Spiced Pear Cocktail

Ward off winter’s chill with a Spiced Pear Cocktail in hand. Sweet pear melds perfectly with cozy spices for a sparkling drink that’s perfect for a night in by the fire.

About this Spiced Pear Cocktail recipe

Pears are severely underrated. Pumpkin steals the show come fall, with apples bridging the seasons into winter. But pears deserve their time to shine! They’re subtly sweet, giving them the ability to play well with plenty of different ingredients, like vodka in the pear Moscow mule or bourbon and rum in pear Thanksgiving punch.

As the weather cools, you don’t have to feel stuck with choosing a warm drink. Yes, some days you need a hot toddy to bring feeling back to your fingers after shoveling the driveway, but sometimes you need a cocktail with cozy flavors that will warm you from the inside, out despite the ice in the glass.

This Spiced Pear Cocktail is the latter, thanks to spiced pear syrup that combines notes of ginger, cinnamon and cloves with sweet pear. Add in botanical gin and a splash of ginger ale and you’re left with a drink that’s at home at holiday happy hours or quiet evenings watching the snow fly.

More gin recipes: Snow Globe Cocktail • Gin Gin Mule • Pomegranate Yule Mule

Tools & glassware

To craft this spiced pear cocktail, you’ll need some tools from both your kitchen and bar cart ^*.

Making simple syrup calls for a saucepan, strainer and something to stir with. For the drink itself, find your jigger and cocktail shaker ^*.

The glass you use is up to you. You can use a collins glass ^* if you’re enjoying it during a cozy evening at home or elevate the elegance with a stemmed coupe glass. Totally up to you — allow the occasion to help you decide!

Ingredients & substitutions

You’ll need two sets of ingredients: one for the spiced pear simple syrup, and one for the cocktail itself.

For the Spiced Pear Syrup:

• Pear juice: Make sure you’re using 100% juice for best results. Pear purée or pear nectar will also work here.
• Sugar: White granulated sugar works well in simple syrup.
• Whole cinnamon sticks: These will allow the flavor to steep into the syrup rather than dissolving into the mixture like ground cinnamon ^* would do.
• Whole cloves: Like the cinnamon, you’ll want the whole version of the spice rather than the ground version.
• Ginger root: Fresh ginger root will give you the best flavor.

For the Spiced Pear Cocktail:

• Gin: Use your favorite bottle or see my recommendations below.
• Spiced pear syrup: It’s easy to make at home and so worth the effort!
• Pear juice: Since this will give you the depth of flavor, try for fresh juice when possible.
• Ginger ale: You can use store-bought or make your own to control the level of spice. Ginger beer can up the spice level too, or club soda can make this drink lighter.
• Sliced pear: If you have a pear on hand, it makes a nice garnish (but is optional).
• Cinnamon stick: Your leftover cinnamon sticks from the spiced pear syrup are perfect for an optional garnish.
• Rosemary: Add a touch of savory smell and flavor with a sprig as a garnish.

If gin isn’t for you, try vodka instead. Gin tends to carry strong herbal, floral flavors and vodka can provide a lighter experience for anyone who doesn’t love gin.

Looking for a touch more spice? Ginger beer has more spicy ginger flavor and less sweetness than ginger ale.

Best gin for cocktails

Every brand of gin bears a different flavor profile, so the one you choose will vastly affect the flavor of cocktail. Every person will have a their own favorite gin, so take some time to experiment and find yours. Here are three gins I am enjoying right now:

• The classic Hendrick’s Gin is sweet and herbaceous with hints of juniper berries. It’s reliably delicious in lots of gin cocktails.
• A French gin, Citadelle Gin comes in a stunning blue bottle and delivers a bright, aromatic flavor with a hint of spice.
• For a more spendy option, Botanist is an Islay dry gin that’s versatile for mixing in cocktails, as it brings a classic gin flavor.

Spiced Pear Simple Syrup

This drink garners its flavor from a homemade spiced pear simple syrup. Simple syrup is, well, simple to make and allows you to control the flavor to fit your preferences.

Then, remove your syrup from the heat and let it cool. Strain it into an airtight glass container and store in the fridge for up to one month.

Instructions

Once you’ve made the simple syrup, the drink comes together easily!

Grab your cocktail shaker ^* and fill it with ice. Then add the syrup, gin and pear juice.

Shake well until the mixture is chilled and then strain it into your chosen glass over ice. Top it with ginger ale, using more or less depending on your flavor preference. Add your garnishes (like a slice of pear and sprig of rosemary) and you’re ready to enjoy!

Food pairings

If you’re enjoying this Spiced Pear Cocktail at home by the fire, opt for a comfort food like homemade poutine or pizza breadsticks with pepperoni pizza dip.

For a holiday soiree, you’ll want something a little bit more elevated. You can’t go wrong with a Christmas charcuterie board or candied spiced nuts. And for a sweet treat, try some spicy, yet sweet chai snickerdoodles!

FAQ

More holiday recipes

• Pomegranate Martini
• Apple Cider Mojito
• Fireball Eggnog