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My cozy homemade pear sauce recipe is so flavorful and is made with little to no added sugar. You can make my easy recipe in a slow cooker or on the stovetop, and it can also be enjoyed fresh, frozen, or canned.
My homemade pear sauce is a classic fall favorite here in the Cook house. Flavored with cozy spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, your house will smell amazing as this recipe cooks away on the stovetop or in a slow cooker.
If fruity fall recipes are your jam, you’ll definitely want to also check out our guide on canning pears and slow cooker apple butter.
Sarah’s Cheat Codes
- All pears, including Asian pears, will work in this sauce. Choose ripe pears that you would select for eating fresh.
- You can leave the skins on if you prefer, but I find that it impacts the texture a bit.
- Feel free to adjust the spices and sugar to your preference. If you want to increase the sugar amount, I recommend starting with what the recipe calls for and only adding additional sweetener after the sauce has cooked for a few hours. The sauce will naturally taste sweeter the longer it cooks.
- When I’m making this on the stovetop, I use my favorite dutch oven to prevent hot spots while it cooks.
Homemade Spiced Pear Sauce {Slow Cooker or Stovetop}
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup water
- 8 cups pears {~14 medium pears}
- 1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup sugar {optional}
Instructions
- Add 1/4 cup of water to the slow cooker.1/4 cup water
- Cut the tops and bottoms off of the pears.8 cups pears
- Using a vegetable peeler, peel off the pear skins.
- After that, cut the pear in half from the top to the bottom.
- Take the knife and make a cut from the stem to the bottom on one side. Repeat on the other side, then jiggle the core out.
- Roughly chop the pears and add them to the slow cooker.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir.1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/8 tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 cup sugar
- Cook on low for 3-4 hours, or on high for 2 hours, until the pears are falling apart when stirred.
- Blend the pears with an immersion blender, or transfer in batches to a blender or food processor.
- Store in the fridge for up to 1 week, or freeze for 6-9 months.
Notes
- All pears, including Asian pears, will work in this sauce. Choose ripe pears that you would select for eating fresh.
- You can leave the skins on if you prefer, but it will impact the texture a bit.
Stovetop Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook uncovered on low for 1-2 hours, stirring often, until pears are falling apart and soft.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I am hopping to make Pear Jam or Chutney in my pressure canner, would I do it for 10 min at 5 PSI?
Hi, I have not tried this myself. I checked the National Center for Home Preservation and the closest I could find was their processing times for apple chutney. Linking here for your info. They only offer water bath canning instructions.
How much does this recipe make? I was wondering if I might need to double it for canning.
Hi Charlene, in the printable recipe card/nutritional label it notes 12 servings, and each serving is 1/2 cup. So, you’ll get a total of 6 cups. If you use pint jars, the original recipe would make 3 pints, or 1 quart and 1 pint.
It’s very easy to double or triple if you’d like to can more than that.
Hi Sarah,
Just finished making this pear sauce and it is delicious! I doubled the recipe so I have plenty to can. I thought this would be thicker, more like a butter instead of a sauce. Any ideas on how I can thicken it to make it more like a butter? Thanks!
Hi Charlene, nope, it’s definitely a sauce consistency but I do have a plan to make a pear butter recipe at some point.
To thicken it, you can cook it down more to remove more liquid. You could also strain a portion of it through a fine metal sieve to remove any remaining liquid.
Hi! I really want to try canning, and your instructions look so thorough and easy to follow, but as a super duper newbie, would you mind explaining why adding sugar/lemon juice is not necessary? (if you have any sources, that’d be extra helpful)
Thank you!!
Hi Jessica, the natural sugar content in pears is high enough to be canned without sugar. Peaches, apricots, cherries, and apples are in the same boat.
Sugar is used as preservative in the canning process for many recipes, but in food items that have enough sugar, they are safe for canning as-is. I still add a bit of sugar to the canning process for pears, peaches, apricots, cherries, and apples, because I think it produces a superior canned product. The taste is better, the color is better in the long-run, etc. But it is not mandatory/necessary.
I LOVE pears and never thought of making pear sauce. Thx for the recipe.
You and me both. Pears are SO good!
I am so making this!
It’s sooooo good and makes your house smell amazing.