Baked Pears

Here at Delish, we think pears are extremely underrated. We challenge you to think beyond apple this fall with these sweet cinnamon baked pears. In this easy dessert, fresh pears are halved, topped with sweetened oats and nuts, then baked and topped with ice cream to create a delicious, individual treat. Ready in under an hour and only requiring a handful of staple ingredients, these pears are the perfect last-minute dessert when you're itching for a sweet fall treat. Here's everything you need to know:

What kind of pears are best for baking?
Any pear can be baked, including ones that may seem too hard to eat or cook with. In this recipe, an under-ripe pear is perfect as it softens in the heat of the oven with the help from a sweet cooking liquid. Bartlett, Bosc, and Anjou pears are easiest to find year-round, but you can also try Asian pears if you can find them.

Can I make this with unripe pears?
For this recipe, we found that ripe pears that are still a bit firm to the touch work best. Pears soften when baked, so picking pears that aren't at peak ripeness will result in the perfect texture after baking. Avoid using overripe pears so that you don't end up with pear mush.

How can I ripen unripe pears?
Store-bought pears are usually a few days from peak ripeness, so they may feel rock-hard when you first purchase them. Ripen the pears at room temperature in a closed paper bag for a day or two until they are at the beginning of their ripeness window. They should smell fragrant but still feel slightly firm when pressed. Storing pears in the refrigerator will slow the ripening process, and the fruit will take forever to ripen. If you're in no mood to wait, microwave the pear in a covered microwave-safe container with the flesh facing up. Microwave in 1-minute increments until the pear softens slightly, checking the softness as you go.

Should I peel my pears?
Nope—you'll want to leave the skin on for this recipe. While you technically can peel them if you prefer, leaving the skin on helps keep the structure of the pears together, and helps avoid a cinnamon-pear mess after baking. 

Serving ideas for baked pears: 
The main goal for the topping is to add something cool and creamy that will balance out the warm spiced pear and crunchy oats. We love classic vanilla ice cream, but feel free to try out whipped cream, sweetened Greek yogurt, frozen yogurt, or your favorite non-dairy ice cream.

Have you made this yet? Let us know how it went in the comments below!