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    Home » Recipes » Breads and Buns

    Vanilla Pear Bread

    Published: Nov 15, 2022 by Megan Weimer · This post may contain affiliate links.

    I love when you share my recipes!

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    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    Close up of pear bread to show texture.
    Overhead view of three pear bread slices.

    This vanilla pear bread is gently flavored with warm spices and loaded with fresh pears. It's a moist, soft, and delicious quick bread that will satisfy all of your Fall flavor cravings.

    A loaf of pear bread next to a pear.

    This moist vanilla pear bread recipe has cinnamon, spices, and vanilla mixed into a pear filled quick bread. Sweet, delicate juicy pears and vanilla make the most delicious flavor combination. The texture is soft and will melt in your mouth, making this bread so comforting and perfect to serve warm with coffee or tea on chilly Fall or Winter mornings.

    This recipe was made possible by Heinen's. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make Dollop of Dough possible!

    For more Fall recipes, check out my apple cider cupcakes and pumpkin chai snack cake.

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love This
    • Watch How to Make This Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Substitutions
    • Helpful Equipment and Tools
    • How to Make Vanilla Pear Bread
    • Expert Tips
    • Additions & Variations
    • Storage & Freezing
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More Recipes to Try
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why You'll Love This

    • Quick bread- A quick bread is any bread that is leavened with baking soda or baking powder instead of yeast. The most common quick bread is banana bread, which this pear bread is a less sweet cousin of! Quick breads have a texture more like a dense cake than yeast-leavened or sourdough bread.
    • Spiced- Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice balance the sweet and juicy pears and vanilla.
    • Easy to make- The bread comes together so easily. The hardest part is waiting for it to finish baking!
    • Customizable- There are lots of things you can add to the batter, like nuts and chocolate chips! And if you don't like pears, you can try making this bread with apples or peaches.
    Three slices of pear bread on an upside down baking sheet.

    Watch How to Make This Recipe

    Ingredients

    Ingredients to make vanilla pear bread with text labelling each ingredient on a white background.

    Here are notes about the ingredients used. For quantities, see the recipe card below.

    • Unsalted butter- Melted and slightly cooled.
    • Brown sugar- Light or dark works.
    • Eggs- Make sure they are room temperature.
    • Vanilla extract
    • All purpose flour
    • Baking powder
    • Baking soda
    • Salt
    • Cinnamon
    • Nutmeg
    • Allspice
    • Cloves
    • Fresh pears- Ripe Bartlett pears are best because they are sweet, soft, and juicy but keep their texture when baked. Tosca, Concorde, and Bosc pears also work in this recipe.

    Substitutions

    • Brown sugar: Coconut sugar can be used instead.

    Helpful Equipment and Tools

    To make this, you'll need a 1 pound bread pan. You'll also need basic baking equipment like parchment paper, measuring cups, measuring spoons, mixing bowls, a whisk, and a rubber spatula. I recommend a food scale too.

    How to Make Vanilla Pear Bread

    Here are step by step instructions to make the recipe. Before you start, grease a loaf pan or line it with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350F. Melt the butter and set aside.

    STEP 1: Prepare the pears. Peel the skin off the pears with a potato peeler or paring knife. Slice each pear in half, remove the stem, and then use a melon baller or teaspoon to core them. Dice 3 of the pears and thinly slice 1 for the topping.

    TIP - Toss the diced pears in a bit of lemon juice to prevent them from browning as you prepare the batter.

    STEP 2: Mix the wet ingredients. First, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the eggs one at a time and vanilla extract until well incorporated.

    Butter, eggs, and brown sugar in a bowl with a whisk with vanilla being poured in.

    STEP 3: Fold in the dry ingredients. Add half of the flour and all of the baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Mix with a rubber spatula until no streaks of flour remain. Then fold in the rest of the flour and all of the spices.

    Bread batter in a bowl.

    STEP 4: Fold in the fresh pears. Gently fold the pears into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top with a rubber spatula. Carefully place thin pear slices on top.

    Pear bread batter in a bowl.
    Bread batter in a loaf pan with pear slices on top.

    STEP 5: Bake. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out with a few moist crumbs. Bake time will depend on the juiciness of the pears, so start checking at 50 minutes. Let the bread cool in the pan before slicing.

    Expert Tips

    • Sauté the pears. If your pears aren't perfectly ripe, you can sauté them in a large pan until they have softened. Let them cool and then add them to the bread batter.
    • Baking times may vary. All ovens are different, and your loaf may bake quicker or take longer than the indicated baking time. I recommend checking on it occasionally and testing for doneness!
    • Cover with foil while baking. To prevent the pears on top from burning, loosely cover the top of the loaf if you notice the pears are getting a bit dark.
    • Cool before cutting. It's hard not to dig in right out of the oven! Waiting until the loaf is completely cool will make it easier to cut into slices.
    A close up of a loaf of vanilla pear bread that has been cut.

