Pears are stuffed with cinnamon, crushed graham cracker crumbs and cheese, then baked in the microwave and topped with pecans in this easy dessert recipe.
Baked pears make an excellent easy, yet elegant, dessert any time of the year. And this baked pears recipe is so simple, you can make it in minutes in the microwave.
The sweetness of the pears combined with the creamy, saltiness of the cheese and the crunch of the pecans is a delightful flavor combination. If you have an extra moment, toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. The flavor of the pecans will deepen and make this pear recipe that much more special.
You can use any variety of firm, ripe pears for this recipe (such as Barlett, D'Anjou, Bosc, even Asian pears, etc.). However, do not use seckel pears, as they are too small.
Serve these baked pears for a light and healthy dessert, an after-school snack, or even a sweet breakfast for special occasions.
Although these stuffed pears have 8 grams of fat, very little of it is saturated fat. Most of it is heart-healthy fat, such as the fat from the nuts.
Baked Pears
- 2 large pears
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- zest of one orange
- 1/3 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup crushed graham cracker crumbs
- 4 Tbsp. crumbled goat cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
Cut pears in half lengthwise. Remove the core and seeds. Scoop out approximately 1 tablespoon of additional flesh from each pear half. Chop the pear flesh and place in a medium mixing bowl. Place the pear halves, cut side facing up, in a shallow microwave-safe baking dish.
Add the cinnamon, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla extract to the pear flesh and toss well. Divide the mixture evenly among the pear halves. Place one tablespoon of graham cracker crumbs on top of each pear half. Cover with plastic wrap, pulling back one corner to vent. Microwave on high for 4 to 5 minutes, until the pears are tender when pierced with a fork.
Place one tablespoon of goat cheese on each pear half. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand five minutes. Divide the chopped pecans evenly among the pear halves. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 173 calories, 8 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 6 mg cholesterol, 25 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 4 g protein, 3% vitamin A, 19% vitamin C, 7% calcium, 4% iron
For more healthy dessert recipes, see also:
- Peppermint Angel Food Cake with Strawberry Dessert Sauce
- Chocolate Strawberry Tarts
- Chocolate Zucchini Brownies
- Frozen Strawberry Margarita Pie
- All Natural Frozen Key Lime Pie
- Mint Chocolate Chip Frozen Yogurt
