How to Make a Hasselback Pear

Originally published in October 2015; updated March 2023

If you’re looking for a fun and impressive way to serve pears for dessert, try these Hasselback Pears!

We’ve always been interested in hasselback potatoes and sweet potatoes both from their accordion-like presentation to their crispy edges and tender insides, so when we saw Cooking Light’s Hasselback Apples last month, we decided it was something that could easily be done with Stemilt’s delicious D’Anjou Pears and had to give it a try.

How to Make a Hasselback Pear

If you aren’t familiar with the hasselback technique, you’ve got to try it! You’ll start by cutting a pear in half from stem to base and removing the core. Lay it cut side down – this is where we’ll “hasselback it.” At ¼ inch intervals, slice the pear but don’t cut all the way through: leave about ¼ inch at the bottom uncut. Repeat until there are slices all the way down the pear. Now, it’s “hasselbacked!”

From here, you’ll spoon on a brown sugar butter mixture and roast the pears while covered to soften them. Then you’re going to make a streusel mixture that’s similar to the first topping with the addition of flour and oats to provide some much needed texture to this delicious dessert! Add the streusel topping and cook until browned and crunchy.

Let’s Elevate Dessert!

Our favorite thing about an apple crumble or pear crumble is the golden brown pieces that poke out of the top of the dessert combined with tender and sweet bites underneath. This is exactly what we get with these Hasselback Pears because each slice crisps while remaining tender on the inside resulting in the perfect single serving dessert bite after bite. We love how the cinnamon-sugar glaze melts between the layers and pairs with the crunchy oatmeal topping.

The thing that really turns this dessert up a notch? A scoop of vanilla ice cream or a big dollop of whipped cream! This is bound to be a hit whether it’s just for you or you’re feeding a crowd.

If you are cooking this for an event, first of all: great choice. It’s incredibly simple to prepare but more importantly, it is so delicious. Second of all, you can prepare it in advance! Go through all the steps, but refrigerate the pears after the first bake. About 30 minutes before you want to serve the pears, remove from the fridge, add the streusel topping, and do the final bake. You’re good to go!

Hasselback Pears

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Nutritional Information

Ingredients

• For the pears:
• 2 Stemilt D’Anjou Pears
• 1 tbsp salted butter, melted
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• For the oat topping:
• 2 tbsp salted butter, melted
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp old-fashioned oats
• For serving:
• Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

If you aren’t familiar with the hasselback technique, you’ve got to try it!

Rate this recipe:

(5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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• Yield
  4 servings
• Prep time
  00:10
• Cook time
  00:35
• Total time
  00:45
• Cuisine
  American
• In Category
  Dessert

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a cast iron skillet or 8x8 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Slice the pears in half from top to bottom. Remove the core. Place the pears cut-side down on a cutting board. Slice through the pears at ¼ inch intervals, stopping just before reaching the bottom, leaving the slices connected to each other.
3. Prepare the remaining pear ingredients: Stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
4. Add the pears to the prepared dish or skillet. Brush the pears with the brown sugar butter mixture, making sure to get some between the slices.
5. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
6. While the pears are baking, make the oat topping. Stir together the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and oats until well blended.
7. Remove the pears from the oven then spoon the streusel mixture onto the tops of each pear, working some between the slices. Return to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
8. 8. Remove pears from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving with ice cream or whipped cream.

Nutritional Information

Per Serving

• Calories: 165
• Fat Content: 9.3g
• Cholesterol Content: 23mg
• Sodium Content: 63mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 21.8g
• Fiber Content: 2.4g
• Sugar Content: 15.1g
• Protein Content: 1g