Vanilla Almond Baked Pears (Printable Version)

Tender pears baked with warm vanilla and crunchy almond-oat topping for an elegant dessert or brunch treat.

# Ingredient List:

→ Fruit

01 - 2 large ripe pears (Bosc or Anjou), halved and cored

→ Filling & Topping

02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
03 - 2 tablespoons honey or pure maple syrup
04 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
05 - 1/4 cup sliced almonds
06 - 2 tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats (gluten-free if needed)
07 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
09 - Pinch of sea salt

→ Garnish (optional)

10 - Greek yogurt, vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking dish with parchment paper or lightly grease with butter.
02 - Place pear halves cut side up in the prepared baking dish, spacing them evenly.
03 - Whisk together melted butter, honey (or maple syrup), and vanilla extract in a small bowl until combined.
04 - Drizzle the butter-vanilla mixture evenly over all pear halves.
05 - Combine sliced almonds, rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt in a separate bowl. Mix thoroughly.
06 - Spoon the almond-oat mixture into the hollowed centers of each pear half. Sprinkle any remaining topping over the fruit.
07 - Bake for 25-30 minutes until pears are tender when pierced with a fork and topping is golden brown.
08 - Remove from oven and serve immediately, optionally topped with Greek yogurt, vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of warm vanilla and toasted almonds creates this incredibly cozy aroma that fills your entire kitchen
  • They're impressive enough for dinner guests but simple enough for a Tuesday night treat
  • You can prep everything in about 10 minutes and let the oven do the rest of the work
02 -
  • I've learned that slightly underripe pears work better than overripe ones because they hold their shape better during baking
  • Don't skip the step of drizzling some of that vanilla butter mixture over the tops before adding the crumble
  • The topping can burn quickly so check at the 20 minute mark and tent with foil if it's getting too dark
03 -
  • Use a mellon baller or small cookie scoop to remove the pear cores neatly and create uniform wells
  • Toasting the almonds for 3 minutes before adding them to the topping gives you this incredible depth of flavor

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