Simplicity and elegance collide with these easy to make Cranberry Poached Pears. This simple dessert makes a statement on your holiday table! With just a handful of ingredients, this gluten-free dessert is a great way to wow your guests without a lot of effort. Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt and prepare for compliments all around.

It has been one of THOSE weeks around here.
As a write this, I've got a sleeping baby (ok, preschooler) laying about 5 feet from me.
All three of the kids have been sick this week.
While I am certainly grateful that I've remained healthy, it has been a trying week for sure.
Skye is usually the sweetest sick kid. Early this week she was.
It is hard to believe it, but this is the first time that she has been sick more than a couple of days. By the time we got to the end of this week, she was getting cranky.
By this morning, my little gremlin was running around the house saying as loud as her poor little voice would go "I'm SO MAD!"
I asked her what she was mad about.
She told me she was mad at me. Hmmm...ok. I'd just made her breakfast, so I assumed she wasn't happy with it.
Then she marched upstairs and told her brothers she was mad at them.
This went on for hours - with her loudly proclaiming that she was mad every ten minutes or so.
This behavior could not be more out of character.
Normally, if you ask Skye how she's doing her reply will be "I'm HAPPY".
There is nothing quite so pitiful as a three-year-old who is mad at the world because she doesn't feel good.
Mercifully, she finally let go this afternoon and took her first nap of the week.
Here's to hoping she wakes up feeling better!
In fact, let's go ahead and celebrate her feeling better, ok?
Positive thinking always works.
So let's celebrate with these poached pears.
These Cranberry Poached Pears have just six ingredients and make the perfect elegant dessert for your fall and winter entertaining.
Fruit desserts are always a favorite of mine, and these are just fabulous.
They are perfect when you want a holiday dessert that feels luxurious but won't weigh you down.
I hope that you and your family are enjoying a happy and healthy holiday season.
I know I am looking forward to the same around here.
You May Also Like
- This Pear Quinoa Salad with Walnuts and Goat Cheese makes a hearty vegetarian meal or elegant side dish.
- Serve up the best flavors of the season with these Gluten Free Pear Muffins. Moist, light, and oh-so delicious, only you will know that they are gluten free.
- Apple Pear Crumble is quick to make and loaded with nutrition. This is one that both kids and adults can agree on.
- Cranberry Quinoa Salad makes a great addition to your holiday table.
Cranberry Poached Pears
Ingredients
- 4 pears
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup boiling water
- 4 small cinnamon sticks
- Peel of ½ a small lemon
- 4 tablespoon fine sugar
- 1 vanilla chai teabag I used Bigelow
Instructions
- Cover cranberries with boiling water, allow to rehydrate for 15 minutes. Set aside.
- Peel pears, place in a saucepan the correct size for pears to fit snugly and not fall over.
- Add remaining ingredients and cranberries.
- Cover with water until pears are just covered.
- Bring saucepan to a boil over high heat and then reduce heat, simmering pears for 10-15 minutes until tender.
- Remove pears from saucepan and place in serving bowls.
- Reduce sauce over high heat for 5-10 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Allow sauce and pears to cool, then serve garnished with cinnamon stick.
- If desired, serve with freshly whipped cream or vanilla greek yogurt.
V
Those look absolutely heavenly! My family loves cranberries and I know this would be a big hit in our family. I am definitely going to try it.
Wendy Polisi
Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy it.
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle
Those sound so good! l will definitely be serving this at our Christmas dinner. Thanks!
Wendy Polisi
I hope you enjoy it Stacie!
Amanda @bephoenixfit
Those pears look delicious! Hope your family is on the mend soon!
Wendy Polisi
Thanks so much Amanda. Everyone is much better today.
Kerri Olkjer
Poor baby, hope she's feeling better! The recipe looks amazing.
Wendy Polisi
Thanks so much Kerri - she is is finally better.
