Stoofpeertjes (Dutch Stewed Pears)

This recipe comes from my late Oma (Dutch for grandmother). I’m connected to her through my marriage—she was my husband’s maternal grandmother. Every Christmas, my mother-in-law makes Stoofpeertjes as a side dish for our Christmas dinner, much like how cranberry sauce is a staple in many holiday meals. We always enjoy reminiscing about Oma and her amusing Stoofpeertjes story.

As the story goes, when Oma was younger, she always made Stoofpeertjes from scratch, and everyone loved them. But as she got older, she started buying them from a local supplier. Yet, if anyone asked, she would always insist that she had made them herself. One day, my mother-in-law discovered the store-bought jar and asked Oma about it. That’s when she finally confessed—she had been buying Stoofpeertjes for quite some time! Even the local supplier knew about it because Oma had shared the story with her. Now, every time I make or think about Stoofpeertjes, I can’t help but remember Oma with a smile.

The Stoofpeertjes recipe I’ve created is slightly different from Oma and my mother-in-law’s version, as it uses Glühwein instead of regular red wine—but rest assured, it’s just as delicious. Stoofpeertjes is also a wonderfully versatile dish; it can be enjoyed as a starter, a side dish, or even a dessert. For this recipe, I’ve prepared it as a dessert. Of course, you don’t have to wait until Christmas to make this—it’s pear-fect for any occasion or simply as a treat on a cozy day! 

See what I did there? Perfect… pear-fect… because, you know, pears? No? Tough crowd. Guess I’ll stick to cooking.