Moist Pear Bread with Sour Cream
This easy pear bread recipe is light, fluffy, and perfectly spiced with cinnamon and brown sugar. Made with sour cream for extra moisture, it’s a cozy quick bread that stays soft for days—perfect for using up ripe pears!
Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for pan
- 4 very ripe pears
- 1/4 cup crema Mexicana or sour cream
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup chopped pecan or walnuts
- 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar in the raw as needed
Instructions
- Peel and chop the pears into medium size chunks.
- Using a potato masher, mash peeled ripe pears until smooth.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray an 8x8-inch pan with cooking spray, or line it with parchment paper.
- Melt butter and add to mashed pears.
- Stir in crema, sugars, salt, beaten egg, and vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, vigorously whisk together the flour, baking soda, and ground cinnamon.
- Add the flour mixture to the pear mixture and stir until just incorporated and then fold in pecans.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread out evenly with a spatula. Evenly sprinkle the top of the batter with the sugar in the raw.
- Bake, until batter is set and sides are starting to pull away from pan, and a toothpick inserted into center of bread comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
- Allow the bread to cool for 20 minutes. Serve the bread warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Pears: Very ripe pears will give the bread a sweeter flavor, but ripe pears work too.
- Nuts: Pecans are classic, but you can swap with walnuts, almonds, or pepitas—or leave them out if you prefer.
- Holiday twist: Stir in dried cranberries or raisins for extra flavor.
- Loaf pan: This pear bread can also be baked in a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Increase baking time to about 50–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Toppings: For a festive finish, try a streusel topping before baking or drizzle a bourbon glaze once cooled.
- Storage: Keep covered at room temperature for up to 4 days, or wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 12g | Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 217mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg