Pear Bread

If you love banana bread and zucchini bread, you’re going to love Pear Bread just as much. It’s a soft,… The post Pear Bread appeared first on Recipe Girl®.

Food & Nutritions Nov 10, 2025 0 10 Add to Reading List

If you love banana bread and zucchini bread, you’re going to love Pear Bread just as much. It’s a soft, moist quick bread filled with ripe, juicy pears and warm spices. The pears bake directly into the batter, adding natural sweetness and a tender texture that keeps the bread moist for days. It’s a simple, old-fashioned recipe that feels familiar and comforting — perfect for fall baking or anytime you have pears that need to be used up.

This recipe makes two loaves, which is always a bonus. Enjoy one now and freeze one for later, or share it with a neighbor or friend. It also makes a lovely homemade gift.

Why This Pear Bread is So Moist:

Ripe pears add natural sweetness and moisture.
Oil is used instead of butter, ensuring a tender crumb.
Warm spices (cinnamon + nutmeg) enhance the fruit without overpowering it.

It has the cozy flavor of a spice cake, but the fruit makes it lighter and fresher.

Ingredients:

Granulated white sugar
Vegetable or canola oil
Eggs
Vanilla extract
All purpose flour
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt
Ground cinnamon
Ground nutmeg
Ripe pears, peeled and chopped
Pecans (optional)

two loaves of pear bread before and after baking

How to make Pear Bread:

The complete, printable recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Preheat the oven: Set to 350°F. Spray two 8×4-inch loaf pans with nonstick spray.
Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Combine: Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir just until combined — don’t overmix.
Add the pears: Gently fold in the chopped pears and pecans (if using).
Bake: Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool: Let the loaves cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Tips

Use ripe pears — the softer the pear, the easier it blends into the batter and adds moisture.
If your pears are very juicy, pat them lightly with paper towels before adding to the batter.
To lighten-up this bread a little bit, sub half unsweetened applesauce for half of the oil (½ cup oil and ½ cup applesauce).
The pecans are optional but add great texture and flavor.

Serving Suggestions

Slice and serve at room temperature — or warm slightly and spread with:

Cream cheese spread
Softened butter
Honey butter
Cinnamon sugar butter

A nice alternative to classic banana bread, fresh pear chunks are dotted throughout this spiced-up quick loaf. It doesn’t matter if your pears are near mush. Turns out mushy pears are perfect for pear bread. I choose to lighten the loaf a bit by using 1/2 applesauce in place of 1/2 cup oil (so… 1/2 cup oil + 1/2 cup applesauce). You won’t see any difference in flavor if you do it that way. The applesauce keeps things moist just as the oil does.

slices of pear bread with a fresh green pear

Storage

Freeze: Wrap whole loaves or slices tightly and freeze up to 3 months
Room Temperature: Wrap well and store up to 3 days.
Refrigerate: Store up to 1 week.

Pear Bread

This Pear Bread is soft, moist, and warmly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. Fresh pears add natural sweetness and a tender texture that keeps the bread moist for days. Easy to make and perfect for sharing — this recipe makes two loaves!

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Keyword bread, pear

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 5

Servings servings (2 loaves)

Calories 224kcal

Author Lori Lange

Equipment

8×4-inch loaf pans (need two for baking the bread)

Ingredients

2 cups granulated white sugar
1 cup vegetable or canola oil
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 to 2½ cups peeled and chopped ripe pears (about 3 medium)
1 cup chopped pecans, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray two 8×4-inch loaf pans with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla. Whisk together well.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture; stir just until combined. Gently stir in the pears and the pecans (if using). Divide the batter between the prepared loaf pans.
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean. Allow the loaves to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Nutritional information does not include the optional pecans.

TIPS:

Use ripe pears — the softer the pear, the easier it blends into the batter and adds moisture.
If your pears are very juicy, pat them lightly with paper towels before adding to the batter.
To lighten-up this bread a little bit, sub half unsweetened applesauce for half of the oil (½ cup oil and ½ cup applesauce).
The pecans are optional but add great texture and flavor.