Pear Bread Pudding is a cozy slow cooker dessert made in individual mason jars with soft bread, sweet pears, warm cinnamon, and a rich caramel topping. This easy homemade bread pudding recipe is perfect for holidays, frees up oven space, and delivers a comforting, make-ahead dessert everyone will love.
Pear Bread Pudding is a cozy, comforting dessert that feels fancy but is surprisingly easy to make. This version cooks right in your slow cooker using individual mason jars, which makes it perfect for holidays, dinner parties, or anytime your oven is already working overtime.
If your oven always feels way too small during Thanksgiving, Christmas, or family gatherings, this recipe is going to be a lifesaver. The slow cooker does all the work while freeing up valuable oven space, and the individual portions make serving easy and mess-free. Each little jar is filled with soft bread, sweet pears, warm spices, and finished with a rich caramel topping that everyone loves.
This bread pudding comes together quickly with simple ingredients. Day-old bread works best because it soaks up the custard without turning mushy. The pears add natural sweetness and a soft texture, and the reserved pear syrup gets mixed into the caramel sauce for extra flavor. The result is a warm, comforting dessert that tastes like it took way more effort than it actually did.
Another bonus is how well this Pear Bread Pudding works for entertaining. You can keep the jars warm right in the slow cooker until you are ready to serve, then top each one with whipped cream, caramel sauce, and crunchy nuts. Even people who do not usually go for dessert tend to love this one.
What I Love About This Recipe
- It cooks entirely in the slow cooker, which frees up oven space during busy holidays and makes entertaining so much easier.
- The individual mason jar servings feel special and make portioning, serving, and cleanup simple.
- Using pears adds natural sweetness and a soft texture that pairs perfectly with warm spices and caramel.
- The recipe is flexible and easy to adjust depending on how many jars your slow cooker can hold.
- It stays warm in the slow cooker, so dessert timing is stress-free when guests are over.
Equipment You May Need
- Slow Cooker – Large enough to hold the mason jars with room for water around them.
- Mason Jars (1-cup size) – Oven-safe jars work best for individual portions.
- Large Mixing Bowl – For mixing the egg and milk custard.
- Whisk – Helps fully combine the eggs, milk, sugar, and spices.
- Microwave-Safe Bowl – For warming the caramel sauce before serving.
- Spoon or Ladle – To evenly distribute the custard into the jars
Ingredients
- Diced pears in light syrup – Adds sweetness and moisture, and the reserved syrup enhances the caramel topping.
- Day-old bread, cubed – Soaks up the custard without becoming soggy, creating the perfect bread pudding texture.
- Eggs – Form the custard base and help the bread pudding set as it cooks.
- Milk – Keeps the pudding rich and creamy without being too heavy.
- Granulated sugar – Sweetens the custard just enough without overpowering the pears.
- Spiced rum (optional) – Adds warmth and depth to both the pudding and caramel sauce.
- Vanilla extract – Enhances the overall flavor and adds a classic dessert note.
- Cinnamon – Brings warmth and pairs perfectly with pears and caramel.
- Salt – Balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors.
- Caramel ice cream topping – Creates an easy, rich sauce without extra cooking.
- Chopped walnuts or pecans – Adds crunch and contrast to the soft bread pudding.
- Whipped cream or whipped topping – Finishes the dessert with a light, creamy topping.
How to Make Pear Bread Pudding
Step One: Prep the Pears
Drain the syrup from the pears and set the syrup aside for later use in the caramel topping. This adds extra flavor without wasting anything.
Step Two: Layer the Jars
Layer the cubed bread and diced pears in eight 1-cup mason jars, alternating layers so each jar has a good mix of both.
Step Three: Make the Custard
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, three tablespoons of rum if using, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until fully combined.
Step Four: Fill the Jars
Spoon the custard mixture evenly over the bread and pears in each jar. Gently press down on the bread with the back of a spoon so it absorbs the liquid.
Step Five: Cook in the Slow Cooker
Place the filled jars into the slow cooker. Carefully add water to the slow cooker so it reaches about one inch up the sides of the jars, making sure no water gets into the pudding. Cover and cook on low for about three hours, or until set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step Six: Make the Caramel Sauce
In a microwave-safe bowl, mix the caramel topping with two tablespoons of reserved pear syrup and the remaining rum if using. Heat in 30-second intervals until warm and smooth.
Step Seven: Serve
Top each bread pudding with warm caramel sauce, whipped cream, and chopped nuts. Serve warm for best results.
(Full printable recipe card with full details is at bottom of post.)
Serving Suggestions
- Serve the bread pudding warm straight from the slow cooker for the best texture and flavor.
- Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra indulgent dessert option.
- Drizzle extra caramel sauce over the top for guests who love a sweeter finish.
- Sprinkle with additional cinnamon or nutmeg for a cozy holiday touch.
- Pair with coffee or spiced tea for a comforting after-dinner treat.
Quick Tips for Best Results
- Use day-old or slightly stale bread, so it absorbs the custard without becoming mushy.
- Avoid lifting the slow cooker lid during cooking so the steam can properly set the pudding.
- Make sure your mason jars are heat-safe before placing them in the slow cooker.
- Press the bread gently into the custard to ensure even soaking without compressing it too much.
- Keep the jars warm in the slow cooker until serving time for stress-free entertaining.
Hope you enjoy these Slow Cooker Pear Bread Puddings! You may also like this Caramel Apple Dump Cake and Caramel Apple Butter Cupcakes!
Pear Bread Pudding (Slow Cooker)
Ingredients
- 3 (6 oz.) Diced Pears in Light Syrup containers
- 6 cups cubed good quality day-old bread
- 6 large eggs
- 2 3/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons spiced rum divided (optional)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- dash salt
- 1 cup thick caramel ice cream topping
- 1/2 cup Walnuts or pecans chopped & toasted
- Whipped cream or whipped topping (optional)
Instructions
- Drain syrup from pears and set syrup aside for later use in caramel topping.
- Layer bread and pears in 8 (1-cup) mason jars alternating layers.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, 3 tablespoons rum if desired, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Spoon over pear and bread in mason jars. Using the back of a spoon, press lightly on bread so that the bread soaks up some of the liquid.
- Place mason jars in slow cooker. Pour water into bottom of slow cooker (being careful not to get water into bread pudding) so that water is about 1-inch deep.
- Cover slow cooker and cook on low for about 3 hours or until bread pudding is set and a knife inserted into middle comes out clean.
- Meanwhile, mix together caramel, 2 tablespoons of reserved pear syrup, and remaining 2 tablespoons of rum if desired in microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30 second intervals until warm.
- Top bread pudding with caramel sauce, whipped cream/topping, and nuts as desired.
Notes
- Do not lift the top off of your slow cooker very often if at all so that the steam can help cook the bread pudding.
- Instead of cinnamon, you can use any kind of spice or spice mixture.
- Instead of caramel, real maple syrup is also great.
- Instead of rum, you could use orange juice or omit.
Nutrition:
(Nutrition data is provided when available for informational purposes only and calculated using an online nutritional calculator. For the most accurate information please calculate based on specific ingredients and brands you use as well as any changes you made to the recipe. I am not a certified nutritionist or registered dietician and any nutritional information provided should only be used as a general guideline and estimate.)
Lillie S says
So easy in a crock pot!