Warm and soft baked pears with ricotta and granola makes a delicious breakfast or healthy dessert. If you’re searching for a unique way to serve fruit at your next party or want something different from the usual oatmeal in the morning, try this nutritious dish! The recipe is easy to make, and you can prepare it ahead of time to save for later.
Pears seem to go from unripe to over-ripe in an instant. When I see my pears ripen I try to use them quickly. They make a great addition to a green salad or a fruit salad when they reach their peak ripeness.
But when pears sit for a day too long, they are better off used for baked goods like our cherry tarts, or our pear coffee cake.You can even make pear paste as long as the pears are not over-ripe.
If you want to make these baked pears with ricotta or our roasted pears with mascarpone you can use pears that are on the verge of getting too ripe. Just make sure they are not mushy.
Here is Why This Recipe Works:
- Serve as a healthy dessert or even a breakfast.
- Yogurt lightens the ricotta and creates a creamy sauce.
- Baking the pears concentrates the sugars and makes them taste sweeter.
The Ingredients:
Here is a list of the ingredients you will need to make baked pears with ricotta. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.
- Pears
- Lemon juice. Lemon juice prevents the pears from oxidizing and turning brown.
- Granola. You can purchase your favorite brand or make your own with oats, pecans, butter, honey, cinnamon, and salt
- Ricotta cheese. We sweetened the ricotta with a bit of honey and added some yogurt to lighten it up a bit. Vanilla extract brings out the sweetness of the pears and compliments the creamy texture.
How to Make It
Here is a brief overview so you can get an idea of what to expect with this recipe for baked pears with ricotta. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.
- Slice the pears in half and scoop out the core. Place them in a baking dish.
- Mix the granola in a bowl.
- Pile the granola on top of the pear halves and bake.
- Make the ricotta topping while the pears bake.
- Serve the baked pears with the homemade crunchy granola and creamy ricotta mixture.
✅ Substitutions and Variations
Baked pears with ricotta is an easy recipe to adapt and customize. Here are some suggestions:
- Replace the honey with maple syrup or brown sugar.
- Add some balsamic vinegar for a sweet-tart flavor. Drizzle vinegar over the top of the ricotta just before serving.
- Replace the ricotta with cream cheese.
- Add vanilla bean, orange zest, or lemon zest.
- Replace the granola with crumbled amaretti cookies or strawberry crumble.
Tips for Success:
- An easy way to scoop the core: Use a melon baller, cookie scoop, or measuring spoon to scoop out the center of the pear.
- Leave the skin. You don’t need to fuss with peeling the pears.
- Make it low fat. If you want to reduce the fat, you can omit the butter in the granola. You can also choose low-fat yogurt or ricotta.
- Prevent the pears from browning by sprinkling lemon juice over the cut edges.
- Do you want to use up more pears? You can easily double, triple, or quadruple the recipe. The baking time remains the same as long as you keep the pears in a single layer. Use a larger pan if you make a large batch.
✅ Substitutions and Variations
How to Store Baked Pears
Store leftover baked pears in an airtight container in the fridge. The pears will stay good for up to 3-4 days. If you want to reheat them, remove the ricotta and pop them in the microwave or oven until warmed through. Scoop the ricotta back on the top of the pears after they are warm.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes. If you freeze the baked pears they will have a softer texture and release more juice after you thaw them back out, but they will still be perfectly fine to eat.
These baked pears will last for 3 days in the fridge. Store the ricotta cream separately so it does not make the granola soggy.
No, it is not necessary to peel pears before baking, but the skin will get tougher as it cooks. If that bothers you, then peel them first.
Bake pears with ricotta is a fast and easy way to enjoy a healthy breakfast or dessert. The ricotta has a hint of vanilla and honey that pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the baked pears. We added some yogurt to the ricotta filling to lighten the dish, but you can omit the yogurt for a richer flavor. This dish is also great for brunch and tastes fantastic with a sprinkle of freshly chopped nuts or granola.
More Recipes You Will Love:
These Red Wine Poached Pears with Chocolate Ganache are delicious. This stunning dessert is the perfect way to cap off a special occasion meal! It’s a simple, elegant dessert that can be prepared ahead of time.
Asian pears are crisp, sweet, and extremely juicy. We used them to make an elevated pear and prosciutto appetizer that would be a great starter for any dinner party.
Our pear frangipane tart is a delicious and elegant dessert. Thinly sliced pears get arranged on top of a sweet almond frangipane pastry.
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Baked Pears with Ricotta
Ingredients
Pears
- 2 large ripe pears
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
Granola
- 1 cup oats
- 1/3 cup pecan nuts chopped
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Ricotta Yogurt Cream
- 3/4 cup ricotta
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Pears
- Preheat the oven to 350°F grease an 8-inch ovenproof dish. Cut each pear in half and using a teaspoon scoop out the cores. Drizzle the lemon juice over them to prevent them from turning brown.
Granola
- Place the oats, pecans, honey, butter, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Mix well to combine. If the honey does not blend well, zap the mixture in the microwave to melt the honey so you can stir the mixture easily.
- Fill the cavities of the pear halves with the granola. Scatter the extra granola in the baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the pears are softened.
Ricotta Yogurt Cream
- Combine the ricotta, yogurt, vanilla, and honey in a bowl. Cover and set in the refrigerator until the pears are ready. Serve the ricotta cream with warm pears.
Notes
- Use a melon baller or cookies scoop to scoop out the core of the pears.
- You may eliminate the butter from the granola if you want to reduce the fat. Low-fat yogurt or ricotta are other options.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on October 24, 2014. We updated the post with new photos. We left one of the original photos below.
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
Sunday 26th of October 2014
These are outstanding! It's a dessert but healthy - winner in my book.
Dahn
Monday 27th of October 2014
Thanks Maureen!