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Pear butter

Name: Pear butter
Total time: 240 s
Yield: 1
Cuisine: International
Ingredients: Bartlett pears; Star anise; Fresh ginger; Water; Lemon juice; Granulated sugar; Ground nutmeg

31 Dec 2025

Fine Dining Lovers

Editorial Staff

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Difficulty

Medium

Total Time

4H 0MIN

Cuisine

International

Ingredients

Bartlett pears: 8, peeled, chopped, and cored

Star anise: 1

Fresh ginger: 2 tbsp, chopped

Water: 450ml

Lemon juice: 230ml

Granulated sugar: 450g

Ground nutmeg: 1/2 tsp

Pear butter with warming spices is a sweet and fruity spread that’s a delicious way to add even more flavour to your favourite breakfast. Discover our best pear butter recipe

Serves 10

01.

Add the chopped Bartlett pears, star anise and chopped ginger to a large saucepan. Add the water and freshly squeezed lemon juice and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 40 minutes. Remove from the heat.

02.

Remove the star anise and add the pear mixture to a food processor. Pulse until soft. Return to the saucepan and add the granulated sugar. Stir to dissolve.

03.

Add the nutmeg, taste and adjust as necessary. Cook over medium heat for 1 hour stirring frequently, until the mixture has thickened.

04.

While the pear mixture is cooking, sterilise the jars. Wash in hot soapy water and rinse well. Transfer to a large saucepan and cover completely with water. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Remove with tongs, let dry on a clean towel, and keep warm.

05.

Pour the pear butter into the warm jars and seal. Let cool to room temperature and transfer to the refrigerator for storing.

Tips & tricks

When making pear butter, start by selecting the right varieties of pears. Bartlett pears work best for butter, as they’re naturally sweet, helping the butter to develop a rich, caramelised flavour. They’re also less fibrous than other varieties, creating a desirable silky texture for the butter. If you do want to vary the style of pears, or can’t find Bartlett pears in your local grocery store, take a look at our guide to 10 different types of pears for inspiration.

If you have any overripe pears in your kitchen, this butter recipe is also an ideal way to use them up. Given they’ll have already softened with the ripening process, overripe pears are well-suited to being used for preserves, butters and smoothies. And for more inspiration on how to cook with pears, we’ve selected 10 of our top sweet and savoury recipes, featuring risotto with pears and poached pears.

Spices and variations to try

The recipe above covers the basics of how pear butter is made, but you can vary the ingredient list with spices and twists. Along with nutmeg, cinnamon is a warming and festive spice that pairs perfectly with the sweet flavours of the pear and is an ideal addition to the butter if you’re making it for a festive gift.

Or, for an even sweeter and more indulgent take on this recipe, try making a vanilla or caramel and pear butter. Simply add a split vanilla bean to the pear mixture while simmering or two tablespoons of brown sugar, for a caramel effect.

How to store and use pear butter

Pear butter must be stored in sterilised containers or jars. In the recipe above, we’ve shared a simple boiling method to sterilise the containers, which should then be kept in the fridge. If you notice mould, a distinct sour smell, or any signs of spoilage, make sure you discard that batch of pear butter.

This fruity butter can be simply spread onto a crunchy piece of toast or slathered over the top of a stack of pancakes for an alternative to maple syrup. It’s also delicious on a festive cheese or charcuterie board, if you’re enjoying this butter over the holidays.