[this post is in partnership with Harry and David. I’m creating recipes with their royal riviera pears this season, starting with pear cider — I can’t wait for you to try it!]
Pass the pear cider please!
I’ve got the most comforting, soul-warming drink for this season: homemade pear cider. Lately I’ve been shifting some of my apple obsession to pears — they’re an underrated fall and winter fruit — and this cider may have just stolen my heart.
I’m thrilled to develop recipes for Harry and David this holiday season using their beautiful pears. I visited their headquarters years ago and it remains one of my favorite trips — I’ve been a fan of their pears ever since. Pears were a nostalgic part of my childhood: each December my dad often received boxes of pears as holiday gifts, and I remember the first time I tasted a really good pear — juicy, sweet, not mealy. From then on we all fought over those special fruits.
Making pear cider was a must — until this recipe I’d never had homemade pear cider. The aroma while it simmered filled the entire house with the best seasonal scent. It felt like making holiday simmering spices, except this time the deliciousness ended up in a mug.
One taste and I was obsessed. It’s rich, warming, and perfectly spiced.
To me, apple cider tastes like crisp October days — pumpkin patches, bonfires and the crunchy side of fall. Pear cider, on the other hand, feels like the stretch from Thanksgiving into Christmas. Whether it’s the cloves, the allspice or simply the pears themselves, this cider evokes cozy holiday moments: turkey dinners, twinkling lights and presents under the tree. It’s sweet, spicy and warming — drinkable hot or chilled, and it would be lovely with a splash of bourbon.
Homemade Pear Cider
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Ingredients
- 10 whole Royal Riviera Pears cut in half, stems and seeds removed
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1 vanilla bean pod split open
Instructions
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Combine the pears, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, split vanilla pod and allspice in a large stockpot. Cover with water so it sits about 2 inches above the pears. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 1 hour. You can mash some of the pears after that hour.
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Cover the pot and simmer for another 2 hours.
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Let the mixture cool slightly, then strain through a fine mesh sieve, repeating as needed to remove solids. For an extra-clear cider, strain again through cheesecloth. Serve hot with cinnamon sticks.
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Store leftover cider in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Notes
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Give me a cup of this, put on Love Actually, and I’m perfectly content.