An elegant – yet simple – pear puff pastry tart recipe, highlighting fresh, seasonal pears, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, and flaky, buttery pastry. Perfect for easy entertaining!

ginger pear puff pastry tart

A slice of this ginger pear puff pastry may have been my breakfast this morning…

The nearly translucent, thin layers of fresh pear brushed with a sweet, spiced ginger sauce nestled seductively atop flaky, golden puff-pastry was just too much to resist. My own morning impulses aside, this lovely little pastry is a beautiful, autumnal dessert and fantastically simple to boot.

It comes together quickly to create an impressive and elegant tart, prime for entertaining… or early-morning snacking.

pile of fresh pears

Why you’ll love this pear puff pastry tart:

My recipe itself is nearly foolproof. Start with a sheet of thawed puff pastry, brush with heavenly, ginger-spiced, brown sugar-infused butter, and top with sliced pears. Alternating the curvy slices creates a lovely ribbed pattern that elevates the pastry from its humble ingredients list.

A quick trip in the oven, and the puff pastry rises into dozens of flaky layers around the golden, caramelized pears. It’s sweet, and decadent, and almost too easy.

This pastry also takes advantage of the limited lifespan of pears – which I swear are only perfectly ripe for about an hour of their short lives – forgiving even to a slightly less-than-ripe or just so overly-soft specimen.

Try it warm from the oven with a spoonful of vanilla bean ice cream – any time of day!

moody bowl of pears

The ingredients for this pear puff pastry tart

This pear tart comes together quickly with just 8 ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • puff pastry: the flaky, buttery base of this tart. Store-bought frozen pastry works well (look for an all-butter version if you can find it!), and homemade puff pastry would take this tart to a whole other level.
  • pears: of course! The stars of this tart. You’ll want to choose a firm, sweet variety such as Bosc or Anjou that will hold their shape through baking.
  • butter and brown sugar: for a sweet glaze with butterscotch and caramel notes.
  • ginger and cinnamon: these warming fall spices pair wonderfully with the pears. I love using fresh ginger here, but for a more mild flavor, you can also use half as much ground ginger.
  • vanilla: to intensify all the other flavors.
  • demerara sugar: for some last-minute sparkle. Any coarse sanding sugar will work (raw, turbinado, etc.), but this is the one I reach for most often.

Find all of the exact measurements and recipe instructions below.

ginger pear puff pastry tart

How to make a simple pear tart:

From start to out-of-the-oven-finish in under an hour, this puff pastry tart couldn’t be simpler, even for a novice baker. You won’t need any special equipment, just a sheet pan, some good puff pastry, and sweet, in-season pears.

  • Prepare the pastry: grab your defrosted puff pastry, and cut it to fit your pears, leaving a small border around the edges.
  • Assemble the pear filling: Brush the puff pastry with a simple glaze of melted butter, brown sugar, and warming spices. Layer the pear slices on top of the pastry in a pretty, alternating pattern. Top with more gingery, brown sugar goodness, and sprinkle with some coarse sugar – demerara or turbinado – for extra sparkle.
  • Bake and serve: bake until puffed and golden, then serve with a fresh whipped cream or scoops of ice cream.

Something so delicious almost shouldn’t be that easy. Happy baking!!

ginger pear puff pastry tart

Puff Pastry Pear Tart FAQs

Which variety of pears are best for a pear tart?

Bosc or Anjou pears are favorites for pies and tarts because they hold their shape and texture after baking. Forelle and Seckel pears would also be lovely, but are tiny, so you may need to add an extra pear. If you can only find Bartlett pears, be sure they are slightly underripe, as they can get mushy after baking.

Do I need to peel the pears?

It’s up to you! For this tart I don’t peel the pears, and like the texture and pattern they create when left on.

Do I need to score the border of the pastry?

Nope. You can if you’d like to, but it’s not necessary. The puff pastry will rise around the pears naturally creating a border. There’s no need to roll out the pastry either. Once defrosted, handle the puff pastry as little as possible, and simply cut to fit the width of your pears.

Which frozen puff pastry is the best?

Look for one made with all butter instead of shortening. The best store-bought option I’ve tried is Dufour, which I usually find at Whole Foods. It bakes up golden brown in the oven, even without an egg wash, and tastes like the real deal. Trader Joe’s also makes an all-butter puff pastry. That being said, when topped with buttery, spiced, brown sugar pear slices, and baked to golden perfection, just about any pastry will be delicious.

What is the best way to defrost puff pastry?

The one downside of frozen puff pastry is remembering – in advance – to defrost it. The best way is to do this slowly, overnight in the refrigerator, or up to 24 hours before you’re ready to bake.

Be sure to also try these other Fall favorites:

If you make this pear tart, be sure to tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #forkknifeswoon and leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it! ★★★★★ Star ratings are especially helpful because they help others find my recipes too. xo, Laura

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ginger pear puff pastry tart

Easy Ginger Pear Puff Pastry Tart

★★★★★ 4.8 from 16 reviews
  • Author: Laura Bolton
  • Prep Time: 25 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 45 mins
  • Yield: 4 Servings 1x
  • Category: Baking, Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American, French
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Print Recipe

Description

An elegant – yet simple – pear puff pastry tart recipe, highlighting fresh, seasonal pears, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, and flaky, buttery pastry. Perfect for easy entertaining and a holiday favorite!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, defrosted ¹
  • 2 pears, thinly sliced
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 Tbsp light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely minced ²
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 Tbsp demerara sugar (or coarse sanding sugar)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Place the puff pastry on a clean, lightly-floured work surface. Cut a rectangle about 7″ wide by 10″ long, or so that the puff-pastry is about 3/4″ wider than the pear slices on each side. Gently transfer the pastry to your prepared baking sheet.
  3. In a small mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, ginger, vanilla extract, and cinnamon, mixing well. Using a pastry brush, generously brush the top of the puff pastry with the butter mixture.
  4. Leaving a 3/4″ border, layer the pear slices on top of the puff pastry, alternating directions to create a wave-like pattern.
  5. Brush the top of the pears with the remaining butter mixture, and sprinkle with the demerara sugar.
  6. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and puffed around the edges and the pears are tender.
  7. Remove from oven and let cool for at least ten minutes before slicing. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream. Enjoy!!

Equipment

Notes

¹ It’s a little bit more expensive, but using a high-quality, all-butter puff pastry such as Dufour (available at specialty markets such as Whole Foods) does make a difference in the overall flavor of this tart. Also, store-bought puff pastry is easiest to work with if you let it slowly defrost in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours prior to baking.

² I love using fresh ginger here, but you can also substitute 1/4-1/2 tsp ground ginger too.

How to store:

This pear tart (as with most puff pastry desserts) is best the day of, warm from the oven. It will keep for 1-2 days in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, but will naturally absorb moisture and become soggier over time. Reheat in the oven to crisp up before serving.

Keywords: pear puff pastry tart, pear tart, ginger, easy, pear pastry, pear dessert

Originally published on October 24th, 2012. I’m (slowly) going back through my recipe archives, updating some of my favorites with new photos and information.