These soft and juicy stewed pears spiced with ginger and cinnamon are such an easy and delicious way of cooking pears. Enjoy them as a healthy breakfast with Greek yogurt, or top with a scoop of ice cream and a sprinkling of nuts for a delicious – and not too decadent – dessert.
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What are stewed pears?
Chunks of pear are simmered in water, often with spices, until they are tender. In this recipe they are spiced with fresh ginger, ground cinnamon and mixed spice which makes them into something special. Some recipes add sugar, but I feel no added sugar is needed as cooking the pears brings out their natural sweetness.
Stewing pears is a great way of using up an abundance of pears, or those pears that are hard and with little flavour.
Why we love this recipe
- 5 Ingredients.
- It freezes well.
- Such a versatile recipe
- Can serve it warm or cold.
- Great meal prep recipe.
Ingredients
- Pears – Ideally you want them to be ripe but not too soft. They should give slightly when pressed. For my favourite varieties of pear to use in this recipe, see ‘My Recipe Tips’ below or in the ‘Notes’ section under the recipe at the bottom of the page.
- Cinnamon – I use ground cinnamon, but you could add 2.5 cm/ 1″ piece of cinnamon stick and remove after cooking.
- Fresh ginger – you could use a pinch of dried ginger if you must, but if you want fiery ginger flavour with your pears then use fresh ginger.
Ideas for serving these pears
- Sprinkle with roughly chopped nuts or granola for crunch.
- Spoon into granola cups with plain yogurt (Greek or dairy free) for a fun and different breakfast or brunch.
- Serve them warm with a scoop of ice cream and some toasted almonds. The combination of hot pears and cold ice cream is so good!
- Pear crumble: spoon into an oven proof dish, sprinkle with crumble topping and bake.
- Pear Pie: spoon into a baking dish/oven proof dish and top with pastry and bake until golden.
My recipe tips
- Type of pears – I often stew Bartlett pears and Beurre Bosc pears, but have also made this with Corella pears, as in the photos. Use Conference pears and and Comice pears if you are in the UK.
- How long you simmer the pears for depends on how ripe they are and their type. Unripe pears take longer to cook, and you will need a few tablespoons more water.
- I personally love the strong taste of fresh root ginger, and so leave the chunks of ginger quite large. If you are not such a fan, then cut it finely or grate it. If you wanted a mere hint of ginger you could leave the chunks big and take them out just before you want to eat them. (Something I do when serving these pears to kids.)
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Pears are full of fibre, Vitamin C and vitamin K. Stewed pears can be enjoyed so many ways, from breakfasts to desserts and as a snack, and are a delicious way of enjoying pears throughout the year.
Yes they can! Cool completely then freeze in portions for up to 3-4 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
Keep the pears, covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days.
The poached pears are also very toddler friendly: Mini Jones really enjoys them. In fact, there have been a number of occasions when he will finish a bowl – my bowl – whilst my back is turned.
How to stew pears for baby
As there is no sugar or sweetener added in this recipe, they are a great baby led weaning pears recipe – just take out the ginger and cinnamon! Cook as below, until the pear is very tender, then mash well so no lumps remain, or puree until smooth, depending on your babies age. Other baby led weaning pear recipes that we loved (and still make!) are pear rice pudding, pear flapjack, and these pear and banana muffins which are one of the most popular recipes on the blog!
How long will cooked pears keep?
- Fridge: The pears will keep up to three days in a covered container in the fridge.
- Freezer: You can also freeze the pears in individual portions and defrost in the fridge overnight.
More easy, healthy breakfast recipes you may like
Stewed Pears with Ginger and Cinnamon
Author: Robyn
Ingredients
- 2 small pears peeled and cored
- 500ml (2c) water
- 2 cm (.8") fresh ginger peeled and sliced
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅓ teaspoon mixed spice
Instructions
- Roughly chop the pears.
- Add them to a small to medium saucepan with the water, sliced ginger, ground cinnamon and mixed spice.
- Bring to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 30 minutes, until the pears are soft
- (If you are using very unripe and hard pears, they make take longer and will need a splash more water.)
- Leave to cool in the pan – the pears will absorb some of the liquid.
- Serve warm or cold.
Notes
Nutrition
HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?
I’d love to see your creation!
Or just leave a comment below!
Courtney Cooley says
What is “mixed spice” I have all kinds of spices in can mix up…. Allspice?
Robyn says
Hi Courtney, mixed spice is a British spice mix similar to pumpkin spice or gingerbread spice – if you have either of those they should work. It’s a combination of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Hope this helps!
Molly says
Smelled wonderful. Added a small cinnamon stick, 1” vanilla pod and a few cardamon pods with the ginger slices. I had 3 hard pears that would not ripen. Easy . Thank you
Robyn says
The vanilla pod and cardamon pods sound like a delicious addition Molly!
Andrea says
Yum. YUM!!! I LOVE poached pears and the flavours in this one are perfect. I want some right now!
Robyn says
Thanks Andrea! The ginger goes so well with pears!
Sally says
These sound so perfect and easy too. Would love them warm with some vanilla ice cream for dessert – yum!
Robyn says
That is the perfect pairing Sally!
Jaimie says
I have a go-to poached pear recipe that I make every year when the weather cools down, but I think I might replace its next run with this! The addition of ginger just sounds amazing, I can’t wait to try.
Robyn says
Thanks Jaimie, it is a lovely way to eat pears when the temperature dips.
Sylvie says
Poached pears have been on my to do list this week (oh so perfect with this gloomy weather!) and I love the idea of adding ginger to them. Will absolutely try it too!
Robyn says
Thankyou Sylvie! Hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Sarah says
I’ve made cinnamon poached pears before but never tried them with ginger, these look delicious! Will have to give them a go.
Robyn says
Thankyou Sarah, the ginger works so well in them 🙂
Chloe says
These sound absolutely divine and just perfect for a cold night! Can’t wait to give these a try 🙂
Robyn says
Thanks Chloe, they are warming and comforting, but without the guilt!