Description
This Pear Bread recipe offers a moist, aromatic twist on classic quick bread, featuring ripe grated pears, warm spices, and optional nuts or dried fruit for added texture and flavor. Perfectly tender and comforting, it’s an ideal treat for breakfast, snack, or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil (or melted butter)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups peeled and grated ripe pears (about 2 medium-large pears)
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Add-ins
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries
- Coarse sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking and allow easy removal of the bread.
- Mix Sugars and Oil: In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time to the sugar and oil mixture, whisking well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract to incorporate flavor.
- Fold in Grated Pears: Gently fold the peeled and grated pears into the wet ingredients. If the pears are very juicy, lightly drain the excess liquid but do not squeeze them dry to maintain moisture.
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, and salt for a well-distributed spice mix.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet batter, mixing gently to avoid overworking the batter which can make the bread tough.
- Add Nuts and Dried Fruit: Stir in the chopped walnuts or pecans and raisins or dried cranberries evenly through the batter if using, adding texture and flavor variety.
- Bake the Bread: Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle coarse sugar on top if desired for a crunchy crust. Bake in the preheated oven for 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool Before Slicing: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then remove it from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing to ensure clean cuts and ideal texture.
Notes
- Use ripe but firm pears for best texture—Bartlett or Anjou varieties work well.
- If pears are very juicy, lightly draining prevents bread from becoming too wet.
- You can substitute vegetable oil with melted butter for a richer flavor.
- Add coarse sugar topping for a crunchy crust or skip it for a softer top.
- Store bread wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
- Slice the bread once fully cooled to avoid crumbling.
