Is it just me, or have pumpkin recipes been springing up earlier than usual? Everywhere I look, there seems to be another round-up of pumpkin recipes! I can’t complain—I’m loving it. Any dish with pumpkin in it is a dish for me!
One of the best desserts I’ve had at a restaurant was a caramelized pear a la mode. It’s so simple yet satisfying. Besides, I always feel less guilty when I’m eating fruit for dessert, even when it’s coated in sugar and topped with ice cream. Considering I have 3 pounds of ripe pears to reckon with at the moment, that caramelized pear dessert became an immediate inspiration.
Instead of adding a dollop of ice cream, I made a super simple pumpkin sauce that’s filled with pumpkin pie spices. That’s right, I hopped on the pumpkin recipe bandwagon.
Caramelized Pears with Pumpkin Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 medium pears, halved (I used bartlett pears)
- 2 TBS coconut sugar, divided*
- 2 tsp cinnamon, divided
- 1/4 cup 60ml water
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 TBS olive oil
- 1/2 cup 120g pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie puree)
- 2 TBS unsweetened almond milk
- 1 TBS maple syrup, add more to taste
- 1/2 to 1 tsp ground ginger, depending on your taste
- small pinch of ground nutmeg
- chopped pecans and dried cranberries for topping, optional
Instructions
- Mix 2 teaspoons of coconut sugar with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Sprinkle this mixture on top of the halved pears.
- Heat a skillet with the olive oil over medium heat. Swirl the oil around to coat the entire skillet. Place the pears on top of the skillet, cut side down. Let it cook for about 4-5 minutes, or until the pears get a deep golden brown color.
- While the pears are cooking, mix the rest of the coconut sugar, water, and vanilla extract together.
- When the pears are golden brown, turn them over, pour in the sugar water, and cook covered for a few minutes. When the liquids boil, turn off the heat.
- Prepare the pumpkin sauce. Mix the pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, almond milk, maple syrup, ginger, and nutmeg together in a small bowl.
- Serve the pears with the pumpkin sauce. Drizzle any remaining vanilla syrup from the skillet onto the pears. Top the pears with chopped pecans and cranberries if you like. Best served hot!
Steve @coolcathotfood says
I’d still add the ice cream in addition to the pumpkin sauce lol. Something about the combination of hot and cold in desserts like this is really really yummy.
Lisa says
Haha, LOVE it. I definitely should have added some ice cream in there, too!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
I don’t have pears at home now, but lots of apples…bet the sauce would go perfectly with caramelized apples too. Thanks for this beautiful idea, Lisa. They look heavenly.
Lisa says
Oooh, yes! I bet this would taste very yummy with apples!
Christie - Food Done Light says
Pears are a favorite in our house. Love that you paired them with pumpkin. What a lovely dessert.
Lisa says
Thanks, Christie!
Whitney @ Sweet Cayenne says
LOVE that you are using pears to bring in the fall season. They are my husbands favorite fruit and this looks like a delicious way to satisfy a sweet tooth with such a beautiful, healthy dessert!
Lisa says
Thanks, Whitney!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Beautiful! What an elegant Fall dessert! 🙂
Lisa says
Thanks, Rebecca!
Emily @SinfulNutrition says
These look like Fall on a plate! Makes me want to go pick some apples/pears/and pumpkins and start making the house smell amazing!
Lisa says
Thanks, Emily! And YES, I bet your house will taste sooo amazing!
Meme says
Woah sign me up for these! They look amazing!! I’m trying to get on board with fall recipes but considering that temperatures are still in the 90’s here, it’s a little hard to want to turn on my oven 😉
Lisa says
Thanks, Meme! I hope the weather gets cooler for you soon!
Jessica says
i love love love this
Lisa says
Thanks, Jessica!