Homemade Spiced Pear Cider (Two Ways)

Make pear cider this Fall, to enjoy one of the rich flavors of Autumn. This cozy cider has spices and a hint of vanilla.

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It is finally fall, which means the pear trees are producing plenty of delicious pears! Some years are better than others, and this year is a good one! There is almost nothing like homegrown pears. The kids usually eat them all up before I can get to them to make some of my favorite delicious recipes! This year, I beat them to it and made this cozy pear cider for fall.

It made the house smell amazing. I can see having a batch of this cider going in the crockpot all season long. It is so nice to ladle out a hot cup of cider after working in the garden outside all day! Yes please! If you won’t be home consider making this cider in the slow cooker. It is almost a hands free recipe, and will also serve as a natural potpourri for your home.

This is an alcohol free pear cider, but of course you can make various cocktails from this base recipe, if you desire. Once you are familiar with the base recipe, play around with it! Be sure to check out the variations section. I hope you love this pear cider recipe as much as we do. Happy Fall season!

Tools you’ll need to make pear cider

• Either a stock pot, dutch oven, or slow cooker
• Potato Masher
• Wooden Spoon
• Cheesecloth

Ingredients you’ll need to make pear cider

• 10 ripe pears, cut into halves seeds and stems removed
• 10 cups of water
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 2 teaspoon whole allspice
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

How to make pear cider

On the Stovetop:

1. Place pear halves in large stockpot or dutch oven, and add water over medium high heat. Add spices and vanilla.
2. Bring to a boil uncovered for 1 hour. Make sure to check it often during this time so the water doesn’t boil away.
3. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 2 hours.
4. Mash using a potato masher or back of a wooden spoon to release the juices and flavors.
5. Strain mixture using a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth discarding any solids.
6. Return strained liquid back to the pot and add the sugar.
7. Simmer for another 5 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved.
8. Serve hot.

In a Slow Cooker:

1. Place pear halves in crockpot and add water. Add sugar, spices, and vanilla.
2. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 6-7 hours or high for 3 hours.
3. Mash using a potato masher or back of a wooden spoon to release the juices and flavors.
4. Strain mixture using a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth discarding any solids.

Pear cider tips

• Cut the sugar-If you are trying to eat less sugar, you could easily use less and this would still taste amazing since pears have so much natural sugar. The cooking down process also sweetens.
• Make sure you press the ingredients- against your sieve or strainer to release all the extra juices. You will be surprised how much more there is after pressing.
• Watch the pot if you are cooking on the stove top-Any time you are simmering something for a long period of time, you should check on it regularly to make sure the liquid has not boiled away.
• Play with the ingredients-These are the spices that my family enjoys but consider adding ginger, cardamom, nutmeg or other ingredients that would suit your family’s taste best.

Variations

• Make a hard pear cider – Simply add a shot of bourbon for a cozy cocktail!
• Pear Cider Popsicles – Put the cider in the refrigerator to cool down, then pour into popsicle molds to make a delicious frozen treat!
• Hot Buttered Pear Cider – Add butter and rum for a delicious, creamy cocktail!
• Pear Cider Sangria – Add white wine or sparkling wine to make a fall infused sangria!
• Apple Cider – Replace pears with apples.
• Make it your own! – Of course, you can play around with other spices like nutmeg and ginger to make this cider your own.

Serving Suggestions

Pear Cider can be served:

• Hot
• Iced
• Frozen

Delicious food servings:

• Gently spiced chicken dishes like roast chicken with tarragon
• Pork dishes with apple or pears
• Quiche like spring onion and garlic scape quiche
• Mild cheeses like creamy goat cheese
• Vegetable soups with a touch of sweetness from carrots or peas
• Fresh-tasting salads

Commonly asked questions 

Is there are difference between pear cider and Perry?

Yes! Perry is an alcoholic drink made by fermenting pears. They are often confused but have a distinctly different flavor. Though this recipe uses only pears, some pear ciders are a combination of apples, oranges and pears.

Do I need a cider press to make cider?

Traditional cider is made from pressing fruit through a cider press raw. If you have one this is an excellent way to make pear or apple cider. Most households don’t own a cider press. So making small batches on the stovetop will have a similar outcome, and is a great alternative.

How to make pear cider without a press?

To make pear cider without a press, simply cook the fruit down on your stovetop and press the pulp through a fine mesh strainer. You could also make a DIY cider press.

Can this recipe be doubled?

Yes! If you have enough space in your kitchen this recipe can be doubled or even tripled!

Is pear cider good for you?

Some pear cider that are low in sugar or homemade are fine for your health. Others especially store-bought ciders could contain excess sugar and additives that are not ideal for health. Of course every person is different, so consuming pear cider would have different health outcomes for different people.

What pears are best for cider?

Use a variety of pears for pear cider so the flavors are more complex. You want to balance sweetness with tartness. For this recipe, I used French butter, Bartlett, and Comice varieties. They provided a rich depth of flavors.

Spiced Pear Cider

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This cozy pear cider has fragrant spices and a hint of vanilla.

Ingredients

• 10 ripe pears, cut into halves seeds and stems removed
• 10 cups of water
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

Instructions

On the Stovetop:

1. Place pear halves in large stockpot or dutch oven, and add water over medium high heat. Add spices and vanilla.
2. Bring to a boil uncovered for 1 hour. Make sure to check it often during this time so the water doesn't boil away.
3. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 2 hours.
4. Mash using a potato masher or back of a wooden spoon to release the juices and flavors.
5. Strain mixture using a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth discarding any solids.
6. Add the strained cider back to the pot and add the sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes until the sugar is dissolved.
7. Serve hot

In a Slow Cooker:

1. Place pear halves in crockpot and add water. Add sugar, spices, and vanilla.
2. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 6-7 hours or high for 3 hours.
3. Mash using a potato masher or back of a wooden spoon to release the juices and flavors.
4. Strain mixture using a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth discarding any solids.

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