Easy Baked Pears

Reasons to love

• Quick & Effortless: Just 5 simple ingredients and minimal prep — perfect for busy days.
• One-Dish Wonder: Toss everything into a baking dish, pop it in the oven, and let it work its magic.
• Holiday-Ready: A crowd-pleasing dessert ideal for fall gatherings, Thanksgiving, or Christmas.
• Naturally Caramelized: As the pear bakes, it creates its own rich, brown sugar caramel sauce — no extra steps needed!
• Versatile & Cozy: Serve warm with ice cream for dessert or spoon over oatmeal for a cozy breakfast.

Best Pears for Baking

The best pears for baking are those that maintain their shape and texture when cooked, as some varieties can become mushy in the oven. For a firm yet tender result, I prefer using Bosc pears. They have dense, sturdy flesh and thicker skin, which helps them hold up well during roasting without falling apart.

Other excellent choices for baking include Anjou, Bartlett, and Comice varieties, which are slightly more delicate than Bosc but still retain their shape when baked. Seckel pears are also a great option, especially if you want to bake individual servings; however, due to their smaller size, it’s best to bake them as halves.

You’ll want to avoid red pears, as they may add color to the dish but often have a softer texture that can break down too much during cooking. Similarly, Asian pears are much firmer with a crisp texture and don’t soften significantly in the oven.

Should you peel the pears before baking?

It’s best not to peel fresh pears. The skin adds structure and texture, helping the pear slices maintain their shape and preventing them from falling apart during baking.

When using thin-skinned varieties like Bartlett, Anjou, or Bosc, the skin becomes tender in the oven, making peeling unnecessary.

How to Slice Pears for Baking

To prepare pears for baking, start by cutting each fresh pear in half lengthwise and removing the core. You can also remove the stem end, but I like to leave it intact — it adds a rustic, elegant touch once the pears are baked. Of course, feel free to remove it if you prefer a cleaner look.

Place the halved pears flat-side down on a cutting board and slice them into wedges: 6 slices for medium pears and 8 slices for larger ones. Try to avoid cutting the slices too thin, as they can become mushy and lose their shape during baking.

How to bake pears in the oven?

Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.

Best Baking Dish for Oven-Baked Pears

For the best results, use an oven-safe baking dish that allows the pear slices to sit in a single layer. This ensures even baking, optimal caramelization, and concentrated flavor.

For a small batch, an 8-inch square glass or ceramic dish works perfectly for about 2 medium-sized pears. If you're making a larger batch to serve a crowd, especially for Thanksgiving dessert or any holidays, simply double the recipe and use a 9x13-inch rectangular baking dish.

How to serve baked pear slices?

Give the glazed pears a gentle toss before serving to ensure each wedge is coated in the silky caramel sauce. As with all warm desserts, these candied pears are best enjoyed with vanilla ice cream—this is a must! The contrast between the warm, caramelized fruit and the cold ice cream creates an irresistible combination that elevates both flavors.

They are also exceptionally well topped over warm oatmeal for a cozy Fall breakfast or with Greek yogurt for a quick snack.

More Easy Baked Desserts with Fruits

If you love easy fruit desserts, these baked fruit recipes are perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth with minimal effort.

• Baked mangoes are soft, sweet fruit and topped with an irresistible honey coconut-almond oat streusel. 
• Peach crumble with Fresh Peaches is topped with a crunchy oat crumble topping. It's quick, easy, and outrageously delicious!
• Blueberry Crisp features a warm and juicy blueberry filling and is absolutely divine with vanilla ice cream. 
• Mango Crumble is a fabulous mango dessert recipe that's quick and easy to prepare.
• Gluten Free Apple crumble is straightforward to make, vegan and is a healthy dessert for fall.