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This easy Pear Cobbler recipe transforms fresh pears into a luscious dessert worthy of any dinner party, brunch, or weeknight meal. It’s a great way to celebrate this juicy fruit during their short seasonal window.
Pears are similar in size, shape, and even flavor to apples, and they are often used in similar types of desserts. However, while we look for “baking apples” that hold their shape when cooked, we don’t worry about that with pears. Instead, we leave the skins on. This helps the pears keep their shape without dissolving into the cobbler, and it’s less work when prepping the fruit.
I love this recipe because, like all my cobblers, the from-scratch topping is ready in minutes with simple ingredients. Toss the fresh pears with spices and sugar, add scoops of topping, and bake. It’s an easy way to enjoy a delicious homemade fruit dessert without too much effort.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Pears: I like to leave the skin on pears in fruit desserts, but you can peel them if you want to. There are several types of pears and they will all work in this recipe: Bosc pears, Bartlett pears, Anjou pears, Asian, pears or any others you find.
- Butter: To soften butter in the microwave, cut each stick of butter in half, unwrap, and place on a microwave-safe plate. Then cook the butter at 10% power for 1 minute. Gently press on the butter with your finger, and if it still feels too firm, cook for another 40 seconds at 10% power until tender.
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, add pear slices, apple juice, and sugar. Sprinkle with cinnamon, stir to combine, then pour into a 9-inch square or round pie dish.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Working in batches, add ⅓ of the flour mixture at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough over the pear mixture (I like to use the OXO small scoop, a #70 portion scoop, heaped).
- Bake until the topping is golden brown and the filling is hot and bubbly, about 35 to 40 minutes.
- Cool 10 minutes before serving. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired. A drizzle of caramel sauce wouldn’t be bad, either.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes about 6 cups of Pear Cobbler, enough for 6 (1-cup) servings.
- Storage: Leftover cobbler is safe in an airtight container at room temperature the same day you bake it. Beyond that, store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 more days. Reheat if desired before serving.
- Flavor updates: I love the simple flavor of cinnamon here, but you can also add ground nutmeg, ground ginger, or even ground allspice. Or, swap the granulated sugar for light brown sugar.
- Vanilla ice cream: Store-bought or homemade; either is a treat. Whipped cream would also be dreamy.
- Apple Walnut Cobbler: This dessert is like upside down apple pie topped with a rich caramel sauce studded with walnuts. Enjoy this cozy fall dessert recipe warm and with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
- Blackberry Cobbler: Showcase your crop of summer’s juiciest blackberries with this easy fruit cobbler recipe. Toss the berries in orange juice for sweetness, then bake until hot and bubbly.
- Blueberry Cobbler: This from-scratch Blueberry Cobbler recipe is ready in under an hour, and it’s even better with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
- Cherry Cobbler: This delicious Cherry Cobbler is ready for the oven with just 10 minutes of prep. You’ll love the from-scratch buttery topping baked until golden brown and the piping hot, bubbling cherries beneath.
- Peach Cobbler: When peaches are in season, there’s no better dessert than a warm Peach Cobbler, fresh from the oven, with a scoop of ice cream.
- Strawberry Cobbler: Put summer’s best strawberries to work in this delicious Strawberry Cobbler. Or do a mix of all your favorite berries! The homemade topping is ready in about 5 minutes, then bake to bubbly berry perfection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Crumbles are similar to crisps in that they often contain oats and nuts or an oatmeal streusel topping. Cobblers, on the other hand, contain a soft cake-like topping that is uniform in texture.
Pears turn brown when their cut sides are exposed to oxygen. There are a few methods for slowing the oxidation of apples. Always dry your pears on paper towel or a clean kitchen towel after draining.
Salt water: Soak cut pears in a bowl of cold water with 2 cups water + ¼ teaspoon salt for 5 minutes, then rinse and store (will prevent oxidation for 5 to 7 days).
Citrus water: Soak cut pears in a bowl of water: 2 cups water + 2 tablespoons lemon, lime, orange, or pineapple juice. The lemon water (or other flavored water) may flavor the apples.
Soda method: Soak cut pears in lemon-lime soda such as 7Up or Sprite for 10 minutes, drain and store (will prevent oxidation for 2 to 3 days). Lemon juice works too, but it’s not as potent.
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Pear Cobbler
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 3 pounds pears cored and sliced (about 4 cups, see note 1)
- 1/3 cup apple juice
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the topping:
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch Salt
- 1/2 cup butter softened (see note 2)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Vanilla ice cream for serving, optional (see note 3)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, add pears, apple juice, sugar, and cinnamon. Stir to combine, then pour into a 9-inch square or round baking dish.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Working in batches, add ⅓ of the flour mixture at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of batter over the pear mixture (I like to use the OXO small scoop, a #70 portion scoop, heaped).
- Bake until the topping is golden brown and the filling is hot and bubbly, about 35 to 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving. Serve with ice cream if desired.
Notes
- Pears: I like to leave the skin on pears in fruit desserts, but you can peel them if you want to. Any variety of pears will do: Bosc, Bartlett, Anjou, Asian, or any others you find.
- Butter: To soften butter in the microwave, cut each stick of butter in half, unwrap, and place on a microwave-safe plate. Then cook the butter at 10% power for 1 minute. Gently press on the butter with your finger, and if it still feels too firm, cook for another 40 seconds at 10% power.
- Vanilla ice cream: Store-bought or homemade; either is a treat. Whipped cream would also be dreamy.
- Yield: This recipe makes about 6 cups of Pear Cobbler, enough for 6 (1-cup) servings.
- Storage: Leftover cobbler is safe in an airtight container at room temperature the same day you bake it. Beyond that, store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 more days. Reheat if desired before serving.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.