Dutch Poached Pears | Wine Stewed Pears

These Dutch poached pears (or stoofpeertjes, as they say in the Netherlands) are a wintery classic! Just simmer pears in wine and spices for 30 minutes, and you’ve got yourself a cozy, delicious, melt-in-your-mouth dessert. Plus, this easy, foolproof recipe is guaranteed to make your kitchen smell amazing!

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Your Go-To Holiday Treat

After living in the Netherlands for five years, I can say the Dutch may not be famous for their food, but they know what they’re doing when it comes to dessert. From stroopwafels (caramel-filled waffle cookies that are heaven on Earth) to poffertjes (powdered sugar-dusted pancakes), Dutch treats are all about comfort.

Then, my friends, there are the poached pears. Soaked in red wine and spiced with wintery flavors, these beauties are served with everything—dinner, dessert, breakfast, you name it! Come November, Dutch supermarkets roll out special “stewing pears” that need hours to soften up.

But for a quicker treat, you just need slightly under-ripe pears meant for fresh consumption! These don’t need to be cooked for as long (nor can they be, as they’ll break down). You can whip them up in 20 minutes, then eat them right away (or chill them in their juices to continue soaking up those festive flavors)!

Grab These Ingredients

You only need 5 ingredients to make the best Dutch-poached pears of your life! Jump to the recipe card for exact measurements—this is just an overview.

• Conference Pears: These are ideal for poaching as they’re firm enough to hold their shape yet soften up with a quick cook. Can’t find conference pears? Go for slightly under-ripe Bosc or Anjou pears (learn more about the different pear varieties here!).
• Red Wine: Use the cheap stuff here! A dry wine (like cabernet or merlot) is your best bet for a balanced flavor without making the pears too sweet.
• Spices: Whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, and brown sugar bring a warm, cozy flavor to these festive stewed pears (trust me, a little goes a long way!). You could substitute coconut sugar or maple syrup for brown sugar to add a different flavor profile.

Making Stewed Pears Is Really Easy

Making these red wine-poached pears is as simple as simmering all the ingredients together until the pears are tender and full of flavor! For the full printable instructions, jump to the recipe card.

1. Prep as many pears as will fit in your pot.
2. Stew pears with wine, water, and spices over medium heat until soft.
3. Serve cooked pears warm and fresh, or keep them in your fridge!

Recipe Tips

Simmer, Don’t Boil: Keep the heat low and simmer the pears gently. Boiling can cause the pears to break apart, while a slow simmer helps them hold their shape and absorb the flavors better!

Rotate the Pears: If your pears aren’t fully submerged in the wine (which they should be), gently rotate them every 5-10 minutes to ensure even cooking and flavor absorption.

Citrusy Twist: For an extra layer of flavor, add a strip of orange or lemon zest to the poaching liquid (the citrus will brighten the flavors without overpowering the classic spice!).

More Holiday Sweets

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2 hours 15 minutes

20-Minute Stewed Apples

20 minutes

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1 hour 55 minutes

Chocolate Mashed Potato Truffles

30 minutes

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Wine Poached Pears (Ready In 30 Minutes)

4.84 from 6 ratings

By: Sarah Bond

Prep: 5 minutes minutes

Cook: 25 minutes minutes

Total: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 pears

These Dutch poached pears (or stoofpeertjes, as they say in the Netherlands) are a wintery classic! Just simmer pears in wine and spices for 30 minutes, and you’ve got yourself a cozy, delicious, melt-in-your-mouth dessert. Plus, this easy, foolproof recipe is guaranteed to make your kitchen smell amazing!

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 to 6 conference pears, or as many as will fit in your pot
• ▢ 1 bottle dry red wine, 750 mL
• ▢ 1 cup water, 473 mL
• ▢ 4 whole cloves
• ▢ 2 cinnamon sticks
• ▢ ½ cup brown sugar, 100 g

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Instructions 

• Prep: Cut a small portion off the bottom of 4 to 6 conference pears (or as many as will fit in your pot) so they can sit upright. Peel the skin from each, then set aside.
• Cook: Set a large pot over medium heat and stir together 1 bottle dry red wine, 1 cup water, 4 whole cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, and ½ cup brown sugar. Add the pears, making sure they’re mostly covered by the wine (if they're not, add water as needed until they're covered).

  Cover and let gently simmer for 20 minutes until pears are soft. These can gently simmer for up to an hour, depending on the firmness of your pears.
  
• Serve: Serve warm and fresh, or store leftovers in the wine juice in the fridge for up to two weeks.
  

Nutrition

Serving: 1pear | Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 386mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 33g | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1.1mg

Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.

did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!