These Blue Cheese Stuffed Pears are a truly delicious and elegant appetizer or side dish that’s perfect for impressing guests! Tender, baked Bosc pears are filled with pungent blue cheese, crunchy walnuts, and fresh thyme, then drizzled with a delightful spicy honey featuring Aleppo pepper. I absolutely love the combination of sweet, savory, and slightly spicy flavors in this recipe. It feels sophisticated but is surprisingly easy to make. While pears often feel like a fall treat, these Blue Cheese Stuffed Pears are wonderful anytime you want a unique and flavorful bite, even as spring arrives!

Why You’ll Love These Blue Cheese Stuffed Pears

Elegant Flavor Combination: The sweet baked pear, tangy blue cheese, crunchy walnuts, and spicy honey create a complex and delicious flavor profile.
Easy to Make: Despite looking fancy, this recipe is simple to prepare.
Perfect Appetizer: A unique and impressive starter for dinner parties or holiday gatherings.
Versatile: Can also be served as a light dessert or alongside a cheese board.
Highlights Pears: A wonderful way to showcase the natural sweetness of Bosc pears.

Ingredients for Blue Cheese Stuffed Pears

Here’s what you’ll need to make this elegant appetizer. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

Main Ingredients

Large Bosc pears (Fruit)
Extra virgin olive oil (Oil)
Blue cheese (Danish blue cheese recommended, crumbled) (Dairy)
Walnuts, chopped (Nuts)
Fresh thyme (Herb)

Spicy Honey Drizzle

Honey (Sweetener)
Aleppo pepper (Spice) (See notes)

Garnish

Flaky salt (Seasoning)
Extra fresh thyme (optional) (Herb)

(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)

Variations

I adore these Blue Cheese Stuffed Pears just as they are, but here are a few delightful variations:

Different Cheese: Use Gorgonzola, Roquefort, Stilton, or even crumbled goat cheese instead of Danish blue.
Different Nuts: Substitute pecans, almonds, or pistachios for the walnuts.
Add Bacon: Sprinkle some crispy, crumbled bacon over the top before serving.
Balsamic Glaze: Drizzle with a balsamic glaze instead of or in addition to the spicy honey.
No Spice: Omit the Aleppo pepper from the honey for a purely sweet drizzle.

Stuffing the baked pear halves with blue cheese and walnuts for Blue Cheese Stuffed Pears.

How to Make Blue Cheese Stuffed Pears

Let me show you how easy it is to make these delicious Blue Cheese Stuffed Pears:

Prep Pears and Oven

First, I preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
I slice the pears in half lengthwise. Using a melon baller or a spoon, I carefully remove the core and seeds from each half.
I place the pear halves in a cast iron skillet (or a baking dish), cut side up.
I drizzle them with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Then, I turn the pears cut side down in the skillet.

Bake Pears (First Time)

I transfer the pears (still cut side down) to the preheated oven.
I bake for 15 minutes.

Stuff and Bake (Second Time)

I carefully remove the pears from the oven.
I turn them cut side up.
I stuff the cored-out center of each pear half with the crumbled blue cheese, chopped walnuts, and fresh thyme leaves (removed from the stem).
I place the stuffed pears back in the oven for another eight to ten minutes, until the cheese has melted slightly and the pears are fully tender.

Make Spicy Honey & Serve

While the pears finish baking, I mix the honey with the Aleppo pepper in a small bowl.
Once the Blue Cheese Stuffed Pears are done cooking, I transfer them to a platter or individual plates.
I drizzle them with the spicy honey.
I garnish with a sprinkle of flaky salt and extra fresh thyme leaves, if desired.
Serve!

Tips and Tricks for the BEST Stuffed Pears

Here are my secrets for making these pears truly exceptional:

Use Bosc Pears: Bosc pears hold their shape well during baking, making them ideal for this recipe. Choose pears that are firm but ripe.
Don’t Overbake Pears: Bake the pears just until they are tender when pierced with a knife. Overbaking will make them mushy.
Core Carefully: Remove the core and seeds neatly without taking out too much pear flesh. A melon baller works perfectly for this.
Aleppo Pepper Note: Aleppo pepper provides a mild, fruity heat. If you can’t find it, use a smaller amount of crushed red pepper flakes or omit for no heat.
Serve Warm: These stuffed pears are best enjoyed warm, when the cheese is melty and the pear is tender.

How to Serve

These Blue Cheese Stuffed Pears are perfect served:

As an Appetizer: An elegant starter for a dinner party or holiday meal.
On a Cheese Board: A beautiful and flavorful addition to a cheese or charcuterie platter.
As a Light Dessert: A sophisticated ending to a meal, balancing sweet and savory.
With Salad: Serve alongside a simple arugula salad with vinaigrette.

Serve warm.

A close-up of Blue Cheese Stuffed Pears, showing the melted cheese and toasted walnuts.

Make Ahead and Storage

You can bake the pears (the first 15-minute bake) ahead of time. Let them cool and store them in the refrigerator. Stuff and do the final bake just before serving. Leftover stuffed pears can be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days and reheated gently in the oven or microwave.

FAQs about Blue Cheese Stuffed Pears

What other type of pears can I use?
- Anjou pears could also work, but might cook slightly faster than Bosc. Avoid very soft pears like Comice.
Can I make these without blue cheese?
- Yes, crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese would be good substitutes for a tangy flavor.
Can I prepare the whole dish ahead and just reheat?
- It’s best to do the final bake just before serving to ensure the cheese is nicely melted and the pears are warm without being overcooked.

Enjoy this elegant, flavorful, and surprisingly easy Blue Cheese Stuffed Pears recipe! It’s a perfect appetizer or light dessert.