This caramelized pear upside-down cake is a total show-stopper!
Including tarts, cakes, pies, and more, these pear dessert recipes are a tasty reminder that apples shouldn’t get all the fall fruit glory. Ranging from low-fuss loaf cakes and galettes to holiday-worthy layer cakes and pies, you’re sure to find a new favorite seasonal treat among our best dessert recipes with pear.
Ideal for brunch (as part of a buffet or alongside eggs and bacon) or after dinner (with whipped cream or ice cream) these showy scones celebrate many of our favorite fall flavors. In addition to pears, the scone dough calls for nutmeg and crystallized ginger. Those two flavor-boosters, plus cinnamon, also appear in the too-good-too-skip spiced butter topping.
The crust for this pear dessert might look like your usual pastry. But as everyone digs their fork into their first bite, they’ll discover a delightful crunchy and nutty element. The secret? Ground toasted pecans or almonds. That secret ingredient, in tandem with maple syrup, seasonal fruit, warm apple pie spice, and a stunning poached pear slice topping, means that this is one fall pie that certainly stands out from the dessert competition.
Pineapple shouldn’t get all the upside-down cake glory. Sweet, tender, showy pears star on top—or should we say on the bottom?—of this impressive-looking yet deceptively easy-to-execute cast-iron skillet cake. The caramel sauce comes to life as the pears and spice cake bake to sliceable perfection. And just in case the ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and molasses weren’t enough fall flair for one pear dessert, we’re also dishing about how to make a luscious bourbon sauce to drizzle over each serving, if you like.
Before you scroll right past this dessert recipe with pear because you don’t own an ice cream maker, press pause. If you have a saucepan, blender, and freezer, you have all of the equipment required to whip up this easy 5-ingredient healthy frozen treat. Honey and candied ginger accent the fresh pear flavors beautifully, and all of the above really shine paired with spice cake, shortbread cookies, or simply served inside a fresh pear half “bowl.”
Poached pears have been an elegant dessert option for ages. But why stop at the pears alone, when you can showcase the red wine-infused fruit in an over-the-top party-sized “parfait” of sorts? Layers of vanilla cake, hazelnut cream, and streusel only get better when they soak up some of the boozy poaching liquid.
Test Kitchen Tip: If you prefer to keep this pear dessert recipe alcohol-free, swap in an equal amount of one of our best wine substitutes, such as cranberry juice or pomegranate juice.
Thanks to a head start from store-bought frozen puff pastry, this pear dessert recipe is “easy and delish,” according to one home baker. The filling for the tart recipe is a cinch, too. Coat pear slices (or a mix of pears and apples) with brown sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon, then roast on a sheet pan until the fruit is tender and you’re left with a makeshift caramel recipe. Spoon the ooey-gooey fall fruit on top of the puff pastry, pile on chopped toasted nuts, then finish with a pinch of flaky salt.
Pies are nice. That being said, we’ll readily admit that they tend to be a bit fussy. So it’s no wonder everyone from Ina Garten to nearly every home baker we ask is fond of pie’s less-laborious peer: galette. Think of it like a free-form pie! This is the format for these fairly simple single-serving pear desserts. The crust wrapper encases sliced pears, roasted hazelnuts, a rich, velvety hazelnut cream, and honey. Thank goodness no one needs to share!
If you haven’t tried pairing chocolate and cinnamon before, we’re delighted that this dessert recipe with pear can illuminate for you how terrific the pairing can be. Warm, sweet, rich, and dense, this loaf cake disguises three whole pears, which are tucked inside the chocolate cake batter. These aren’t just your usual pears, though. They’re poached pears that now offer orange and cinnamon notes.
The little details add up to make a big difference to make this pear dessert recipe taste like something you savored as part of a final course of a tasting menu at a fancy restaurant. Ginger, cinnamon, and cloves scent the tart crust that holds pastry cream and elegant shingled slices of roasted pears. The fun doesn’t stop there; pomegranate seeds and shards of caramelized sugar crown each tart. After serving these at your next dinner party, you’ll be crowned best baker.
Apple might be the more common choice for holiday pie, but we’re firm believers that ripe pears, cinnamon, and nutmeg rival any apple pie filling. This is especially true when those warmly-spiced pears are tucked between a flaky pastry crust and a brown sugar and walnut streusel topping. Just like its culinary cousin, we recommend serving slices of this pear dessert a la mode.
The foundation for this dessert recipe with pear is a nod to another one of our favorite bakery treats: Dutch letters. Pastry and almond paste play major roles in both. That’s just the beginning for this rustic free-form pie. (By the way, galette is the French term for this, and crostata is Italian; these names can be used interchangeably.) Over the crust and almond paste, layer loads of sliced pears. After baking until golden brown, brush the top with melted apricot preserves and sprinkle with sliced almonds. If you ask us, it’s better than a bakery and contains enough fruit to totally double as breakfast.
Related: Cut Your Prep Time in Half With Our Tips for Make-Ahead Pie Crust
Why choose just one fall fruit when you can bake a pie that features two seasonal favorites? Reserve 1 cup of fresh cranberries from your cranberry sauce stash to sprinkle into this pear dessert recipe. With a whopping 8 cups of sliced fruit, it’s definitely more firmly on the pear side, although it wouldn’t be the same without the tart cranberry and sweet caramel flavors. Once you slice and serve this unique pie recipe, everyone will forget all about pumpkin, apple, and pecan. (For today, at least!)
We know this dessert recipe with pear might look like a labor of love. According to one home baker, though, it’s actually “surprisingly easier to make than I thought! A delicious hit!” Start by stirring together and baking the hazelnut cakes, then mix up the creamy dulce de leche filling. Cook sliced pears in butter until golden brown and tender, then layer it all together atop a serving platter.
Test Kitchen Tip: This torte gets even tastier as the filling and pear sauce seeps into the cake. Prepare it in advance, and chill for at least 1 hour before serving this pear dessert.
This pear dessert recipe surely doesn’t skimp on the pear factor. About 8 fresh diced pears, a generous pour of pear brandy, and a splash of pear nectar join forces in the pound cake, glaze, and sauce. The cake itself is already rich, and when you add those bonus boosts, you’ll likely get multiple requests for seconds…and the recipe. “So very good and moist,” one BHG fan says.
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