• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Flavour and Savour
  • About Me
  • Use of Recipes and Images
  • Appetizers
  • Baking
  • Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
  • Gluten-Free Desserts
  • Main Dishes
  • Healthy Salad Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About Me
  • Use of Recipes and Images
  • Appetizers
  • Baking
  • Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
  • Gluten-Free Desserts
  • Main Dishes
  • Healthy Salad Recipes
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Gluten-Free Desserts » Poached Cinnamon-Orange Pears with Maple Mascarpone

    Poached Cinnamon-Orange Pears with Maple Mascarpone

    Published: Feb 5, 2023 by Elaine · This post may contain Amazon affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This blog generates income via ads · 3 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    image with text overlay for poached cinnamon orange pears
    Image of poached cinnamon orange pears with text
    Image with text for poached cinnamon orange pears with maple mascarpone.
    Image with text for poached cinnamon-orange pears with maple mascarpone.

    Mulled Cinnamon-Orange Pears, poached in the oven with warm spices and topped with a dollop of slightly sweetened maple mascarpone cheese, make a never-to-be-forgotten fall or winter dessert. An easy, make-ahead, gluten-free simply elegant pear dessert!

    Mulled Cinnamon Orange Pears in a dessert glass with maple mascarpone cheese
    Warm spiced pears poached in orange juice and Triple Sec make a spectacular dessert for fall and winter.

    When I'm deciding what to make for dessert when I have friends for dinner, I often think of something luscious involving chocolate, a simple affogato coffee dessert, a traditional Dutch apple pie or a simple fruit crumble, like Pecan Pear Crisp.

    But nine times out of ten when I'm looking for a winter dessert, I come back to these mulled cinnamon-orange pears. These pears are poached in a sweet cinnamon-spiced orange sauce and served with a dollop of mascarpone cheese slightly sweetened with maple syrup and orange zest.

    I've made this poached pear dessert many times and always receive requests for the recipe. It's just that good.

    Jump to:
    • ❤️Why you'll love this recipe
    • 🛒 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Step-by-step instructions
    • 👍🏼Elaine's make-ahead tip
    • 🔁 Variation: using whole poached pears
    • ❓Questions readers ask
    • 🍽 Serving Suggestions
    • 🗒More gluten-free dessert recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    ❤️Why you'll love this recipe

    • Prep ahead of time! You can prepare these mulled pears ahead of time and heat them in the oven while you're eating dinner! The aroma of warm fall spices will waft through your home while you eat.
    • Gluten-free. This easy recipe makes a naturally gluten-free dessert. While the cinnamon-orange sauce is flavoured with an orange liqueur like Triple Sec, you can leave it out if you don't use alcohol in your cooking.
    • Serve whole or sliced. I've described two ways to serve this poached pear dessert: with sliced pears or with tiny whole pears.

    🛒 Ingredients

    You'll find a complete list of ingredients with amounts in the recipe card below. Here are a few helpful notes.

    • pears: I use Bosc pears if I'm serving them sliced or Forelle or Seckel pears if I'm serving them whole. See the section below on the best pears for poaching.
    • orange: you'll need orange juice and orange zest. Remember to zest the orange first before squeezing it. You may need another orange (or a little juice from a carton) to make a full half-cup.
    • orange liqueur: I use Triple Sec in this poached pear recipe, but Gran Marnier or Contreau will work, too.
    • sugar: use brown sugar, coconut sugar or Golden Monkfruit sweetener for a slight caramel flavour.
    • spices: you'll need whole cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, whole allspice and star anise as well as ground cinnamon and nutmeg.
    • mascarpone cheese: sweeten the cheese with a little maple syrup and orange zest.

    🔪 Step-by-step instructions

    1. Peel the pears and slice in half from the stem end to the base. Remove the stem and core using a small paring knife or even a melon baller. Slice the pears so they fan out, leaving ¾ inch intact at the stem end. Arrange in a single layer in a baking dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent browning.
      Peeled pear halves in a baking dish.
    2. Combine the spices and sprinkle over the pears.
      Cinnamon orange pears in a baking dish sprinkled with spices.
    3. In a measuring cup or small bowl, combine the orange juice, Triple Sec and brown sugar (or coconut sugar or Golden Monkfruit sweetener.) Pour this mixture over the pears. Cover with foil (or an oven-proof lid) and bake for 30 minutes, basting the pears with the liquid at 10-minute intervals. Check at 20 minutes and remove from the oven when they are barely fork-tender.
      Pear halves in a baking dish covered with spices and poaching liquid.
    4. While the pears are poaching in the cinnamon orange sauce, prepare the mascarpone cheese topping. In a small bowl, combine mascarpone, maple syrup and orange zest. Set aside in the refrigerator.
    5. Remove the baking dish from the oven. Gently remove the pear halves with a slotted spoon to another serving dish or to individual dessert glasses. Strain the liquid to remove the whole spices.
      Spices in a sieve after straining pear poaching liquid.
    6. Pour the strained liquid into a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat until reduced by one-third.
    7. Pour this warm cinnamon-spiced orange sauce over the pears, dividing equally among the dessert glasses. Top with a dollop of maple mascarpone and serve!
    Poached cinnamon orange pears with mascarpone in a dessert glass.
    Pears are poached in cinnamon-orange sauce and topped with maple mascarpone.

