Apple pear sauce combines fresh apples and ripe pears with lemon, cinnamon and nutmeg. Make it chunky or smooth, with optional maple syrup for sweetness.
Apple Pear Sauce
Apple pear sauce combines apples and pears in a simple stovetop sauce, with lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg. The apples bring a tartness that balances the sweetness of the pears, while the fruit softens into a sauce that can be left chunky or blended until smooth. Maple syrup is optional, depending on how sweet the fruit is.
Why Make Apple Pear Sauce?
When apples and pears are everywhere in the fall and I like using them together in this simple sauce. If you enjoy homemade applesauce, this is a slightly different version, with the pears bringing their sweetness to the mix. Cinnamon and nutmeg give it a familiar fall flavor, although you can leave out the spices if you prefer.
It's also a recipe you can adjust as you want. Use your favorite combination of apples and pears, add maple syrup if the fruit needs a little sweetness, and mash the sauce for a chunkier texture or blend it until smooth.
Ingredients
Apples
A mix of tart and sweet apples gives the sauce a good balance. Peel and dice the apples into roughly ½-inch pieces, saving a few peels to add to the pot for extra apple flavor.
Pears
Bartlett and Bosc pears both work well. Choose ripe pears and cut them into pieces similar in size to the apples.
Water
Use ½ cup for a thicker sauce or ¾ cup for a looser consistency.
Lemon Juice
A tablespoon of lemon juice offsets the sweetness of the fruit.
Cinnamon and Nutmeg
A cinnamon stick and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg give the sauce its spiced flavor. Both can be omitted if you want a plain fruit sauce.
Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is optional. Taste the cooked sauce before adding it, since the fruit may provide enough sweetness on its own.
How to Make Apple Pear Sauce
1. Prepare the fruit.
Peel and dice the apples and pears into ½-inch pieces. Set aside a few apple peels to add to the pot.
2. Simmer the fruit.
Combine the apples, reserved peels, pears, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, nutmeg and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce the heat. Cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples and pears are tender.
3. Remove the cinnamon stick and peels.
Take the pan off the heat and remove the cinnamon stick and reserved apple peels.
4. Choose your texture.
For a chunky sauce, mash the fruit with a potato masher. For a smoother sauce, pass it through a food mill or process it in a food processor until smooth.
5. Adjust the consistency.
If the sauce is thinner than you like, return it to the pan and cook uncovered until some of the excess liquid evaporates.
6. Taste and sweeten.
Taste the sauce and add maple syrup if needed. Let it cool before transferring it to a jar or airtight container.
Tips for Making Apple Pear Sauce
- Save a few apple peels. Simmering them with the fruit adds extra apple flavor. Remove them before mashing.
- Start with less water. You can always add more if the fruit needs it, but excess liquid takes longer to cook off.
- Taste before sweetening. The ripeness and variety of the fruit will determine how much, if any, maple syrup you need.
- Leave it chunky or make it smooth. A potato masher gives you more texture; a food mill or food processor produces a smoother sauce.
How to Serve Apple Pear Sauce
Serve it warm or cold, or use it in place of applesauce in recipes.
- As a snack: Enjoy it warm or cold on its own.
- With breakfast: Swirl it into oatmeal or yogurt, or spoon it over pancakes and waffles.
- For dessert: Serve it over vanilla ice cream.
- On toast: Spread it over toast for a simple snack or breakfast.
- In baking: Mix it into baked goods or use it in recipes that call for applesauce.
Variations
- Change the spices. Try ginger or vanilla in place of cinnamon and nutmeg, or leave the spices out.
- Use a different sweetener. Maple sugar or coconut sugar can replace the maple syrup.
- Make a compote. Mash the cooked fruit lightly or leave some pieces intact for a chunkier result.
Storage
Store the cooled apple pear sauce in a sealed jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Final Thoughts
I make this whenever I have apples and pears, using whatever varieties I have at the moment. The flavor varies a little with the fruit, so each batch is slightly different.
More Apple Recipes:
Apple Pear Sauce
Enjoy the cozy flavors of autumn with this easy and customizable recipe for apple pear sauce. Perfect for snacking or adding to your favorite dishes, this unique twist on applesauce is made with both apples and pears for a uniquely flavorful sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 medium apples (Use a mix of tart and sweet apples like Honey crisp or Gala), peeled and diced into ½ inch pieces (save a few peels)
- 3 medium pears (Bartlett or Bosc), peeled and diced into ½ inch pieces
- ½ cup - ¾ cup/120 - 180ml filtered water (use ½ cup for a thicker sauce and ¾ cup for a looser sauce)
- 1 Tablespoon/15ml lemon juice
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Pinch of grated nutmeg
- 1-2 Tablespoons/15-30 ml maple syrup (optional)
Instructions
- Combine the apples (and peels), pears, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, nutmeg and water in a medium saucepan or pot. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat and simmer until the apples and pears are tender, (15 to 20 minutes).
- Remove pan from the heat and remove cinnamon stick and apple peels. Use a potato masher to mash the fruit for a chunky sauce or place mixture through a food mill or food processor for a smoother sauce. Return sauce to pan if desired and cook until excess liquid is evaporated and desired consistency is achieved. Taste and add maple syrup if desired.
- Store apple pear sauce in a sealed jar or airtight container
in fridge for up to a week.
Notes
Variations:
- Use a combination of different apples and pears.
- Use vanilla and/or ginger instead or cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Use maple sugar or coconut sugar instead of maple syrup.
- Skip mashing or blending and serve as a compote.
Storage:
Store apple pear sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Dietary Info:
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Paleo, Refined Sugar-Free
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 99Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 147mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 5gSugar: 18gProtein: 1g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
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