ByRachaelUpdated
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Warm your body up this winter with a delicious infused vanilla pear liqueur recipe! It takes a bit of time to extract the flavors, but it’s so worth the effort. You just need 5 ingredients, a couple of jars, and a little patience to enjoy a luxurious vanilla pear liqueur all winter long.
It’s pear season! This is the best time of year. We love buying cases of pears and fresh apples as soon as the weather changes. They’re amazing for fresh eating, but they’re also the secret to the best homemade pear butter, pear jelly, pear crisp, dehydrated pear slices, and more.
For this pear liqueur, choose 1-2 of the most perfect pears to infuse their flavors into a sweetened mixture of vodka, white sugar, and whole vanilla bean. Any variety will do, from heritage pear varieties to everyday Bartletts and even succulent Asian pears! Every variety will taste slightly different, which is part of the fun!
It’s such a lovely beverage to warm you up during the winter, and it makes a wonderful, thoughtful gift.
What is Pear Liqueur?
Homemade pear liqueur is like an infused vodka but to the next level. It’s made by soaking fresh pears in high proof vodka with a little sugar and a couple of vanilla beans. As this mixture sets, the alcohol absorbs the flavors and oils from the pear and vanilla beans. It’s sweet from the sugar with a delicious pear flavor and a floral note of vanilla.
It’s absolutely delicious over ice on a cold winter night, but you can easily serve it in co*cktails at a party as well!
What you’ll love about this vanilla pear liqueur recipe:
- Absolutely delicious:The balance between sweet pear and floral vanilla bean is absolutely lovely! The bite of the vodka really wakes you up, but the flavor of the pears and vanilla together is just delicious.
- Relatively inexpensive:Although vodka is a bit pricey, you can use inexpensive 100-proof vodka, regular sugar, and 1 single pear to make a batch of this homemade liqueur! It’s much cheaper than grabbing a bottle from the store.
- Perfect for the holiday season:This drink is made for the holidays! It’s rich and sweet, and the hit of vodka will really warm you up on a cool winter’s night!
- Great homemade gift:Your friends and family will absolutely love getting a little bottle of this liqueur from you. They’ll be thanking you again and again once they try it!
Equipment
The great thing about this recipe is that it’s really simple. You don’t need a lot of ingredients or supplies! You will need a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid. Make sure it can take a lot of shaking. You’ll be shaking this jar every day for a while.
- Two quart-sized mason jars
- Cutting board and knife
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Funnel
Ingredients
- Vodka:Start with a high-quality 100-proof vodka. I recommend looking for one with a quality you’d want to sip!
- Fresh pears:You’ll just need one ripe pear. Mine was slightly underripe and still made an absolutely delicious liqueur.
- Vanilla beans:You’ll need 1-2 vanilla beans. I like these organic vanilla beans from Cook and have them on hand at all times.
- Sugar:Use regular white sugar. We usually use organic cane sugar.
- Cinnamon stick: This is optional, but it adds a lovely, warm flavor to this spiced pear liqueur recipe. It also adds a rich color like this homemade cinnamon extract.
How to Make Pear Liqueur
- Rinse and dry the pear. Slice pear into pieces and add them into the jar.
- Top it off with the sugar, vodka, cinnamon stick, and vanilla beans.
- Seal the jar and shake really well.
- Store at room temperature for approximately 1 week, shaking every day. (I used my kitchen window.)
- Then, move the jar to a cool dark place like the pantry. Continue shaking daily for 2-3 weeks.
- When the liqueur is ready, get a fresh, clean container and strain out the pear and vanilla beans using a funnel and a fine-mesh sieve.
- Transfer liqueur to decorative bottles or a clean glass jar. Label the jars and enjoy!
Storing Suggestions
Store your pear liqueur in a clean mason jar or bottle in a cool, dark place. It will last for approximately a year but is best consumed within 6 months. Because this liqueur tastes so lovely chilled, I often like to keep it in the fridge.
How to Use Pear Liqueur
This homemade vanilla pear liqueur tastes best chilled or poured over ice. It can be enjoyed with a splash of water as a strong, warming beverage or add use it to replace vodka in your favorite co*cktails for more pear flavors! It makes a mean Pear Martini or Old Fashioned.
Tips & Variations
- Spiced pear liqueur:Instead of the vanilla beans, add an extra cinnamon stick, 1-2 star anise, and 5 whole cloves. Replace the sugar with brown sugar and you’ll get a rich, spiced pear liqueur that’s absolutely delicious in your fall co*cktails.
- Add citrus zest:For a refreshing citrus note, add an orange peel, lemon zest, etc.
- Try different types of pears:I used one Red Bartlett pear, but you can use any type of pear, like asian pears, anjou pears, and more.
