Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

candied pears

(6 ratings)
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Cynthia Rivers Martinez
Dothan, AL

These are so wonderful. They are similar to what you can purchase at Cracker Barrel. Cracker Barrel uses apples though. I'm not sure if they make the pears. I went on Just A Pinch to see if anyone else had them posted like Granny used to make them and NO was the answer.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

These candied pears are a fantastic way to preserve pears when they're abundant. The pears are cooked down in a thick, sugary syrup with hints of nutmeg and cinnamon to enhance the natural flavor of the pears. They reminded us of fried apples or even a pear pie filling. Serve over ice cream or use in a fruit cobbler. They'd even be delicious with fried pork chops.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(6 ratings)
yield 6 cup(s)
prep time 20 Min
cook time 1 Hr 30 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For candied pears

  • 8 c
    Baldwin pears, peeled and sliced
  • 1 lg
    lemon juice, fresh
  • 1 stick
    butter
  • 2 c
    granulated sugar
  • 2 c
    water
  • 1/4 tsp
    ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp
    ground cinnamon

How To Make candied pears

Test Kitchen Tips
Our pears were done in about 30 minutes. Just watch the pears. When the liquid is reduced, the pears are done.
  • Squeeze lemon juice over pears.
    1
    Peel and slice the fresh pears. Measure to get 8 cups. Put them in a bowl and juice 1 fresh lemon on top of them. Stir until coated. Set aside.
  • Melt butter in a skillet.
    2
    Melt butter in a medium-sized skillet.
  • Add sugar and water. Stir until sugar is melted.
    3
    Add sugar and water. Cook on medium-high heat until all is blended and the sugar is melted.
  • Add pears and spices.
    4
    Then add pears and spices. Bring to a boil.
  • Cook down the pears.
    5
    Cook down on medium heat for about 1 hour stirring constantly until tender. If they are harder cook longer. If they are softer, cook less. Get them to a consistency you like.
  • Pour into steralized jars.
    6
    Put in sterilized mason jars until 1" from the top.
  • Cook in a water bath to seal the jars.
    7
    Cook in a water bath to seal jars. A water bath is a super wide bottom pan that you fill about 2" tall in water. Then you put the mason jars down into the warm bath water and cook for approximately 10-15 minutes until it seals all jars.
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