    👍🏼Elaine's make-ahead tip

    To make these poached cinnamon orange pears ahead of time, follow the instructions through Step 6 above. Instead of arranging the pears in dessert glasses, return them to the baking dish, pour the cinnamon-orange sauce over the pears, cover and refrigerate.

    Reheat at 350°F. for 10 - 15 minutes or until gently heated, then arrange in dessert glasses, top with maple mascarpone and serve.

    🔁 Variation: using whole poached pears

    Serve the pears whole! Whole poached pears make a spectacular presentation. I like to use tiny pears, like Forelle or Seckel when I serve them whole. These varieties are usually available in late November or early December. Follow the instructions above but instead of slicing in half, carefully remove the core.

    The only tricky part of this recipe is carefully removing the core while leaving the pear intact. I use a very thin knife with a sharp point to scoop out the few seeds that these usually contain.

    Arrange the pears in a baking dish with a lid, and add the orange juice, Triple Sec, brown sugar and spices.

    Pop the dish in the oven at 350°F. to simmer for 45 to 60 minutes while you eat dinner. Your home will smell heavenly! These pears become tender and almost melt in your mouth.

    12 Forelle pears.
    Tiny Forelle pears
    Mulled Cinnamon-Orange Poached Pears with Mascarpone in dessert glasses.

    ❓Questions readers ask

    What kind of pears are best for poaching?

    A firm variety of pear is best for poaching. I like to use Bosc pears because they're naturally sweet but you could also use Anjou pears. Firm varieties keep their shape once they've been simmered with orange juice, Triple sec and warm fall spices in this recipe.

    Bartlett pears are sweet and tender, but they bruise easily and don't hold their shape as well as a pear such as Bosc or Anjou. It's best to stay away from them for this recipe.

    How should I store poached pears?

    In the unlikely chance that you'll have leftover poached pears, store them with any remaining sauce in an airtight container in the fridge.

    They'll be delicious either cold or gently reheated.

    What's the best way to ripen hard pears?


    An easy way to ripen pears is to place them in a paper bag with a ripe banana or an apple. Both these fruits give off ethylene gas which speeds up the ripening process.

    🍽 Serving Suggestions

    While a dollop of whipped maple mascarpone cheese changes this from a simple dessert to an elegant dessert, you can easily substitute vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or dairy-free ice cream.

    This recipe can be both a simple pear dessert for a dinner party, or a festive holiday dessert for the winter season.

    And if you like pear desserts, try this Gluten-Free Cinnamon Pear Tart with Caramel Sauce, or Pecan Pear Crisp, too.

    When you make these poached pears, please leave a comment and a star rating below. Subscribe to my newsletter and have new recipes delivered straight to your inbox once a week.

    This recipe was originally published in 2015. I've updated it with new photos, and more detailed instructions. I've also included the option to use sliced pears as well.

    🗒More gluten-free dessert recipes

    • Square image of light lemon mousse with raspberry sauce.
      Light Lemon Mousse with Greek Yogurt
    • Image with text for gluten-free desserts for Easter and Spring.
      Gluten-Free Desserts for Easter and Spring
    • Gluten-free puff pastry cherry hand pies stacked.
      Puff Pastry Cherry Hand Pies with Frozen Cherries (Gluten-Free)
    • Overhead view of a bowl of pear crisp with pecans and a scoop of ice cream.
      Pecan Pear Crisp (Gluten-Free)

    📖 Recipe

    mulled cinnamon orange pears in a dessert glass

    Mulled Cinnamon-Orange Pears with Mascarpone

    Mulled Cinnamon-Orange Pears, warm from the oven and topped with a dollop of slightly sweetened mascarpone cheese, make a never-to-be-forgotten fall or winter dessert.
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American, Italian
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 8 pears
    Calories: 194kcal
    Author: Elaine
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 6 medium pears, a firm variety like Bosc or Anjou
    • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
    • ½ cup orange juice or ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
    • ¼ cup (or more) orange liqueur (Triple Sec, Gran Marnier or Cointreau) (optional)
    • ¼ cup brown sugar or coconut palm sugar, or Golden Monkfruit sweetener
    • 3 cinnamon sticks, broken if large
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon whole cloves
    • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
    • 1 teaspoon whole allspice
    • 4 buds star anise

