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Ok everyone – the holiday season is officially here, and I am mentally and physically preparing myself. Maybe it’s the cooler weather, maybe it’s the plethora of family get-togethers, but I tend to find so many delicious things to eat this time of year. I’m not complaining: one of my favorite things about this season is the time I get to spend in the kitchen with my family. I am so fortunate to have grown up in a household that was big on cooking! My mom passed down her love of cooking to me, and I know I will to future generations as well. And in honor of holiday cooking, I have some cinnamon baked pears with granola and fresh whipped cream to share today!
My family has a Christmas Eve tradition: we always spend the evening around the kitchen island making homemade pasta. It’s one of my favorite nights of the year! Inevitably we get to talking, laughing, singing, and goofing around, and the pasta ends up taking hours to create. I always laugh when we say we’ll start cooking at around 5pm: the idea of being able to eat our Christmas Eve dinner by 7pm is pretty hilarious. It usually ends up being closer to 8 or 9pm by the time all is said and done. No matter! I don’t think any of us are ever bothered by it.
However, what about dessert? I don’t know about you, but I always have a hankering for something sweet after dinner and before bedtime. It doesn’t necessarily have to be something large and decadent: I just like something sweet as the perfect ending to the evening! In past years, we’ve made cookies, cake, bars, and other treats. This year, I thought I’d bring something different (but equally as delicious) to the table with these cinnamon baked pears with granola and fresh whipped cream.
Yes, you could take your time making a pie, but why not try out something that is simple to create but still satisfies your craving for dessert? I absolutely love when I can create a recipe with just a few key ingredients that will leave everyone at the table happy! This dish is definitely that. Plus, it only took me about 5 minutes to prepare (plus the time to bake)! With all of the other holiday craziness at play, being able to whip something up that looks fancy but requires a small amount of effort is totally key.
Of course, the pears are a big part of this dish, but I definitely want to talk about the Quaker® Simply Granola Oats, Honey & Almonds I used to put this concoction together. I absolutely love eating granola for breakfast with yogurt, but utilizing it for a different time of day (like dessert) gets a big thumbs up from me! The Quaker® Simply Granola Oats, Honey & Almonds is packed with satisfyingly crunchy granola clusters and includes real fruit and nuts. It is an excellent source of fiber, with 9g of fat per serving. I’m not going to lie – I found myself snacking on a small handful as I made these baked pears – it’s great on it’s own as well!
You can easily find Quaker® Simply Granola at your local Walmart – I located it in the cereal aisle!
- 4 ripe pears (I used Bartlett, but any variety of your choice should work!)
- 3 cups (approximately) Quaker® Simply Granola Oats, Honey & Almonds
- 4 tablespoons honey
- Cinnamon
- ½ pint heavy whipping cream
- ⅛ cup confectioner's sugar, sifted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Slice pears in half lengthwise, then use a melon baller or spoon to remove the center/seeds.
- Place the pears (sliced side up) in a baking dish. Fill each pear with a generous scoop of Quaker® Simply Granola Oats, Honey & Almonds. Drizzle with honey, and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.
- Place the baking dishes of pears in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the pears are tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool 2-3 minutes before serving.
- To make the whipped cream, place a metal mixing bowl and whisk attachment into the freezer for about 15 minutes. Then, remove from the freezer - add the heavy whipping cream, confectioner's sugar, and vanilla into the metal bowl. Whisk on high with a mixer until the whipped cream forms stiff peaks.
- To serve, place a pear half on a plate or bowl and add a small scoop of whipped cream. Enjoy!
It just so happens that you can get even more amazing inspiration for using Quaker® Simply Granola products HERE – get inspired!
So – what kinds of holiday treats will you be creating this year? Do you have any favorite recipes that would utilize Quaker® Simply Granola Oats, Honey & Almonds?
I have a whole bag of pears I picked up from Trader Joe’s, so I’m absolutely going to make this!! And I have a super awesome Whipped Cream Maker to whip up some fresh whipped cream in 30 seconds (no joke), so there will definitely be some cinnamon vanilla whipped cream on top! Oh, I can’t wait!!