Homemade pear compote is easy to make with just a few simple ingredients. It's a delicious topper for waffles, pancakes, yogurt, oatmeal and more!
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🍐 Why We Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy: You'll just need a few fresh pears, sugar, lemon juice and a few simple spices to make this delicious pear compote. It all comes together in one pot with very minimal effort!
- Great use of leftover pears: Not sure about you, but every time I stock up on pears, I seem to forget about them until they're bruised and barely usable. This pear compote is the perfect use for those so nothing goes to waste, and it's an easy way to transform a basic fruit into something even more delicious.
- Perfect flavor: Sweet pears pair perfectly with the subtle spice of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, while maple syrup and vanilla add depth of flavor. Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds just the right amount of acidity for the most delicious pear compote you'll ever taste!
- Naturally vegan: No dairy needed for this pear compote, making it suitable for just about any dietary needs!
- Versatile: You can use this pear compote in so many different applications – on waffles, yogurt, oatmeal, even ice cream...the possibilities are endless!
🍯 Ingredients
Here are the key ingredients you'll need to make homemade pear compote:
📋 Ingredient Notes
- Type of pear: You can really use just about any variety of pear in this compote, so we don't specify a certain type in the recipe. I personally prefer Bartlett or Red Anjou pears, which tend to be sweeter, softer and juicier than other popular varieties.
- The most important part of choosing pears for this recipe is making sure they are mostly ripe. If the pears aren't at all ripe, they will take longer to soften and won't taste very flavorful. A ripe pear will give slightly when you press.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is always best – it makes a huge difference in the flavor.
- Brown sugar: Dark brown sugar tends to be richer in flavor, but light brown sugar will also work in this pear compote. If you only want to use natural sugar in this recipe, you can substitute the brown sugar with more maple syrup.
- Spices: The fresher your cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, the more flavorful.
- Vanilla: We use vanilla extract in this pear compote, but if you have any vanilla bean paste or syrup, it would be an excellent addition for added flavor!
🔪 Step-by-step Instructions
(1) Add the diced pears, brown sugar, maple syrup, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and vanilla to a medium-sized saucepan, stir well and bring to a boil.
(2) Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 45-55 minutes, stirring several times, until pears are soft and liquid has thickened into a syrup.
Remove from heat and let cool completely before transferring to an airtight container for refrigerator storage.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Variations: There are many ways to change up the flavor of this basic pear compote. Below are a few of our favorite ideas:
- Add in another fruit, like apples, berries, cranberries, stone fruit, etc.
- Add more spices, like star anise, cardamom, cloves, fresh vanilla bean, etc.
- For an extra kick, consider adding in a splash of alcohol like bourbon or brandy.
- Storage: Store in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Unlike homemade jams and jellies, this pear compote is not meant to be canned for long term storage.
- Freezer storage: For longer storage, freeze in an airtight container for up to 3-4 months. You can also freeze smaller portions in an ice cube tray to reheat for single-serving uses on pancakes, oatmeal, etc. For best results, defrost overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- How to make a smoother compote: We prefer our pear compote on the chunkier side, but some prefer compote to have a texture more like applesauce. If you would prefer a smoother texture, you can gently mash the pears once softened, or blend using an immersion blender or regular blender.
💭 Frequently Asked Questions
Pear compote is incredibly versatile and can essentially be used in any application where you might use jam or another fruit sauce. We love using it as a topping for waffles, pancakes, yogurt, oatmeal, ice cream, crepes, and other breakfast favorites.
It can also be used for desserts. Consider adding it in between layers of cake, on top of a cheesecake, or in homemade pastries. It's also delicious on a cheese/charcuterie board.
Absolutely! Frozen pears will work just the same as fresh pears in this recipe. The only difference is that it will take longer to come to boil, and there may be a bit more liquid as the fruit thaws. In that case, simply simmer for slightly longer to evaporate more liquid.
As you may have noticed, the core ingredients for a compote are pretty similar to that of a jam. However, a compote is meant to have a more chunky texture than jam, which should be very spreadable. Jam is also typically canned and preserved for longer periods of time, whereas compote is meant to be eaten within a week or two. Both are equally delicious, but we love that compotes are a bit easier to make!
If your pears aren't at all ripe, we suggest waiting a few days to make this compote. If they're almost ripe, follow the recipe as usual, but you may have to cook slightly longer or add a splash of water to help them cook down.
📖 Related Recipes
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Print📖 Recipe
Pear Compote
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Homemade pear compote is easy to make with just a few simple ingredients. It's a delicious topper for waffles, pancakes, yogurt, oatmeal and more!
Ingredients
- 6 pears, peeled, cored and diced into ¼" cubes
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a medium-sized saucepan, stir well and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 45-55 minutes, stirring several times, until pears are soft and liquid has thickened into a syrup.
- Remove from heat and let cool completely before transferring to an airtight container for refrigerator storage.
Notes
Type of pear: You can really use just about any variety of pear, so we don't specify a certain type in the recipe. I personally prefer Bartlett or Red Anjou pears, which tend to be sweeter, softer and juicier than other popular varieties. The most important part of choosing pears for this recipe is making sure they are ripe!
Storage: Store in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Freezer storage: For longer storage, freeze in an airtight container for up to 3-4 months. You can also freeze smaller portions in an ice cube tray to reheat for single-serving uses on pancakes, oatmeal, etc. For best results, defrost overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
How to make a smoother compote: We prefer our pear compote on the chunkier side, but some prefer compote to have a texture more like applesauce. If you would prefer a smoother texture, you can gently mash the pears once softened, or blend using an immersion blender or regular blender.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Sauces
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 71
- Sugar: 13 g
- Sodium: 2.4 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 17.2 g
- Fiber: 2.3 g
- Protein: 0.3 g
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