In my opinion, one of the great joys of the culinary world is using seasonal ingredients to create mouthwatering dishes, and that’s exactly what we’re doing with my Cinnamon Baked Pears.

As a dessert-every-night kind of girl, I love recipes that require little-to-no prep work but ultimately result in something so rewarding. This is a healthier (and easier) take on a fruit crisp that won’t leave you feeling sluggish before bed.

So whether you have perfectly ripe pears begging to be used or simply have a craving for a healthy, easy dessert you can make ahead of time, this recipe is the answer. With just a handful of simple ingredients and a few easy steps, you’ll have a dessert that will impress guests, your family or satisfy your own sweet cravings in a matter of minutes. 

😍 Why You’ll Love My Cinnamon Baked Pears

Let me give it to you straight: this recipe is simple – good things, delicious things, don’t have to be complicated! It’s gluten and dairy free, vegan, and the ultimate base for any toppings and additions your taste buds crave. I recommend topping it with your favorite granola or muesli for a delightful crunch. And, if that’s not enough, a dollop of whipped cream, a scoop of ice cream or a spoonful of dairy free coconut yogurt seals the deal. 

You can also prepare this ahead of time: toss your pears in the baking dish and store them in the refrigerator for later when dessert is calling your name!

🗒️ Ingredients

Pears – Pears are juicy, soft and sweet at the best of times, but the magic of roasting or baking them is that it transforms them into a symphony of sweet, tender, and caramelized goodness. In this case, they’re infused with aromatic cinnamon – it’s comfort and indulgence with zero effort.

Sugar – What’s desert without a little sugar? Use whatever you have on hand, or at the very least, whatever is easiest to retrieve from your pantry!

Lemon – Let’s get a little bit science-y for a moment: Lemon juice prevents oxidation of the pears, which is a fancy way of saying that it stops the slices from turning brown by providing a barrier between the pear’s flesh and the air. This means you can prepare your pears ahead of time!

Cinnamon – Warm, aromatic cinnamon is a classic pairing for sweet fruits, and especially when roasted, it brings out a stunning, rich flavor to this simple dessert.

Salt – Just a pinch of salt does wonders for sweet desserts and treats by enhancing the flavors around it. More depth, more complexity, more deliciousness!

Vanilla – Speaking of enhancing flavour, we’re adding vanilla to bring out all the wonderful flavors in our baked pears and in my opinion, it adds a little something special!

Coconut Oil – I love reaching for Coconut oil when making desserts because of its subtle sweet flavor, and also how light it is!

👩‍🍳 How to Make My Cinnamon Baked Pears

🔥 Preheat the oven to 425 Degrees F.

🔪 Roughly chop your pears into cubes – they don’t have to be fancy, just try to keep them a similar size for even baking.

🥣 Toss everything together in a 9×13 baking dish, dotting the coconut oil on top.

⏲️ Bake for 20 – 40 minutes, depending on the variety and ripeness of your pears. Toss every few minutes.

🍨 Serve with whipped cream or ice cream and granola on top, if desired.

🥳 Enjoy!

🎩 Tips and Tricks

• You can use whatever pears you have on hand, you will just want to adjust your baking time according to how crispy/crunchy or soft you would like your pears, and how ripe they were to begin with!
• The more even your pieces of pear are, the more evenly they will cook. You don’t have to be fancy about chopping them, but a little intentionality goes a long way!
• If you’re making this dessert ahead of time, prep your pears but don’t bake them. As long as you’ve coated them well in the lemon juice, they will stay nice and fresh, and most importantly, won’t brown! Store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake.

🌟 Variations on My Cinnamon Baked Pears

A recipe this simple means it is wide open for you to customize to your hearts content! Here are a few variations you could try if you’re feeling adventurous:

• Easy Baked Apples: replace the pears in this recipe with your favorite variety of apples. Granny Smiths, Gala, Braeburn, whatever takes your fancy! Apple and cinnamon? A match made in heaven!
• Honey Broiled Persimmons: if you have Persimmons on hand, slice them in half and drizzle them with honey. Leave out the cinnamon, add the sugar if you’d like (because around here it’s about personal preference, always) and swap the lemon juice for lime, but save it for drizzling over the top after they’ve come out of the oven! I recommend broiling these for the perfect caramelized, golden brown tops.
• Simple Baked Peaches: You won’t get that crispy crunch that pears or apples provide, but there is nothing like a warm, cinnamon and sugar-crusted peach to soothe the soul.

🤲 Substitutions

A quick and easy dessert means simple, straightforward ingredients, but if you don’t have something on hand, you’ve got options:

• Apples can be used in place of pears.
• Any kind of pear will work, just adjust your baking time accordingly.
• Granulated sugar, brown sugar, or coconut sugar works in the recipe – whatever takes your fancy!
• Reach for honey or maple syrup instead of sugar if you would like to.
• You can use butter in place of the coconut oil.

📓 Best served with

• My personal favorite, Coco Whip 😍
• Whipped Cream
• Vanilla Ice Cream
• Thick Greek Yogurt
• Muesli or Granola

👝 How to Store Leftovers

Reach for an air-tight container and your leftovers will last for another day or two in the refrigerator. They will get softer as the days go by, so the sooner they are consumed, the better, in my opinion!

🧠 Common Questions