Spiced Pear Soufflé

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This spiced pear soufflé is the best autumn dessert. It’s fluffy, airy, and the coziest combination of fresh pears and warming spices.

Spiced pear souffle in 3 ramekins
Photo: Gayle McLeod

Typically, we associate fall with warm and cozy desserts that are a bit on the heavier side. But what if I said there’s a dessert that gives the same vibe, but won’t weigh you down? Now that’s something I’d be all over this season — and what this spiced pear soufflé has to offer!

I’ve been eager to make a new version of my raspberry soufflé. So, it was only a matter of time before I experimented with my favorite autumn fruit.

Once you nail this soufflé recipe, don’t be surprised if you end up making this for every single holiday dinner party. Especially as a unique Thanksgiving dessert!

Ingredients for spiced pear souffle on a table

Spiced Pear Soufflé Recipe Ingredients

  • Pear Puree: I’m using Bartlett pears, but any kind will work! You’ll also need lemon juice — and I always recommend fresh lemons instead of the bottled kind.
  • Soufflé Batter Base: This includes room-temperature butter, coconut sugar, honey, arrowroot flour, and egg whites.
  • Spices: A combo of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice makes the warmest, spiced flavor that complements the sweet pears so well.

Helpful Tips & Substitutions

  • Arrowroot Flour: If you don’t have arrowroot flour, you can use tapioca flour or cornstarch as well.
  • Coconut Sugar: I always use coconut sugar in dessert recipes, but you can any of your favorite granulated sugars.

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

How To Make A Soufflé

There are a few important steps to make a soufflé. But if you carefully follow along below, you’ll be a pro in no time! Just be most careful when you’re stirring together the soufflé batter — I have more tips below!

Make the pear puree. Pulse the pear and lemon juice in a food processor until it’s completely smooth — almost like apple sauce! Then pour the puree into a small pot with honey and spices. Mix everything together and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.

Stirring puree in a pot for spiced pear souffle

Make a slurry and mix it with the pear puree. Stir the arrowroot flour and water in a separate small bowl. Then stir the slurry into the puree until it starts to thicken. Pour the final puree into a bowl and let it chill in the fridge.

Stirring a slurry into puree for spiced pear souffle

Beat the egg whites. Do this in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Then slowly add the rest of the honey as you’re beating until it’s perfectly smooth and glossy.

Mixing up egg whites in a bowl for spiced pear souffle

Make the final soufflé batter. Stir ⅓ of the egg whites into the pear puree. Then gently fold in another ⅓ of the egg whites until combined — and repeat. The key here is to not over-mix the batter!

Making a spiced pear souffle batter in a bowl

It’s time to bake! Add the mixture into the ramekins, level the top with a knife, and bake for 11 to 14 minutes at 375°F (190°C). It should slightly puff up and have a golden top!

Spiced pear souffles on a baking sheet

Helpful tip: Make sure to serve it up immediately, as it’ll start to deflate a minute or so after being removed from the oven!

More Holiday Desserts

Desserts have a special place during the holiday season. So here are a few more delicious ideas to try! They’re perfect for enjoying at home or to bring to Thanksgiving!

If you make this spiced pear soufflé, let me know how it turned out in a comment below! I’d love to hear your thoughts on the process and results on this wintery dessert.

Ramekins of spiced pear souffle

Spiced Pear Souffle

5 from 4 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 6
Author: Lisa Bryan

Description

This spiced pear soufflé is (low-key) the best fall dessert. It's fluffy, airy, and the coziest combination of pears and warming spices.

Ingredients 
 

  • 1 tablespoon room temperature butter
  • 3 tablespoons coconut sugar (or other granulated sugar)
  • 2 large pears, peeled, cored and quartered
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • teaspoon nutmeg
  • teaspoon allspice
  • 2 teaspoons arrowroot flour
  • 3 teaspoons water
  • 4 egg whites, room temperature

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease the inside of six 6-ounce ramekins with butter. Lightly dust with coconut sugar or another granulated sugar. Place on a baking tray and set aside.
    Ramekins prepped for spiced pear souffles
  • Place the pear and lemon juice in a food processor and pulse until pureed and smooth.
    Pear puree in a food processor for spiced pear souffle
  • In a small pot on medium heat, add the pureed pear, one tablespoon of honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Stir and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.
    Mixing up puree and spices for spiced pear souffle
  • While the puree is simmering, stir together the arrowroot flour and water in a separate small bowl, to create a slurry.
    A bowl of slurry for spiced pear souffle
  • Pour the slurry into the pear puree and continue simmering and stirring for another 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly thickened. Pour the puree into a large bowl (as more will be added to it shortly) and place it in the fridge to cool.
    Stirring slurry into puree for spiced pear souffle
  • After the puree has cooled, place the egg whites in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Slowly add the remaining two tablespoons of honey, beating until slightly glossy.
    Whisking egg whites for spiced pear souffle
  • Stir ⅓ of the egg whites into the puree, until well combined. Don't worry about deflating the egg whites with the first addition. Gently fold in another ⅓ of the egg whites until combined, but not over-mixed. And repeat for the last ⅓ of egg whites. It's okay if light streaks of white remain.
    A bowl of spiced pear souffle batter
  • Spoon the mixture into the ramekins, level the top with a knife, and bake for 11 to 14 minutes, until slightly puffed up and lightly golden on top. Serve immediately.
    A baking sheet with spiced pear souffles in ramekins

Lisa’s Tips

  • Note that there might be a little bit of spiced pear liquid that pools in the bottom of the ramekin. That’s normal. 
  • If you find that your souffle didn’t rise, make sure you don’t overmix your egg whites with the puree. It’s okay to have some slight streaks of white in the mixture. 

Nutrition

Calories: 126kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 50mg | Potassium: 103mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 76IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.2mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Pear Souffle, souffle recipe, Spiced Pear Souffle
Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

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Recipe Rating




22 Comments

  1. I was scared of making a soufflé! So many stories of how difficult it is and how possible it is to be flat and not puff up properly. But it turned out PERFECT. It was a big hit. I used Earth Balance instead of butter as I have a dairy allergy, but it was still great. I’ll be making this again for sure. Thank you for giving me options on a really restricting diet!5 stars

  2. I want to make these for a party at a friends house. I know I could have the pear purée done ahead of time. Could I also whip the egg whites at home and assemble at friends house to bake while we are eating dinner?

  3. so good and so easy, I felt like a pro when I popped these out of the oven. wasn’t sure what the sprinkling on top was, I grated a little nutmeg on top and for the sugar used brown monk fruit. instead of coconut sugar5 stars

  4. Hi Lisa, I can’t wait to make this for Thanksgiving! If I’m using cornflour instead of Arrowroot, is it a 1-1 substitution? Thanks!

  5. Very nice recipe! To be honest, I didn’t expect it to be this sweet. The combination of flavours was amazing. Even the texture…you may think you’re biting into a cloud haha.
    Thank you, Lisa!5 stars

      1. Could the pear pure be prepared a day in advanced? it says it need to be cooled in the refrigerator? Then before serving beat the whites and bake?
        Please advice? I really would like to do it as a Thanksgiving dessert, but I would like save time and not do everything when guests are here.
        Thank you!