This Crock pot Pear Butter Recipe is one of the best ways to preserve an abundance of pears. Not to mention they make the perfect hostess gifts.
Introduction
For most of my adult life, I never gave fruit butter any consideration. To be honest, I had a preconceived idea that fruit butter actually had butter in it (if you could see me now, I am blushing …)
About a decade ago, I had a conversation with a colleague who enlightened me on the subject of fruit butter.
And that is how my obsession with fruit butter began…
I started with this spiced apple butter recipe, and this pear butter was the natural next step!
But I didn’t stop there. I also published a recipe for plum butter that tastes amazing!
What is a fruit butter?
A fruit butter is a highly concentrated form of pureed fruit (apple, pear, plum, etc…). It has a smooth consistency and silky texture, which can easily be spread, like butter. Spices are often used to highlight the fruity taste, and they are usually made without any pectin.
How is a fruit butter made?
Fruit butter is made by chopping fruit into chunks and cooking it so that it softens. It is then pureed and cooked again until all the moisture evaporates, transforming into a smooth, silky fruit spread. Fruit butter can easily be made in a slow cooker.
I have previously mentioned that I have a wonderful pear tree growing in my backyard that my dad planted. It truly is a privilege to watch the May blossoms slowly develop into actual pears.
A recent weather warning of thunderstorms and risk of high winds left us no choice but to go pear picking in our backyard – we didn’t want to end up with pears splattered everywhere, blown around by the wind!
So we picked the pears… about 40 pounds worth!
Now, my dilemma. What to do with two bushels of freshly picked pears? I considered making this Almond Pear Tart. But there are only so many tarts one can make. I also have a recipe for a wonderful pear cake, but then again, that would only have used up three pears out of the two bushels that we had…
That’s the thing with fruit trees – the fruit ripens all at the same time, and then you are left scrambling, trying to find ways to use or preserve it for the long winter months.
So if you are wondering how to preserve pears, I have the perfect solution… make this perfectly spiced pear butter! It really is so easy to make in a crockpot!
How to make Slow Cooker Pear Butter:
The first thing we are going to do is give the pears a good rinse. Once that is done, we need to peel and core the pears. Feel free to use a variety of pears for this recipe.
Pro Tip: Use a melon baller to remove the core of the pear.
Next, we need to add the peeled and cored pears to the slow cooker along with a scraped vanilla been, some orange peel, a few tablespoons of brown sugar, orange juice and a little bit of water.
Pro Tip: The water is added to prevent the pears from scorching so it is important not to skip this addition.
Set your crockpot on high and cook for 3-4 hours. The total time will depend on the ripeness and the type of pears. As soon as the pears have softened enough to be pureed, remove the vanilla bean and the orange peel.
With a handheld immersion blender, process the pears until smooth. You will notice that this is a very wet mixture. Alternatively, the cooked pears can be transferred to a food processor and pureed.
Next, cook it down until there is no liquid that seeps out when a teaspoon of the fruit puree is placed on a dish.
How to use
- Spread it on toast, muffins, breakfast buns, bagels, french toast, waffles or pancakes;
- Swirl it in yogurt, oatmeal, cottage cheese or even ricotta;
- Makes a great topping for ice cream and parfaits;
- Makes a great sandwich spread, especially with cheese
Nutrition Note: This pear butter can be a great fat-free alternative for butter. But remember, fat-free does not mean calorie-free. Moderation is key!
As I was looking for some fruit butter inspiration, I was surprised to see that some recipes actually had up to 4 cups of sugar added to 4-5 pounds of pear. I think that would be appropriate for a jam or jelly, but for a fruit butter? I’ll let you decide.
It’s definitely too sweet for me. I opted for just a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar, due to the fact that my pears were not yet fully ripened.
Recipe origins
My daughter-in-law and daughter are just as obsessed as I am with fruit butter. And so they became my taste testers for this recipe. After some tweaking, we decided to enhance the flavor of the pears with some vanilla beans and just a hint of orange.
In case you are wondering, we tried adding different “warm” spices to the pears (cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice). As you probably know, spices have the wonderful ability to complement and add a little bit of depth to the fruit.
We felt the delicate flavor of the pear was overpowered by the spices, despite the fact that we used very little amounts.
We then attempted a lemon and vanilla bean pear butter, followed by an orange and vanilla bean pear butter. Ultimately, we decided that it was best with a hint of orange. The inspiration for this pear butter came from a recipe found on this site.
It really is one of the best ways to preserve an abundance of pears. Not to mention, they make the perfect hostess gifts.
Enjoy!
THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.
Ciao for now,
Maria
★★★★★ If you have made this Pear Butter recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
Recipe
Crock pot Pear Butter Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds ripe pears peeled, cored and cut into pieces
- ⅓ cup water
- ½ vanilla bean split lengthwise and scraped to release seeds
- 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons orange juice freshly squeezed
- 1-2 strips of orange peel
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on the high setting for about 3 -4 hours (Total time will vary based on ripeness of pear).
- Stir occasionally.
- When the pears have softened, remove the vanilla bean and the orange zest.
- With a handheld immersion blender, process the pears until smooth. Alternatively, the cooked pears can be transferred to a food processor, pureed and transferred back to the slow cooker.
- Set the slow cooker on low and cook for an additional 6-8 hours. The total time will depend on the total moisture of the fruit. The pear butter is done when there is no liquid that seeps out when a teaspoon of the butter is placed on a dish.
