Spiced Pear Oatmeal

This spiced pear oatmeal uses warming cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg spices to create a cozy, gluten-free and vegan seasonal breakfast with an irresistible maple syrup caramelized pear topping.

While I mostly eat healthy gut-healing smoothies for breakfast these days, when the colder weather rolls around, I crave a warm bowl of oatmeal at least a couple of times a week.

Nothing really beats the coziness of a bowl of oats with a maple syrup drizzle this time of year. You know?

Apples tend to steal the show when it comes to fall and winter oatmeal flavors and while I do love this easy apple cinnamon oatmeal, pears definitely deserve their time in the spotlight too.

A few years back I made some baked pears that were seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg, drizzled with some honey and baked until tender and soft.

That easy dessert recipe inspired this spiced pear oatmeal and this recipe truly feels like eating dessert for breakfast!

There’s a double dose of pears in it too with a finely chopped pear cooked into the oatmeal for some natural sweetness and a spiced pear topping that’s caramelized with maple syrup to transform into a sweet and deliciously gooey garnish.

Every spoonful tastes incredibly decadent yet packaged into an oatmeal recipe that’s actually quite nutritious while also gluten-free and vegan!

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE PEAR OATMEAL

Let’s break this easy spiced pear oatmeal down to what you’ll need to make it.

FOR THE PEAR OATMEAL:

• coconut oil
• chopped pear
• spices
• unsweetened plant-based milk
• water
• rolled oats
• steel cut oats (optional but lovely addition for texture!)
• ground flax seeds
• chia seeds
• maple syrup
• vanilla extract

FOR THE SPICED PEAR TOPPING:

• coconut oil
• chopped pear
• spices
• maple syrup

In total, there are two full pears used in this oatmeal which allows for pears in every bite. It’s full of sweet fall flavor and almost like eating a pear crisp!

HOW TO MAKE STOVE TOP PEAR OATS

Start by heating coconut oil in a sauce pot over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chopped pears and spices to the pot. Cook until the pears start to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the milk and water, stir to combine with the pears then add the rolled and steel cut oats along with the flax and chia seeds.

Lower the heat to medium-low and cook the oats for about 10-15 minutes stirring frequently until the oats have absorbed most of the liquid and thickened considerably.

While the pear oatmeal cooks, make the spiced pear topping.

Place the coconut oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the pears and spices. Cook for about 5 minutes until the pears start to soften then pour in the maple syrup and continue cooking until it starts to thicken and caramelize around the pears.

Turn off the heat and set the spiced pear topping aside until the oatmeal is ready.

At the end of the cooking time for the oatmeal, add in the maple syrup and vanilla. Stir to combine then turn off the heat.

Transfer the oatmeal to bowls, spoon the spiced pears on top to serve and garnish with any additional desired toppings.

WHAT TYPE OF PEARS SHOULD I USE?

Any type of pears will work for the oatmeal. I personally happen to be partial to D’Anjou pears but pick what you like best.

Choose any variety but the recipe works best with pears that aren’t yet too ripe. They shouldn’t be rock hard but they also shouldn’t be soft and overripe.

No need to peel the pears either, leave the skin on and make your life easy!

MAKING GLUTEN FREE VEGAN PEAR OATMEAL

Choosing gluten-free certified oats for this recipe will ensure it’s completely gluten-free.

Oats are naturally gluten-free but can be processed on the same equipment as wheat so choosing gluten-free certified oats (both the rolled and steel cut in this recipe) is necessary if that’s important to you.

By using coconut oil and any plant-based milk, this pear oatmeal is also vegan.

Of course, if you prefer, you can make the oatmeal with regular dairy milk.

HEALTHY AND NUTRITIOUS PEAR OATMEAL

Oatmeal by itself can be a huge glycemic spiker for many people.

If you grew up eating the packets of instant oatmeal you probably know this by the fact that you were hungry an hour or so later!

I actually created this strawberry oatmeal recipe as a healthier ode to the strawberry and cream oats of our youth. You can also check out this peaches and coconut cream oatmeal for another riff off of those packets.

So what I do to combat this when I eat oatmeal is make sure to add lots of healthy fats, fiber and protein.

This pear oatmeal recipe includes both flax seeds and chia seeds which contribute to all three of those. I sometimes use hemp hearts as well. Feel free to add those if you like in addition to the flax and chia.

I purposely left out any additional protein as that tends to be a very individually specific preference but you can absolutely add a protein powder or collagen powder of your choice.

I always add a scoop of unflavored collagen peptides as well as a scoop of Nuzest vanilla protein powder (my favorite plant-based protein powder) which provides around 20g of additional protein.

Once toppings like nuts, seeds and nut butter (pumpkin seed butter would be great on this!) are added, this bowl of oatmeal has transformed into a well balanced meal that will keep you satiated for hours.

My friend and RD, Anne has some great tips on making oatmeal healthy that may be worth checking out too.

HOW TO MAKE CREAMY PEAR OATMEAL

If you prefer incredibly creamy and decadent oatmeal, using all milk instead of half milk/half water is the trick!

I also find stirring the oatmeal frequently as it cooks helps with added creaminess.

It’s sort of like risotto in this way and the same trick I use to make this vegan mushroom risotto super creamy without the use of any dairy!

MEAL PREPPING AND STORING LEFTOVERS

I don’t meal prep a lot of breakfasts but oatmeal is actually great for this.

Whether you’re making a a stove-top oatmeal recipe like this pear one, an Instant Pot recipe like these Instant Pot sweet potato oats or baked oatmeal like turmeric baked oatmeal or chocolate baked oats, oatmeal is perfect for batch cooking and enjoying throughout the week.

This pear oatmeal can easily be doubled if you want to make a bigger batch to have leftover servings for another day.

Store the oatmeal in any air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Reheating is easy in a microwave or on the stove top in a sauce pot. Add a splash of milk or water to loosen it up a bit as it will thicken further once chilled.

Being smack in the middle of the dreaded few weeks between the end of daylight savings and the beginning of winter where the mornings can be so dark, having a bowl of this hot pear oatmeal for breakfast can really help lift the spirits.

The fragrance from its warming spices will fill the house with cozy vibes and the first spoonful will wake you right up!

MORE COZY SEASONAL BREAKFAST RECIPES:

Apple butter carrot cake oatmeal
Pumpkin bacon grits with poached eggs
Apple nut porridge
Sweet potato waffles
Gingerbread oatmeal