These roasted pears are a show-stopping dessert! We start by caramelizing them in butter with a touch of sugar, then finish them in the oven with a splash of white wine, star anise, and cinnamon for an irresistible aroma and flavor. You’ll be left with outrageously delicious pears and a kitchen that smells like a dream! As a bonus, the wine reduces into a light syrup you’ll want to drizzle generously over the pears (a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream doesn’t hurt, either!). For more pear recipes, be sure to check out our recipes for wine poached pears and pear muffins!
Key Ingredients
Pears: I love Bosc pears for this recipe since the flesh is usually a bit more firm to the touch than other varieties. Any pear will work, but firmer ones will hold better when roasting in the oven. Sugar: To achieve that beautiful golden brown and caramelized crust, I dust the pears with powdered sugar before cooking them in butter. Butter: I’m not always in the butter makes everything better camp, but with these roasted pears, it really does! I use salted or unsalted butter. If you use unsalted, add an extra pinch of salt to the dish. Wine: The wine simmers and reduces into a light syrup you can spoon over the pears for serving. I love an off-dry white wine (like Reisling). If you want to forgo the wine, no problem. Use apple cider, apple juice, or pear juice instead. Spices: I love tossing a whole star anise and cinnamon stick into the skillet, which perfume the pears.
1/3 cup (38g) powdered sugar 3 tablespoons (42g) butter 3/4 (177ml) cup off-dry white wine like Riesling 1 whole star anise 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick Pinch sea salt Ice cream or homemade whipped cream for serving 2Quarter and core the pears, then dust the cut sides of the pears with powdered sugar. 3Melt the butter in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. 4When the butter melts and bubbles, add the pears, cut-side down, to the butter and cook, moving the pears around so the cut sides become caramelized and browned, 8 to 10 minutes. 5Flip the pears so that they are skin-side up. Pour in the wine and add the star anise, cinnamon stick, and a small pinch of salt. 6Place the pan, uncovered, in the oven and roast until the pears are tender and the wine has reduced into a thin syrup, 15 to 20 minutes. 7Transfer the pears to a serving dish, drizzle with some syrup from the bottom of the pan, and top with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream.
