🍐 Easy Crock Pot Pear Butter
If you have a pile of pears that are getting a little too ripe, don't throw them away! This easy crock pot pear butter is one of my favorite ways to use them up. The pears slowly cook with warm cinnamon and spices until they're soft, caramelized, and perfectly spreadable. It's delicious on toast, sourdough, pancakes, oatmeal, biscuits, or even vanilla ice cream!
Ingredients
- 8 pounds ripe pears
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Method:
1. Prepare the pears
Wash the pears well. Peel, Cut away any bruised or damaged areas, remove the stems and cores, and cut the pears into chunks.
Optional variation: No need to peel them! The skins will soften during cooking and blend into the pear butter.
2. Add everything to the crock pot
Place the chopped pears in a 6–8 quart slow cooker.
Add the brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Stir everything together.
Don't add water. The pears will release plenty of juice as they cook.
3. Slow cook, Cover and cook on LOW for 8–10 hours, stirring occasionally if you're around. The pears should become extremely soft and begin to break down into a thick, fragrant mixture.
4. Blend
Once the pears are completely soft, use an immersion blender to blend the mixture until smooth.
Blend thoroughly for a smooth texture, if leaving the skins on.
If you don't have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the mixture to a regular blender in batches.
Stir in the vanilla after blending.
5. Cook until thick
Remove the lid and continue cooking on LOW for another 1–3 hours to allow excess moisture to evaporate.
You can leave the lid slightly ajar to help the steam escape.
Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
The pear butter is ready when it's thick, glossy, and spreadable. It should be noticeably thicker than applesauce.
How to Tell When It's Done
Spoon a little pear butter onto a cool plate. Let it sit for a minute, then tilt the plate. If it stays mostly in place instead of running like applesauce, it's ready!
Storage
Allow the pear butter to cool before transferring it to clean jars or containers.
Refrigerator: Store for up to 2 weeks.
Freezer: Freeze for up to 6 months.
For shelf-stable storage, use a tested pear-butter canning recipe and proper water-bath processing instructions rather than simply sealing hot jars.
Ways to Enjoy Pear Butter
🍞 Spread it on warm sourdough toast
🥞 Spoon it over pancakes or waffles
🥣 Stir it into oatmeal
🧁 Add it to muffins or quick bread
🧀 Serve it with cream cheese or baked brie
🍦 Spoon it over vanilla ice cream
🥐 Spread it on biscuits
A Few Tips**
Use very ripe pears. Soft, juicy pears work beautifully in this recipe and are naturally sweeter.Don't add water. Pears release plenty of liquid while cooking.
Want it extra smooth? If you notice tiny pieces of skin after blending, simply push the finished pear butter through a fine-mesh sieve.
Want it more spiced? Add ½ teaspoon ground ginger or a pinch of cardamom for an extra cozy fall flavor.
Pear variety doesn't matter. Bartlett, Anjou, Bosc, Comice, or a combination all work well.
🍐 The Perfect Way to Use Up Extra Pears
This crock pot pear butter is a simple, delicious way to turn a big basket of ripe pears into something you'll actually look forward to eating. Let the crock pot do the work, blend it smooth, and enjoy the taste of fall!