My poached pears look like the kind of dessert that requires pastry school credentials, but the actual cooking is surprisingly fuss free. Tender pears simmer in white wine with vanilla and cinnamon, then chill in a concentrated wine syrup until you are ready to serve.

A poached pear with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon on a white plate, next to cinnamon sticks, a bowl of cream, and an open recipe book.

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Skill Level: Beginner
Shortcut Central: You can whisk up cream and skip the fancy cream in the recipe.
Flavor Remix: Add a little orange zest to the cooled syrup.
Allergy Watch: Gluten Free, Dairy Free Option, No Eggs, Nut-Free

This is one of my favorite desserts when I want something a little more elegant but don't want to go through the effort of making a fancy cake. Most of the work happens on the stove, and the pears can chill overnight, making them especially handy for a dinner party or holiday meal.

Poached pears are a classic dessert with many variations. While red wine poached pears may be the more dramatic-looking cousin, I like dry white wine here because it keeps the flavor lighter and lets the pear, vanilla and cinnamon come through. You also do not need to sacrifice your fanciest bottle of wine to the cause.

There is also something very satisfying about putting a whole pear on a plate and calling dessert finished. Trim a tiny slice from the bottom before poaching, and it will stand straight instead of wobbling around the plate. You can also serve half pears.

The other part worth taking your time with is the poaching liquid. After the pears are tender, boil that liquid until it reduces by half. This concentrates the wine, pear juices and spices into a sweet, complex syrup that makes the finished dessert so much better. If you have extra, save it. It is far too good to toss and makes a fantastic addition to cocktails.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients for White Wine Poached Pears, including mascarpone cheese, lemon juice, vanilla extract, dry white wine, honey, powdered sugar, pears, cinnamon sticks, sugar, and heavy cream arranged on a light surface.

Pears: I prefer to use a basic Bartlett pear. Look for pears that are ripe but still firm. Very soft pears can become mushy before they have enough time to absorb the flavors of the poaching liquid. Leaving the stems attached gives the finished pears a prettier presentation.
Wine: There is no reason to buy an expensive bottle for poaching pears. Choose an affordable dry white wine that you would be happy to drink. Avoid very sweet wines since sugar is already added to the poaching liquid.
Vanilla: I use vanilla extract for ease but you can use half a vanilla bean.
Cinnamon sticks: Whole cinnamon infuses the poaching liquid without leaving ground spice floating in the finished syrup.
Cream: I suggest using my Marsacapone Whipped Cream because it is lightly sweet but you can use a simple cream topping if you prefer. I also like a drizzle of my chocolate caramel.

How to Make Poached Pears in White Wine

A step-by-step visual guide for making the pears. You can skip to the recipe for the full written instructions.

Four peeled pears and two cinnamon sticks simmer in a pot of liquid.

Poach

Let it simmer for about 5 minutes before adding the fruit. This gives the sugar time to dissolve and starts drawing flavor from the spices.

Poach gently, do not boil. You want a knife to slide into the fruit without much resistance, but the pears should still be firm enough to hold their shape.

Four peeled pears are placed in a glass dish with liquid, set on top of a textured beige cloth on a light-colored surface.

Chill

Remove the cooked pears, then bring the poaching liquid to a boil and reduce it by half.

Pour the reduced liquid over the pears and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

A glass bowl filled with creamy cake batter sits on a textured beige cloth atop a light-colored surface.

Make the Cream

Briefly beat the mascarpone first, then add the cold heavy cream, honey, powdered sugar and vanilla. Stop when soft peaks form.

Jen's Recipe Notes

Keep the stems. They give you a convenient handle while peeling and make the finished dessert look polished without any extra decorating.
Create a flat base. Trim only enough from the bottom of each pear to help it stand upright. Cut away too much and you lose that pretty whole pear shape.
Keep the poaching liquid at a simmer. A hard boil can knock the fruit around and cause bruising.
Test the fruit rather than relying only on the timer. Pear ripeness varies. Use the 25 minute cooking time as a guide and check for tenderness with the tip of a knife.
Reduce the syrup properly. This is not the step to cut short. Boiling the poaching liquid down by half gives it a more concentrated, complex flavor and a syrupy consistency that clings to the fruit.
Do not throw away extra syrup. Refrigerate leftover poaching syrup and use it in cocktails or mocktails. A splash can bring pear, vanilla and cinnamon flavor to a drink without making another flavored syrup.

A poached pear is served on a white plate with whipped cream, syrup, and a cinnamon stick. A small bowl with a spoon is in the blurred background.

Make Ahead and Storing

Make Ahead: Poach the pears up to a day before serving and refrigerate them in their reduced wine syrup. The mascarpone whipped cream can also be prepared ahead and refrigerated. Give it a quick rewhip if it separates.

Storing: Store the pears covered in their syrup in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

Freezing: Do not freeze.