Similar to applesauce this Slow Cooker Spiced Pear Sauce is super easy to make thanks to the slow cooker. It’s perfect for a healthy snack, but it also pairs well with both chicken and pork chops as well. It’s gluten free, dairy free, vegan, and paleo as well.
Ever since I found out you could make applesauce in a slow cooker, I haven’t looked back. Not that it takes very long on the stove top, but it does require attention and stirring. Not so with the convenient slow cooker, you just have to put everything in and it does all the work. I usually put a batch in before I go to sleep and wake up to applesauce, or in this case pear sauce first thing in the morning.
To make this version even simpler I didn’t peel the pears, I just cored them and put them in with some spices to cook. After they’re soft you have a chunky sauce that’s quickly puréed in a high powered blender. I used star anise and part of a whole vanilla bean in this version, but cinnamon and cardamom are great choices as well with pear.
Let’s talk about how to make this Slow Cooker Spiced Pear Sauce!
The other thing I love about this pear sauce is that it’s perfect for those pears you bring home that don’t seem to ripen well. If you find yourself with pears that are rock hard on the top and overripe on the bottom, this is the recipe for you because at the end of the cooking time, it’s just deliciousness!
Simply pile everything into the slow cooker and it does all the work. Eight hours later you have a chunky pear sauce and your house will smell incredible!
After the sauce is done cooking, remove the spices and place it in a blender to blend up the peels. You can leave it chunky like this if you’d like, but we prefer it blended.
I can’t tell you enough good things about my blender, in all seriousness I use it 3-4 times a day for just about every task imaginable. If you’re on the fence about whether or not it’s worth the investment, I can whole heartedly say I’m lost without my Vitamix.
I was lucky enough to know I couldn’t live without it though because my mom has one, and I already knew just how much a high powered blender is capable of before I bought one of my own.
This is so good for breakfast, but it’s also wonderful for a snack as well. I might not go so far as calling it dessert as there’s no chocolate involved, but it might work for some!
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Slow Cooker Spiced Pear Sauce
- Total Time: 8 hours 10 mins
- Yield: 5 cups of pear sauce 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Similar to applesauce this Slow Cooker Spiced Pear Sauce is super easy to make thanks to the slow cooker. It’s perfect for a healthy snack, but it also pairs well with both chicken and pork chops as well. It’s gluten free, dairy free, vegan, and paleo as well.
Ingredients
2 pounds ripe pears
1 pound apples, I used Granny Smith
1 star anise
1/2 cinnamon stick
1/2 vanilla bean
Instructions
Core the pears and apples, and cut them into chunks roughly 2″ x 2″.
Place all the ingredients into a 4-5 quart slow cooker, place the lid on and turn the heat on to low.
Cook for 8 hours or until the pears and apples have softened.
Remove the whole spices and scrape as much of the vanilla seeds out of the pod as you can.
Place the pear sauce into a blender and blend until mostly smooth.
This keeps 4-5 days in the refrigerator and can be frozen for 1-2 months in a tightly sealed container.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Snack
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
I think you can read my mind. I have a wonderful pear tree in my backyard (actually one smaller one too) that produces mass amounts of pears. Over 3 bushels this year! I given tons to family and friends but still have plenty to use ~ more than I can eat. Love this idea of making pear sauce and bringing to all the festivities. It was really bugging me thinking about those pears getting wasted!
And the great thing is, you can freeze it or even can it if you’re so inclined! We’ve really been loving the flavor of something different, and I personally think it’s way better than applesauce. 🙂