Pear Bread

This sweet little quick pear bread is a cinch to mix up, needing just one bowl to layer in the batter ingredients before piling it with cinnamon-spiked chopped pears. You can make this pretty loaf gluten-free and/or dairy-free if needed, and I challenge anyone to tell the difference!

I like chopping the pears here rather than grating them into the batter so that you can really taste them. Plus, they add a nice bit of texture against the soft bread - kind of like in my gluten free pear cake. I developed this recipe to use whole grain flour, which plays beautifully with the juicy pears and a touch of brown sugar.

This is a simple, homey recipe, and I love it for that. I love drizzling over a thick lemon glaze to dress up the loaf, and I equally love keeping it plain and rustic. A lovely way to showcase fresh pears.

Ingredients needed

Here's a look at what you need to make pear quick bread. Make sure to check my recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!

• Oil - I often use olive oil in my quick breads, and really any oil works. Try avocado, melted coconut oil, or vegetable or canola oil in addition to olive oil.
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs - Use large or medium eggs.
• Milk - I like whole milk or 2% milk. Substitute a dairy-free milk of your choice to keep this bread dairy-free.
• Flour - Choose whole wheat pastry flour or a gluten-free whole grain flour, like oat flour or brown rice flour, if you need to keep gluten-free. I love adding whole grains here, but you can use all-purpose flour if you prefer.
• Baking powder
• Salt - Fine sea salt or table salt.
• Pears - I used 3 medium pears here, but you could use 2 pears if you want a tad less fruit or if your pears are pretty large.
• Brown sugar - Either light or dark brown sugar works fine.
• Ground cinnamon - Swap in an equal amount of ground ginger or cardamom for a different flavor.

Variation Ideas

• Walnuts - I love adding a handful (or specifically about ½ cup) of chopped walnuts to this bread for a little crunch.
• Fresh ginger - Chop or grate some peeled, fresh ginger to add to the bread for a bit of spice.
• Add a glaze - Feel like taking it up a notch? My maple glaze brings even more fall flavor and cozy goodness to this loaf!

Tips & Recipe Notes

• What type of pears to use? I used ... gestures to photos ... the pears I was given from a friend's tree. However, if you are purchasing pears, I recommend going for Bosc, Anjou, and Bartlett pears because they hold their shape and texture during baking.
• How do I know pears are ripe? I prefer to use pears that are still on the firmer side when I incorporate them into baking recipes - so, grab firm-ripe pears. Press the fruit near the stem; the pear should give a little. This is perfect.
• What type of flour? Learn how to make oat flour to use as the base of this bread, or try whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour. You can also use all-purpose flour (though if you do this, try an equal mix of whole wheat and all-purpose flour) or a gluten-free flour blend like my homemade gluten free flour blend.
• Swap maple syrup. Trade the granulated sugar in the batter for maple syrup (use ½ cup of maple syrup or reduce to ⅓ cup for a less-sweet option) for a natural sweetener option that will also boost the bread's flavor.

proper Storage

• Counter - Wrapped in plastic, covered with foil, or in an airtight bag or container on the counter for up to 2 days.
• Fridge - Wrapped or stored in an airtight container or bag for up to 5 days in the fridge.
• Freezer - Note that due to the fruit, the bread's texture may change slightly after freezing and defrosting. Wrap the loaf in plastic, place it in a freezer-safe bag, and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw completely in the fridge before serving.