Chocolate Pear Cookies

5 from 14 votes

Chewy Chocolate Pear Cookies are rich and chocolatey and fresh tasting thanks to fresh pear and optional orange zest! Definitely not your average cookie recipe!

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Total Time45

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: cookies

Calories: 125kcal

Author: Natalie

Equipment

Ingredients

14 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, cooled slightly
2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger optional
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
½ tablespoon orange zest optional
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg room temperature
1 egg yolk
2½ ounces dark chocolate chopped into ¼ inch pieces, or use semi-sweet bars or chocolate chips
¾ cup chopped fresh pear peeled, cored and chopped into ¼ inch pieces, about 1 to 1 ½ pears

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Melt the butter in a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl and set aside to cool for about 15 minutes. See the notes below if you’d like to brown the butter for extra flavor.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, salt.
Chop the chocolate into small chunks about ¼ inch. Next, peel and core the pear. Chop into ¼ inch chunks. After chopping, gently blot the pear pieces with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
In a large bowl, whisk to combine the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Break up any lumps of brown sugar. Add the melted butter (or brown butter) and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the egg, then the egg yolk, followed by the vanilla and optional orange zest.
Use a spatula to stir in the dry ingredients just until combined. Stir in the chopped chocolate, then gently fold in the pears. The dough will be thick and sticky.
Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon balls using a 1-ounce cookie scoop and place them about 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 8–9 cookies per sheet for 13–15 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers are puffy yet soft.
Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Video

Notes

Pears: Use ¾ cup to 1 cup of finely diced fresh pear. I usually use 1 to 1½ medium pears. I prefer to bake with Anjou pears. Bartlett (Williams) or Bosc also work. Chop into ¼-inch diced pieces.

Chocolate: Use good-quality semi-sweet chocolate bars (or chips if that’s what you have). If using a bar, chop into small chunks about ¼ inch. You can leave a few slightly bigger pieces (½ inch) for gooey chocolate pockets. Use a sharp chef’s knife for best results.

Brown Butter (Optional): For extra rich flavor, brown the butter instead of just melting it. Start with 15 tablespoons of unsalted butter (you’ll lose a little as it browns). Melt over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams and turns golden with brown bits on the bottom, about 5–7 minutes. Pour butter into a bowl and let cool for about 15 minutes before using. Cookies made with browned butter may spread slightly more — if you’d like thicker cookies, chill the dough for 30–45 minutes before baking.

Cookie scoop: Use a 1 ounce cookie scoop to form cookie dough balls. The cookie scoop is least messy and makes cookies all the same size.

Cookie dough: The dough will be thick and sticky. Stick a few pieces of chocolate or pear bits on top of cookie dough balls before baking.

Yield: Makes about 35 cookies using 2-tablespoon (≈28–30 g) dough balls. Fewer cookies if you make them larger, more if smaller.

Storage: Store baked, cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days or up to 4 days in the fridge. Store in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months.

Nutrition