It’s officially one of my favourite seasons for desserts and these Baked Pears with Cardamom Cream are absolutely heavenly.
This favorite Fall dessert packs a ton of flavour with just a few simple ingredients.
Pears, walnuts, oats, maple syrup and cardamom – a divine combination of flavours which are perfect for the cozy season ahead.
I love warm spiced desserts with seasonal fruit in the cooler months like these apple pie blondies. However, pear recipes are wonderful this time of year too! Baking pears brings out their natural sweetness and they go beautifully with the walnuts and oats in this recipe.
These Baked Pears with Cardamom Cream are the perfect dessert for gatherings during the holiday season too, especially during Thanksgiving.
Why you’ll love these baked pears
Seasonal: This pear recipe is a light dessert that’s perfect for the Fall and Winter season.
Beginner-friendly: An easy pears recipe that a beginner baker can make for dessert.
Healthy-ish: A healthier dessert option with an indulgent topping.
Ingredients needed for this pear recipe
Pears: the best pears for this recipe are Bosc pears which have a lovely sweetness and hold their shape when baked; alternatively, you can try Bartlett or D’Anjou pears
Oats: rolled oats make a delicious topping for these baked pears
Walnuts: the crunch of walnuts goes wonderfully with the tender pears; if you need to swap for a nut-free version try sunflower seeds or just add more oats
Maple syrup: maple syrup is such a lovely complement to the pears and oats; it adds just a touch of sweetness
Mascarpone: mascarpone cheese is soft, cow’s milk cheese with a sweet taste that pairs well with baked fruit like pears
Ground cardamom: ground cardamom has warm and sweet notes; if you don’t have cardamom a good substitution is ground cinnamon.
How to make this baked pears dessert
Step 1: Pre-heat oven to 350F. Line the baking dish with parchment paper.
Step 2: Make the cardamom cream by whisking together the mascarpone, ground cardamom, icing sugar and milk. Set aside
Step 3: Cut each pear in half lengthwise and lay pear halves skin-side down in the baking dish. If needed, slice a small piece off skin-side so the pears lay flat in the baking dish.
Step 4: With small spoon (or melon baller), scoop out the cores / seeds in the middle of each pear half. Leave the stems on the pears for a prettier presentation (if desired).
Step 5: Mix together the oats, walnuts, cinnamon, sugar and melted butter.
Step 6: Divide the oat mixture between four pear halves, spooning into the scooped out center of each pear. Drizzle each pear half with 1 tbsp maple syrup .
Step 7: Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the oat mixture is golden brown and the pears are soft, tender but still hold their shape.
Step 8: Let sit for about 5 minutes and then serve each with a dollop of the cardamon cream.
Tips & tricks
If you can’t find mascarpone you can use a scoop of vanilla ice cream or vanilla or plain Greek yogurt instead for a topping.
This recipes serves 4 people but can be easily doubled to serve 8 people.
Medium-ripe pears work best and provide the best flavour. Not to soft but not too firm.
Bosc pears can be found in your local grocery store; alternatively try Bartlett or D’Anjou pears which also bake well.
This pear dessert is easily made gluten-free with gluten-free oats.
How to serve baked pears
Serve pears warm out of the oven topped with the cardamom mascarpone cream.
You can serve at room temperature as well as an option.
These baked pears are a perfect compliment to a brunch or as a light breakfast along with yogurt of choice.
Switch things up and serve topped with whipped cream.
Variations
Instead of ground cinnamon use pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice for deeper Fall flavours.
Add 1 tsp of orange zest to the oat mixture for a holiday flavour touch.
Try using honey instead of maple syrup if desired.
Common questions
Do I need to peel the pears?
You do not need to peel the pears before baking for this recipe. When the pears are baked, the pear skin becomes very soft and tender and easy to eat.
How can I make these pears nut-free?
You can substitute the walnuts for pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds to make these baked pears nut-free.
Can the baked pears be served cold?
These pears are the most delicious warm or even room temperature. So, if making for a dinner party, you can pop them in the oven while enjoying dinner. Then, remove when done and let sit until ready to serve. They should still be warm or at room temperature once served.
How to store
Store leftover pears in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Reheat on a parchment paper lined baking sheet or in a baking dish at 350F for about 10-20 minutes or until warmed through. Alternatively, you can reheat quickly in the microwave.
Pre-heat oven to 350F. Line the baking dish with parchment paper.
Make the cardamom cream by whisking together the mascarpone, ground cardamom, icing sugar and milk. Set aside
Cut each pear in half lengthwise and lay pear halves skin-side down in the baking dish. If needed, slice a small piece off skin-side so the pears lay flat in the baking dish.
With small spoon (or melon baller), scoop out the cores / seeds in the middle of each pear half.
Mix together the oats, walnuts, cinnamon, sugar and melted butter.
Divide the oat mixture between four pear halves, spooning into the scooped out center of each pear. Drizzle each pear half with 1 tbsp maple syrup .
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the oat mixture is golden brown and the pears are soft, tender but still hold their shape.
Let sit for about 5 minutes and then serve each with a dollop of the cardamon cream.
What an elegant dessert! You can never go wrong with the combination of pears and cardamom, but I really like the way you’ve paired them up here. (Or is that “peared” them up…)
Kristen, thank you for the recipe love! And you are exactly right – the flavours are perfect for the fall/winter season. I might have made these already a couple times 🙂
Thank you so much for the photo love Jo! With just a minimal amount of ingredients they definitely boast alot of flavour – I hope you enjoy them when you make them!
This Baked Pears with Caramom Cream recipe is comfort food at its best for me, Jessica. I can just imagine the fragrance of this dessert baking in the oven. And I love the idea of the Cardamom cream – cardamom is often neglected, in my opinion – it is such a lovely spice. Many thanks for sharing. Your lovely recipe will be happening soon in my own kitchen.
Thank you for the recipe love Denise! I agree with you on the use of cardamom, often not used but such a lovely spice! I hope you enjoy the recipe when you make it 🙂
Verrrry nice recipe and I love the cardamom cream…thanks for sharing this
So lovely to hear you loved it! Thank you!
What an elegant dessert! You can never go wrong with the combination of pears and cardamom, but I really like the way you’ve paired them up here. (Or is that “peared” them up…)
Thank you for the recipe love Isabelle! I love the combination too! (And the good laugh – “peared” them up, love it!)
Jess, these look incredible. The flavours are so perfect for the fall/winter weather
Kristen, thank you for the recipe love! And you are exactly right – the flavours are perfect for the fall/winter season. I might have made these already a couple times 🙂
Oh my! These are so beautiful. I can only imagine how amazing they taste. Pinning to make later. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much for the photo love Jo! With just a minimal amount of ingredients they definitely boast alot of flavour – I hope you enjoy them when you make them!
This is such a great recipe- easy and comforting and a bit different with the cardamom which I absolutely love!
Thank you for stopping by the blog Sabrina! And for the recipe love! You totally got it too – easy and comforting, perfect for the holiday season!
This Baked Pears with Caramom Cream recipe is comfort food at its best for me, Jessica. I can just imagine the fragrance of this dessert baking in the oven. And I love the idea of the Cardamom cream – cardamom is often neglected, in my opinion – it is such a lovely spice. Many thanks for sharing. Your lovely recipe will be happening soon in my own kitchen.
Thank you for the recipe love Denise! I agree with you on the use of cardamom, often not used but such a lovely spice! I hope you enjoy the recipe when you make it 🙂