- Change the alcohol:You can easily use brandy, rum, or other alcohols for this recipe. I chose vodka because I wanted the flavor of vanilla to stand out and it’s already so delicate. Just make sure you choose an alcohol that is 100-proof.
FAQs
What type of pears are best for pear liqueur?
You can really use any type of pear for this recipe, but they are all slightly different. I recommend choosing a fully ripe pear with a strong flavor. You can even use fresh ripe Asian pears! Although this recipe calls for 1 pear, feel free to add 2 instead for a stronger pear flavor.
Do you need to make a simple syrup to make pear liqueur?
Although I love making simple syrups, and I’ve tried them with other homemade liqueurs in the past, I find the process to be unnecessary. Granulated sugar, like caster sugar or even brown sugar, will dissolve in alcohol. I haven’t had any issues with the liqueurs becoming cloudy or anything.
The main benefit of making a simple syrup is that you’re diluting the liqueur to reduce the alcohol. Without adding water, your liqueur will still be close to 100-proof with 50% alcohol. That’s really high! Most liqueurs are around 30% alcohol or lower. An easy fix is to think of your liqueur as a concentrate. When you serve it, add the same amount of water for a 25% alcohol drink.
When do you add the sugar for pear liqueurs?
I read a bunch about this before I tested it out. Some people called for infusing the pears without the sugar for a while, and others added them at the beginning.
Since sugar dissolves in vodka and wouldn’t necessarily hurt the liqueur, I decided to add it at the beginning. The end result was absolutely delicious!
The only con of adding the sugar early is that it will make the lid a little sticky, so sometimes it takes a little effort to open it. Otherwise, it was completely fine. Feel free to add the sugar at any point in the process.
Is pear liqueur and pear vodka the same?
Almost. If you want to make a homemade pear vodka, you’d basically follow this exact recipe but skip the sugar. That’s it! Storebought versions may be slightly different, but when you see liqueur, think “sweet.”
What’s the difference between pear liqueur and pear brandy?
Pear brandy is made by distilling alcohol out of pear juice. It’s an entirely different process from making pear liqueur, in which pears undergo an infusion process with vanilla beans, sugar, and vodka. Both have a strong pear flavor, but one is made entirely from pear, and the other is made by infusing pears in vodka.
Related Recipes
I’m a big fan of fruit liqueurs and other homemade infusions! For more homemade liqueurs, check out these recipes.
- Lavender Liqueur
- Spiced Apple Liqueur
- Vanilla Liqueur (coming soon!)
- Blackberry Infused Vodka
Vanilla Pear Liqueur Recipe
As you infuse fresh pears in vodka with sugar and real vanilla beans for this pear liqueur recipe, the alcohol will extract that subtle pear essence. It's delicately flavored with vanilla beans, which highlight the floral notes, and a little cinnamon to warm everything up. It's a lovely sip to enjoy during the winter and makes an incredibly thoughtful homemade gift!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 0 minutes mins
Infusing Time 14 days d
Total Time 14 days d 5 minutes mins
Course co*cktails, Dessert
Cuisine American
Equipment
2 quart mason jar
1 Chef's knife
1 funnel
Ingredients
- 2 cups unflavored vodka, or Everclear; high proof
- 1-2 pears, diced
- 1/2 cup white sugar, up to 1 cup
- 1-2 vanilla beans, sliced in half
- 1 cinnamon stick
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a jar. Close and shake well.
Store the jar in a cool, dry place. Shake daily for at least one week.
Allow the mixture to steep for an additional week or until it has a strong pear flavor.
Strain out the pears and vanilla and add the mixture to a fresh jar.
Serve and enjoy!
Notes
This liqueur needs at least 2 weeks of infusing time before straining. Feel free to let it infuse for up to a month before straining out the fresh pear pieces.
Store your finished liqueur at room temperature in a well-sealed container for approximately 1 year. You can also keep it in the fridge and enjoy chilled.
- Spiced pear liqueur: Instead of the vanilla beans, add an extra cinnamon stick, 1-2 star anise, and 5 whole cloves. Replace the sugar with brown sugar and you’ll get a rich, spiced pear liqueur that’s absolutely delicious in your fall co*cktails.
- Add citrus zest:For a refreshing citrus note, add an orange peel, lemon zest, etc.
- Try different types of pears:I used one Red Bartlett pear, but you can use any type of pear, like asian pears, anjou pears, and more.
- Change the alcohol:You can easily use brandy, rum, or other alcohols for this recipe. I chose vodka because I wanted the flavor of vanilla to stand out and it’s already so delicate. Just make sure you choose an alcohol that is 100-proof.
Keyword apple liqueur, apple pie vodka
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