Maple Bourbon Pear Butter

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Maple Bourbon Pear Butter is a smooth, deeply flavored fall preserve made by simmering pears with maple syrup and bourbon until thick and glossy. It’s perfect on toast and oatmeal, and it pairs beautifully with pork and sharp cheeses.

Prep Time20

Cook Time6

Canning Time10

Total Time6 30

Course: fruit butter

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pear canning recipes

Servings: servings, makes 4 half pint jars

Equipment

Water Bath Canner

Ingredients

4 lb pears peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup bourbon

Instructions

Prep the pears: Peel, core, and coarsely chop the pears.
Cook until very soft: Combine pears, maple syrup, and bourbon in a 6-quart stainless steel or enameled Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring often, until the pears are very soft. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Puree the mixture: Puree the pear mixture in batches in a food processor until smooth, transferring each batch to a bowl. Return all puree to the Dutch oven.
Cook down until thick: Bring the puree to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered until it thickens, darkens, and holds its shape on a spoon . Stir occasionally at first, then stir more often as it thickens to prevent scorching.(see notes)
Fill jars: Ladle hot pear butter into a hot half-pint jar, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, adjust headspace if needed, and wipe the rim clean. Center the lid on the jar and apply the band, adjusting to fingertip-tight. Repeat with remaining jars.
Process in a water bath canner: Place jars in a boiling water canner, ensuring they are fully submerged. Process 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
Cool and check seals: Turn off heat, remove the canner lid, and let jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. Check seals, label, and store.

Notes

Yield note: Ball lists 6 half-pints, but I get about 4 half-pints from 4 pounds of pears, and Ball’s newer resources align more closely with that yield.

Cook Time: If you're using a crock pot, it'll take about 3-4 hours on high, or 6 to 8 hours on low, with the lid slightly cracked to let steam out. On the stovetop, it's much faster, but keep the temperature low so it doesn't scorch. Expect it to thicken in 15 to 30 minutes on medium low heat, depending on your stove's heat. You can stop at any thickness, but I usually go until it mounds up on a spoon.

Baking tip: Fruit butters are great in baking. Try swapping about half the fat in muffins or quick breads with fruit butter for moisture and flavor.

Altitude Adjustments

The altitude adjustments for water bath canning pear butter are as follows:

For Under 1,000 Feet in Elevation – 10 minutes for half-pints
For 1,001 to 6,000 Feet in Elevation – 15 minutes for half-pints
Above 6,000 Feet in Elevation – 20 minutes for half-pints

Nutrition