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Best Easy Homemade Pear Butter Recipe (Slow Cooker)

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This slow cooker pear butter is a forgiving, flexible recipe that turns a pile of ripe pears into spiced, caramel-like autumn gold. Perfect for spreading on toast, gifting, or eating straight from the jar.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 pounds ripe pears (about 8–10 medium; Bosc or Bartlett work well), peeled, cored, and roughly chopped
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (can reduce to ¾ cup if pears are very sweet)
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (preferably Saigon cinnamon)
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Prep the pears (15 minutes): Peel, core, and roughly chop the pears. Toss them into the slow cooker as you go.
  2. Add the sugars and spices (5 minutes): Sprinkle the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves over the pears. Add the lemon juice and salt. Stir to coat the fruit.
  3. Cook on low (6-8 hours): Cover the slow cooker and set to low. Let it cook without peeking too often.
  4. Blend until smooth (10 minutes): After 6-8 hours, turn off the slow cooker and let cool for 10 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture until silky smooth. If using a regular blender, work in batches and be careful with the hot liquid.
  5. Reduce and thicken (2-4 hours, uncovered): Return the puree to the slow cooker (if using a regular blender) and set to low. Prop the lid open with a wooden spoon to let steam escape. Cook for another 2-4 hours, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  6. Add the vanilla (5 minutes): Stir in the vanilla extract during the last 30 minutes of cooking. Taste and adjust spices if needed.
  7. Cool and store (30 minutes): Let the pear butter cool completely. It will thicken further as it cools. Ladle into clean jars, leaving ½ inch headspace for canning or simply refrigerate.

Notes

Don’t rush the reduction step for a thick texture. Stir occasionally during the uncovered phase to prevent scorching. Use ripe but not mushy pears. The mixture can splatter as it thickens; drape a clean kitchen towel over the slow cooker to catch droplets.

Nutrition

Keywords: pear butter, slow cooker pear butter, homemade pear butter, cinnamon vanilla pear butter, easy pear butter recipe

Find it online: https://merrymorsel.com/best-easy-homemade-pear-butter-recipe-slow-cooker/