Enjoy delicious, warm, caramelized pears made quickly and easily in the air fryer in less than 10 minutes! It’s made with a few simple ingredients and is ten times faster than roasting pears in the oven. Top your air fryer pears with vanilla ice cream, honey, and nuts for a decadent, restaurant-style dessert you can enjoy at home!
If you love sweet caramelized fruit for dessert, definitely try our Air Fryer Peaches next!
When it comes to a quick, tasty, healthy dessert, I can’t think of anything better than these warm, sweet air fryer pears. They are coated in a simple mixture of maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg and then cooked for 10 minutes in the air fryer. The result is juicy, warm pears with an indulgent caramelized coating. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and it’s heaven in a bowl!
You’ll Love This Recipe! It’s:
- Minimal Ingredients and Quick. You only need pears, sweetener, and spices!
- Naturally Gluten-Free, Vegan, Dairy-Free, and Refined-Sugar-Free. We use maple syrup instead of brown sugar or processed sugars. It is healthier and just as delicious!
- Versatile. Enjoy these air fryer pears for dessert or add them to your granola, yogurt bowl, oatmeal, or salad.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pears
- Maple Syrup
- Cinnamon and Nutmeg
What Type of Pears to Use For Roasting/Air Frying Pears
- Bosc Pears: These are the best pears to use because they hold their shape and flavor well when cooked to high temperatures.
- Anjou Pears (red or green): These hold their shape well but soften more than Bosc when cooked. Keep the skin on to help maintain its shape while cooking.
- Bartlett Pears (red or green): These work well and are usually the most readily available in grocery stores.
How To Pick The Best Pears For Cooking
Buy pears that are slightly firm. Then, store them in a brown paper bag for 1-2 days to slightly ripen. If the pears are too soft or very ripe, they will become mushy when cooked.
How To Cook Pears In The Air Fryer (Step-by-Step Instructions)
- Wash and cut the pears in half lengthwise, then scoop out the seeds with a small spoon.
- In a small bowl, stir together maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Reserve one tablespoon of the mixture. Add the pears to a mixing bowl and pour the maple syrup mixture over the pear halves.
- Place the pear halves in the air fryer basket cut side down. Air fryer at 400°F for 7 minutes.
- Gently flip the pears over so that they are cut side up. Pour the remaining maple syrup mixture over the pears.
- Air fry the pears for an additional 3-5 minutes until the tops are slightly caramelized and golden.
- Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, walnuts, pecans, and drizzle honey or agave on top. Enjoy!
Tips To Making The Best Air Fryer Pears
- Do not use very ripe pears or they will get very mushy when cooked.
- You can leave the skin on or peel the pear before cooking. The choice is yours.
- Remove the seeds and core using a melon baller scoop, measuring spoon, or teaspoon.
- Try to keep the stem intact when you cut the pears for the most aesthetic finish when serving.
- Depending on the ripeness and size, some pears might take a few minutes longer to cook. Check the doneness by piercing one of the pears with a knife. If the blade slides in easily, the pears are ready. If not, bake a few minutes longer.
Recipe Variations
- Want To Use Brown Sugar? In a small bowl, stir together 3 tablespoons of brown sugar (or coconut sugar), 3 tablespoons of butter, and ground cinnamon. Cook the pear skin side up for 5 minutes, then add the butter mixture into the center and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Use my air fryer peaches recipe for reference.
- Add Walnuts and Pecans to make candied roasted nuts.
- Add Different Spices. Try a pinch of cardamom, pumpkin pie spice, or allspice.
Can you air fry fruit?
Most certainly! Air frying fruit is the best and quickest way to make delicious, roasted fruit. When fruit is cooked it brings out its natural sweetness and makes a delicious healthy dessert.
Does cooking pears soften them?
Yes, pears will get soft when cooked so it is best to use pears that are slightly ripe for the best outcome.
Do you peel pears before air frying?
It is not necessary to peel the skin off the pears before air frying. When cooked, the skin with soften. Therefore, you can keep the skin on or peel it if you choose.
Ways To Serve Air-Fried Pears
- Top with Vanilla Ice Cream, Greek Yogurt, or Whipped Cream
- Add Granola. (Try our Grain Free Granola or Healthy Chocolate Granola)
- Top with caramel sauce
- Sprinkle with shredded coconut and sliced almonds
- Add to your oatmeal, like in this Creamy Pear Oatmeal
- Add on top of your pancakes in place of apples, like in these Apple Cinnamon Pancakes.
Storage and Rewarming
Store air-fried pears (without any toppings) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Rewarm the pears in the air fryer at 350°F for 2-3 minutes.
I hope you enjoy this Air Fryer Pears Recipe!
If you try the recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know what you think in the comments. Leave a quick review & star rating ★ below! Take pictures, tag #goodfoodbaddie, and share them with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest! I love seeing my recipes come to life in your kitchen.
More Air Fryer Recipes Perfect For Dessert Or Snacking
- Air Fryer Peaches For Dessert!
- Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas
- Air Fryer Shishito Peppers (Quick & Easy!)
- Best Sweet Potato Brownies (V/GF)
- Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies with Almond Flour
Air Fryer Pears
Ingredients
- 4 Bosc or Anjou Pears, cut lengthwise and seeds removed
- 1/4 cup Pure Maple Syrup
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice optional
Instructions
- Wash and cut the pears in half lengthwise, then scoop out the seeds with a small spoon.
- In a small bowl, stir together maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Reserve one tablespoon of the mixture and set aside.
- Add the pears to a mixing bowl and pour the maple syrup mixture over the pear halves.
- Place the pear halves in the air fryer basket cut side down. Air fryer at 400°F for 7 minutes.
- Gently flip the pears over so that they are cut side up. Pour the remaining maple syrup mixture over the pears.
- Air fry the pears for an additional 3-5 minutes until the tops are slightly caramelized and golden.
- Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, walnuts, pecans, and drizzle honey or agave on top.
Notes
Tips To Making The Best Air Fryer Pears
-
- Do not use very ripe (soft) pears or they will get very mushy when cooked.
-
- You can leave the skin on or peel the pear before cooking. The choice is yours.
-
- Remove the seeds and core using a melon baller scoop, measuring spoon, or teaspoon.
-
- Try to keep the stem intact when you cut the pears for the most aesthetic finish when serving.
-
- Depending on the ripeness and size, some pears might take a few minutes longer to cook. Check the doneness by piercing one of the pears with a knife. If the blade slides in easily, the pears are ready. If not, bake a few minutes longer.
goodfoodbaddie.com offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used to make the recipe. For more information read our Nutritional Disclaimer.
FIRE! And exactly what I was looking for! After spending a week in the Dominican Republic and having these as an appetizer, I’ve been on the search ever since! Thank you for this absolutely delicious recipe!
I love to hear it! I am so glad you liked the recipe 🙂 Thanks for leaving a comment.