Homemade Maple Pear Sauce
An easy, approachable recipe for homemade pear sauce that is lightly sweetened with maple syrup and spiked with cinnamon, or left plain for younger palates. Made in minutes on the stovetop, this is a lovely addition to fall holiday meals or enjoyed year-round!
Homemade pear sauce is especially good in the fall, when pears are ripe and juicy. But, you absolutely make this recipe any time of year that you can get your hands on fresh pears! And it could hardly be simpler to make - just mix chopped pears with (optional) maple syrup and cinnamon, a little water, then cook down on the stove until soft and delicious.
Serve pear sauce with weeknight meals, or place a big bowl on the Thanksgiving table. You can use it in my gluten free applesauce bread, gluten free applesauce cake, or applesauce muffins recipes instead of applesauce. I also love it, cold, and swirled into a bowl of tangy Greek yogurt that's been sprinkled with almond granola. And, of course, new eaters love it!
Why You'll Love This Pear Sauce Recipe
- The simplest method! I love making homemade purees and sauces - my persimmon puree is another seasonal favorite - because they make great use of seasonal produce without ton of effort. Just simmer, mash or puree, and enjoy!
- Great for kids. Kids and adults love this pear sauce, and I especially love it as a "first food" for littler ones!
- Super adaptable. Make this sauce plain, without the cinnamon or maple syrup, or add more flavors, too, like vanilla or ginger. Experiment with it!
Pear Sauce Ingredients
Note that the only ingredients you really need for pear sauce are pears and water. I love making it with maple syrup and cinnamon, but you can totally leave them out! Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!
- Pears - I used D'Anjou pears here, but in the spirit of easy recipes, you can use any pear you have growing in the orchard or pick up at the store. I usually peel my pears first, but if you want a bit more texture, and are using organic or homegrown pears, you can leave them on.
- Maple syrup - This adds a little sweetness and flavor, but if you prefer a less-sweet sauce, leave it out.
- Cinnamon - Same goes for the ground cinnamon. For a plain pear sauce, leave it out of the pot. You can also try ground ginger for a slightly different flavor (ginger + pears is a lovely pairing!)
- Water - Just a splash, if needed.
If You're Making This For Little Ones ...
I loved making my own homemade fruit and veg purees for my girls when they were babies. Applesauce and pear sauce were always favorites (I made sure to save a bit to add to applesauce muffins or pear pancakes, too).
If you are making this recipe for babies or toddlers - or simply want to cut down on sugar - leave out the maple syrup. The riper the pears, the sweeter the pear sauce will be, so if you want it on the sweeter side without added sugar, make sure to use ripe pears. You can also omit the cinnamon for new eaters so as not to overwhelm their palates.
How to Make Easy Pear Sauce
Here's an overview in photos of how to make this homemade sauce:
1. Assemble: In a large pot, add the chopped pears, splash of water, and maple syrup and cinnamon if using.
2. Cook: Bring to a low boil over medium heat, stirring as needed.
3. Simmer: Turn heat to low and simmer until the pears are very soft.
4. Mash, puree, or leave alone: When the pears are soft, you can leave them chunky, mash them with a wooden spoon, or puree them.
Pear Sauce Tips & Recipe Notes
- Use ripe pears. I used D'Anjou pears in these photos, and Bartlett or Bosc pears work well, too. The riper the pears, the more naturally sweet and flavorful the sauce will be!
- To peel or not to peel. As mentioned you can leave the peels on if you wish. This will add more texture to the sauce. You can also peel half of each pear if you want a bit of texture without too much.
- Mash, puree, or leave chunky. You can see from these photos that I opted to puree this batch of pear sauce. However, I also love leaving it just lightly mashed so that we can taste the chunks of pears. It's really up to you.
- Adjust the sweetness. Leave out the maple syrup entirely, or add it in a little at a time so you make the sauce as sweet (or not sweet) as you like.
- Add cinnamon at the end. To suit everyone, you can add the cinnamon at the end after separating some of the pear sauce out if you're planning to serve it to younger eaters who may not like it.
How to Store Pear Sauce
- Fridge - Transfer the cooled sauce to an airtight container, like a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, and keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freezer - Place the cooled sauce in freezer-safe containers or sealable freezer bags, removing as much air as possible, and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
- Preserve it - When I have time, I love to can homemade applesauce and pear sauce. I follow the National Food Center for Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia's excellent guidelines (this is for applesauce, but it works just as well for pear sauce).
Happy baking! If you make this homemade pear sauce recipe, let me know! Please leave a comment below or reach out with any questions. I hope you loved it! ❤️
Homemade Pear Sauce
Ingredients
- 5 pears , peeled, cored, and roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup , optional
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon , optional
- ¼ cup water , if needed
Instructions
- Place the 5 pears in a saucepan. Add the 2 tablespoons maple syrup and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon if using, then the ¼ cup water - more or less depending on how juicy your pears are.
- Bring the pot to a low boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, then turn the heat to low and cook until the pears are very soft. You can mash them using a wooden spoon, leave them chunky, or use an immersion blend to puree until very smooth. Serve warm or cold.
Notes
- Use ripe pears. I used D'Anjou pears in these photos, and Bartlett or Bosc pears work well, too. The riper the pears, the more naturally sweet and flavorful the sauce will be!
- To peel or not to peel. As mentioned you can leave the peels on if you wish. This will add more texture to the sauce. You can also peel half of each pear if you want a bit of texture without too much.
- Mash, puree, or leave chunky. You can see from these photos that I opted to puree this batch of pear sauce. However, I also love leaving it just lightly mashed so that we can taste the chunks of pears. It's really up to you.
- Adjust the sweetness. Leave out the maple syrup entirely, or add it in a little at a time so you make the sauce as sweet (or not sweet) as you like.
- Add cinnamon at the end. To suit everyone, you can add the cinnamon at the end after separating some of the pear sauce out if you're planning to serve it to younger eaters who may not like it.
