These healthy poached pears have a sweet cinnamon syrup that infuses the pears and makes them irresistible. Takes just 30 minutes for this delicious dessert!
These poached pear are so good and so simple, you’re going to love them! This poached pear recipe uses grape juice instead of wine so they’re kid-friendly too!
Pears are a great choice to make healthy desserts. I make this Fall Fruit Salad every fall and our family always looks forward to it. Sliced pears over yogurt with chopped nuts is one of my favorite fall breakfasts.
Ingredients
- White grape juice & Strawberry jam – Use sugar free strawberry jam and grape juice to make it even healthier.
- Orange juice & Orange zest – A citrus element.
- Cinnamon sticks, cloves & ginger – The flavor agents!
- Pears – A firm pear variety works best for poaching. Bosc, Bartlett, Anjou, or Flemmish Beauty pears are all wonderful for poaching.
How to Poach Pears
To start making these healthy poached pears, gather the ingredients together (mise en place is a good habit to get into, no matter what the recipe is). My favorites are the cinnamon sticks and strawberry jam.
Then just place all the sauce ingredients into a saucepan that’s big enough to hold all four pears (more on that in a second):
Place your pears into your saucepan:
It can be tricky fitting exactly four into your pan without having a lot of excess room. If that happens, I’ll often just cut one in half to fit. You can also cut them all in half before poaching for an easier fit.
You want your sauce to go at least 3/4 of the way up the sides of your pears (that’s why the size of your pan is so important). Now you’ll just simmer for about 10 minutes or until your pears are soft to your liking.
I like to serve my poached pears whole as in the photo above. You can slice them if you prefer, either way they’re so pretty!
You can even add a mint sprig if you like. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or sweetened yogurt with chopped nuts.
Poached Pears Tips & Variations
- Make it sweeter with sugar, maple syrup or honey.
- Add warm spices like cloves, nutmeg, allspice, star anise, cardamom, etc.
- Drizzle the poached pears with a sauce such as caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, raspberry sauce, crème anglaise, or a reduction of the poaching liquid.
- Top with whipped cream or whipped coconut cream.
- Sprinkle chopped toasted nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, or pistachios, over the poached pears.
Do pears need to be fully ripe before poaching?
You know how pears are never ripe enough the day you buy them at the store and you have to leave them on your counter for a few days before you can even take a bite? Poached pears work brilliantly with fruit that isn’t quite there yet.
In fact, pears should still be slightly firm before poaching for the best results. The firmer they are, the longer they’ll take to poach, but they’re definitely worth the few extra minutes.
Do pears need to be peeled for poached pears?
Some recipes call for peeling the pears before poaching. Because this is a healthy poached pears recipe, I opted not to peel them. The skin has a lot of fiber and it gets very soft after poaching, so I highly suggest skipping the step of peeling.
What To Serve With Poached Pears
Poached pears are a delicious dessert on their own, but they are also a nice complement to other dishes to enhance the flavors and presentation. Here are some ideas for what to serve with poached pears:
- Vanilla ice cream
- Yogurt or Greek yogurt
- Oatmeal
- Overnight oats
- Pancake or waffle toppings (sliced up)
- Biscuits or shortbread
- Blue cheese, goat cheese, or gorgonzola cheese
How long do poached pears last in the fridge?
These healthy poached pears will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator. You can store them directly in the sweet sauce; they’ll continue to soak up the flavor so they only taste better with time.
Healthy Poached Pears
Try this easy dessert for healthy poached pears for a delicious dessert or snack. Serve alone or with ice cream.
Ingredients
- 2 cups white grape juice
- 1/4 cup strawberry jam
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 2 tsp orange zest
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 4 medium pears
Instructions
- In a large pot, combine everything but the pears. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Place the pears in the liquid. If the pears aren't covered by at least 3/4, add water or more orange juice.
- Allow the pears to simmer until they're soft, about 10 minutes. Remove the pears and place them in individual serving dishes, then set them aside.
- Strain the poaching liquid, then return it to the pot and gently boil it until it's slightly thickened, about five minutes.
- Pour the sauce over the pears and serve immediately.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 246Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 16mgCarbohydrates: 63gFiber: 7gSugar: 46gProtein: 1g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.
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