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Best Homemade Slow Cooker Spiced Pear Vanilla Butter

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This Homemade Slow Cooker Spiced Pear Vanilla Butter is a warm, velvety, and honey-like fruit butter that turns even skeptics into believers. Made with ripe pears, vanilla, and a blend of spices, it’s incredibly easy to prepare and perfect for gifting or enjoying on toast, cheese boards, and baked goods.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 pounds ripe pears (Bartlett or Bosc work great; use a mix if you have them) — peeled, cored, and roughly chopped
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (you can reduce to 1 cup if your pears are very sweet)
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (preferably Nielsen-Massey or any good vanilla)
  • 1 cinnamon stick (or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Prep the pears: Peel all the pears with a vegetable peeler. Cut them in half, scoop out the cores, and chop into rough 1-inch chunks. You should have about 10 to 12 cups of chopped pears.
  2. Combine everything in the slow cooker: Toss the chopped pears into the slow cooker. Add the sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and the pinch of salt. Drop the cinnamon stick into the middle. Stir well to coat the pears evenly.
  3. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours: Put the lid on and set the slow cooker to low. About halfway through, give it a quick stir if you remember. The pears will soften and collapse into a dark, fragrant mush. It’s ready when the pears are completely tender and the liquid has reduced by about half.
  4. Remove the cinnamon stick: Fish out the cinnamon stick with a fork or tongs.
  5. Blend until smooth: Use an immersion blender directly in the slow cooker to puree the mixture until silky and uniform. If using a regular blender, let the mixture cool for 10 to 15 minutes first, then work in batches. For extra-smooth texture, press through a fine-mesh strainer.
  6. Continue cooking uncovered: Return the puree to the slow cooker and cook uncovered on low for another 2 to 4 hours, stirring every 30 to 45 minutes, until the butter thickens to a spreadable consistency (it should mound on a spoon).
  7. Test for doneness: Spoon a small amount onto a chilled plate and let it sit for a minute. If no ring of liquid separates around the edge, it’s ready.
  8. Cool and jar: Let the pear butter cool in the slow cooker for about 20 minutes, then ladle into sterilized jars, leaving about ½ inch of headspace. Let jars cool completely to room temperature before putting lids on, then refrigerate.

Notes

Don’t skip the lemon juice—it prevents discoloration and brightens flavors. Watch the spices, especially cloves, as they can become overpowering. Patience during the uncovered thickening phase is key; set a timer to stir every 30 minutes. Use a slow cooker liner for easy cleanup. Taste and adjust vanilla at the end if needed.

Nutrition

Keywords: pear butter, slow cooker pear butter, spiced pear vanilla butter, homemade fruit butter, fall recipe, easy pear butter, giftable jam

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