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You are here: Home / Seasonal / Cinnamon Pears – Easy Homemade Canned Pears!

Cinnamon Pears – Easy Homemade Canned Pears!

September 29, 2020 by Marisa Moore

647 shares

This easy, step-by-step recipe will show you how to preserve fresh pears at home. These cinnamon-spiced canned pears have no added sugar – so it’s a healthy option that’s also perfect for beginners!

pears in flute shaped jars with a fresh pear in background

This post is sponsored by Ball® Canning and contains affiliate links for which I may earn a commission.

These canned cinnamon pears are sweet without added sugar and bursting with delectable spice from fresh cinnamon sticks. The recipe is easy to make and perfect for preserving pears all season long. 

This easy canning recipe has only a few simple steps –  and is a perfect way to use up extra fresh pears this fall.

orange colander of fresh pears, with cinnamon sticks, and apple juice in a jar

Fall canning recipes usually focus on apples, but pears are the perfect pick for canning when the weather turns cooler. As a dietitian, I am also always looking for canning recipes that are lower in sugar. This one checks all the boxes!

And I have to admit, these canned cinnamon pears are my favorite home canning recipe so far. 

You will need

Fresh pears
Apple juice
Cinnamon sticks
Ball® glass preserving jars with lids and bands (see below)
Boiling water canner, headspace tool, funnel or ladle (see below)

I am using Ball® Flute Jars, which provide a touch of elegance. The fluted tops of these jars make for a beautiful presentation. Perfect if you plan to give these pears as a gift or serve your pears as part of a snack board or charcuterie tray.

If this is your first time preserving pears or any food at all, you’ll need a few items to do it right. This 4-Piece Canning Kit is complete. It has all of the essentials plus the water canner. But if you just need the headspace checker (shown below), jar lifter and funnel, go for this Canning Starter Kit.

Note: The water canner is large so make sure you have space to store it.

peeled, halved, and scooped pears on a cutting board with whole pears in background

What are the best pears to can?

Bartlett pears are probably the best ones to can. They are firm enough to keep their shape and texture.

While you can find pears all year long in most supermarkets, pears are in season August – March. This is when they taste the best and are the least expensive. The time is now to start canning pears to enjoy all year long.

And I promise. You will want these homemade canned pears over all others from now on. The ones on the shelves at the grocery stores do not compare to the flavor of home-canned pears!

Ok… Off my soapbox.  Let’s get to the recipe.

Let’s can fresh pears!

This recipe couldn’t be much easier.

First, you’ll peel, core, and slice the pears. Heat them in a single layer in water. 

TIP: Use a small melon baller or spoon to easily remove the seeds.

cut pears in water in a pan

Meanwhile, boil the apple juice and heat the jars in the canner.

placing an empty hot jar on a towel using the can grabber

Pack the hot pears into the jars – one jar at a time.

tongs adding hot pears to the hot jar

Add the cinnamon stick. I promise you only need one. And I highly recommend using it not skipping.

Pour in the hot apple juice.

Use your headspace tool to leave ½ inch headspace at the top.

Checking the headspace after adding apple juice to the jars

I was able to get 3 pints from about 2 pounds of pears. You may have noticed that these are small pears.

Canned fruit with less sugar?

Yes. This is one of my favorite things about this canned pear recipe. The pears are naturally sweetened with apple juice! That’s the trick to pulling these off. And the cinnamon stick really does add a lot of flavor.

I used a no-sugar-added apple juice that has vitamin C added. I’m thinking the vitamin C will help reduce browning a bit.

Ways to eat canned pears

Homemade pears will last on the shelf for up to 18 months when properly canned. So you’ll have plenty of opportunities to enjoy these pears. 

  • As a snack all on their own
  • On top of oatmeal
  • Sliced and baked into a quickbread
  • Diced and tossed into a fall or winter salad
  • Served on a charcuterie board
  • Stuffed with your favorite soft cheese
2 jars of canned pears with 2 fresh pears on the side

How will you use this recipe? Please let me know in the comments. I’m always looking for new ideas!

Be sure to visit freshpreserving.com for this and other recipes as well as tips on starting your canning journey.

3 jars of canned pears with 2 fresh pears on the side
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Cinnamon Pears in Apple Juice – How to Can Pears

This easy, step-by-step recipe will show you how to preserve fresh pears at home. These cinnamon-spiced canned pears have no added sugar – so it’s a healthy option that’s also perfect for beginners!
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Processing Time20 mins
Total Time35 mins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: how to can pears
Servings: 5 2 pear halves (drained)
Calories: 86kcal
Author: Marisa Moore

Equipment

  • Ball® Flute Jars with lids and bands 
  • Water Bath Canner

Ingredients

  • 1- 1½ lb pears (3 to 5 medium) per pint 
  • 1 Cinnamon stick per pint
  • Unsweetened apple juice

Instructions

  • PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set bands aside.
  • WASH pears. Drain. Peel, core and cut into halves. If desired, treat with fruit fresh or lemon juice to prevent browning. 
  • COOK pears in water one layer at a time until hot throughout. Heat apple juice to a boil. 
  • PACK hot pears, cavity side down, into hot jars leaving ½-inch headspace. Place 1 cinnamon stick in each jar. 
  • LADLE hot juice over pears leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center hot lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fingertip tight. Place jar in boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled. 
  • PROCESS jars for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat; remove lid and let jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool. Check for seal after 24 hours. Lids should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Notes

Preserving Method: Water-Bath-Canning
Makes about 1 pint for every 1 to 1-½ lb of pears 
 
Get the essential equipment for canning in one place! 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 86kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 137mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 38IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg
647 shares

Filed Under: Recipes, Seasonal, Snacks

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Melissa Karch, RDN

    October 09, 2020 at 3:57 pm

    Looks like a great seasonal recipe! I’m going to share this on my blog this week!

    Reply
    • Marisa

      October 09, 2020 at 4:39 pm

      Thanks so much, Melissa. I appreciate you sending folks my way! And I hope you get to try the recipe for yourself too!

      Reply
  2. Deb Ross

    September 22, 2021 at 9:07 pm

    Do you have to peel the pears?

    Reply
    • Marisa

      September 23, 2021 at 5:43 pm

      Hi Deb. I’ve only ever peeled them for this recipe. I am not sure how well the recipe will work with the skin on.

      Reply
  3. Nina

    March 24, 2022 at 7:58 am

    Hello, I’m excited to try this. Is it important to boil the pears first? Or, if you pop them in the jar raw, will they ‘boil’ in the apple juice for 20 mins? Thanks

    Reply
    • Marisa

      March 24, 2022 at 9:23 am

      Hi! Yes. It’s important to follow each step of this recipe as written to ensure canning is done properly.

      Reply
  4. Shena

    July 29, 2022 at 4:00 pm

    If I don’t have cinnamon sticks could I use ground cinnamon?

    Reply
  5. Yolandie

    September 05, 2022 at 7:54 am

    5 stars
    Nice I’ve just finished my batch and they look absolutely amazing followed all the steps and my pears from my tree can now be kept throughout the winter thank you for this very easy recipe and it’s all natural sweetness which is great THANK YOU ONCE MORE

    Reply
  6. Patty Cook

    December 26, 2022 at 3:58 pm

    I canned my pears with 1 cinnamon stick in each jar – I just opened the pint jar and it is way too much cinnamon flavor. I did read the way to counter act the cinnamon is with white or brown sugar and nutmeg – what do you think?

    Reply
    • Marisa Moore

      December 26, 2022 at 4:57 pm

      Yes. Sugar can help tone down the spice. I’d probably avoid adding too much nutmeg though as it can quickly overpower.

      Reply

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Marisa Moore

Hi! I'm Marisa, a registered dietitian nutritionist living in Atlanta, GA. I use this blog to share (mostly) vegetarian recipes, credible nutrition information and a peek into my Southern roots and travels!
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