipe to feed a crowd. Scaling this up for a fall party is simple for a stunning seasonal treat.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Ripe Pears – Choose your favorite pear (I like Bosc for this recipe). They should be firm enough to hold their shape when baked (not overripe), but naturally sweet and tender once cooked.
- Honey – This natural sweetener caramelizes beautifully in the oven, adding a warm, golden sweetness. For a vegan option, swap with maple syrup.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg – These warming spices give the baked pears a cozy, spiced flavor perfect for fall.
- Yogurt – You can use dairy or dairy-free yogurt to stuff the pears with. I like to use plain yogurt since we’re sweetening it with honey and flavoring it with vanilla bean paste.
- Vanilla bean paste – Rich vanilla flavor that elevates the yogurt filling. Vanilla extract works perfectly fine too, you just won’t have those natural flecks of vanilla bean.
- Coconut sugar – This sweetener features a deep, caramel-like flavor that complements the spiced pears. Regular brown sugar works too.
- Chopped pecans – Nuts add the perfect crunchy topping to contrast with the creamy yogurt filling. Swap with walnuts for a different flavor or even a chunky nut butter will work drizzled on top too.
How to Make Baked Pears
Making baked pears is easier than you might think, and the process takes just a few simple steps. With the right preparation and a short baking time, you’ll end up with a dessert that feels special without being complicated. From hollowing out the pears to filling them with yogurt and finishing with a crunchy pecan topping, it’s not much more than 40 minutes.
Prepare the Pears
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Slice the pears in half lengthwise and use a melon baller or spoon (one o the many uses I find for my beloved grapefruit spoon) to carefully hollow out the centers (including the seeds). For stability, you can trim a thin slice off the rounded side so the pears sit flat on the baking sheet and the filling doesn’t pour out while baking.
Season and Bake
Place the prepared pear halves on a baking sheet or baking dish, hollow side up. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of honey and sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Bake for 30 minutes until the pears are tender, fragrant and slightly caramelized around the edges.
Make the Toppings
While the pears cool for 5–10 minutes, mix the coconut sugar, chopped pecans and the remaining bit of honey in a small bowl. In another bowl, combine the yogurt and vanilla bean paste until smooth.
Assemble and Serve
Fill the centers of the baked pears with the creamy yogurt mixture, then sprinkle the pecan topping over each. Drizzle with extra honey and serve the baked pears warm.
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tip
- Prevent soggy bottoms – Place the pears on a wire rack set over the baking sheet. This allows air to circulate and keeps them from steaming.
- Perfect pecan crumble – Toast the chopped pecans for a few minutes before using. This boosts their crunch and adds a richer flavor. Granola is another option for a crunchy topping. If nuts are an issue, try this nut-free granola recipe. Pumpkin granola also goes great with the flavors in this recipe.
- Adjust sweetness – Taste the yogurt mixture before filling the pears. Add a touch more honey if you prefer it sweeter or feel free to add spices like cinnamon for extra flavor.
What Are The Best Pears For Baking?
Besides Bosc, Anjou, Comice and Royal Riviera varieties have the best taste and texture for baking.
Prepping In Advance
You can bake the pears in advance and simply warm them up in the oven before serving. The yogurt mixture and pecan topping can also be prepped ahead of time and stored until ready to assemble.
More Pear Recipes To Try
Whipped ricotta bowls with roasted pears
Pear crisp
Savory thyme pear apple butter
Baked Pears
Ingredients
- 2 ripe pears, such as Bosc
- 2 1/2 tablespoons honey, divided, plus more for serving
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 3 tablespoons chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Slice pears in half lengthwise and hollow out the centers, including the seeds, with a melon baller or spoon. I also cut a small slice off the opposite side so that the pears lay flat on the baking sheet.
- Place pears on a baking sheet with the hollowed-out side up. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the honey and season with the cinnamon and nutmeg. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove pears from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes.
- While cooling, mix together the coconut sugar, chopped pecans and remaining 1/2 tablespoon of honey in a small bowl.
- Mix the yogurt and vanilla bean paste together in another small bowl.
- Fill the centers of the pears with the yogurt mixture then top with the pecan mixture.
- Drizzle with more honey and serve warm.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
They look flawless! I’m thinking.. maybe it could be done the some but using melons instead?
Can’t wait to make them this weekend!
I am not big on Apples either! But I am a sucker for pears. These babies look incredible!!!
I love pears too. They often get forgotten and overshadowed by apple season and then by pumpkin mania! These look absolutely delicious!
This is an easy and healthy dessert that my whole family would love!
As much as I love warm air I don’t think I could ever move away from an area that has all 4 seasons. Although I say that now only because I’m in fall and it’s my favorite season. As soon as winter hits I will cry over all the snow…sigh. These baked pears look amazing and I love the addition of coconut milk yogurt….yum!
I love baked pears, there is just something so delicious about them. And I love how you can feel like its a dessert without being too over the top or sweet.
Lovely and healthy desert!
Bosc are my favorite!!! Just ate one 5 minutes ago ;) Love the winter pear season!