Pears don’t get enough love, if you ask me. They’re sweet, fragrant, and so versatile—you can bake them into pies, poach them in syrup, or just eat them straight from the bowl. This recipe for Honey Spiced Pears is one of my absolute favorites. It’s simple, elegant, and turns ordinary pears into something that tastes like fall in a bowl.
These pears are poached gently in a honey syrup infused with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and allspice. You can use a splash of rum for warmth or swap it for fresh orange juice if you prefer to keep things non-alcoholic. Either way, the flavors blend beautifully—spicy, sweet, and slightly citrusy. They’re soft enough to cut with a spoon but still hold their shape, and the syrup reduces down into a glossy glaze that you’ll want to drizzle over everything.
I like to make them the day before I plan to serve them. Letting them soak overnight gives the syrup time to sink deep into the fruit, making every bite full of cozy spice. When you’re ready to serve, just warm them up in a saucepan and spoon that syrup right over the top. They’re lovely with a scoop of homemade ice cream, a dollop of mascarpone, or even a spoonful of crème fraîche if you’re feeling fancy.
Serves: 6
Yield: 6 poached pears
Category: Gluten Free, Honey Sweetened, Refined Sugar Free
Ingredients
- 6 pears, peeled, halved, and cored
- 1 lemon
- ½ cup rum (optional)
- 4 cups water (or 2 cups water + 2 cups fresh orange juice if not using rum)
- 1 cup honey
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger
- 4 allspice berries
Instructions
Fill a medium bowl with water and squeeze in the juice of one lemon. Drop the peeled and halved pears into the lemon water to keep them from browning. Save the lemon rinds—you’ll use them in the syrup.
In a large saucepan, combine the water (or water and orange juice), honey, cinnamon sticks, cloves, ginger, allspice, rum, and the lemon rinds. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to dissolve the honey.
Using a slotted spoon, lift the pears out of the lemon water and place them gently into the simmering syrup. Let them cook for about 20 minutes, or until a knife slides easily into the flesh. You want them tender but not falling apart.
Remove the pan from the heat and let everything cool. Once cool, carefully transfer the pears to a glass jar or bowl. Return the syrup to the stove and simmer it for another 10–15 minutes, or until it reduces by half and thickens slightly. Pour the warm syrup over the pears and let them cool completely before refrigerating overnight.
To serve, warm the pears gently in a saucepan with the syrup, removing the cinnamon sticks, ginger, cloves, and lemon pieces before plating.
Spoon the pears onto plates and drizzle with that rich, spiced honey syrup. Add a scoop of ice cream or a spoonful of mascarpone on the side, and you’ve got a dessert that feels both comforting and sophisticated.
Every time I make these, the kitchen smells like a mix of honey, spice, and nostalgia. They’re soft, syrupy, and just the right kind of sweet—a reminder that simple desserts sometimes turn out to be the most memorable ones.