    Garnish

    • ½ cup mascarpone cheese
    • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
    • 1 tablespoon orange zest finely grated

    Instructions

    • Peel the pears and slice in half from the stem end to the base. Remove the stem and core using a small paring knife or even a melon baller. Slice the pears so they fan out, leaving ¾ inch intact at the stem end. Arrange in a single layer in a baking dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent browning.
    • Combine the spices, both whole and ground, and sprinkle over the pears.
    • In a measuring cup or small bowl, combine the orange juice, Triple Sec and brown sugar (or coconut sugar or Golden Monkfruit sweetener.)
    • Pour this mixture over the pears. Cover with foil (or an oven-proof lid) and bake for 30 minutes, basting the pears with the liquid at 10-minute intervals. Check at 20 minutes and remove from the oven when they are barely fork-tender.
    • While the pears are poaching in the cinnamon orange sauce, prepare the mascarpone cheese topping. In a small bowl, combine mascarpone, maple syrup and orange zest. Set aside in the refrigerator.
    • Remove the baking dish from the oven. Gently remove the pear halves with a slotted spoon to another serving dish or to individual dessert glasses
    • Strain the liquid to remove the whole spices. Pour the strained liquid into a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat until reduced by one-third.
    • Pour this warm cinnamon-spiced orange sauce over the pears, dividing equally among the dessert glasses. Top with a dollop of maple mascarpone and serve!

    Notes

    As an alternative, poach the pears whole. Whole poached pears make a spectacular presentation. I like to use tiny pears, like Forelle or Seckel when I serve them whole. Follow the instructions above but instead of slicing in half, carefully remove the core.
    The only tricky part of this recipe is carefully removing the core while leaving the pear intact. I use a very thin knife with a sharp point to scoop out the few seeds that these usually contain.
    Arrange the pears in a baking dish with a lid, and add the orange juice, Triple Sec, brown sugar and spices.
    Pop the dish in the oven at 350°F. to simmer for 45 to 60 minutes while you eat dinner. Your home will smell heavenly! These pears become tender and almost melt in your mouth.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 198mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 266IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @enessman or tag #flavourandsavour!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Leah

      February 11, 2023 at 5:23 pm

      5 stars
      This is an amazing dessert! It seems so simple, but it tastes incredible. Will definitely make this again.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        February 11, 2023 at 5:27 pm

        Agreed--it's one I make often! Thanks for taking the time to comment.

        Reply
    2. Erin

      September 21, 2021 at 6:44 pm

      5 stars
      We were all blown away by how delicious these poached pears are! I made them for dessert when our neighbours came over. I didn't have mascarpone, so I used whipped cream, but next time I'm going to try the mascarpone. Thanks!

      Reply

    Leave a comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Find the perfect recipe

    Elaine from Flavour and Savour

    Welcome! I'm Elaine

    Gluten-free Made Easy!

    I create delicious gluten-free recipes that everyone can make. I’m here to show you that gluten-free eating doesn’t have to be complicated! I’ll help you make healthy meals that you’ll want to share with family and friends. About Me!

    Popular Posts

    • Two mugs of affogato coffee.
      How to Make an Affogato Coffee Dessert
    • A slice of one-bowl flourless lemon almond cake topped with strawberries and a mint leaf.
      One-Bowl Flourless Lemon Almond Cake
    • two flutes of rhubarb prosecco cocktail
      Rhubarb Bellini Prosecco Cocktail
    • a bowl of roasted rainbow carrots
      Roasted Carrots with Honey-Mustard Glaze

    Spring Favourites

    • Image with text for gluten-free desserts for Easter and Spring.
      Gluten-Free Desserts for Easter and Spring
    • Cherry Crisp with ice cream
      Cherry Crisp with Frozen Cherries
    • pouring honey-lime vinaigrette on kiwi cuc
      Kiwi Cucumber Salad with Walnuts and Fresh Mint
    • strawberry spinach salad with strawberry vinaigrette
      Strawberry Spinach Salad with Strawberry Dressing
    Brands that feature Flavour and Savour.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    About Me

    Privacy Policy

    Accessibility Statement

    Newsletter

    SIGN UP HERE

    for weekly recipes and tips!

    Contact

    Contact me

    Use of Recipes and Images

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Copyright © 2015 - 2023