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Sliced cooked pears with a golden brown caramelized coating, held up on a serving spoon above a skillet with more caramelized pear slices inside. The background features a white tile pattern.

Caramelized Pears

Anne Aslanides
Give the fall season the warmest welcome with Caramelized Pears! Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or craving something sweet, you’ll want to keep this no-fuss recipe on hand all season. It comes together quickly with minimal prep time, and is best enjoyed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 176 kcal

Equipment

  • skillet cast iron preferable
  • Cutting board and knife
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • medium mixing bowl
  • spatula heat safe

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb bartlett pears ripe
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 lemon wedge ⅛ lemon
  • 2 tablespoon butter

Instructions
 

  • Wash and cut pears. Remove and discard stems and cores, then slice pears into eighths.
    1 lb bartlett pears
  • Combine pears, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, vanilla extract, and the juice of the lemon wedge in a medium bowl and stir gently until well combined.
    ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 lemon wedge
  • Melt butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat, once butter has melted add pear mixture. Spread pears into a single layer and cook 5-7 minutes starting on medium heat and reducing once the liquid starts to thicken.
    2 tablespoon butter
  • Flip pear slices and cook another 4-5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

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Notes

Recipe Success Tips
  • Use ripe pears. The perfect sauteed pear begins with ripe pears – slightly soft when pressed. Overripe pears will turn to mush, and underripe pears won’t soften.
  • Cut thin pear slices. The larger the pear slice or chunk, the longer it’ll take to cook on the stovetop. I suggest cutting each pear into 8 slices to ensure they soften easily and evenly over heat.
  • Place the pears in a single layer in the skillet. It’s okay if they overlap slightly, but we want each slice to cook evenly on both sides.
  • Reduce heat, if needed. Stovetop heats vary. The mixture should brown and bubble, but as the mixture reduces and starts to thicken into a caramel sauce, you may need to reduce the heat to prevent scorching.
Storage Directions
  • Refrigerator: Caramelized pears will keep in an airtight container for up to 7 days in the fridge.
  • Freezing: Cool the pears completely before transferring them to a freezer-safe container and freezing for up to 3 months. Defrost the pears in the fridge overnight until thawed.
  • Reheating: Warm the pears in a saucepan over medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes, adding a splash of water if needed, or in the microwave on gentle heat until hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 176kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 1gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 123mgPotassium: 142mgFiber: 4gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 208IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 26mgIron: 0.4mg

Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. It is recommended to use your preferred calculator with the actual ingredients you use for optimal accuracy.

Keyword Skillet
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