    Additions & Variations

    Here are some things you can add to the pear bread and different ways to serve it.

    • Fold coconut flakes, hemp or flax seeds, pepitas, pecans, or walnuts into the batter for some crunch.
    • Swirl dried fruit into the batter, like raisins or dried cranberries.
    • Add chocolate chips or toffee pieces to the batter.
    • Add a streusel topping before baking, like the almond flour streusel in my cinnamon streusel muffins recipe.
    • Pop a slice in the toaster, add a smear of butter or jam, and sprinkle with a cinnamon sugar.
    ¾ view of pear bread with sliced pears on top next to 2 forks.

    Storage & Freezing

    • Room temperature: Store the baked pear bread in an airtight container for 2-3 days. I recommend slicing it only when you are ready to serve it, since it might dry out otherwise.
    • Freezer: The best way to store the loaf in the freezer is to first cut it into individual slices. Then wrap each individual slice in plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container or freezer bag for 1-2 months. This will keep the bread fresh and make it easier to take out a slice or two whenever a craving strikes!

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I use canned pears?

    You can use canned pears in a pinch! Just make sure they've been drained and won't add any extra moisture to the batter.

    Can I make this gluten free?

    I have not tested this recipe gluten free but I'd love to hear how it turns out! I recommend using Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour.

    Can I make this into muffins?

    Yes! Bake the muffins for 15-20 minutes at 350F.

    More Recipes to Try

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      Raspberry Brownie Cheesecake
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    PS: if you try this recipe, please leave a star rating below! Make sure to follow along on Instagram and Pinterest to catch all the new and tasty recipes at Dollop of Dough.

    📖 Recipe

    A loaf of vanilla pear bread next to a pear on an upside down baking sheet.

    Vanilla Pear Bread

    Megan Weimer
    This vanilla pear bread is gently flavored with warm spices and loaded with fresh pears. It's a moist, soft, and delicious quick bread that will satisfy all of your Fall flavor cravings.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast and Brunch
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10 slices
    Calories 305 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 9x5" loaf pan

    Ingredients
     
     

    • ½ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
    • 1 cup brown sugar packed
    • 2 large eggs room temperature
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    • 2 cups all purpose flour
    • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
    • ½ teaspoon allspice
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
    • 2 cups Bartlett pears about 3 pears peeled and chopped
    • 1 Bartlett pear peeled and thinly sliced for topping

    Instructions
     

    • Grease a loaf pan or line it with parchment paper and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350F.
    • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar. Mix in the eggs one at a time and vanilla extract until well incorporated.
      ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    • Add half of the flour and all of the baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Mix with a rubber spatula until no streaks of flour remain. Then fold in the rest of the flour and all of the spices.
      2 cups all purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon allspice, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
    • Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top with a rubber spatula. Carefully place thin pear slices on top.
      2 cups Bartlett pears, 1 Bartlett pear
    • Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out with a few moist crumbs. Bake time will depend on the juiciness of the pears, so start checking at 50 minutes.
    • Allow the pear bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack. Enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    Storage: Store the baked pear bread in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Slice it only when you are ready to serve it since it might dry out.
    Freezing: First cut the pear loaf it into individual slices. Then wrap each individual slice in plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container or freezer bag for 1-2 months.
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1sliceCalories: 305kcalCarbohydrates: 48.4gProtein: 4.2gFat: 10.6gSaturated Fat: 6.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.6gMonounsaturated Fat: 3.1gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 61.6mgSodium: 171.6mgPotassium: 282.9mgFiber: 2.6gSugar: 25.1gVitamin A: 94.3IUVitamin C: 2.5mgCalcium: 102.7mgIron: 1.7mg
    Keyword loaf, pear bread, quick bread
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    About Megan Weimer

    Megan Weimer is the recipe developer, writer, and food photographer behind Dollop of Dough. Since 2020, she's been inspiring home bakers to create low-key, yet elevated desserts that range from traditional to allergy-friendly.

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    Hi there, I'm Megan!

    Welcome to Dollop of Dough! I'm a self-taught baker and professional recipe developer sharing traditional and allergy-friendly dessert and drink recipes that are easy to prepare for everyday occasions. With each recipe, I hope to spark joy and inspire my community of dessert enthusiasts.

    Read more about Megan here!

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