This Spiced Pear and Pistachio Bread recipe is absolutely delicious any day, but especially good on a cold winter day!
Is there anything better than warm Spiced Pear Bread on a cold winter day?
Oh, that’s right, the only thing better than pear bread would be Pear Bread with Pistachios.
I always have a hard time coming up with ways to tell you how yummy something is. It just seems like I’m constantly telling you that everything tastes good…. but that’s because I spend a lot of time adjusting recipes and making them *just right* before I give them to you.
This Spiced Pear and Pistachio Bread recipe actually started out as pancakes. Which just didn’t work. But I KNEW that pear and pistachios could be so good together if they could just get over their insecurities and give it another shot.
I’m so glad I kept working on this one because it came out good. Like, really good. The pears add the most wonderful creamy texture to the bread while the pistachios add a bit of substance and crunch. Together they make this salty-sweet combination that I just really love. And you will, too.
The Pear and Pistachio Bread is fabulous by itself, but I’d strongly recommend that you make the Maple Cream Cheese Drizzle to go along with it. Or maybe just make the drizzle and drink it. It’s amazing!
You can go about this one of two ways: the first is to let the loaf come to room temperature, pour the drizzle over it in a thick layer, then let it sit in the fridge for an hour or so to let it firm up like a frosting.
Or, if you’re too impatient for such things, you could just slice the loaf into pieces and drizzle the maple-cream cheese goodness all over it and let it become melty and scrumptious.
I made two loaves and did one each way; one I took to work, and one stayed home with us. Both were immediately devoured.
Recipe is below – here’s your pin!
Spiced Pear and Pistachio Bread Recipe
Ingredients
For the Pear & Pistachio Bread
- 2 c. all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. allspice
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 c. melted butter - cooled to room temperature
- 1 egg
- 1 c. white sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 c. whole milk
- 1/4 c. heavy cream
- 2 medium pears - cored and diced (you may want to remove the peel if it is very thick)
- 1/3 c. shelled pistachios - chopped (plus a little extra for topping)
For the Maple Cream Cheese Drizzle
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1/4 c. real maple syrup - not pancake syrup
- 2 Tbsp. room temperature butter
Instructions
Make the Pear & Pistachio Bread
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a overhang on both sides so you can easily lift the loaf out of the pan once it has baked.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients other than the sugar.
- In a large bowl, beat together the cooled melted butter, egg, sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Add half of the dry mixture into the wet mixture and whisk to combine. Stir in the whole milk and heavy cream, then add the rest of the dry mixture and whisk well. Fold in the pears and pistachios.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and bake 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack, then use the parchment paper to lift the loaf out of the pan to cool directly on the rack until completely cool.
Make the Maple Cream Cheese Drizzle
- Combine the cream cheese, maple syrup and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment until combined, about 2 minutes.
Frost the Pear & Pistachio Bread
- Once the loaf has cooled, use the parchment paper to lift the loaf back into the loaf pan. Pour the maple cream cheese drizzle over the top of the loaf. Refrigerate until set (thirty minutes or so).
- - OR - If you can't wait for all of the cooling, serve individual pieces of pear bread and drizzle the maple cream cheese mixture over the top.
Love it! I only had honey for the cream cheese glaze and almonds for the nuts but it turned out beautifully! Yum yum and yum.
So glad you loved it! Thanks for sharing your changes! – Linda