Rebecca Swenor
These cranberry poached pears are something I will have to try. I would never have thought about this kind of a dessert but it would be a great idea. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Wendy Polisi
Hope you enjoy it Rebecca!
Debra @ Traveling Well For Les
LOL, your daughter sounds like a riot. Hope she starts feeling better soon. And those cranberry poached pears look amazing.
Wendy Polisi
She is a pistol! We enjoy her so.
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Wendy Polisi
Our Family World
Pear is one of my favorite. Sounds so delicious to make your recipe.. Yummy!
Wendy Polisi
I adore pears too! I need to cook with them more.
Dawn Gibson-Thigpen
those cranberry poached pears look amazing. i never heard of them until and now and would love to try them.
Wendy Polisi
Let me know how it goes if you try it!
CourtneyLynne Storms
Omg can we say yum?!? These pears look absolutely delicious!!! Must give your recipe a try
Wendy Polisi
I hope you enjoy it!
Amanda Simkin
What an elegant dessert! I love hosting a nice New Year's Eve dinner party and I would love to include this on my menu. Thanks for the inspiration!
Wendy Polisi
It would be perfect for New Year's Eve!
Run For Life
I hope your daughter feels better. My son is sick today too. Of course, he acts fine but dr said it was likely sinus infection and covering for bronchitis/pneumonia.
Those pears look amazing.
Wendy Polisi
She woke up from her nap much better! I hope your son gets well soon.
Stephanay Jnote
This sounds like a really good dish. I love pears and cranberries a like. Might try this one out.
Wendy Polisi
Let me know how it goes if you try it!
♥Nancy♥
This looks absolutely beautiful and delicious! I love your photos. I have to try and make this for when I'm entertaining hubby's clients. It looks so opulent and classy! 🙂
Wendy Polisi
Thanks so much Nancy!
Lynn Dee
Oh yum! That looks divine! Yup, positive thinking always works and here's to your 3-year-old feeling a lot better soon.
Wendy Polisi
You are so right - positive thinking is such a powerful thing in our lives. She DID wake up better.
Jacqui Odell
That sounds so yummy!! I never thought about doing pears this way, but I might try it!
Wendy Polisi
Let me know how it goes if you do Jacqui!
Lisa Marie Heath
My son is usually a cuddly kid when sick and has never said he was mad at me (yet... he's 10 so I know it's coming)
Wendy Polisi
I am pretty sure that my 10 year old has been mad at me many, many times. 🙂 I always tell them it isn't my job to be their friend, it is my job to raise them to be responsible adults.
Skye is a very cuddly kid too, and usually amazing when she is sick. She had just never been sick this long and by the last day was super-frustrated and too little to really articulate it with anything other than that she was mad.
Adriana
Wow these look delicious!!! I love pears, I need to try this out! I bet it's holiday perfection! 🙂
Wendy Polisi
Thanks Adriana - hope you enjoy.
Gabriel Bregg
Nothing quite like a hangry toddler. We sometimes get hit with three of them if we dawdle over meal prep and it's ugly.
Wendy Polisi
Oh wow...three toddlers can't be easy at any time. 🙂 The boys kept me on my toes when they were both toddlers for sure.
Wendy Polisi
Thanks Kathy! Let me know how it goes if you try it!
Wendy Polisi
I hope you enjoy Terri!
*Wendy Polisi*
*https://wendypolisi.com *
Eloise Maoudj Riley
mmm mmm that looks good... I know for a fact everyone in my family would LOVE this! thanks for the step by step photos on how to make this : )
Wendy Polisi
I’d love to know how it goes if you give it a try!
*Wendy Polisi*
*https://wendypolisi.com *
Shannon Graham
I don't think I've ever had a pear outside of just a normal pear! This looks like a delicious and creative way to prepare one!
Johnetta Crumpton
I made this for Thanksgiving and tweaked it a little…Instead of Chai tea I used cranberry juice. It was so good. Thanks for this delicious treat!
Wendy Polisi
I am so glad that you enjoyed it. I am going to try this with the tea!