Easy Pear Sauce Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Read disclosure policy.
This Pear Sauce Recipe is a great way to use up ripe pears, whether they’re from your own pear tree or a deal at the farmers market. Lightly spiced with cinnamon and a splash of vanilla, it’s smooth, full of natural sweetness, and perfect for canning.
It’s one of those simple pear recipes that’s easy to make, beginner-friendly, and ideal for doubling or tripling to stock your winter pantry!
Pear sauce is similar to applesauce but has a more delicate flavor. It is a simple, sweet, and comforting treat that captures the natural flavor of ripe pears. With its smooth, silky texture and gentle hint of spice (if you add a touch of cinnamon or vanilla).
It works with any variety of pears: Bartlett, Bosc, Anjou, or even Asian pears. This easy recipe is simple and doesn’t require much work. You can enjoy it fresh, store it in the fridge for the week, or preserve it in jars for later.
Why you’ll love this easy pear sauce recipe:
- Naturally Sweet: Ripe fresh pears are sweet enough on their own, so you might not need any sugar.
- Simple Ingredients: Just pears, water, lemon juice, vanilla, and cinnamon.
- Flexible Batch Size: Make a small batch or scale it up for canning.
- Versatile: Works with whatever pears you have on hand
Recipe Ingredients:
You’ll need these ingredients to make this pear recipe:
- Pears
- Water
- Lemon juice
- Vanilla
- Cinnamon
- Sweetener, if desired
INGREDIENT NOTES:
- Pears: Large pears, small pears, even an extra pear or two all work. Just make sure they’re ripe for the best way to get good pear flavor.
- Lemon Juice: This prevents browning and adds brightness. Some people use orange juice or lime juice instead.
- Sweetener: Taste your pears first. If they’re ripe and sweet, you might not need any added sweetener.
- Vanilla extract: Use homemade or a good quality pure vanilla.
Tools You May Need:
- Saucepan with lid
- Knife and cutting board
- Wooden spoon for stirring
- Immersion blender or high-speed blender
- Storage jars or containers
For Canning:
- Food mill – this is my favorite one.
- Pint jars or quart jars
- Boiling water canner
- Towel or wood cutting board
How to make pear sauce step-by-step:
Step 1: Chop and core the pears with a paring knife and place in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven.
Step 2: Add the water, lemon juice, vanilla, and cinnamon.
Step 3: Cover and simmer over medium heat (not high heat!) for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking on the bottom of the pan. The pears are ready when they’re completely soft and cooking in their own juices.
Step 4: Remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender or stick blender, or transfer to a food processor or high-speed blender. Blend until completely smooth.
Step 5: Taste and add sweetener if desired. Serve warm or let cool to room temperature and store.
Pro Tip:
Really ripe, sweet pears may not need the full 1/4 cup of water. Start with less and add more only if needed. You want just enough liquid to prevent scorching, but not so much that the sauce becomes watery. Be sure to taste before adding any sweetener, as ripe pears are often naturally sweet enough on their own.
Storage and Reheating:
Storage: Store in glass jars or plastic containers in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Save This Recipe
We'll get it sent to your inbox! Plus, get new recipes from us every week.
Reheating: Enjoy cold or warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Freezing: Freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to 6 months. This is a good way to preserve extra if you have a bushel of pears.
How To Can Pears (as Pear Sauce):
Canning instructions for canned pear sauce:
This recipe is perfect for canning and doubles or triples easily for larger batches. Follow the recipe as written, but do NOT blend. Instead, run the cooked pears through a food mill to remove any peels. (Or peel the pears before cooking if you prefer.)
Processing Instructions:
Reheat pear sauce to simmering (185-210°F) and ladle into hot, pint jars or quart jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. No need to sterilize jars as the processing time is more than 10 minutes.
Wipe the rim of the jar clean with a clean towel, place lids and rings on to fingertip tightness, and process in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes for pints or 20 minutes for quarts (processing times- adjust for altitude using a reputable source).
After processing, remove lid, and let the canner cool for 5 minutes before using a jar lifter to remove jars.
Place jars on a towel or wood cutting board and leave undisturbed for 12-24 hours. Check seals before storing. Reprocess any jars that didn’t seal properly.
Additions & Substitutions:
Additions:
- Spices: Add some warm spices such as nutmeg, ground ginger, or cardamom for different flavor profiles.
- Mix It Up: Combine pears with apples for a pear apple sauce.
- Citrus: Add orange zest for a citrusy twist.
- Sweeteners: Try honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar if you want to sweeten it.
Substitutions:
- Vanilla: Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste both work.
- Lemon Juice: Lime juice can work in a pinch.
- Cinnamon: Try pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice instead.
- Cooking Method: You can make slow cooker pear sauce, add everything to the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours! This is an easy way to make it hands-off.
FAQs about this pear sauce recipe:
No. If you’re blending, the peels blend in completely. If canning and using a food mill, the mill will catch the peels. This saves time.
Cook the pears longer, about 25-30 minutes, until very soft. Then mash with a potato masher. It won’t be as smooth but will still taste great!
Thin it with a splash of water or apple juice until you reach your desired consistency.
Yes, they’re basically the same. When you puree pears by cooking them until soft and blending until smooth, you end up with pear puree. Pear sauce is the same base but often includes added ingredients like cinnamon, vanilla, or lemon juice. The process is the same for both: cook the pears, then puree. It’s similar to how applesauce is really just a seasoned apple puree.
Find More Preserving Recipes:
- How To Freeze Tomatoes – Preserving Tomatoes Without Canning
- How To Make Grape Juice – 2 Ways
- Easy Peach Leather
- How To Dry Plums
If you try this Pear Sauce Recipe and love it, I would love if you could come back, comment on the post, and give it 5 stars! Please and thank you. Tag me on Instagram @ablossominglife.
Easy Pear Sauce
Save This Recipe
We’ll get it sent to your inbox! Plus, get new recipes from us every week.
Equipment
- Immersion blender or high speed blender
Ingredients
- 3 lbs pears cored
- ¼ cup water
- 1.5 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoons vanilla
- ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- Sweetener if desired.
Instructions
- Chop and core the pears with a paring knife and place in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven.
- Add the water, lemon juice, vanilla, and cinnamon.
- Cover and simmer over medium heat (not high heat!) for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking on the bottom of the pan. The pears are ready when they’re completely soft and cooking in their own juices.
- Remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender or stick blender, or transfer to a food processor or high-speed blender. Blend until completely smooth. Check post for canning instructions as they differ from this.
- Taste and add sweetener if desired. Serve warm or let cool to room temperature and store.
Notes
- Really ripe, sweet pears may not need the full 1/4 cup of water. Start with less and add more only if needed. You want just enough liquid to prevent scorching, but not so much that the sauce becomes watery.
- Be sure to taste before adding any sweetener, as ripe pears are often naturally sweet enough on their own.
- Store in glass jars or plastic containers in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Enjoy cold or warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to 6 months. This is a good way to preserve extra if you have a bushel of pears.