I had a sweet friend who used to gift us the most delicious pear bread over the holidays. The top had the most amazing crispiness and crunch while the inside was perfectly moist. It was SO good and I looked forward to it every year. Sadly, we lost touch over the years but I think of her from time to time and hope she’s doing well. I never did ask her for the recipe, since it was her special gift to others, but I have since started gifting my own type of pear bread. While I have yet to figure out how her top crust stayed crispy even days after it was made, this cranberry pear bread with blueberries has become a popular treat among family and friends.
Cranberry Pear Bread with Blueberries
Ingredients
- 2 14 oz cans pears, drained or 2 1/2 cups fresh pears, peeled, cored and chopped (~2 pears)
- 1 cup granulated sugar Pears add a lot of sweetness, but feel free to add another 1/4 of sugar, if you prefer things sweeter
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil or 1/2 cup oil + 1/2 unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseed (optional)
- 1/4 cup wheat germ (optional)
- 1/4 cup protein powder (optional)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
- 1 1/2 cup blueberries fresh or frozen
Instructions
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Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment paper) two 8×4 inch loaf pans.
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In large mixing bowl, add pears and chop or mash pears into small pieces using a pastry blender or potato masher. If you prefer not to have any pear chunks, you can also puree them using a blender or immersion blender.
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Add sugar, vanilla and eggs. Mix well. Add in oil (+ applesauce if using) and stir until combined.
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Add rest of dry ingredients: flour, (+ flaxseed, wheat germ, protein power if using), baking power, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well. Batter will be thick
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Fold in cranberries and blueberries until evenly combined, taking care not to burst the blueberries if using fresh ones.
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Divide batter evenly into prepared loaf pans, filling about 2/3 to 3/4 full.
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Bake for 50-60 minutes, but start checking for doneness at about 50 minutes. Bake until top is nicely browned and inserted toothpick into center of each loaf comes out clean. Place loaf pans on wire rack or stove grate to cool, about 10 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Note: Fresh cranberries are seasonal and you can’t easily find them after the holidays. When they are available, you can buy extra, wash, dry THROUGHLY, and freeze them whole for future use. Cranberries freeze great and can keep for 8-12 months. You can make this bread without cranberries, too. Simply omit them or replace them with dried cranberries soaked in warm water for about 20 mins.
This year, I made 6 batches of this bread to share with family, friends, and co-workers over the holidays. Several people asked me for the recipe so I guess it’s time to write up another post! A double batch makes about 4 larger 8×4 inch loaves and 3 smaller 6×3.5 inch loaves. That means I made 12 large and 9 small loaves of this delicious Cranberry Pear Bread with Blueberries over the course of 2 weeks!
One thing to note about this recipe is fresh cranberries are seasonal and you can’t easily find them after the holidays. In years past, I’ve bought extra, washed, dried THROUGHLY, and frozen them whole for future use. Cranberries freeze great and can keep for 8-12 months, well into the next holiday cycle! That said, there is something kind of special about reserving this treat for just holiday use, which is what I’ve been sticking to lately. You can still make this bread without cranberries, of course. Simply omit them or replace them with dried cranberries soaked in warm water for about 20 mins.
These breads make great holiday gifts, especially when you use cute holiday pans. You can buy nicer pans as an added gift or use disposable pans which are easy to bake in and economical, too. You can find holiday prints like the ones I used at Walmart or order plain ones on Amazon (see affiliate links below) to use throughout the year. Cranberry pear bread with blueberries are nut-free AND dairy-free, as added bonus. It’s made with a minimal amount of sugar since pears already add a lot of sweetness, but feel free to add another 1/4 cup if you prefer. So, not only are they delicious, they’re a fairly healthy treat, too!
Amazon links for disposable pans:
- Disposable 8×4 in. aluminum loaf pans with lids and labels
- Disposable 6×3.5 in. mini aluminum loaf pans with lids
I often pair these with other edible gifts, and below are a few of my favorites. It’s pretty fun to make large batches of food and package them up in cute little holiday tins and bags. I also love hearing how much people enjoy them, too.
Thanks so much for stopping by! Feel free to make my day by leaving me a comment, following my blog via email, Facebook or Instagram. The more the merrier, of course!
Christine, aka happyvballgirl : )
To check out items used in my posts or some of my favorites, simply click here: “Products I Love“. Purchases made using these links earns me a little extra cash to support my bento habit, which Hubby certainly appreciates! So, THANK YOU, should you choose to purchase any of ’em!
- Mixing bowl set with lids
- Pastry cutter
- King Arthur measuring spoon set
- Pyrex liquid measuring cups
- Dry measuring cups
- Bamboo spatula
- Disposable 8×4 in. aluminum loaf pans with lids and labels
- Disposable 6×3.5 in. mini aluminum loaf pans with lids
Disclosure: This blog contains affiliate links. ; )
And treat yourself to Amazon Prime to make your holidays that much easier. We joined a few years back and don’t know how we ever survived without it! The free two-day shipping this membership offers has saved our hides more than I can count! Try a 30 day trial membership for free!
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This bread is so yummy, moist and good for days. Thanks for posting the recipe.