- Ladle the pear butter into sterile canning jars. Always leave about ¼ inch of head space. Try to remove as many air bubbles as possible.
- Seal with sterile lids and rings.
- Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
- Remove jars from the pot.
- Allow to cool to room temperature.
- Check the lids by pressing on the center of each seal. If it springs back, the jars need to be refrigerated. Otherwise, they can be stored in a cool dark place for about 1 year.
- Once the jar is opened, it can be stored for about 3 weeks in the refrigerator.
Video
Notes
- I used Madagascar Natural Bourbon Vanilla Beans;
- This recipe works well with any variety and/or combination of pears;
- To freeze the pear butter: Allow the pear butter to cool to room temperature; place in containers which are freezer safe (always leave about 1-inch headspace) and freeze. They will keep for about 6 months in the freezer. Once thawed and opened, they should be stored in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on September 18, 2016 and republished on September 26, 2018 with improvements to the recipe, updated content and a video.
Ur pal val
I love fruit butters… can’t wait to try this!
Maria
We also love our fruit butters! Enjoy!!! Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂
Danielle Ledamun
Sounds amazing and I’m going to make it! One question, the 2.5 lbs is that Wade after they are chopped peeled and cord? About how many pears is that? Do you have a cups equivalent?
Also do you think this could be made in a pot and if so how long on the stove?
Thanks!
Maria
I would say that 2.5 pounds of whole pears is about 6-7 medium sized pears. The weight in the recipe refers to the whole pear, skin and all. Unfortunately I do not have a cup measurement, but one is not required. Yes, you can absolutely make a stove top version. Make sure to use the lowest setting on your stove and cover the pot. It might look like nothing is happening but be patient. You will see that after an hour or so, the mixture will begin to simmer. The pears will get very soft and you can then proceed to pureeing only the pears (without the liquid). Please note that the time can vary based on the ripeness and the kind of the pear. Enjoy. Great question Danielle! Thanks for dropping by 🙂
Lina F.
Hi Maria,
It is that time of year when pears are everywhere. I want to try your pear butter recipe, however step 5 of your recipe is unclear. Once one is at the stage of transferring the cooked pear in the blender is it not all mixed with the liquid.?
How do you separate the cooked pear from the liquid in the pot? I want to be sure I want to understand the recipe before I start.
Thank you for your amazing Blog., lina
Maria
Hello Lina! The pears should still be more or less intact. If you transfer the pears to your blender with a slotted spoon, the excess liquid will be left behind. The consistency of the pear butter will depend on the amount of liquid added. You will see, you don’t need to add any liquid. You are going to love this my friend. Let me know if you have any other concerns ♥♥♥ Great comment. Will update the recipe to make it more clear.
Katie
I would like to make this recipe. But I don’t want to process it. If l hand out as gifts right away will it still keep for 3 weeks.
Maria
Unfortunately I would not recommend it due to safety issues. I feel comfortable keeping the unprocessed pear butter for a couple of days, even a week or so, in the fridge, which is what I do when I have a small amount left over from making the pear butter. My philosophy is better safe than sorry… Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Anna
Can you substitute vanilla bean extract for the whole vanilla bean?
Maria
Usually I would say yes, but for this recipe I would not recommend it. The vanilla bean is truly infused in the pears providing you with the perfect pear butter … I don’t think the flavor would be as great. Appreciate your comment 🙂
Stephanie
Could this recipe be doubled? I’m so excited to make it, and am planning on giving as gifts.
Maria
Yes, the recipe can easily be doubled. Have fun making pear butter 🙂
Janice
What varietal is your pear tree? Can you use plain old Bartlett pears or do they get too mushy? Should I use a winter pear like a Bosc or Anjou instead? Unfortunately, we don’t have a pear tree but our farmers market is awash in Bartletts now and the winter pears are coming soon. Thanks!
Maria
My backyard pear variety is a Flemish Beauty. Any variety of pears can be made into pear butter. In fact, Bartlett pears make the best pear butter. As a general rule,the cooking time will vary based on the texture and juiciness of the pear. So, I would keep on eye on them to make sure they don’t fall apart in the crock pot. Make sure to transfer to your blender to process (without the cooking liquid) as soon as they have softened.
Have fun making the pear butter 🙂 Thanks for dropping by!
donnie
I am trying this for the first time. When using the vanilla bean, I scraped the seeds and added them to the recipe and also added the husk. I was unsure wHether to use them both or just the seeds.
Maria
At the beginning of the process, you can include the whole vanilla bean. When the pears have softened (after a couple of hours) you can remove the husk.
Thanks for dropping by 🙂
Kaleigh @ Lively Table
This sounds amazing! I’m obsessed with pear right now! I once made a pear and vanilla bean jam, so this sounds like the perfect recipe for extra pears!
Maria
Pear and vanilla bean jam …Kaleigh, that sounds absolutely amazing! I know what I am making next year. Thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂
deb@glutenfreefarina
Oh my, this is right up my alley. Love breakfast and nothing is better than home-made fruit butters with home-made bread and my dippy eggs. Love this flavor combination and so jealous of that beautiful pear tree! Nice job!
Maria
Last year we planted an Italian Prune Plum tree …you never saw any one get so excited over a few blossoms. The first thing I would do after work was to check on the those blossoms …unfortunately no prunes this year. But the pear tree… oh, the pear tree was very generous this year. Thanks for dropping by Deb 🙂