It's seriously time to start thinking about these cranberry and goat cheese stuffed pears.
Thanksgiving (or Friendsgiving, if you're into that)! I know that seems crazy, but I'm already craving turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.
Okay, I actually crave these things throughout the year since they're too good to have only once, but with fall in the air, I'm just ready.
Do you celebrate friendsgiving?
So, let's talk about Friendsgiving. Do you guys do this? Cook up an extra Thanksgiving dinner to celebrate one of our greatest holidays, with friends?
I think it's brilliant, really. Have wine, spend time with your favorite people, eat delicious food. I can't think of any reason to say no to this.
Whenever I host a friendsgiving, I like to still offer an extravagant or fun meal, but make it a bit unique in comparison to traditional Thanksgiving.
For example, I go for a cranberry beef roast with roasted root vegetable soup, hasselback butternut squash and these stuffed pears for dessert.
Everything still has those fall feels, but we're not completely repeating Thanksgiving dinner.
So let's talk more about these cranberry and goat cheese stuffed pears
So I wanna chat about this super simple, super delicious dessert because it's made with fresh cranberries!
I don't know about you, but sometimes I get in a rut and make the same dishes each year, but this time I just wanted to try something new.
I love good ol' cranberry sauce, but I'm super excited to share this fun, unique cranberry recipe with you.
It tastes (and smells) as good as it sounds. The pears are baked to tender perfection, then topped with a dollop of honeyed goat cheese, a scoop of fresh cranberry relish and a smattering of buttery oat crumble.
Seriously. It's.... scrumptious.
And you know what's so cool about cranberries?
You can buy a few extra bags and freeze them (as is) so you can use them throughout the year; again, I'd hate to eat cranberries just once a year! Also, cranberries are super good-for-you.
Each cranberry is bursting with special polyphenols, which aren't generally found in other fruits, and can help prevent disease (score!).
There's just so much goodness packed in nature's tiny little red package.
So are you guys sold on making these stuffed pears? And having Friendsgiving?
Cranberries for the win!
PrintCranberry and Goat Cheese Stuffed Pears
Goat cheese and mascerated cranberries stuffed inside pears and roasted to perfection with a crumble oatmeal topping.
- Prep Time: 15-20 mins
- Cook Time: 20-25 mins
- Total Time: 35-45 mins
- Yield: Serves 8 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking, Stove-Top
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups fresh cranberries
- 7 tablespooons honey, divided
- 4 medium red or green Bartlett pears
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 4-ounces goat cheese
- ¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans
- Pinch ground cinnamon + more for topping
- 2 teaspoons butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- In a small saucepan, heat cranberries, ¼ cup water and 5 tablespoons honey to medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook about 4-5 minutes, until cranberries just start to soften and mixture has slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
- Trim a small slice off each side of the pears. Cut in half lengthwise. Hollow just the center of the pears with a melon baller or spoon, creating a cavity for filling. Rub each pear with lemon juice. Bake 17-20 minutes, until just tender (if pear is ripe, it will take less time to cook).
- In a small bowl, beat goat cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons honey with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy. Place a spoonful of goat cheese mixture into each pear. Place a spoonful of cranberry mixture into each pear, next to the goat cheese mixture.
- In another small bowl, mix together oats, walnuts, cinnamon, melted butter and brown sugar. Place a spoonful of oat mixture on each pear.
- Serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Notes
Cooking Tip: Use a melon baller to scoop out the pear core.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 half pear
- Calories: 175
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 77mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
Keywords: easy, healthy, baked, simple, entertaining, for a crowd, seasonal, Thanksgiving, holiday
